The Associated Press
VERMILLION - Gannon Moore's three
touchdowns helped Sioux Falls Lincoln to the title in its
first-ever championship game appearance Saturday with a 27-20 win
over Sioux Falls Washington in Class 11AA.
Down at halftime, Washington gained
momentum and the lead with a pair of third-quarter touchdowns, but
two costly turnovers - a fumbled kickoff and a pass interception -
opened the championship door for the Patriots, who have seen
crosstown schools Roosevelt or O'Gorman win the title the past four
years.
"We've gone through a lot of ups and downs and
obviously this is a special moment," said Lincoln coach Aaron
Beavers. "We've had a lot of special moments over the last five
years and we knew it was building.
"It was just keep the spirit, keep the faith and
everything will work out the way it should. Our kids had no quit in
them. They had the belief and I couldn't be prouder of
them."
It was a night of mistakes for Washington. The
Warriors lost three fumbles and were intercepted twice - often at
the most inopportune time.
Moore, chosen the Joe Robbie Most Valuable Player,
rushed for 78 yards for Lincoln and quarterback Matt Hander threw
for 152 yards and a touchdown to Moore.
It's the fourth runner-up finish for Washington,
which lost in the championship to Sioux Falls Roosevelt a year
ago.
Both teams finished with identical records of
11-2.
Washington took the lead briefly with
third-quarter touchdowns on Adam Heck's 36-yard interception return
and a 24-yard pass from Brett Grevlos to Quinton
McMartin.
Lincoln responded quickly on a 61-yard touchdown
run - 30 yards by Moore and the final 31 after a lateral to Brett
Anderson.
Washington fumbled the ensuing kickoff and four
plays later Moore scored again to put Lincoln up
27-14.
Washington's next drive ended at the Lincoln 9 on
a pass interception with 4:18 left.
Grevlos added a short touchdown run for Washington
with less than three minutes left in the game, but the Warriors had
only one more try - a last-ditch pass that was intercepted as time
ran out.
Washington, giving up a touchdown on Lincoln's
first possession, managed only one first down in its first three
possessions and had a pass interference and two face mask penalties
that sustained Lincoln's second scoring drive.
A Grevlos 17-yard TD run for a Washington
touchdown was negated by a holding penalty late in the first half
at the Lincoln 17, and the Warriors lost a fumble on the next play
from scrimmage.
