Bison dust off Holdrege, clinch playoff berth

Steve Kodad/McCook Daily Gazette McCook receiver Mark Nichols hauls in this pass reception from quarterback Chad Stull over Holdrege defender Alex Schonenman (12) during prep football action at Weiland Field Friday night. [Click to enlarge]

The Bison assured themselves of a playoff berth with the victory on the Weiland Field home turf.

McCook committed five turnovers -- three Bison miscues led to Holdrege scores -- plus several penalties that negated big plays, including a fourth-quarter interception return for a touchdown by Chance Pearson that was called back by a pass interference penalty against the Bison.

Steve Kodad/McCook Daily Gazette McCook quarterback Chad Stull (left) slips past a pair of Holdrege defenders to score a 3-yard touchdown early in the third quarter Friday. Stull led the Bison to a 35-21 victory. [Click to enlarge]

Friday's Class B-7 District battle started with three penalties on the first four plays from scrimmage. Two plays later, McCook linebacker A.J. Huffman set up McCook's first score with a pass interception. A Holdrege pass over the middle was deflected into Huffman's hands, and A.J. returned the ball to the Holdrege 3-yard line. Jimmy Barron scored from a yard out two plays later, and Shane Wallin kicked the extra point for a 7-0 McCook lead less than two minutes into the game.

Running back Andy Smith lost the ball on McCook's next possesion, and Alex Schonenman scooped up the fumble and returned it 39 yards to the McCook 3. The Dusters went backwards with two procedure penalties before scoring on fourth down on a 1-yard run by Jordan Schulz.

McCook answered with a 10-play, 77-yard drive capped by a 7-yard touchdown pass from Chad Stull to Mark Nichols. Stull lofted the ball to the corner of the end zone over a Holdrege defender into Nichols' waiting arms. Wallen's conversion kick gave the Bison a 14-7 lead late in the first quarter.

After a missed Holdrege field goal, McCook drove again, but the march ended in Dusters territory when Schonenman intercepted a Stull pass. Holdrege fumbled the ball back to the Bison four plays later, when Ross Martin lost the ball and Brad Baumbach recovered for McCook at midfield. The Bison gave the ball right back three plays later when Schulz intercepted a Stull pass at the Holdrege 37.

McCook stopped a Dusters drive late in the first half on an incomplete pass on fourth down at the McCook 34.

Smith returned the second half kickoff to the Holdrege 40. The Bison used just four plays to score, with Stull keeping around right end on an option play. Fullback Deon Allen ran 38 yards to set up Stull's score. Wallen's PAT kick gave McCook a 21-7 lead a minute into the third quarter.

Lincoln Pearson of Holdrege picked off a Stull pass later in the quarter and ran it back 25 yards for a touchdown to help pull the Dusters within 21-14. The Bison came right back with a scoring drive of 76 yards capped by Stull's 11-yard TD run with 2:48 left in the third quarter, and Wallen's fourth conversion kick. Stull hit Nichols on a 33-yard pass play when he delivered the ball into Nichols hands and over a Holdrege defender.

The potent Bison passing duo hooked up again for a 42-yard reception early in the fourth period to set up McCook's final score. Stull lofted the ball and Nichols hauled it in between two Holdrege defenders at the Dusters 20-yard line. Five plays later, Allen ran 2 yards for the score, and Wallin's kick gave the Bison a 35-14 lead.

The Dusters answered with a long drive deep in Bison territory. Greg Younger applied defensive pressure on fourth down from the McCook 3, and the pass by Holdrege quarterback Robby Almond missed the mark.

Three plays later, Smith broke a long run into Holdrege territory. He cut back inside the boundary line and was stripped of the football, with Holdrege recovering. On the next play, Pearson stepped in front of a pass from Almond and returned the interception for a touchdown. But the score was negated by a pass interference penalty. Holdrege scored its final touchdown five plays later on a pass from Almond to Schonenman.

McCook improved its season record to 6-2 and clinched a spot in the Class B state playoffs. The Bison will host Ogallala next Friday night for the B-7 District championship.