The Arlington High School football team lost its final home game of the 2023 season Friday, but it took some satisfaction in how it executed its plan and competed against Columbus Lakeview.
“We did our assignments and focused on each person doing their job, and we were able to accomplish a lot more,” senior Kaden Foust said after the Eagles' 40-21 defeat.
AHS (1-7 overall) trailed by double-digits through one quarter after its most successful offensive drive stalled inside the Vikings' 5-yard-line. Quarterback Cooper Staats converted one third down on the Eagles' trip into the red zone by scramble before completing a pass to junior Kieryn Grothe for another.
Lakeview (4-4) stoned Arlington on back-to-back runs inside the 3-yard-line, though, taking over possession after the failed fourth-down attempt. It took advantage, too, scoring a 21-0 lead on a 97-yard passing play with 1:47 still left in the opening quarter.
Coach Colter Mattson's Eagles were down, but not out. Foust ended the first with two hard runs, setting up an extremely productive first play of the next period.
“We were able to pound the ball and make them respect the run game,” the senior back said. “So, we were able to find different things and tried to switch things up.”
Twelve seconds into the second quarter, Foust finished off a 54-yard Staats pass in the end zone.
Nearly 6 minutes of game time after that, a wide-open Grothe caught another scoring pass from the QB. It covered 45 yards and pulled AHS within 21-14 when Jacob Beans made his second successful extra-point kick.
“We just keep pounding the same play and we watch that safety,” Grothe said, explaining how the Eagles tricked the Vikings' defensive back into thinking they were running when they were, in fact, throwing. “Whenever he goes, we go.”
The offensive success gave Arlington a chance after it'd seemed out of the game after one quarter.
“We can't run those type of plays every time, but when we had those opportunities we took advantage of it,” Foust said. “We were able to make some big plays off of them.”
Lakeview made its own, though. Blake Rathbone — who also caught the 97-yard touchdown pass — and Derek Line added rushing touchdowns before halftime, pushing the Eagles' deficit back out to 20 points, 34-14.
Line scored again in the third quarter, but coach Mattson's team kept competing down 40-14. Grothe's second interception of the second half set up the Eagles' final scoring drive during the fourth quarter.
“I got burnt on, like, the first play, so I knew I had to make some plays up for my team,” the junior said, crediting assistant coach Layne Laaker for advice that led to the picks.
Then, with 7:20 left in AHS' final home game, Foust pulled his team within 40-21 with a 16-yard scoring run.
“We just stuck with it,” senior lineman Tyler Ott said. “Threw it when we needed to and, once we loosened it up with that, we hit them with the run again.”
The 19-point loss, however, was the Eagles' seventh in a row after winning the opener against Raymond Central. Now, the seniors have one more opportunity to play in an Arlington uniform at Douglas County West (6-2). The Friday night game kicks off at 7 p.m. in Valley.
“It never feels like the time for you to be done, but it comes for everybody,” Ott said. “You've got to make the most out of the time you've got.”
COLUMBUS LAKEVIEW 40, ARLINGTON 21
CL (4-4) 21 13 6 0 — 40
AHS (1-7) 0 14 0 7 — 21
Scoring Summary
First Quarter
CL: Derek Line 45-yard run, Trevor Sloup PAT
CL: Line 2-yard run, Sloup PAT
CL: Blake Rathbone 97-yard pass from Clayton Thomson, Sloup PAT
Second Quarter
A: Kaden Foust 54-yard pass from Cooper Staats, Jacob Beans PAT
A: Kieryn Grothe 45-yard pass from Staats, Beans PAT
CL: Rathbone 17-yard run, Sloup PAT
CL: Line 3-yard run, PAT failed
Third Quarter
CL: Line 7-yard run, Sloup PAT
Fourth Quarter
A: Foust 16-yard run, Beans PAT
