By TYLER HENRY
Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post
For the first time all season, Lincoln faced a true test on the gridiron, and passed it with flying colors, holding off Hoxie in a thrilling 22-18 quarterfinal victory.
The long road trip never fazed the Leopards, and although the game was close throughout, Lincoln never trailed for a single second.
Jeremiah Miller opened the scoring with the lone touchdown of the first quarter, a 5-yard run.
Hoxie's Gage Epp exploded for a 65-yard run that could have tied the game, but the Leopard defense stood tall on the 2-point conversion attempt to maintain an 8-6 edge.
Just before the half, Miller connected with Ben Bell for a huge 45-yard pitch-and-catch to make it 16-6, but Epp found Chase Meyer for a 55-yard score with under a minute to go to pull back within four.
16-12 at half, game on.
Both defenses tightened the screws in the third quarter, each pitching a shutout for the full 12 minutes.
Lincoln would be the first team to break through in the second half, when Jeremiah Miller again punched in a score on the ground, this time from a yard out.
The two sides traded late interceptions, and Hoxie did manage to score one more time in the closing minutes on a 6-yard pass from Epp to Hadley Juneman, but the Leopards salted away the rest of the clock and secured their spot in the state semifinals.
Jeremiah Miller accounted for all three Lincoln touchdowns, completing 21-of-29 for 208 yards and a score through the air while adding 50 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
Ben Bell, who was on the receiving end of that touchdown pass, hauled in 12 catches for 134 yards and a score, also playing a massive role on defense with two interceptions.
For Hoxie, the season comes to a close at 8-3 while Lincoln, now 11-0, advances to the state semifinals to battle another undefeated squad in 11-0 Leoti-Wichita.
You can relive every snap of this Lincoln victory on demand by clicking the link in the window below.