Going to a place like Wilson is challenging enough. Going there to face the Bulldogs in a District 3 playoff game borders on impossible.
Because of it, our Lions season came to an end in Friday night's 42-7 loss at Wilson in the District 3, Class 6A tournament quarterfinal.
"Everyone knows who they are," coach Jesse Shay said of Wilson. "They are a premier football program and they certainly played like it on Friday night. It was good that we got to see this is what we want to emulate. It's going to be up to these kids to actually do the work that is required."
It also didn't help that the Lions lost quarterback Zach Throne, the team's leading rusher with more than 1,500 yards this season, to a hand injury in the second quarter against the Bulldogs.
Before he left, Throne hit Elijah Workinger for a 46-yard touchdown pass that cut Wilson's lead to 14-7 late in the opening quarter.
Wilson (8-3) also helped its own cause by blocking three Red Lion punts.
Still, after graduating 21 seniors, 19 of which were starters, from the 2016 YAIAA Division I championship team, finishing a season 8-3 and making the district playoff was quite an accomplishment for Shay and his staff.
This group continues to build something special at Red Lion and we are very proud of our Lions.
