Irish Attack By Air, Eliminate Indians

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish may be having a tough college football season, but the DeSales Irish are taking the State B-11 football playoffs by storm.

The fourth-ranked Reardan Indians (9-2) became DeSales’ latest victim Saturday when the top-ranked Irish (10-1) cruised to a 65-20 quarterfinals victory on a blustery, chilly afternoon at East Valley High School.

In contrast to the run-centered attack of the collegiate Irish, DeSales lives and dies with a four-wide receiver passing offense.

Unfortunately for Reardan, those receivers and junior quarterback Brian Lindgren, the state’s leading passer, were at the top of their game.

DeSales advanced to a semifinal game against Waitsburg next weekend at Kennewick.

Reardan, a traditional B-11 powerhouse that is moving to Class 1A ball next season, played without a number of its best players.

Running back Pete Eastman and defensive back Jared Flaa are nursing injuries, and secondary standout Reece Jenkin was not at full speed.

“In all fairness, Reardan did not get to play its best football today,” DeSales coach Kim Cox said. “They had a lot of key kids out.”

Against the depleted Reardan secondary, DeSales jumped to a 20-0 first-quarter lead and never looked back. In the process, the Irish piled up some gaudy offensive numbers.

They finished with 581 total yards, twice Reardan’s 285. Lindgren, who sat out the entire second half, went 12 for 18 for 284 yards and threw for five touchdowns.

Reardan had a chance to score first after recovering a fumble on the DeSales side of the field. But the Irish got the ball back on an interception and Lindgren hit Joe Levens for a 38-yard score.

Reardan fumbled the ensuing kickoff and set up the second DeSales score.

A third Reardan turnover set up the next score for the Irish. Matt Heinzman dashed down the sideline for the 30-yard TD after Lindgren threw another strike.

DeSales took a 41-0 lead to the locker room after Lindgren scored on a short run and passed for two more scores, one an 85-yard pass-and-run toss to Heinzman.

In the second half, Reardan scored three times, twice on passes by Bryce Bozman.

DeSales 65, Reardan 20

DeSales 20 21 12 12 -65

Reardan 0 0 8 12 -20

D-Wolfram 6 pass from Lindgren (pass failed) D-Levens 38 pass from Lindgren (pass failed) D-Heinzman 30 pass from Lindgren (Lindgren run) D-Lindgren 1 run (Lindgren kick) D-Stanley 15 pass from Lindgren (Lindgren kick) D-Heinzman 85 pass from Lindgren (Lindgren kick) D-Stanley 75 pass from Biagi (kick failed) D-Richard 3 run (kick failed) R-Landreth 19 pass from Bozman (Landreth run) D-Casey 60 run (kick failed) R-Hicks 18 pass from Bozman (run failed) R-Rynes 8 run (run failed) D-Richard 81 pass from Biagi (kick blocked)

, DataTimes