By Brandon Shrider

Northwest Signal

DELTA — Lake missed a field goal in the final moments of the first half, which would have brought it within seven points of Delta, but answered with a 16-play scoring drive on the first second-half possession to come within three points and put pressure on the hosting Panthers Friday night.

But Delta, which was eyeing its first 3-0 start in a decade, displayed a poise it hasn’t shown in several years and answered with its own touchdown drive, stopped the Flyers from scoring on the two-yard line and put the game away with a near-10-and-a-half minute scoring drive for a 31-14 non-league win at Delta High School.

The Panthers improved to 3-0 for the first time since the 2014 season and seventh time this century — with six of those coming under the direction of coach Mike Vicars, who is in his first season in his return to Delta. Lake, which was trying to go 3-0 for the first time since 2015, dropped to 2-1.

“I think right from the beginning, way back in May, we talked about how this team had to be a really mentally-tough team,” said Vicars. “Based on the back of all these 26 wrestlers that we have that are state champions in the duals and whatnot — I told those guys to show us how to go practice and lead every day. Show us what it takes to be a champion and they’ve done a really good job.

“These seven seniors that we have — not a lot of seniors — but in those moments you can see … our backs bowed, but in the end we made a play.”

The Panthers’ Landon Lintermoot, who steadied Delta with 296 yards rushing and three TDs, blew up a Flyers third-quarter kick return forcing Lake to begin from its 14-yard line after a first-play false start.

Lake answered by marching 84 yards in six plays to set up a fourth-and-two from the Delta 2 to open the fourth quarter.

After the offense initially lined up to go for it, Lake coach Lane Bishop called a timeout and sent out his kicking unit. But the snap was muffed on the kick, and a throw to the front of the end zone was swatted away by a diving Wyatt Flickinger for a turnover on downs.

Delta compounded the stop with its 10-minute drive to run the clock down to 1:38 remaining after Vincent Martinez 15-yard scoring run untouched up the middle for the 31-14 final score.

“We’re kind of at a point right now where we’re trying to change the culture of the program and we really ride waves — good and bad,” said Bishop. “It’s not something that I love about where we’re at, but when things are going good we’re high and our energy is high and then for that to happen right there, I think it kind of took the wind out of our sails. I don’t think our kids quit, but it’s tough to rebound in a situation like that.”

Lintermoot, who had first-half scoring runs of 83 and 43 yards for 7-0 and 17-7 leads, respectively, tallied 74 yards rushing on 11 carries in the put-away possession.

“That’s why we call him the general. He’s been that way. The kid leads so loudly and never says anything, it’s just unbelievable — both sides of the ball,” said Vicars of Lintermoot. “And all those kids that pave the way so unselfishly for him, and his lead backs as well.”

“Very good, tough as they come,” added Bishop of Lintermoot. “I thought we did a pretty good job of bottling him up inside the box and he was able to run through some of our tackles and he did a really good job.”

Lake’s first play from scrimmage after the long drive was a sack-fumble, recovered by Cade Lintermoot, allowing Delta to end the game with a pair of kneel downs.

The Panthers’ start was a forgettable one, though, as a penalty on the opening kickoff and a first-play false start forced them to start the game on their own 6 before a three-and-out punt.

Delta responded by forcing Lake into a three-and-out and Landon Lintermoot changed the score with a third-down 83-yard TD run down the right sideline for a 7-0 lead with 6:27 left in the first quarter.

Brodey Roth followed with a 35-yard field goal near the end of the first frame for a 10-0 lead, but Lake answered with a 15-play scoring drive — capped by a Martinez interception that was negated by a roughing the passer penalty, which allowed Iyzck Whalen to run in an 11-yard TD on the ensuing play.

Landon Lintermoot answered again with a 43-yard rushing TD on a toss to the right before Alex York stopped Lake’s next drive with an interception at midfield.

The Flyers, though, forced a three-and-out, and covered 53 yards in two-and-a-half minutes before the missed field goal to end the half.

Lake’s Carter Behlmer opened the second half with a four-yard TD pass to Preston Snyder to come within 17-14 with 4:55 remaining in the third quarter, but Delta’s game-sealing stretch followed to close the game.

Delta is back in action Friday at home against Bryan for its Northwest Ohio Athletic League opener. Lake returns to the field Friday at home against Eastwood for its Northern Buckeye Conference opener.