Lions fall to Northwest, prepare for battle with Bulldogs
Philip Martin

Sports Editor

Without having the full bullets in the barrel going into Northwest Missouri, the Lions felt like they were fighting a  gunfight with a pocket knife,  said Bill Cooke, head football coach.

The Lions are trying to put their losses to Pitt State and Northwest behind them and move on to their game against Truman State University. Kerry Byers, senior cornerback, said that the team needs to put the loss behind them, because there isn t anything they can do about it.

 We lost two games, that s not the whole season,  Byers said.  I feel, and everybody else on the team feels, that we can win the rest of the games on the schedule. And I feel like that is true. 

One of the good parts about the upcoming game is that Josh Chapman, senior quarterback, will be coming back healed up better than he was last week. But some of the injuries that still persist with the team is Rob Stewart, junior offensive line, who has just had orthoscopic surgery on his knee and will be out for a couple of weeks. Dustin Drake, junior offensive line, has a deep bone bruise on his calf but is expected to play.

Demarcus Mathes, sophomore wide receiver, is still doubtful to play Saturday. Rob Green, offensive coordinator, said that they had a  poor showing offensively  on Saturday.

 One game is not going to deter our spirits,  Green said.

He said that their offense goes as Chapman goes, and it just happens that the team lost. They have to bounce back and prepare for the Bulldogs. Cooke said Truman is a lesser defense compared to PSU and NWMSU.

Cooke said that he doesn t know what to expect, because anything can happen. Truman lost last weekend against Washburn, who Southern beat so the game is unexpectable going into each game.

 The one good thing is that we have a home field advantage here at Fred G. Hughes Stadium,  Cooke said.  We re going to take it as far as we can. 

Cooke said that Truman runs a no huddle scheme that eats up the clock each time the team does it. Atiba Bradley, freshman nose guard, said to prepare for the game the Lions have to practice harder and the  only game is the next game.