Bears come up short in season finale

EMERSON — What was once a promising season came to an abrupt end as the Laurel-Concord-Coleridge football team fell to Tri County Northeast 50-14 in what turned out to be the last game for the Bears in 2023.

It was a “win or stay home” contest that ultimately resulted in a playoff-game atmosphere between the two teams.

The Wolfpack moved into the Class D1 state playoffs while LCC was left on the outside looking in, ending with a 3-5 record while Tri County Northeast improved to 5-3.

The Wolfpack jumped out to a 14-0 lead on a cold, windy and rainy night, taking a 14-0 lead before the Bears got things going late in the first quarter.

Bradyn Urwiler, who finished with 82 yards on the ground, earned 42 of those yards on a touchdown scamper to make it 14-6.

Laurel-Concord-Coleridge quarterback Dylan Taylor hit Connor Korth on a conversion pass and the score was 14-8 heading into the second frame.

Tri County Northeast scored again in the second quarter and converted a conversion run to send the teams to the intermission with the Bears trailing, 22-8.

The Wolfpack scored again to open the third frame to make it 28-8, but Laurel-Concord-Coleridge had an answer when Taylor capped off a drive with a one-yard plunge to get to within two scores after a conversion attempt failed.

It was downhill for LCC from there as the Wolfpack put up 22 points in the final 12 minutes to close out the game and end the season for the Bears.

Urwiler was the leading rusher for Laurel-Concord-Coleridge with his 82 yards on 11 carries, Eli Haisch added 33 on 14 carries and Taylor was limited to 23 on a dozen totes of the football.

Taylor had a tough night through the air in the wind and rain, completing just 3-of-17 pass attempts for 27 yards as the Wolfpack held the Bears to just 173 yards in total offense.

Korth led the LCC defense with 11 total tackles, including one tackle behind the line of scrimmage.

Urwiler had 10 tackles and Aric Hall had two tackles behind the line in his four stops.

Hall also recovered a fumble and Urwiler picked off a Tri County Northeast pass.

The Wolfpack will move on to play undefeated Crofton in the playoffs Oct. 19 while the Bears finished with the season with a 3-5 record.

LCC (3-5) 8 0 6 0 - 14 TCNE (5-3) 14 8 6 22 - 50 FIRST QUARTER TCNE: Hunter Heikes 28 run, PAT Failed. 0-6 TCNE: Bryan Isom 19 run, PATgood. 0-14. LCC: Bradyn Urwiler 42 run, Connor Korth pass from Dylan Taylor. 8-14.

SECOND QUARTER TCNE: Brayden McCorkindale 10 run, Isom run. 8-22. THIRD QUARTER TCNE: McCorkindale 7 run, PAT failed. 8-28. LCC: Taylor 1 run, Run failed. 14-28. FOURTH QUARTER TCNE: Ben Jorgensen 14 run. PAT failed. 14-34. TCNE: McCorkindale 20 run. Run good. 14-42. TCNE: McCorkindale 25 run. PAT good. 14-50.

LCC TCNE Rushing 40-146 42-285 Passing 3-17-27 2-5-41 Total Yards 173 326 RUSHING LCC Bradyn Urwiler 11-82 1TD; Dylan Taylor 12-23 1TD; Connor Korth 1-6; Caleb Erwin 2-2; Eli Haisch 14-33.

PASSING LCC - Dylan Taylor 3-17-27. RECEIVING

LCC - Carter Kvols 1-8; Landen Leonard 1-17; Caleb Erwin 1-2.

TACKLES LCC - Bradyn Urwiler 10 1INT; CarterKvols4;DylanTaylor2;ConnorKorth 11 1TFL; Landen Leonard 2; Jackson Hall 1; Cade Johnson 2; Walker Stone 5; Aric Hall 4 2TFL 1FR; Ryder Jelinek 1.