HANNA – The Lingle-Fort Laramie Doggers held an 8-0 lead at the end of the first frame Friday on the road against Hanna-Elk Mountain, but let that lead slip away and ended up falling 43-30 to the Miners.
“The kids played an overall solid game. We just had a couple costly turnovers,” coach Matt Cornelius said. “I have to give it to Hanna-Elk Mountain, they came aggressive and ready to play.”
Hayden Hill got the scoring going for L-FL, finding the end zone on a 52-yard reception from Cordell Forkner. In the second quarter, the Miners began to take control, taking a 30-16 lead over the Doggers. The only Dogger touchdown in the second quarter came on a 60-yard run by Ty Mueller.
In the second half, Hill found the end zone again, this time on a 35-yard reception. Cooper Hill got in on the scoring action, taking a 10-yard reception to the house.
Forkner was the signal caller for the Doggers, going 16-for-31, including three touchdowns and an interception.
¬Hayden Hill accounted for 94 receiving yards and two touchdowns on four receptions. Mueller chipped in 58 yards through the air on four catches. Brandon Hill had 14 yards on two receptions, while Zane Rising added 18 yards on two receptions.
On the ground, L-FL racked up 190 yards. Mueller had 65 yards on three carries, including his touchdown. On nine carries, Hayden Hill amassed 61 yards.
On the defensive side of the ball, Mueller was everywhere, recording five solo tackles, three assisted tackles and an interception. Forkner also came up with a turnover, but his was a fumble recovery, which he added to his stat line that included three assisted tackles.
Gaven Niles kept the Miners active in the backfield, accounting for a tackle for loss and a sack. He also had four unassisted tackles and five assisted, along with a blocked kick. Brandon Hill led the way in tackles for loss, with two, along with three solo tackles and five assisted tackles. Hayden Hill accounted for four assisted and four unassisted tackles, along with a tackle for loss.
The defeat at the hands of the Miners puts the Doggers at 1-4 on the season, with a 1-3 record in the conference. They rank sixth in the east based on their conference record. L-FL will look to make a late-season run toward the playoffs, starting this week against Kaycee. The Buckaroos, who are riding a 25-game winning streak, visit the Doggers this Friday, with the kickoff slated for 6 p.m.
“We are just going to out to try and put together a full, solid game and see what happens,” Cornelius said. “The kids know we are going to face a very tough opponent and the kids showed up today (Monday) eagar to get better and that’s promising.”
