Lisbon to Class A title game after 24-10 win over Newman

CEDAR FALLS - The play is called "Toss Left Go."

You know, as in 'Go' to the championship.

"Coach told us we'd have to make a big play in the passing game," Ben Knake said. "And we did it."

You bet the top-ranked Lisbon Lions did it. A 24-10 win over No. 3 Mason City Newman in the Class A semifinals Friday morning at the UNI-Dome was ensured after Knake and Jordan Bahl connected in crunchtime on "Toss Left Go."

It couldn't have been executed any better. Quarterback Knake faked a pitch left on a 2nd-and-8 play in a game his team was leading precariously in the fourth quarter by six points. Split end Bahl took off sprinting, leaving Newman cornerback Alex Weber peeking in the backfield and in the dust, as Knake spun, stopped and fired right.

"I approached Coach at halftime, saying that play was open," Bahl said. "We were kind of struggling offensively, needed a boost. We'd just gotten (the ball back), he called that play, and I knew I could do it. I had confidence, had confidence in Ben. A perfect ball."

A perfect ball that hit Bahl in stride for a 49-yard touchdown. Bahl did a celebratory double fist pump after hitting the end zone.

"Beautiful pass," Lisbon Coach Kent Allison said. "It took the wind out of their sails. Up to that point in the second half, we weren't moving the ball. They were hitting us ... But we got that touchdown, and I think that relaxed us."

You couldn't blame them for being a little uptight. Lisbon (13-0), which plays second-ranked West Hancock (12-1) for the title next Friday afternoon at 2:05, had never made it to the semis, so this was uncharted territory.

The Lions led virtually the entire way, getting TD runs in the first half from Tait Simpson and Trevor Moore and two-point conversion runs from Knake and Skyler Ellerbach.

But Newman (11-2) hung around, stuffing Lisbon's rushing game in the second half and pulling within big-time striking distance after Gabe Dunn's third-quarter field goal. With just over six minutes to go, the Knights rolled the dice with a fake punt on 4th-and-4 near midfield that Lisbon stopped a yard short.

"Toss Left Go" came two plays later.

"We got that big pass, and I just knew," said Lisbon two-way lineman Tyler Smith, who played a particularly wonderful game at defensive tackle. "We're going for it. We've never done this before, but we're going to do it."

Lisbon outgained Newman by a 313-230 margin, holding down Newman's normally potent ground game. Simpson had a game-high 78 yards rushing for the Lions.

"Something special," said Knake, who shook off a knee injury from last week's quarterfinals. "Our defense, that's what we pride ourselves on. Just something special."

Something special, indeed.

Here is the game boxscore and video interviews with (in order) Smith, Knake and Allison:

TEAM STATISTICS

Newman Cath.

Lisbon

First downs

12

16

Rushes-yards

49 - 184

48 - 254

Passing yards

46

59

Comp-Att-Int

6 - 11 - 1

2 - 5 - 0

Total yards

230

313

Fumbles-lost

0 - 0

1 - 1

Punts-average

4 - 42.8

4 - 34.0

Penalties-yards

5 - 31

3 - 20

Rushing:

 Newman Cath. –

Joe Burgmeier 21-71 ,

Gabe Dunn 8-43 ,

Casey Hall 12-36 ,

Clayton White 8-34

 Lisbon –

Tait Simpson 16-78 ,

Trevor Moore 11-66 ,

Nate Jubeck 4-41 ,

Keegan Tritle 5-35 ,

Ben Knake 7-29 ,

Skyler Ellerbach 3-9 ,

Team 2--4

Passing:

 Newman Cath. –

Gabe Dunn 6-11-1-46

 Lisbon –

Ben Knake 2-5-0-59

Receiving:

 Newman Cath. –

Clayton White 1-13 ,

Alex Weber 1-13 ,

John Waters 2-10 ,

Casey Hall 1-8 ,

Joe Burgmeier 1-2

 Lisbon –

Jordan Bahl 1-49 ,

Trevor Moore 1-10

Newman Cath.

7

3

–

10

Lisbon

8

8

8

–

24

Lis-Tait Simpson 1 run (Skyler Ellerbach run)

MCN-Joe Burgmeier 2 run (Gabe Dunn kick)

Lis-Trevor Moore 3 run (Ben Knake run)

MCN-Dunn 33 FG

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Lis-Jordan Bahl 49 pass from Knake (Knake run)