COTTAGE GROVE – The Cottage Grove Lions (9-0) finished their regular season with a resounding 42-17 victory at No. 6 Elmira on Friday.
Now they’ll see if the Cinderella slipper fits in the Class 3A playoffs – the school’s first postseason appearance since 2018.
The Lions won their last game in their usual fashion: A relentless second half. The game was tight early, and the Lions trailed 17-7 at halftime.
“Elmira came out with a really good plan,” Lions coach Steve Turner said. “We only had the ball twice in the first half. It was a great game plan. But I think they ran out of gas a little bit. They pounded the ball, which kind of plays into our hands because we’re in pretty good shape, and we play a lot of kids, and you know those second halves always show.”
Turner summarized the Lions’ strength in their second halves: rotating fresh players, ability to rally, and resilience.
“Our offensive line is totally different than our defensive line,” Turner said “We have two separate units. Nobody in those two units plays both ways. So that’s nice for us. We are always fresh.”
The second-half experience might be helpful during the playoffs and Turner trusts his team.
“I mean, still, the idea is not to start slow,” Turner said. “It would be nice to start fast and finish fast. But it’s nice to know that you can be down 10 points at halftime and come back and win by 25. It’s a testament to the kids sticking to it, working hard and believing in each other.”
Clayton Dewitt had six touchdowns with a total of 191 rushing yards with Soto Cruz achieving all six PATs. Gavin Grogan had three pass receptions with a total of 51 yards, his longest at 27. Finally, Nathan Lemon had a total of 67 passing yards.
Looking ahead to the playoffs, Turner emphasizes the importance of focusing on each game individually rather than worrying about rankings or seeds.
As long as the Lions continue to win, he is content with their playoff slot.
“To be honest, none of that stuff matters,” Turner said. “It really doesn’t. There are 16 teams left. We only got to beat four of them, so we’re about to take them one at a time.
“It doesn’t matter where you are in the bracket or who you are. As long as you’re in there, if you keep winning, that’s all that matters.”
