Pluff’s Big Day Helps Lakeside Oust Notus

Lakeside’s Ken Pluff accounted for seven touchdowns to lead the Knights to a 64-22 thrashing of Notus in the quarterfinals of the Idaho A-4 eight-man football playoffs Saturday at the Kibbie Dome.

The senior quarterback threw for six touchdowns, three of which went to Dustin McFadden, and caught a 39-yarder from running back Buck Allen.

Lakeside, of the North Star League, runs its record to 9-1. Notus, which plays in the Long Pin Conference, ends its season at 8-2.

“Our team is more explosive offensively (compared with last year),” Lakeside head coach Ron Miller said. “The kids’ stats aren’t near what they were last year, but the team’s stats are above what they were, and that makes us tough to defend.”

The Knights reeled off 22 unanswered points to begin the game, but the Pirates rebounded behind two touchdown passes from Levi Adamson to Joey Woodland. The second was a 95-yard pass play that cut Lakeside’s lead to 22-16 with 1:58 left in the first half.

However, 15 seconds later, Lakeside scored again. On the first play from scrimmage, the Knights broke the Pirates’ backs with two quick scoring plays. The first was a 49-yard strike from Pluff to Sam Lozeau, followed by a 64-yard pass from Pluff to Adam Kolar as the first half expired.

Lakeside’s defense stepped it up in the second half, holding Adamson to just 2-of-9 passing for 12 yards and three interceptions. Two of the pickoffs were snatched by Pluff, who also plays defensive back.

“They physically started to dominate in the second half,” said Notus head coach Tim Dranginis, whose team finished 2-7 last year.

The teams combined for 17 penalties, 11 of which were Lakeside’s.

“It was a little bit sloppy. That’s something we’ve got to work on,” Miller said

Lakeside 64, Notus 22

Lakeside 16 18 14 28 - 64

Notus 0 14 0 8 - 22

L - Allen 24 pass from Pluff (Pluff run) L - McFadden 3 pass from Pluff (McFadden pass from Pluff) L - Lozeau 17 run (pass failed) N - Woodland 14 pass from Adamson (run failed) N - Woodland 95 pass from Adamson (Woodland pass from Adamson) L - Lozeau 49 pass from Pluff (pass failed) L - Kolar 64 pass from Pluff (pass failed) L - McFadden 3 pass from Pluff (Lozeau run) L - McFadden 30 pass from Pluff (Morris run) L - Pluff 39 pass from Allen (run failed) N - De los Reyes 1 run (Adamson run) L - Lachnit 1 run (run failed)