It's unfortunate a team has to suffer a loss for a coach can find out how his team will respond to one. But even though the Lions fell to Central York, the response was impressive against Spring Grove Friday night.
Red Lion ran only 33 offensive plays for the game, scoring 42 points in the opening quarter en route to a 49-20 win past the Rockets.
It was a statement game coming off the first league defeat suffer in two seasons. Coach Jesse Shay loved the resilient attitude shown by his group.
"That’s what we saw here. These kids very much realized that game was over they had a job to do," he said. "It was the culmination of a really good week of practice.
"The idea of picking yourself up off the mat. I think with the program these kids expect to win and so even when they don’t, they figure out what they need to do to get back at it."
Still, a 42-point quarter is quite a way to do it and the Lions will now play for a share of the YAIAA Division I title against - you guess it - rival Dallastown.
Shay knows his team will be ready, although he expects to face a much better Wildcats team than the one the Lions defeated to close last season.
One reason is Dallastown speedy junior Nyzair Smith, who set a Wildcats record with nearly 350 yards and five touchdowns rushing last week.
"This young man is special," Shay said of Smith. "The thing about playing Dallastown is even on years one team was clearly better than the other it was still a competitive game. Now you’ve got both teams are pretty evenly matched.
The coach also warned of defending Wildcats QB Brett Smith and other RB Ben Ward.
"I think the quarterback can absolutely hurt you running the ball. If you spend all your time focusing on one guy it sets up that you can get complacent. Both Nyzair and Ben present different, but equal challenges. Ben can run you over, and Nyziar if he gets a seam, he is gone."
It's going to be another amazing chapter in the Red Lion - Dallastown saga. Don't miss it.
