Lakeview Coach Kurt Frenzen played the role of riverboat gambler Friday night at Columbus and hit the jackpot.
After matching Boone Central/Newman Grove’s initial touchdown in overtime at Lakeview High School, the Viking coach sent his team out for a win-or-lose two-point conversion and was rewarded when sophomore QB Jaden Johnson passed to senior Layne Egger, wide open in the corner of the end zone.
Frenzen’s roll of the dice gave Lakeview (3-2) a 22-21 victory in a Class C1 District 6 battle and sent Boone Central/Newman Grove (2-3) to a third straight loss.
The final was a heartbreaker for the Cardinals, who twice had rallied from touchdown deficits in regulation, withstood an errant Lakeview field goal attempt in the final seconds, then taken the lead in overtime.
The one-point margin was fitting for a contest that was fairly even throughout.
Lakeview received the opening kickoff and bludgeoned its way from the Viking 31 yard line to BC/NG’s 14 in 14 plays, only to fumble on play 15.
Levi Krueger recovered for BC/NG, but the Cardinals were stymied on their first series and punted back to Lakeview. The Vikings would not be denied in their second opportunity, taking over at the BC/NG 24 after a short kick and marching to paydirt in six plays. Jacob Frenzen scored the touchdown on an 8-yard run and the PAT kick gave Lakeview a 7-0 lead with 2:38 remaining in the first quarter.
It didn’t take long for Boone Central/Newman Grove to answer, as junior QB Dylan Gentrup broke loose and rambled 59 yards on the Cardinals’ third play of the ensuing series. Will Frey’s PAT tied the score.
Lakeview had an answer of its own, again taking a 7-point lead when Johnson sprinted 25 yards with 11:36 remaining in the second quarter.
The teams traded punts through the remainder of the first half. In fact, the Boone Central/Newman Grove defense pitched a shutout from that point to the end of regulation, giving the Cardinals a chance to rally.
BC/NG mounted its tying drive in the fourth quarter. Gentrup returned a Lakeview punt to the Viking 35, then ran on five straight plays to the 19. Levi Krueger added 4 yards and, after two false start penalties and an incomplete pass, Gentrup connected with sophomore HB Carter Henry for a 15-yard touchdown. Frey again knotted the score with the PAT.
Gentrup was stopped short at the Lakeview 42-yard line on a 4th down run with 39 seconds remaining in the game, which allowed the Vikings one final shot in regulation.
Johnson passed to Nicholas Dolezal for a 39-yard gain, then scooted 15 yards to set up a 25-yard field goal attempt with :03 to play. Dolezal’s kick sailed wide left, however, sending the game to overtime.
Gentrup passed 3 yards to Henry for the first OT score and Frey’s PAT gave Boone Central/Newman Grove its first lead of the night, 21-14.
That only set up the Lakeview heroics to come. Johnson scored a matching TD from 3 yards, then sent Viking players, coaches and fans into a frenzy with the successful conversion toss to Egger.
Further details in Print & Online editions of Albion News
