Coe steals spotlight from rival under the lights

MOUNT VERNON - The lights glowed and illuminated Ash Park for the first time during a Cornell College football game.

But, Coe was more than happy to steal the spotlight for the first night game in the 124th meeting between the two programs.

Kohawk trio of Sam Lahr, Trevor Heitland and Josh Rekers shined in the oldest rivalry west of the Mississippi River, powering Coe to a 50-21 win over Cornell Saturday night. The Kohawks won its 15th straight game in the series, improving their advantage to 69-51-4. Cornell's last win was in 1999.

It was a meaningful win, retaining bragging rights with the special circumstances in front of 3,111 fans.

'We want to keep the streak alive and they want to end it,” said Coe Coach Steve Staker, watching Coe improve to 1-1. 'Our kids felt that way.

'We played well in a great atmosphere.”

The game was almost a time warp to high school days when night games were the norm. It was a memorable event.

'It's amazing,” Lahr said about the victory. 'With the lights on, it feels like you're back in high school under Friday Night Lights, and you come out for a big rivalry. We didn't want to break the streak.”

Lahr led an improved rushing attack that managed just 93 yards last week. He had 139 yards on the ground.

'This week we focused on establishing the run early,” Lahr said. 'Our offensive line did a good job tonight and really opened up some holes for me. We really got it rolling in the second half.”

He was Coe's go-to guy in the red zone early, accounting for the first three scores. Lahr rushed for an 11-yard touchdown, capping the Kohawks' 10-play, 67-yard drive.

The 6-foot-1, 190-pound running back also had two 1-yard TD runs that sandwiched the halftime break, turning a tied game to a 22-7 Coe edge and the lead for good. He bulled in with 2:31 left in the second quarter and then again less than five minutes into the third.

'He's a really hard runner,” Staker said. 'I'm excited about him. He's been working hard all week.”

Rekers and Heitland proved to be a potent pass combination, connecting seven times for 176 yards. They teamed repeatedly, especially on crucial plays.

The biggest was a 74-yard scoring strike with a little more than three minutes left in the third. Rekers hit Heitland streaking down the middle of the field, putting Coe up 29-14 and sparking a stretch of 28 straight points.

'He had a great game,” Rekers said about Heitland. 'He was making good reads on where to go. On that long pass, he made a great catch and making guys miss to reach the end zone.”

When they were scoring they set the table. Rekers hit Heitland for a 27-yard gain to the 1-yard line, resulting in Rekers 1-yard TD run. They hooked up for a 21-yard gain on 4th-and-8, leading to Lahr's second TD. Rekers hit Heitland across the middle, allowing him to reach the near sideline and dart downfield to the 1-yard line.

'We like to throw the underneath to him,” Staker said. 'It gives him the opportunity to catch the ball and run, because he has good speed. He's pretty elusive.”

Rekers followed up last week's career-best 317-yard passing performance with an effective night, throwing for 343 yards. Nick Lenstra reeled in a 24-yard TD pass from Rekers in the fourth.

Between the running game and his receivers, Rekers has weapons at his disposal.

'They make my job easy,” Rekers said. 'I just have to try to get the ball in their hands where they can make guys miss. That's what they do best.”

The Kohawk defense earned praise from Staker for its contribution. Staker said they were instrumental in limiting the Cornell defense in the second half and getting the ball back in the offense's hands.

'We got them off the field,” Staker said. 'I think the defense did a good job … and then the offense, once we got going, started to pick it up.”

Cornell's defense kept the Rams close in the first half. The Rams turned Coe's bad field position into points. Between scoring drives, the Kohawks started on their own 6. Cornell's Henry Gonzalez tackled Rekers in the end zone, forcing a fumble and then pouncing on the ball for the touchdown. The score was tied at seven apiece a little more than midway through the first.

Myron Seabrook added another turnover for Cornell, picking off a Rekers pass and returning it to the Coe 24. The Rams couldn't capitalize, missing a 33-yard field goal in the second.

Devan Clark added a boost on a 71-yard scoring drive in the second half. He had 25 of those yards, spinning and churning in from the 3-yard line with 6:52 left in the third to make it 22-14.

Justin Cox finished with 95 receiving yards on four catches. He had two impressive diving catches, including a 36-yard reception in the drive capped by Clark. Rams' quarterback Kyle Stennes threw for 152 yards, and wideout Ben Knake had a team-high six receptions for 36 yards.

Daniel Brown hit Gabriel Noyce for a TD pass in the final seconds for Cornell (0-1).

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