The game started off slow with neither team scoring through the first quarter and most of the second quarter. The Des Lacs-Burlington Lakers were the first to put numbers on the board. With just 18 seconds remaining in the first half, the Lakers scored on a one-yard touchdown run by junior running back Tyler Schaefer. Senior quarterback Kyler Fisher ran the ball into the endzone for the two point conversion, giving the Lakers an 8-0 lead heading into the second half.

Though they were first on the board, the Lakers had a hard time keeping the ball in the first half. Their first possession in the ball ended with a fourth down interception in the end zone, and their second ended with a lost fumble. Their third possession was also an interception. They punted the ball in the fourth possession and finally drove the ball into the end zone on their fifth. Even with the lost possessions, the Lakers were able to secure 184 yards of offense in the first half with 103 of those yards taking place over 20 carries. The other 81 yards were earned four out of eight passes completed by quarterback Kyler Fisher.

The Rugby Panthers had a much tougher time in the first half, earning just 50 offensive yards in the first 24 minutes of the game. Of the Panthers’ yardage, 40 of them were earned running the ball in 12 carries and just one out of six throws for the Panthers were completed for a total of 10 yards.

The second half of the game was just as slow as the first until eight minutes and eight seconds were left in the fourth quarter of the ball game when the Rugby Panthers scored their first touchdown of the game. Rugby senior running back Jose Ortega drove the ball into the end zone over six yards to bring the score to 8-6. The Panthers’ two point conversion would not succeed, leaving Rugby just two points behind when the fourth quarter ended.

Nathan Beitler/MDN The Lakers’ offensive line prepares to snap the ball. The Lakers won their second game of the season 8-6 at home.

In the second half of the game, the Lakers earned less than 100 additional offensive yards, ending the game with a total of 261 yards. The Lakers carried the ball 37 times for a total of 147 yards, including their one touchdown. They had 114 passing yards with eleven passes out of 17 succeeding.

The Panthers ended with 162 offensive yards with 68 rushing on 23 carries and the other 94 yards were earned on eight completed passes out of a total of 21.

Junior Tyler Schaefer earned the most distance for the Lakers with a total of 136 yards over 25 carries, including one touchdown. The Lakers will enter the next week with a record of 2-0 as they prepare for another home game, next against Tioga on Friday night, Sept. 5.