By Gene Helfmen

Special to the Weekly

Things started well for the Lopez eight-man football team. Very well. On the first play from scrimmage, Rande Gruenwald connected to Vinnie Kramer for a touchdown with less than a minute off the clock. The Blackhawks scored four minutes later but failed on the point-after try, and the first quarter ended with Lopez up 8-6.

The second quarter was a wild affair; the scored tied or the lead changing hands repeatedly. Lopez scored on a run by Rande Gruenwald and passes from Gruenwald to Tony Ahonen and Vinny Kramer, the last one coming with only 30 seconds left on the clock. Lummi answered each Lopez score and the half ended with the score tied at 28 all.

Things remained tied until five minutes into the third quarter when Lummi took the lead 36-28. After that, the Blackhawks scored four times on long runs and passes. At the end of three quarters, the score was Lummi 60, Lopez 28. The Lobos’ defense stiffened in the final quarter, despite the lopsided score, and the game ended 66-28.

Lopez turned in outstanding defensive as well as offensive play. Vinny Kramer recovered a fumble, and Rande Gruenwald and Kevin Dye intercepted Blackhawk passes. Gruenwald finished the day 9 for 17 passing and Vinny Kramer completed one pass, for a total of 180 yards through the air. Gruenwald, the Kramer brothers and Thomas Hobi accounted for almost 300 yards on the ground.

Lopez will play at least one more time, on Nov. 8, against Naselle High School in the quad-district playoffs at Oak Harbor High School.