The Lexington Wildcats football team suffered its third loss of the season and first region loss Friday night, falling 28-7 to the Dutch Fork Silver Foxes. 

Lexington held its ground early, but missed opportunities and turnovers made it difficult to keep up.

Dutch Fork quarterback Jaxon Knotts threw a long pass down the sideline, and the Silver Foxes scored their first points in just a few plays.

The Wildcats' missed tackles and turned an ordinary pass into a huge gain, an issue Lexington dealt with all night.

But the Wildcats pushed through, taking advantage of Dutch Fork's own missteps.  Penalties and poor punting set Lexington up with an opportunity. 

Wide receiver Ian Danson caught a quick pass and sprinted to the one-yard line. Quarterback Easton Crocker then snuck in and tied the game at seven.

Feeling the heat, Dutch Fork turned it up. Knotts put the team back up,  pushing his way into the end zone on second and goal early in the second quarter.

Later in the period, defensive lineman Cross George sacked Knotts, and Dutch Fork was stopped on fourth down, giving Lexington the ball with 1:08 left and a chance to tie before halftime.

It wasn't enough time as the Wildcats ran out the clock and went into halftime down  a touchdown

In the second half, Dutch Fork’s defense kept the pressure on.

Crocker threw an interception on third and long, and the Silver Foxes scored off the short field, making it 21-7.

Soon, a Dutch Fork late hit and an offside gave the Wildcats a free first down. But right as Lexington began to build on this momentum, Noah Dunn caught a swing pass and was hit in the facemask with the crown of a helmet.

There was no flag on the play, and Dunn, a key Lexington runner, did not return.

Dutch Fork’s long drives wore down the Lexington defense, and the Silver Foxes added another touchdown late in the third quarter, making it 28-7.

By the end, the Wildcats couldn't keep up, as interceptions and missed catches kept them from finishing strong.

Lexington started the season off slowly but won four straight, home and away, before Friday's loss. The Wildcats now sit at 4-3 overall.

This week, the Wildcats hit the road, hoping to secure their first regional win against White Knoll High School.