The Lincoln County Lions will face off against Fairfield/Augusta at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
On Friday, Lincoln County was fully in charge, breezing past Thompson Falls 54-16. The game was pretty much decided by the half, when the score had already reached 48-0.
Lincoln County got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was Josh Lambertsen out in front who rushed for 59 yards and a pair of scores, and also picked up 36 receiving yards and one TD. Another signal caller making a difference was Rogan Lytle, who threw for 74 yards and two touchdowns on perfect 5-for-5 passing.
Lincoln County didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. It was truly a group effort as Lambertsen, Hunter Grieve, and Cayden Basinger picked up one apiece. Lambertsen got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
Meanwhile, Fairfield/Augusta never let their opponents score on Thursday. They were the clear victors by a 21-0 margin over Conrad. The win made it back-to-back victories for Fairfield/Augusta.
Lincoln County better keep an eye on Brock Peace. He was instrumental in Fairfield/Augusta's win, throwing for 269 yards and three TDs. Peace has become a key player for Fairfield/Augusta: the team is 3-1 when he posts at least three passing touchdowns, but 1-3 otherwise.
Fairfield/Augusta didn't let much get past them through the air: they limited Conrad to a completion percentage of just 44.4%. That dominant aerial defense primarily came from two players: Sloan Giles and Brodie Carper, who each logged one passes deflected. Fairfield/Augusta wasn't nearly as limited: they posted one of 54.3%.
Fairfield/Augusta's defense didn't let the opposing QB, get away unscathed either: they got into the backfield for three sacks. The team can thank three different players for their defensive prowess: Derek Pearson, Brady Huhn, and Giles, who each picked up one sack apiece. Another thorn in Conrad's side was Pearson, who picked up a sack, forced one fumble, and made eight total tackles (2.0 for loss).
The win got Fairfield/Augusta back to even at 4-4. As for Lincoln County, their record is now 6-2.
Saturday's contest might be decided in the trenches. Lincoln County has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 158.2 rushing yards per game. It's a different story for Fairfield/Augusta, though, as they've been averaging only 75.8 rushing yards. How will they fare against such a dominant running game?
Everything came up roses for Lincoln County against Fairfield/Augusta in their previous matchup back in August, as the team secured a 32-0 victory. Do the Lions have another victory up their sleeve, or will Fairfield/Augusta turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
