LAKEWOOD — The Cougars’ record is now 3-0 for the season after an exciting end to their non-league matchup against Blaine on Friday, Sept. 14 which left the scoreboard 22-20 in their favor.

Lakewood started off strong in the first quarter, with quarterback Justin Peterson and running back Donovan Evans both scoring touchdowns. The Cougars out the Borderites in the second quarter. They were leading Blaine heading into half-time with a score of 15-0.

It was in the beginning of the third quarter that things began to get worrisome for the Cougars, as Blaine’s star running back Mario Gobbato scored a touchdown with 7:55 on the clock in the third quarter, and tacked on a two-point conversion.

The Cougars’ offense kept going forward and Kolby Schueller threw a 20-yard pass to Evans at the 5-minute mark of the third quarter, with Evans scoring his second touchdown of the night, bringing the score to 22-8 and maintaining that score going into the fourth quarter. Blaine battled back in the beginning of the fourth with an early touchdown and never let up the pressure, bringing the game down to the wire.

Blaine’s Gobbato proved to be a force to be reckoned with and put significant pressure on the Cougars in the fourth quarter, including a final touchdown from three yards with no time on the clock, which brought the score up to 22-20.

The mood was tense as the Borderites tried for a two point conversion, run by Gobbato, to tie the game, but the Cougars’ defense stopped him just inches from the end zone, and the crowd rushed the field when the final call gave the Cougars the victory.

“It was intense,” said Lakewood head coach Dan Teeter, of the game’s final moments. “We wanted to get a score right before halftime so we could be three touchdowns ahead of them and it would be tough for them to come back from that.”

Teeter applauded the skill of Blaine’s team, saying they were a tough opponent.

“Their defense was tough,” he said. “I have a lot of respect for them, they fought hard.”

As far as his own team is concerned, Teeter said they played well and had some outstanding performances.

“Justin Peterson scored the first touchdown and then Donovan Evans caught two touchdown passes, which was great. They both made big plays,” he said.

Going into their next game against Archbishop Murphy — the team shouts, “Beat ‘em!” whenever the name is mentioned — Teeter said they’re going to have to look at some film and make game plan decisions from that.

“Their defense isn’t much different from what we just saw tonight,” said Teeter.

The Cougars face the Wildcats at home on Sept. 21 at 7 p.m.