Taking the day off from school apparently didn’t slow down the Lyndon High School Tigers’ momentum as shown by Friday night’s 70-14 win against the Northeast-Arma Vikings.

Tigers head football coach Rod Stallbaumer said the team was ready to go from the start. In the first quarter the Tigers scored the first three touchdowns of the game with Josh Owens starting the action on a 32-yard fumble recovery. Joe Walsh’s 24-yard run and Gaige Brechiesen’s 68-yard punt return added the Tigers’ next TDs. Thore Piper’s extra point kicks proved to be 10 for 10 before the night was through.

“I was very pleased with how well we started the game – you worry with not having school that we come out flat but these guys didn’t,” Stallbaumer said. He credited the team’s senior leadership for the strong start.

NE-Arma’s Antonio Slinghuff answered in the first quarter with a 2-yard run for a touchdown, followed by a pass play to give the Vikings their first-half 8 points.

But the Tigers’ defense pushed back and allowed the Vikings only one more score in the game, in the third quarter.

“I was happy that we had a couple of goal line stands that our defense was able to rise to the challenge and keep them out of the end zone,” Stallbaumer said.

The coach also praised his special teams, noting two special teams’ touchdowns and Peiper’s perfect kicking night.

“I really felt like our special teams played the best that they had all season, they made some big plays,” the coach said.

The coach also noted player-of-the-game Gaige Brechiesen’s night: He scored in 5 of the 6 ways possible – rushing TD, passing TD, receiving TD, punt return TD and kick return TD.

“Gaige had a phenomenal night,” Stallbaumer said. “He is one that might get overlooked sometimes because he has some talented teammates, but he is really a very good football player and is multi-talented.”

In the third quarter, Jon Frye made the last TD of the night on a 12-yard pass from Brecheisen.

Now 8-0, the win clinched the district championship (seventh in school history) and clinched a play-off berth (14th in school history, 7th in the last 8 years).

Friday the Tigers are at home against Northern Heights (4-4).

1st Quarter

• Lyndon: Josh Owens 32 yard fumble recovery PAT: Thore Pieper Kick
• Lyndon: Joe Walsh 24 yard run PAT: Thore Pieper Kick
• Lyndon: Gaige Brechiesen 68 yard punt return PAT: Thore Pieper Kick
• NE-Arma: Antonio Slinghuff 2 yard run PAT: Wilson pass from Richardson
• Lyndon: Josh Owens 5 yard run PAT: Thore Pieper Kick

2nd Quarter

• Lyndon: Gaige Brecheisen 25 yard pass from Joe Walsh PAT: Thore Pieper Kick
• Lyndon: Josh Owens 23 yard run PAT: Thore Pieper Kick
• Lyndon: Gaige Brechiesen 13 yard run PAT: Thore Pieper Kick

3rd Quarter

• Lyndon: Josh Owens 77 yard run PAT: Thore Pieper Kick
• NE-Arma: Antonio Slinghuff 39 yard run PAT: Pass failed
• Lyndon: Gaige Brecheisen 70 yard kick-off return PAT: Thore Pieper Kick
• Lyndon: Jon Frye 12 yard pass from Gaige Brechisen PAT: Thore Pieper Kick