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Tigers turn tough on Homecoming as they swamp Redwood in WYL opener
Also back on track was quarterback Logan Ahlin, sidelined the past two weeks with a concussion. No signs of a concussion Friday night. The talented signal caller tossed five touchdowns in his return as the Tigers set the standard for the rest of the WYL.
Lemoore, which improved to 1-0 in the league and 3-2 overall, will face Hanford West in a Thursday game at 7:30 p.m. in Hanford. The Huskies lost 55-27 to Hanford in the annual Dog Bowl Friday night and fell to 0-1 in the WYL and 1-4 overall.
It was – what the experts might say – a total team effort Friday night as the Tigers dominated from the opening whistle to the end of the fourth quarter, a period hastened by the mercy rule as Lemoore claimed a 41-0 lead going into the final frame.
Lemoore’s Roger Wilson set the mood early when he tackled a Redwood receiver for a 4-yard loss on the Rangers’ opening drive. From there it was all downhill for Redwood and Lemoore’s solid defense kept the Rangers in check until the final minute when Redwood managed to score.
The Tigers went right to work, Ahlin using a combination of passes and solid runs from Reggie Davis and Trey Perryman to push the ball to the Ranger 21-yard line. Perryman burst up the middle for 5 yards before a penalty put the Tigers back at the 35. On the very next play Davis scored, and with Josh Roa’s point after the Tigers led 7-0.
“We prepared all week for this,” said Ahlin making his first start since his injury in week two. “It was a lot of hard work and dedication is what it took.”
The two teams traded possessions before Ahlin found A.J. Bow for a 47-yard touchdown with just 56 seconds left in the first period. The usually dependable Roa missed his point after and Lemoore took a 13-0 lead.
Wilson, who when not making key tackles, returned a punt to the Ranger 48 and two plays later Ahlin found the always dependable Allen Perryman in the end zone for a 35-yard touchdown - and a Tiger 21-0 lead following a successful 2-point conversion by Davis.
Perryman added insult to injury when just minutes later he outstretched two defenders in the end zone to haul in an Ahlin pass from the Redwood 19 for a 28-0 lead.
“It was a broken play at first,” said Perryman. “He (Ahlin) was scrambling and he had somebody rushing him and I pointed at him and said throw it up, so he threw it up and I just had to make the play.”
But the effort wasn’t all his, he said. “It was a team effort. I mean everybody played great. Everybody did their assignments and did what they were supposed to do.”
Ahlin was pleased with Perryman’s effort. “I have a lot of trust in my receivers,” he said of Perryman’s catch, “especially Allen, so when I saw that the guy was smaller than him I’m going to give him an opportunity. It’s 50/50 but most of the time he’s going to come down with it.”
Ahlin had another TD pass to Jordan Perryman with 1:41 left in the half as the Tigers took a commanding 35-0 lead.
Lemoore’s final score came at the 6:19 mark of the third period when Trey Perryman scored on a 4-yard touchdown run. The PAT was mishandled as Lemoore took a commanding 41-0 lead. Due to the mercy rule the clock kept running in the final period.
