The Lone Tree Lions had their 2023 season come to an end Friday night with a 45-33 loss to Moravia in the first round of the 8-man football playoffs. Lone Tree managed to take a 13-8 lead into the second quarter but found themselves trailing 22-19 at halftime, and while the Lions hung around all night, Moravia never gave the lead back.

Lone Tree senior quarterback Ethan Bockelman had a strong night throwing the football in his final career game, completing 10 of 16 pass attempts for 175 yards and three touchdowns. Running back Maddox Jondle caught two of those TD passes and also threw one on a trick play, finishing with 161 total yards on offense and being responsible for four scores.

Jondle and fellow juniors Brody Magruder and Jack Patterson each had nine-and-a-half tackles on defense, but the Lions still yielded 425 total yards to Moravia. Lone Tree ends the season with a record of 6-3, their best mark in six years. Along with Bockelman, the Lions will be losing seniors Trent Hoback, Jader Sanchez, Lucas Forbes, Dominic Graap, Harry Brenneman and Cole Abbott.