Minneapolis Lions fell to 3-2 on the season after losing to the Norton Bluejays tonight at home, 39-7.

The Lions would out-gain the Bluejays in the first quarter, 69 yards to 36 yards, but it was the Bluejays that led 14-0 after one.

Do to injuries, Minneapolis started third-string quarterback Sophomore Trent Moeckel. Moeckel led the team in carries with 14 for 36 yards and threw for 34 yards. However, turnovers proved costly in the first half with two fumbled option pitches were recovered by the Bluejays. The latter of the two was inside the Minneapolis’ 20-yard line and led to the second of Norton’s first quarter scores. Junior Quarterback Kade Melvin ran it in from 15-yards away. The score stayed 14-0 at the half.

Senior Derek Pieschel opened up the second half with a 90-yard kickoff return for the Lions to bring them back to within a score, 14-7. The return is the second return touchdown for Pieschel this season. Pieschel, also, returned the opening kickoff of the second half against Beloit two weeks ago.

Norton answered back on their first drive of the second half scoring on an 11-yard touchdown run by Junior Luke Wahlmeier to make it, 20-7, with 9:19 left to go in the third quarter. Bluejays added another touchdown in the third quarter on a one-play, 45-yard pass from Melvin to Junior Brandon Vacura. Lions trailed, 26-7, going into the fourth.

Melvin threw his second touchdown pass of the game 57 seconds into the fourth quarter when he connected on a 45-yard completion to 6-foot-6 Senior Hayden Wiltfong to make the score, 32-7. Melvin finished 11-for-19 with 207 yards passing. He, also, led the team in rushing yards with 62 on 10 carries.

Norton compiled 372 yards of total offense, 165 on the ground. Minneapolis finished with 132 yards of total offense with 98 of them on the ground.

Lions will host 4-1 Hoisington next week.

https://soundcloud.com/minneapolis-lions/minneapolis-9-28-18