Finding themselves down a few points with only time for one possession, the Muskies had their backs to the wall. During this time of dire need, the Muskies drove the ball down and scored a touchdown in the final minute, thus securing their victory at Alma College on Sept. 21.
This win sparked the Lakeland College football team to recover from their rough 0-2 start. They now have two straight victories and an undefeated record in conference.
“The Alma game was very emotional . . . That game really made everyone buy into the team philosophy. It turned us into a family,” senior Tyler Oslund, team captain, said.
Starting the season projected in the bottom half of the conference, the Muskies started the season off with a road trip to visit Carroll University on Sept. 7. Despite showing strong signs of offense, the Muskies stalled out and lost a toughly fought contest 27-16. This was the first learning experience for the youthful team, and they did not respond well to their struggle of the season.
The next week the Muskies held their first home game on Sept. 14, but were handily beat by Carthage College 52-6.
Down but not out, the Muskies made the long journey to Alma College eyeing their first win of the season. Despite severe jet lag after the eight hour trip, they were led by senior quarterback Dylan
See FOOTBALL on page 11
FOOTBALL from page 12
Van Straten to the victory on a game winning touchdown drive in the closing moment.
This triumph seemed to inspire the team. Following the bye week, the Muskies came out with a new swagger.
This new energy and confidence paid off hugely when the Muskies took on Wisconsin Lutheran College for the homecoming game on Oct. 5, the most important game thus far.
The game started off with both teams going back and forth, only to be delayed for several hours after severe thunderstorms. Despite this long delay, the Muskies showed how potent their offense can be on even the worst of weather days, putting up 40 points.
Although the defense had struggled up until overtime, the Muskies were able to put the game away and secure the much needed homecoming win.
“Our team goal is to shock the NACC and win the conference. I truly believe that this is possible. We just need to have great emotion and energy during the week and carry that onto the field on Saturdays,” said Oslund.
This season has been a journey of highs and lows, but the Muskies find themselves sitting in a good position to compete for a conference championship. After proving they hold their destiny in their own hands, the future seems a little brighter for this year’s football team.