Lions wear down

Sore and exhausted, Talan Alfrey left the field acknowledging at least two things.

Lincoln is as good as advertised, and the senior leader could have had another V8.

Alfrey and Auburn Mountainview struck for some big plays early but couldn’t match the Abes’ size, strength and depth in falling 49-14 in a nonleague game Friday night at Auburn Memorial Stadium.

The fifth-ranked Abes improved to 1-1. The Lions dropped to 0-2 on the young season.

Alfrey, a verbal commitment to Brigham Young University, was at his best, scoring twice on long-distance catch-and-runs and later intercepting a pass, but the Lions proved to be no match for a heralded Tacoma team stocked to compete in the Pierce County League and go deep in the playoffs.

“You saw a really good team. We knew that coming in,” said Alfrey, who played nearly every snap despite battling cramps that he tried to prevent by drinking water and vegetable juice. “They played physical, and we tried to match it. It wasn’t enough, obviously.”

Tristian Kwon scored on runs of 4 and 40 yards and returned a kickoff 98 yards for a third touchdown for Lincoln. Jaylene Antoine threw two TDs.

Auburn Mountainview jumped out quickly to a 7-0 lead on Sui Daniels’ 85-yard TD pass to Alfrey on a quick slant. Alfrey gathered the short pass and split the secondary, sprinting away from the Abes on the game’s third play from scrimmage.

But Lincoln answered with three touchdowns – one set up by a blocked punt – before the Daniels-to-Alfrey connection found the end zone again, this time on a 67-yard quick slant play with 1:40 to go in the first quarter.

Auburn Mountainview, trailing 28-14 late in the second quarter, drove to the Abes’ 16, but Daniels was sacked and lost the ball with 13.3 seconds left in the half.

The Abes broke it open when Kwon returned the second-half kickoff for a TD and a 35-14 lead.

“We had our moments in the first half. We just got worn down by a really good team,” said Lions coach Jared Gervais. “Obviously, we’ve got to get better. That’s what we told the kids after the game. It’s a great learning experience, to experience that physicality and prepare us for league.

“I think this is going to make us better in the long run.”

In defeat, Alfrey shone.

“He’s amazing,” Gervais said. “We would have liked to have given him the ball more in the second half. We just missed him a couple of times. But when he gets the ball, he’s real special.”

Auburn Mountainview opens North Puget Sound League Olympic Division play at Federal Way on Thursday. Kickoff is 7 p.m.

“We live and we learn,” Alfrey said. “We just have to take care of ourselves and get back (to playing).”

Elsewhere

Auburn Riverside 35, at Kent-Meridian 0: Tiano Malietufa threw for 131 yards and one touchdown and ran for 82 yards and another TD, and Sam Braboy scored twice as the Ravens (2-0) routed the Royals (0-2) in an NPSL cross-divisional game Friday night at French Field.

Isiah Prescott returned a punt 98 yards for a TD. Jaden Robinson caught Malietufa’s TD toss from 11 yards out. Robinson finished with three catches for 115 yards.

For the game, Braboy finished with 121 yards on 14 carries.

Auburn 35, at Tahoma 33: Joseph Fagan ran for 212 yards and three touchdowns, leading the Trojans (2-0) past the Bears (1-1) in an NPSL cross-divisional game victory over the Bears (1-1) in Maple Valley last Friday.

Zeke Turner and Cole Washburn also ran for TDS as the Trojans compiled 388 yards on the ground. Calvin Liulamaga completed 10 of 13 passes for 88 yards.