FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
Lincoln 7 17 12 21 57
Topeka 14 6 14 20 54
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST :TOP -- Akili Roberson 1 run (Butch Oliva kick)
LIN -- Monte Chrristo 3 run (Paul Kosel kick)
TOP -- Lorenzo Davis 2 run (Oliva kick)
2ND :LIN -- Damon Benning 19 pass from Christo (Kosel kick)
LIN -- Benning 1 run (Kosel kick)
TOP -- Michael Cosey 25 run (kick failed)
LIN -- FG Kosel 47
3RD :LIN -- Christo 1 run (kick failed)
TOP -- Cosey 2 run (Michael Dritlein pass from Roberson)
LIN -- Mike Leaks 21 pass from Christo (run failed)
TOP -- Cosey 2 run (run failed)
4TH :LIN -- Paul Starck 20 pass from Christo(Kosel kick)
TOP -- Dritlein 4 pass from Roberson (run failed)
LIN -- Benning 2 run (Kosel kick)
TOP -- Dritlein 50 kickoff return (kick failed)
LIN -- Benning 4 run (Kosel kick)
TOP -- Roy Stone 4 pass from Roberson(Stone pass from Roberson)
TEAM STATISTICS
LIN TOP
-------- --------
FIRST DOWNS 16 10
TOTAL NET YARDS 318 204
NET YARDS RUSHING 159 121
Rushes 34 25
NET YARDS PASSING 159 83
Completed-attempted 15-22 6-12
Had intercepted 1 1
Kickoffs-returns 8-97 8-203
Interceptions-returns 1-18 1-3
FUMBLES-LOST 2-1 2-1
Time Of Possession 35:16 24:44
PLAYER STATISTICS
Lincoln rushing: Damon Benning 21-99, Monte Christo 6-33, Charles Bodaddy 5-21,
Tom Starck 2-6
Topeka rushing: Michael Cosey 18-89, Akili Roberson 5-26, Lorenzo Davis 3-3,
David Gleue 0-3
Lincoln passing: Monte Christo 15-22-1, 159
Topeka passing: Akili Roberson 6-12-1, 83
Lincoln receiving: Mike Leaks 5-45, Frenchie Buckner 5-34, Damon Benning 3-29,
Tom Starck 2-51
Topeka receiving: Lorenzo Davis 2-42, Mike Dritlein 2-20, Roy Stone 1-17,
Michael Cosey 1-4
Topeka tackles-assists-sacks: Nate Neuhaus 1-18
Lincoln tackles-assists-sacks: Monte Spiller 1-3
A: 4,194; T: 2:50.
TOPEKA, KS -- Lincoln Lightning quarterback Monte Christo threw for three touchdowns and ran for two more and I-back Damon Benning scored four touchdowns as Lincoln edged the Topeka Knights 57-54 Saturday in Topeka in an Indoor Football League game.
The win bettered the Lightning's record to 3-0. Lincoln is one of only two unbeaten teams in the IFL after winning in its first road game. But this was far from the dominant performance Lincoln turned in when the teams met three weeks ago -- a 66-30 Lightning win.
"Topeka is a better team than the last time we played," Lightning Coach Vern Thomsen said. Thomsen said the Knights have improved their personnel with the addition of several linemen. Those acquisitions and the mistake-prone Lightning offense almost led to the team's first loss of the inaugural season.
"You can't make costly penalties, fumble in the end zone and throw interceptions out of your end zone and win very many games. But we did," Thomsen said. Thomsen did give his team credit for executing the passing attack well.
Christo, a former Husker back-up quarterback, connected on a 19-yard touchdown pass with Benning, tying the score at 14 in the second quarter. Later he hit Mike Leaks on a 21-yard scoring play and Paul Starck from 20 yards out.
Following his second quarter touchdown reception, Benning scored on a 1-yard run. After the extra point, Lincoln led 21-14 and never trailed again.
Akili Robinson put Topeka on the board first with a 1-yard scoring run in the first quarter. After Christo tied the score on a 3-yard run, Topeka's Lorenzo Davis scored from 2 yards out to give the Knights their final lead of the game.
Lincoln's Darryl Latimore and Mike Miano were ejected from the game.