Cherokee defeats Seiling on the road, no game this coming Friday

By Editor | October 2, 2020 |

The Cherokee Chief football team bounced back following a loss on the road to Shattuck with a 46-0 win over the Seiling Wildcats.

The Wildcats took the ball to start the game and began their drive on their 35-yard line. The Chief defense came out strong on the first drive and forced a punt after two runs and an incomplete pass.

Cherokee’s Lake Lyon returned the punt for 20 yards to set them up for 1st and 10 on the Chiefs’ 35-yard line.

Cherokee put together a drive that featured runs by Lyon, Damien Lobato, Ruston James and passes from Lyon to Kolby Roberts and James before Lyon ended the drive with a 27-yard run. Lobato added the two-point conversion to give Cherokee the 8-0 lead with 7:40 left in the quarter.

On the ensuing drive, the Wildcats put together a drive that started on their 35-yard line but ended on a 4th and 19 incomplete pass on Cherokee’s 26-yard line.

The first quarter came to a close during Cherokee’s next drive with them leading 8-0.

The first play of the second quarter was a punt by Roberts to the Wildcats.

Seiling began on their 20-yard line and worked the ball down to Cherokee’s 43-yard line before a fourth down run was short of the first down marker, giving the ball back to the Chiefs.

Cherokee capitalized on the next drive and after a six play drive, they scored when Lyon ran in the 9-yard touchdown. Lobato added the two-point conversion increasing Cherokee’s lead to 16-0. The drive was helped with runs from Lobato, James and Lyon.

On Seiling’s next drive, they began at their 26-line and again were able to get the ball moving all the way to Cherokee’s 13-yard line before an incomplete pass on fourth down stalled the drive, giving the ball back to Cherokee with 2:40 left in the quarter.

Cherokee went three and out on their next drive to give the ball back to Seiling with 1:09 left in the second quarter.

Seiling ran the clock out during the drive after moving the ball down to Cherokee’s 15-yard line.

The score at half was 16-0.

Cherokee made quick work in the third quarter following the kick-off when Lyon broke off for a 66-yard touchdown run. Lobato added the two-point conversion and with 19 seconds gone off the clock, Cherokee led 24-0.

The following drives by Seiling and Cherokee ended with a punt and turnover on downs for the Wildcats and a turnover on downs for the Chiefs before James scored on a 15-yard run with 3:50 left in the quarter. Lobato added the two-point conversion and the lead was at 32-0.

The Cherokee defense forced a punt on Seiling’s next drive.

Cherokee moved the ball 46 yards on their next drive with runs by Colby Roach, James and Lyon. Lyon scored on a 6-yard run and James added the two-point conversion to put the lead to 40 with 30 seconds left in the third quarter.

On Seiling’s next drive, the quarter came to a close with Cherokee leading 40-0.

The Wildcats’ drive ended on a fumble and Cherokee recovery.

Cherokee was able to end the game when Kai McHenry ran in a 5-yard touchdown. The drive featured runs by McHenry and Xander Jackson.

Cherokee ran 45 plays for 412 yards with them rushing 39 for 394 yards and going 4-6 through the air for 18 yards.

The offensive stats are as follows:

• Lyon: 4-6 passing for 18 yards, 16 carries for 187 yards and four touchdowns and two punt returns for 25 yards.

• Lobato: nine carries for 100 yards and two catches for 1 yard.

• James: eight carries for 41 yards and one touchdown, one catch for 8 yards and one kick return for 24 yards.

• Roach: two carries for 31 yards.

• McHenry: three carries for 30 yards and one touchdown.

• Jackson: one carry for 5 yards.

The Cherokee defense held the Wildcats scoreless and to 160 yards on 51 plays. Seiling rushed 32 times for 66 yards and threw the ball 9-19 for 94 yards.

The defensive stats are as follows:

• Lyon: five unassisted, five assisted and two pass deflect.

• McHenry: one assisted and one fumble recovery.

• Lathan Golden: two unassisted and two assisted.

• Zackery Hellar: one unassisted.

• Lobato: three unassisted and seven assisted and one pass deflect.

• James: six unassisted and three assisted and one forced fumble.

• Damien Ramirez: one unassisted and one assisted.

• Char Smith: two assisted and one sack.

• Matthew Reeves: six unassisted and three assisted.

• Roach: one unassisted.

• Julius Luster: one unassisted and one assisted.