For the first time in its three-year history, the Lindenwood Lions have won the annual MRV Banks Game Ball Brawl against Southeast Missouri State, taking the game by a score of 24-12.
The Lions are now 5-6 on the season, and improve to a 4-3 record in the Ohio Valley Conference. The Redhawks fall to 8-2 on the season, and have lost their undefeated record in OVC play.
In what was a very wet and rainy event, the first quarter ended up being very back-and-forth, as neither SEMO nor Lindenwood were able to put points up on the board. The Lions were able to keep possession of the ball for most of the quarter, headlined by both a three-minute drive and a five-minute drive throughout.
In the first minutes of the second quarter, it was the Redhawks who opened the scoring, despite the outcome of the game. Kicker DC Pippin was able to drain a 39-yard field goal in the second minute of play, giving SEMO a 3-0 lead. After a pair of turnovers on downs by both teams, the Lions and quarterback Nate Glantz got the ball back with just over nine minutes of play in the half. Glantz was able to lead the Lions downfield, a pair of Jeff Caldwell receptions, the longest for 45 yards. On a 3rd and 4 attempt, Glantz found wide receiver Drew Krobath open in the end zone for a touchdown, his second of the season to make the score 7-3.
The Redhawks would add to the scoreboard on the very next drive, however, as Pippin once again kicked a field goal from 47 yards out to make the score 7-6. The Lions were able to get the ball back with three minutes left in the half, and the team capitalized. Glantz found Caldwell open for a touchdown with 13 seconds left on the clock to cap off an eight-yard play, highlighted by a 58-yard first down run by Steve Hall.
As both teams returned to the field after halftime, Lindenwood was able to keep their momentum going, holding SEMO down defensively and scoring on their third possession of the quarter. Glantz ran for 27 yards to cap off a three-play drive to extend the Lions’ lead to 15, by a score of 21-6. The Redhawks scored before the end of the quarter on a run by quarterback Paxton DeLaurent, making the score 21-12 headed to the final quarter of play.
The run by DeLaurent was the final time the Redhawks were able to add to the score, as the Lions notched the only points of the fourth quarter with five minutes left to play. It was Logan Seibert who successfully made a 32-yard field goal, to give the Lions the 24-12 lead that they won by.
All in all for the game, Glantz was 13/20 on passing attempts, throwing for 182 total yards. He also rushed for 74 yards in 16 attempts. Hall led the team in yards gained on the ground with 94, with Cortezz Jones picking up 42 of his own. In the air, Caldwell led the Lions in yards gained with 99, with Krobath adding 20, all in his scoring play. Abe Haerr and Darrin Fugitt both added double digit yards of their own, 37 and 17 respectively.
Defensively, the Lions were able to force a fumble and intercept a SEMO pass in the win. Jordan Knapke was responsible for the forced fumble, which was recovered by Donnie Wingate. Eric Gant picking up the tally for the interception.
After defeating the Redhawks the Lions will now endure a late season bye week. They will return on Nov. 23, as they will travel to UT Martin to play the Skyhawks, attempting to finish the season at a .500 record, 6-6. That game will kick off at 2 p.m. and can be watched on ESPN+, with a subscription to the service.
