FOOTBALL: East’s Passing Game Helps Spartans Prevail Over Grand Island
LINCOLN–(KFOR Sept. 12)–The Lincoln East football team relied on their passing game Thursday night in picking up their second win of the season, with a 28-20 victory over Grand Island at Seacrest Field.
The Spartans (2-1) overcame early struggles offensively, but managed to get on the scoreboard with 51 seconds left in the first quarter when quarterback Ryan Manning threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Landon Lingenfelter for a 7-0 lead. Manning threw for 305 yards and four touchdowns in the East victory. The Spartans only mustered 48 yards rushing in the game.
Grand Island (0-3) mounted a solid drive that was completed when Gavin Semm threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Riley Holling with just under nine minutes left in the second quarter to tie the game at 7. East would take control of the game with 17 seconds left before halftime when Manning completed a 4-yard touchdown pass to receiver Mikhale Ford for a 14-7 lead.
The Spartans extended the lead to 21-7 with 8:48 left in the third quarter, when Manning hooked up with Lingenfelter for a second time, on a 16-yard touchdown pass.
Grand Island countered early in the fourth quarter, with an interception that later set up a 10-yard touchdown pass from Semm to Holling that pulled the Islanders to within a possession, trailing 21-14.
East countered with just under eight minutes to play, when Manning threw a swing pass for a 51-yard touchdown to Lingenfelter to go up 28-14. Grand Island benefitted from a pair of personal foul and unsportsmanlike conduct penalties from East that set up the Islanders’ final scoring drive, capped by Ryker Booth’s 4-yard touchdown run. The point after attempt failed.
Junior running back Nelsyn Wheeler carried the ball 28 times for 154 yards in the losing effort for Grand Island.
Click the link below for the podcast of Thursday night’s game.
