ACH takes on defending state champs

RICHLAND - This past Friday, the Almira-Coulee/Hartline Warriors traveled to Richland to take on the defending state champions, Liberty Christian Patriots. After a heartbreaking loss in week one, the Warriors were looking to go on the road and redeem themselves against a talented Liberty Christian team. Unfortunately the Patriots experience and talent were on display early as they came out of the gates with a 30 point first quarter and kept their foot on the accelerator from there.

"They are very good. In my opinion they are better than they were last year." said ACH head coach Brandon Walsh.

It is a difficult thing to improve as a team after winning a state championship, but by all accounts the Patriots are just as talented and deep this year, if not improved. They continued with their offensive onslaught as Liberty Christian's featured running back, Lesser found the end-zone four times, his longest of which was a 65 yard breakaway run. The Patriots quarterback, Linquist, also put up big numbers connecting with multiple receivers for two touchdown passes and running in a touchdown of his own. By halftime the Patriots had all but put the game out of reach for the Warriors with a score at the break of 44-0.

ACH tried to mount a late surge behind the play of standout quarterback Dallas Issak, who played exceptional in the team's week one loss, but the deficit was too great for the Warriors to come back from. The Patriots got playing time to some younger players late in the game and were able to add two more rushing touchdowns in the second half from Heimann and Branton, showing their depth and ability to spread the ball around.

"Losing the game was not a product of us not playing hard because our kids battled, but our youth and inexperience were exploited in the game by a darn good football team." Walsh said,

Dallas Issak finally found the end-zone in the fourth quarter on a nine yard touchdown run.While the game was decided by that point the late score for the Warriors showed their perseverance and determination and more importantly prevented ACH from being shutout. Following Issak's touchdown, the Patriots put an exclamation point on the game when Lesser added to his already stellar performance with a 75 yard kickoff return for a touchdown and Liberty Christian executed on the two point conversion.

It is now crucial for ACH to turn their attention to Pateros, as they will go on the road this Friday to begin league play. it gives the Warriors somewhat of a clean slate to work from and having short term memory will be key for them to not dwell mistakes, but rather focus solely on getting in the win column and defeating Pateros.

"We are looking to improve this week in practice as we prepare for our first league contest. If theres a good thing about a loss like we had on Friday it's that it's easy to forget those kind of games and move forward. We will regroup this week and look to get on to the winning side of things." said Walsh.