Playoff bound! Lancers make short work of SM South in 27-0 win

Running back Jeff Cole celebrated after the Lancers finished their 27-0 victory over SM South, earning a place in the playoffs.

With their season on the line, the Lancers put together one of their most complete games of 2011, dispatching SM South 27-0 and earning a slot in the first round of the playoffs.

The Lancers will take on 5-4 SM Northwest, who they defeated in the season opener, next Friday.

Dakota Collins, who threw a handful of interceptions in last week’s loss to SM West, appeared to have settled back into his role at starting quarterback, throwing for three touchdowns and no interceptions. Wide receiver Elliot Faerber caught two of the touchdown passes. Connor Rellihan caught the third.

The Lancers’ other touchdown of the night came on a breakaway run from Adam Lowe.

Adam Lowe broke away for a long run in the third quarter that put another six points on the board for the Lancers.

“We mixed things up,” coach Chip Sherman said after the game. “That was one of the keys for us.”

The defense also recorded its first shutout of the season, holding the Sunflower League’s leading rusher Gabe Guild in check and forcing a pair of key turnovers to keep the Raiders off the board.

As for preparing for next week, Sherman said his message to the team is simple: “We’ve got to get better every game. Just keep getting better. That’s what we tell the kids.”

Coach Chip Sherman told the Lancers after the game that they needed to take their play to the "next level" for the playoffs.