Louisburg stays perfect with win at De Soto

By Andy Brown
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Updated: September 21, 2016

Louisburg quarterback Grant Harding looks for some running room after getting a block from T.J. Dover (70) on Friday in De Soto. The Wildcats scored 17 points in the second quarter and defeated De Soto 31-17.

DE SOTO – Following a scoreless first quarter, both the Louisburg and De Soto football teams were struggling to move the ball and for a while it looked like it was going to be a low-scoring affair.

Then 48 points later – the game was over.

The final three quarters presented several big plays Friday and Louisburg was on the positive side for a majority of them. Louisburg scored 17 points in the second quarter and left De Soto with a 31-17 victory.

“We just stuck to our game plan from the beginning of the week,” Louisburg senior Thomas San Agustin said. “We knew it was going to be a dogfight. We were always encouraging each other out there and I thought the coaches did a great job as well during the game and getting us prepared. We had some big plays.”

San Agustin was responsible for a couple of those big plays as he scored a touchdown as time expired in the first half and later brought a kickoff back inside the 5-yard line in the third quarter to answer a De Soto score.

Mason Koechner brings down a De Soto player for a loss Friday in De Soto.

Louisburg (3-0) got on the board first in the second quarter as sophomore Austin Moore scored on a 1-yard touchdown run with 7 minutes and 52 seconds left in the first half. The Wildcat defense then came through with their second turnover on the night when junior Garrett Lowry recovered a fumble.

“We figured out a few things and put a couple nice drives together,” Louisburg co-head coach Gary Griffin said. “The defense played really good in the first half and got us good field position, along with the special teams. We had a few short fields and were able to take advantage.”

That turnover turned into points for the Wildcats as Nick Hull connected on a 26-yard field goal to put them up 10-0. Along with the field goal, Hull was also 4 for 4 on extra point attempts.

The Wildcats weren’t done scoring in the first half as they marched down to the 38-yard line with one second left. Louisburg was able to trick the De Soto defense as it faked a hail mary attempt, but instead quarterback Grant Harding hit San Agustin on a screen pass, who broke a couple tackles and found the endzone.

“We have some kids that can make plays and Grant and Thomas did that on the last drive of the first half,” Griffin said. “The blocking wasn’t great, but we made plays and it was a great play by Thomas. It was huge and thankful it happened because we ended up needing every point.”

San Agustin had a good feeling he could get through the De Soto defense for the score.

“Right before the play, I just knew they weren’t going to expect this.” San Agustin said. “I knew I was going to score and as I got into the endzone. I just looked back and looked at everyone and saw how excited they were. That was all for them. I just love everyone on this team. We are family.”

Louisburg’s defense played a big role in the 17-0 lead at halftime as it held De Soto to under 100 yards of total offense and forced a pair of turnovers.

Senior Mason Koechner led the Wildcat defense with nine tackles on the night, while Lowry, San Agustin and Hull each had five tackles. Lowry also had two sacks and a fumble recovery.

De Soto didn’t give up, however, as it scored on its first play from scrimmage on a 48-yard run by quarterback Bryce Mohl. Again, Louisburg used a big play to take control of the game.

San Agustin took the ensuing kickoff down to the De Soto 4-yard line and Moore scored on the next play to push the Louisburg lead to 24-7. De Soto did answer with a field goal later, but the Wildcats still led 24-10.

“I think it hurt their momentum a little bit, but then were able to come down and get a field goal,” Griffin said. “Defensively, De Soto was able to find a few holes and took advantage. We were a little undisciplined.”

De Soto drove down and scored another touchdown with under nine minutes left in the contest, but the Wildcats had one last big play left in them.

Louisburg made its way inside the De Soto 20-yard line on its next drive, but two big penalties kept the Wildcats out of the endzone – at least initially. Harding found junior Desmond Doles in the back of the endzone for a 9-yard touchdown, which turned out to be Doles’ first varsity catch.

The score put Louisburg up two touchdowns with three minutes left and the Wildcat defense was able to do the rest.

“We overcame two holding penalties and still scored,” Griffin said. “Desmond made a big catch in the endzone. The kid has some talent. He didn’t play last year, but he is getting better all the time.”

Desmond Doles hauls in the Wildcats’ final touchdown to seal the win Friday in De Soto.

The Wildcats picked up their first win in Frontier League play and third consecutive win to start the season. Louisburg returns home this Friday when the Wildcats host Eudora for a 7 p.m., kickoff. Eudora is currently 2-1 on the season.

“We are going to continue to work hard and we won’t look past any team,” San Agustin said. “We just want to keep improving and do better than what we did (Friday).”

LOU 0 17 7 7 – 31

DES 0 0 10 7 – 17

Second quarter

L: Austin Moore 1 run (Nick Hull kick)

L: Nick Hull 26 FG

L: Thomas San Agustin 38 pass from Grant Harding (Hull kick)

Third quarter

D: Bryce Mohl 48 run (Ethan Rodriguez kick)

L: Austin Moore 4 run (Hull kick)

D: Rodriguez 26 FG

Fourth quarter

D: Trevor Watts 2 run (Rodriguez kick)

L: Desmond Doles 9 pass from Harding (Hull kick)

STATISTICS

OFFENSE

RUSHING – Korbin Hankinson 12-72; Thomas San Agustin 13-70; Grant Harding 8-25; Jake Hill 4-19; Austin Moore 4-5.

PASSING – Grant Harding 4-10-56-2

RECEIVING – Thomas San Agustin 1-38; Desmond Doles 1-9; Jake Hill 1-5; Dalton Ribordy 1-5.

DEFENSE

TACKLES – Mason Koechner 9; Thomas San Agustin 5; Nick Hull 5; Garrett Lowry 5; Connor Green 4; Grant Harding 4; Austin Moore 4; Dustyn Rizzo 4; T.J. Dover 4; Lyndon Smith 4; Dalton Ribordy 3; Blue Caplinger 2; Jake Hill 2; Korbin Hankinson 2; Kiefer Tucker 2; Christian Tosterud 1; Ben Hupp 1