![At the bottom of the third inning, the Lions are still scoreless. Rowe stands at home plate, preparing to bat, while Vandenbrink stands off to the side as the next batter up. Despite having the bases loaded, the team was unable to score any runs. “It’s just the beginning of the season. We’re just going to be playing out best by June, [and] that’s where champions are,” Rowe said.](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/IMG_3077-1200x900.jpg)
“It’s just not the way any team wants to go out,” Alec Gans, junior, said.
This feeling was shared by many members of the football team after a shocking first-round playoff loss to David Douglas last Friday. The Lions, who were ranked third in the Rating Percentage Index entering the State Playoffs, were outscored 17-14 on their home turf.
The Lions went into halftime trailing 10-7, yet looked to have the momentum at the beginning of the third quarter after a 56 yard rushing touchdown by Mason Finnerty, senior. Despite leading 14-10 entering the fourth quarter, the Lion’s defense allowed a last-minute drive capped by a five yard touchdown pass.
“I feel horrible for all the seniors because we all felt this year was something special,” Gans said. “It was a special year and it just sucks knowing that we could have gone deep into the playoffs and we came up short.”
David Douglas will take on the Oregon City Pioneers tonight at OCHS.
