Fairbanks’ Riordin Stauffer holds onto the ball while being hit in this file photo. Stauffer tallied both of FHS’ touchdowns during a 19-14 loss to Indian Lake. The game was completed on Saturday evening after Friday’s second-half postponement due to weather. (Journal-Tribune photo by Chad Williamson)
An Indian Lake touchdown with less than a minute to play Saturday evening spelled the difference between victory and defeat for the Fairbanks High School football squad.
The Panthers led, 7-6, with 59 seconds remaining during the first half on Friday.
Lightning forced the postponement of the rest of the contest until Saturday.
The Lakers tallied a late-game TD to beat FHS, 19-14.
Fairbanks took the upper hand on Friday with a 15-yard pass reception from quarterback A.J. Landon to Riordin Stauffer.
Cade Ziegler booted the extra point.
The Panthers regained possession late in the second quarter, still nursing its 7-6 edge, once action resumed on Saturday.
Ziegler attempted a 37-yard field goal with eight ticks on the clock.
He could not cash in on the opportunity.
The Lakers ran one play before halftime.
The third quarter was only a few minutes old on Saturday when Indian Lake took the lead.
Laker QB Caleb Wurster rolled out to pass.
“We had the pass covered,” said Fairbanks coach Patrick Cotter.
“Their quarterback found a seam in our defense and raced 80 yards for the touchdown.”
Rece Kimmel booted the extra point, pushing the Lakers out to a 13-7 margin.
Like they did on Friday, the Panthers put together some drives during the third quarter.
The problem was, according to Cotter, “we just could not sustain some of them.
“That’s something we have to work on before we host Southeastern on Friday.”
The third quarter ended with Indian Lake holding its six-point lead.
The Panthers had possession of the ball as the fourth quarter began.
They put together an eight-play drive that was highlighted by a 45-yard pass reception from Landon to Brogan Green.
Green did not stop running after snaring the ball until he was hauled down at the three-yard line.
Stauffer then tallied his second touchdown of the game, barreling into the end zone for the go-ahead score.
Ziegler’s PAT with 3:02 to play gave FHS (1-1) a 14-13 edge.
The host Lakers took over the ball on their own 20-yard-line after Fairbanks’ ensuing kickoff.
The Lakers later faced a fourth-and-five against the stiff Panther defense.
Wurster then hit Caden Nicol on a seven-yard pass that just missed being thwarted by FHS defensive back Brice Phelps.
“Both Brice and the receiver laid out for the ball,” said Cotter. “Their receiver was able to catch it and keep the drive going.”
Indian Lake continued to move the ball and advanced down to the Panther 10-yard-line with 60 ticks left on the timer.
Luke Jackson found a gap in the Panthers’ defense for the score.
The two-point conversion failed, but with less than a minute to play, the Lakers held the upper hand, 19-14.
Fairbanks took over on its own 28-yard-line after the kickoff.
Stauffer advanced the pigskin to the FHS 45 for a first down.
Landon took the ball on a keeper and scrambled to midfield.
With time now an enemy, the Panthers had to take to the air.
A pair of incomplete passes, however, ended the game.
“The guys played very well in the face of adversity over these two days,” said Cotter. “We got off to a very good start Saturday evening when the game resumed.
“They all busted their tails.”
Cotter was especially proud of his team’s defense.
The Lakers are known more for their running attack and finished with 216 yards on the ground.
That figure, however, is a bit deceiving, when taken into consideration that 80 of those yards came on one play for a touchdown.
“Other than that, we held them to just 136 yards rushing,” said Cotter.
The Panthers also put up gaudy offensive numbers, tallying 358 total yards in 65 snaps.
“We played well offensively, but we just didn’t finish some drives,” said Cotter.