The question for Lake Park-Audubon now not beating its opposition, but what to do about simple mistakes which will cost the team against better teams come playoff time.
After beating Cass Lake-Bena 44-0 last Friday night, the Raiders toughest task will be maintaining momentum through the rest of the way.
The still-perfect LP-A team (4-0) started off quickly and only had a few hiccups as it scored 37 points in the first half en route to the win.
"Our kids just came out and played the game hard," said LP-A coach Jed Swegarden. "That's what we've talked about that even though they were 0-3 and we were 3-0, we still have to come out, play hard and take care of business."
Junior running back Bobby Lalonde led the Raiders offensive game by scoring two touchdowns and adding 106 yards on six rushes.
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Half of Lalonde's yards and touchdowns came with 1:35 left in the second quarter with the Raiders already up 25-0. He found a hole on the right side and dashed 53 yards for the score.
"I thought it was a pass play until the quarterback (Brian Gordon) gave me the ball and I figured out I should just run," Lalonde said.
A 16-yard run by Lalonde brought the ball the the Panther' two and set up LP-A's previous touchdown with six minutes left in the half.
That score came despite Cass Lake-Bena pressuring Gordon on several straight plays earlier in the drive.
"We were giving our kids permission to let go," Swegarden said, noting that screen plays lessened Gordan's pass protection. "They were blitzing eight or nine guys."
That pressure created enough space for Jessie Wixo's 25-yard reception that brought the ball to Cass Lake's 18.
After Lalonde's dash, Gordan took a keeper up the middle for the score.
Gordan's passing was efficient despite limited opportunties. He went 3-for-6 with 47 yards and one TD pass.
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That scoring pass, though, opened up the onslaught.
With the game just a few minutes old, Gordan found tight end Caleb Lunde up middle for a 21-yard scoring strike.
The Panthers would go three-and-out on their ensuing drive.
Linebacker Steve Oak sacked Cass Lake quarterback Chad Wittner sent a message that the Raiders' defense is just as integral to the team's success as their prolific offense.
"We were a little flat at first, but we started making plays and everyone was getting fired up," Oak said.
LP-A's second score later in the first quarter when running back Kenyon O'Brien rushed in from five yards out.
The Raiders would go up 19-0 after Lalonde's first touchdown. O'Brien set that score up with a 45-yard run to the six.
O'Brien finished with 85 rushing yards on five carries.
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The second half was played under the mercy rule with a running clock with the exception of stopping on timeouts.
Both coaches agreed to the mercy rule for the third quarter, but the mercy rule-implementation was mandatory in the fourth quarter of the game.
Topping off the scoring for LP-A were Nick Hanson and Jon Nelson's rushing touchdowns.
Nelson's 35 seconds before the half and Hanson scored his five minutes into the second half.
Now the test comes for Lake Park-Audubon as it travels to Warren-Alvarado-Oslo on Friday.
The Ponies are also 4-0 on the year, but just got by Badger/Greenbush-Middle River 14-13 last week.
Raiders stats
Cass Lake-Bena at Lake Park-Audubon, Friday, Sept. 19.
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Panthers 0 0 0 0 - 0
Raiders 13 24 7 0 - 44
LP-A: Caleb Lunde 21-yard pass from Brian Gordan (Derek Braseth kick good). 9:04, 1st.
LP-A: Kenyon O'Brien 5-yard run (Kick failed). 2:39, 1st.
LP-A:: Bobby Lalonde 3-yard run. (Kick failed). 10:14, 2nd.
LP-A: Gordon 5-yard run (Kick failed). 6:04, 2nd.
LP-A: Lalonde 53-yad run (Kick failed). 1:35, 2nd.
LP-A: Jon Nelson 37-yard run (Kick failed). :35, 2nd.
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LP-A: Nick Hanson 5-yard run (Braseth kick good). 8:10, 3rd.
