Short-handed Linn-Mar comes up just short against No. 3 Bettendorf

MARION — They are bruised, battered and missing a lengthy list of players due to injury.

Even in defeat against No. 3 Bettendorf on Friday night at Linn-Mar Stadium, the Lions showed they are far from broken.

Linn-Mar battled the visiting Bulldogs on even terms the entire night. It looked like the Lions would have a chance to pull the upset when Stone Morgan connected with Landon Sorg on an apparent 18-yard scoring pass with one minute remaining.

However, it was taken off the board when officials called Linn-Mar for an illegal block, allowing Bettendorf to head home with a 21-14 victory.

Linn-Mar Coach Tim Lovell was understandably proud of the effort, coming off a 34-0 loss to Cedar Rapids Kennedy.

“The kids really responded to the next man in challenge,” he said. “We had a chance. We were one play and one call away from going to overtime with the No. 3 team in the state.”

The injury situation for the Lions has been well-documented. Junior running back Dylan Muszynski injured an ankle last week against Kennedy and his replacement, Tyree Alons, was helped off the field after just two carries on Friday night. He was ruled out for the game after taking a hit to the head.

Bettendorf (4-0) has relied mostly on its running game this season, but never really got it going against an aggressive Lion defense. Coach Aaron Wiley's team was held to 124 yards on 33 carries.

“Our guys were really flying to the ball,” Lovell said of his defense. “(Defensive coordinator Chad) Tompkins does a great job with those guys and they were really aggressive all night.”

A Lion turnover led to Bettendorf's first score, a 2-yard run from Will Taylor, late in the first quarter. Linn-Mar came alive in the second quarter, grabbing a 14-7 lead on a 1-yard run from Morgan, followed up by a 45-yard strike from Morgan to tight end Daniel Peplinski, who made a one-handed catch before outrunning the Bulldog secondary into the end zone.

With the run game stopped, Bettendorf turned to the pass, scoring twice in the final 1:41 of the half. Quarterback Charlie Zimmerman connected with Cole Odefey on a 29-yarder with 1:41 left.

The Lions stayed aggressive. On the first play after the score, Morgan just missed a wide-open Kade Jesse running free down the sideline.

“Stone made a great read on that play,” Lovell said. “He just got a little excited and overthrew it a little.”

The Bulldogs used their timeouts and got the ball back with enough time to drive down the field. Zimmerman capped it off with a 25-yard strike to Koen Fleming with 15 seconds left in the half.

“That was a tough way to end the half,” Lovell said. “Bettendorf made a couple of nice plays.”

The Bulldogs remained conservative in the second half, sticking, for the most part, to its ground game.

Linn-Mar's final drive started with 2:56 left. Even after the TD was called back, the Lions had a chance only to see Sorg come up 3 yards short after making a catch on a fourth-and-long play.

Morgan completed 16 of 27 passes for 160 yards and a score. Sorg had nine catches for 88 yards. Zimmerman was 11-for-21 for 151 yards and two scores.

The Lions hit the road next Friday for a game with Cedar Falls at the UNI-Dome while the Bulldogs return home to host Dubuque Hempstead.