Chiefs extend winning streak against Vikings

TAYLOR- After a tight first half, the Lakeland Chiefs exploded in the third quarter of their football match up with the Riverside Vikings on Friday, Oct. 16, to come home with a 28-20 football victory.

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Tony Peregrin, shown above, ran the ball for 34 yards on Friday, Oct. 16 in the Chiefs game against Riverside.

Abington Jouranl/ Ellen Bugno

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Lakeland quarterback Ryan Kiehart, shown above, ran in three Chiefs touchdowns in the 28-20 win against Riverside.

Abington Jouranl Photo/Ellen Bugno

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The Chiefs hit the field up 15-14 at the start of the second half. Riverside quickly stole the lead, thanks to an interception that Cody Talerico ran in for a 55-yard touchdown.

Lakeland quarterback Ryan Kiehart shook off the interception and reclaimed the lead for the Chiefs on the team’s next possession, scoring on a five-yard touchdown run.

After forcing a Riverside punt on the Viking’s following possession, Kiehart found his way into the end zone again on a two-yard run. The play capped off a 14-play scoring drive.

“Right off the bat they went up the second half, we threw the interception. You know that happens, but the kids answered the bell,” said Lakeland head coach Jeff Wasilchak. “We came out and did what we had to do. We played old- time football and just pounded it out.”

Kiehart finished the game with 62 rushing yards, completed nine passes, for 123 passing yards and ran the ball in for three touchdowns. The first came on a one-yard run, during Lakeland’s first possession of the game. Kiehart credited his teammates with giving him opportunities to score by creating room for him to run and giving him great field position.

“Our line blocked extremely well, and Al Tuzze carried the ball with a lot of heart today,” said Kiehart.

As good as the Chiefs played, Riverside stayed with them for most of the game. Talerico cut the Chiefs lead to one on a two-yard run in the second quarter, making the score 7-6.

Lakeland answered, scoring on a Kiehart 36-yard touchdown pass to Alex Filarsky. Brett Kuwick ran the ball in for a two-point conversion, giving the Chiefs a 15-6 lead.

The touchdown gave the Chiefs breathing room, but the feeling was short lived. Riverside scored one final time in the closing seconds of the first half. Riverside quarterback Nick Dranhak completed a pass to Paul Lassiter, with no time left on the clock for a touchdown. Dranek completed a pass to Skylar Lavage for the two-point conversion, cutting Lakeland’s lead to one.

The win improves Lakeland’s record to 4-3 as they prepare to take on Scranton Prep. Prep is coming off a recent hard- fought 21-14 loss to Dunmore and a 46-16 win over Riverside the week prior.

“They’re a very good football team, not as diverse as Riverside, but a very good football team,” said Wasilchak.

“I think Prep is an extremely strong team,” said Kiehart. “Prep did a real good job against Riverside and we barely squeaked it out, so it’s going to be a hard fought game.”

The Lakeland Chiefs will take on Scranton Prep on Friday, Oct. 23, at Lakeland High School at 7 p.m.