Loyal captures win over Assumption in last Greyhound football home game

After a long drought, the Loyal High School football team finally got a solid win under their belts after defeating Wisconsin Rapids Assumption at home on Friday. This came after a series of six losses and was the Greyhounds’ first win of the season other than a win by forfeit against Wild Rose Sept. 15.

As the last regular home game of the season, it was Senior Night. Loyal seniors Peyton Farmer, Hudson Hanson, Tyler Nielsen, Louis Nikolai and Dane Luchterhand were recognized for the contributions they had made to the football program and given a round of applause before they took to the field at home one last time.

Adding to the significance of the night was the fact that it was the boys’ last varsity football home game as the Loyal Greyhounds, as Loyal will combine with Greenwood next fall for varsity football.

The Greyhounds didn’t waste much time stepping on the gas to earn points in the Sept. 30 game. Parker Smith received the kick on the opening drive and brought it to the Assumption 23. Various Loyal players then carried the ball a few yards at a time, with one highlight being junior Tryn Scheel’s 11-yard run to earn the first down. Later on in the drive, when it was third-and-5 on Loyal’s 25-yard line, Scheel ran the ball again for a touchdown to put Loyal on the board with 7:28 left in the first frame. The 2-point conversion attempt was no good.

On the kickoff, the Greyhounds recovered the ball, much to the excitement of the Loyal fans. Scheel carried the ball to make it second-and-3 for the Greyhounds on Assumption’s 28. Loyal again marched up the field, this time with a 20-plus-yard run coming from Nikolai. He punched it in on the next play to give the Greyhounds 12 points. They did not make the two-point conversion.

Assumption took over with a chance to get things going offensively. However, the Loyal defensive line held the Royals at bay, including a third-down sack by Cain Toufar followed by a tackle by Parker Smith on fourth down to stop the Royals in their tracks.

Nikolai picked up the punt to start the next drive and he, Smith and Eli Zettler all carried the ball over the next few plays. At the quarter break, Loyal coach Chris Lindner told his team not to be satisfied and to keep pushing.

As the game resumed, Loyal attempted to complete another successful drive, but fumbled on fourth-and-9 at the Assumption 17 to give Assumption the ball. Devon Roehl, Smith and Hudson Hanson shut down the Royals’ drive pretty quickly though, and the Greyhounds got the ball back with 4:08 left in the half.

The Greyhounds were unable to score with the time they had left, hindered by a couple of mistakes, including an incomplete pass and 10-yard holding penalty. Assumption got the ball back before halftime but wasn’t able to make anything of it, either. That left the score at 12-0.

Lindner’s message to his team over the break was the same: “Don’t be satisfied. Keep it going.”

That they did. On Assumption’s opening drive of the third quarter, the Greyhounds recovered a fumble to take possession on the Assumption 36. On that drive, Scheel carried the ball for 19 yards and punched it in just a couple of plays later. Assumption picked off the 2-point conversion pass, but the score still stood at Loyal 18, Assumption 0.

The Greyhounds held off the Royals on defense on the next drive, aided by tackles from Nikolai, Toufar and Smith, and a sack from Toufar. With five minutes left in the third quarter, Loyal got the ball back and put together another touchdown run, which included an 11-yard run by Zettler and a 27-yard run by Nikolai. This time, Scheel ran it in for two as well. That left the score 26-0 in Loyal’s favor.

Assumption was finally able to answer back, scoring a touchdown with 2:33 left in the third. However, that was the first and only time the Royals would put points on the board. In the meantime, Loyal scored two more touchdowns – one by Colten Sandelier and one by Scheel – to bring the final score to 42-6 and give the Greyhounds the satisfying victory they had wanted.

Loyal had 26 first downs compared to Assumption’s nine. The Greyhounds also had 405 rushing yards on 63 attempts, for an average of 6.3 yards per rush. Loyal turned the ball over once while Assumption did thrice.

Smith and Toufar were their team’s leading tacklers, with four tackles apiece. Nikolai was the leading rusher, with 142 yards on 19 carries, for an average of 7.5 yards per carry. Scheel had 121 rushing yards on 23 carries, equal to 5.3 yards per carry.

Zettler carried the ball 56 yards over six carries, for an average of 9.3 yards per carry.

The Greyhounds’ will finish their season with games at Rosholt and Pacelli High School in Stevens Point.

Tryn Scheel (21) darts across the field in Loyal’s Friday night game versus Assumption, aided by a Devon Roehl block. Scheel accumulated 121 rushing yards over the course of the game.

VALORIE BRECHT/STAFF PHOTO