Athlete of the week: Big touchdowns, tipped pass from Old Lodge lift warriors to 11B championship

WINNER — No one player can be credited as the reason a team wins a football game.

It’s known as the ultimate team sport.

But if one player was to be credited with a large amount of success recently, it would have to be Winner’s Isiah Old Lodge.

“It felt great to know that I helped out, and I am just proud that I was able to help my team,” said Old Lodge, who caught a game-winning touchdown pass and helped seal the 11B state championship with a fumble recovery for a touchdown and had a tipped pass on defense that resulted in an interception by teammate Tanner Fritz.

For his efforts, Old Lodge has been named The Daily Republic’s athlete of the week, an award that’s voted on by the newspaper’s sports staff.

In the state semifinal matchup against Flandreau, the senior caught a 33-yard score from Fritz with less than two minutes left on the clock. The Warriors defeated Flandreau 26-21.

“When I saw the pass coming to me, I just knew that I had to catch it so I could help our team win,” said Old Lodge, whose catch was a major factor in sending his team to the state championship game.

On Friday, Old Lodge was again an integral part of a victory, this time helping Winner beat Tri-Valley 13-6 and scoring the final touchdown of the game on a 62-yard fumble recovery forced by Trace Meyer. Old Lodge was also a part of the defensive unit that preserved the Winner lead with multiple goal-line stands.

“The difference between the two plays in the state championship is that were up by seven, but the one in the semis we were down and it was fourth down,” Winner coach Dan Aaker said. “If he doesn’t make that catch, it was game over.”

Old Lodge is no stranger to making big plays on the football field. The senior caught 12 passes this season for 288 yards and five touchdowns.

“Isiah is one of those players who just goes hard all the time,” Aaker said. “It doesn’t matter if its practice or games, and I think athletes that go that hard all the time are going to get rewarded for their efforts.”

Winner won its second title in four years and finished the season 12-0.

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