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LAUREL — What looked like an even matchup on paper turned into a runaway. Laurel-Concord-Coleridge shredded Lutheran High Northeast 56-12, leaning on a bruising ground game and a stingy defense.
“We felt like we could move the ball and get some things done,” first-year LCC coach Izac Reifenrath said. “We ran it better tonight, our coaches put together a great plan defensively, and the kids bought in. It was a good win.”
The buy-in showed most with Tanner Thompson, who entered with fewer than 80 rushing yards through three games and left with 157 yards on 11 carries and four touchdowns.
“Our line made holes all night,” Thompson said. “I just followed blocks and kept running.”
After a quiet start — an LCC punt and an LHNE turnover on downs inside the 10 — sophomore quarterback Drey Puppe jump-started the Bears. He hit Talon Carson for 23 yards to the 17, and Thompson scored on the next play. From there, momentum snowballed.
Puppe found Carson for a 27-yard score, then ran in from 13 with 1:17 left in the half for a 21-0 lead. LHNE answered when Cole McGregor connected with Ian McDonald for a 46-yard strike, trimming it to 21-6 at the break.
Thompson slammed the door in the third quarter with touchdown runs of 68 and 21 yards. Puppe added an 18-yard keeper for a 40-6 cushion. A nine-yard Thompson TD and Dayton Korth’s conversion triggered the running clock at 48-6. After LHNE’s Charlie Sullivan scored late, Parker Hoeppner returned the ensuing kickoff 67 yards, and Weston Patefield ran in the conversion to cap it at 56-12.
“Hats off to them,” LHNE coach Jaxson Kant said. “They beat us in almost every phase. We have a lot to fix, and we’ll get back to work.”
Up next: LCC visits Elkhorn Valley in Tilden on Sept. 26. The Falcons are 2-2 after a 63-20 loss to Plainview. “We match up pretty well,” Reifenrath said. “This should give us confidence and momentum.” Scoring Summary LHNE 0 6 0 6 — 12 LCC 6 15 19 16 — 56
First Quarter
LCC — Thompson 17 run (kick failed), 2:27.
Second Quarter
LCC — Carson 27 pass from Puppe (Thompson run), 5:38. LCC — Puppe 13 run (Puppe kick), 1:17. LHNE — McDonald 46 pass from McGregor (run failed), 1:01.
Third Quarter
LCC — Thompson 68 run (Puppe kick), 8:39. LCC — Thompson 21 run (kick failed), 6:40. LCC — Puppe 18 run (pass failed), 2:32.
Fourth Quarter
LCC — Thompson 9 run (Korth run), 9:14. LHNE — Sullivan 11 run (run failed), 4:29. LCC — Hoeppner 67 kickoff return (Patefield run), 4:18. LCC rushing: 38-298. passing: 4-8, 69. total: 367.
Passing: Puppe 4-8, 69, TD.
Rushing: Thompson 11-157, 4 TD; Puppe 13-99, 2 TD; Korth 8-32; Parker Hoeppner 1-3; Kolten Settje 1-3.
Receiving: Carson 2-59, TD; Thompson 2-20.
Defense: Settje 11 tackles, 2 TFL; Puppe 4 tackles, INT; Carson 4 tackles, INT; Rasmussen 6 tackles, 2 TFL; Parker Hoeppner 4; Paxton Hoeppner 2; Cade Johnson 1; Blake Hansen 1; Nolan Nordby 1; Josiah Tasler 1; Thompson 1; Paul Allison 1; Anderson Hall FR.
