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Bison steam blazes through Aurora
AURORA, Neb. — Senior Zach Schlager’s post-game smile showed why the trust fund for 2017 McCook football should never run out.
Not with the deep pockets of talent filling another Bison roster.
Yes, all-state quarterback Schlager limped off the field before halftime Friday night against Class B No. 6 Aurora.
That moment at Huskies Stadium Friday night could have caused mass panic like sitting on your 3-D glasses just seconds before Monday’s full eclipse.
Yet Justin Barenberg, Kaleb Taylor, Colin Giron, Frank Heranndez and all of the front-line “Bison beef” were looking as good as ever.
They had some points to make after losing big at Aurora two years ago — 38 to be exact in a super 38-8 McCook victory.
“We beat a ranked team by 30 on the road, and we still have plenty to work on,” coach Jeff Gross said about the No. 3 Bison’s first game.
Gross added Schlager could have played even after suffering a hip pointer with McCook leading 21-8.
Why worry when you’re holding Aurora to 51 rush yards total and forcing the Huskies into 50 pass attempts.
“What an unbelievable job from the front three: Giron, Taylor and Hernandez,” Gross observed. “When Aurora was trying (to rally), we held them to like two yards rushing in the third quarter. We annihilated their run.”
“We did with basically five guys: those three plus linebackers DJ (Gross) and Paxton (Terry). A little Hunter Hays mixed in,” the coach added.
Meanwhile, McCook moved whether it was run or pass.
Nobody ran like fullback Terry, who averaged a first down for every one of his 13 carries (13 for 131).
“Those are great guys upfront, I can talk to them about anything,” he said although only three words were needed to describe two long runs.
“I saw daylight,” Terry explained.
His first rumble covering better than 40 yards set up McCook’s first touchdown of 2017.
Facing third down from Aurora’s seven, Schlager kept the football and avoided one Huskie who nearly made the huge sack.
Schlager ran right behind otherwise solid blocking and easily reached the end zone.
Junior Trae Koetter then began his perfect five-for-five PAT kicking performance.
Schlager directed two more Bison TD drives as senior C.J. Martin made a huge pass catch on third down-and-11.
Martin curled, caught that football and turned upfield to gain 23 yards.
The Bison kept moving along until junior Gabe Sehnert smashed three yards to another touchdown.
Sehnert was so undisturbed that he basically fell into the end zone without anyone touching him — earning more clear kudos for McCook’s offensive line.
Aurora finally answered with its one and only score on a 22-yard toss from quarterback Baylor Schierman to receiver Cade Reichardt.
Otherwise, most of Aurora’s 27 completions for 291 yards seemed utterly meaningless.
Junior Morgan Fawver and Sehnert both intercepted tipped throws to thwart potential Huskie marches.
“We picked off two and should have intercepted six,” Gross observed. “But our secondary did a great job, especially nobody except Sehnert had played much in the varsity defensive backfield. Fawver, (Seth) Dugger, all those guys did a great job.”
McCook quickly answered that one Aurora score with another Sehnert six points. Schlager had completed six of eight passes (75 percent) by this point including an early 17-yard strike to junior James Mockry.
Then a moment less hip than plaid golf pants struck the Bison.
Schlager took low hits from at least two Aurora defenders while sending far more shock waves through the fully-packed visiting fan section.
Panic that missed the Bison sideline.
Though he continued trying to “walk it off” along McCook’s sideline, there would be no dramatic return on this evening.
None was needed.
“We have total confidence in Cam (Berry),” Terry said.
That’s sophomore quarterback Cameryn Berry, who helped McCook’s freshman go undefeated a year ago. He also ran to the state track meet and “quarterbacked” McCook’s outfield as part of the state-qualifying McCook National Bank Legion baseball team last month.
In other words, big moments don’t bother a Berry.
“I was a little nervous at first,” he admitted.
“We had to make sure Cam was protected,” Gross added about the scoreless Bison third quarter. “Once we started picking up the blitz and wearing them (Aurora) down, we were clicking on all cylinders.”
Photos clicked everywhere to start the fourth quarter as Berry dropped back and looked for one of his fellow track stars.
Junior Morgan Fawver made the old “stop and go” move which clearly fooled his one defender.
Racing downfield, Fawver ran under a perfect Berry pass and finished the 30-yard touchdown play.
Sorry, home fans, no fantastic comebacks on this night.
The Bison now led 31-8 as Koetter had earlier kicked a 23-yard field goal.
McCook tackled on one more score after Koetter recovered a fumble of Aurora’s ensuing kickoff return.
Sehnert delivered one spinning power run to the Huskies’ two. Berry rushed in the final TD on that next play.
The Bison celebrated revenge for two previous McCook trips to Huskies Stadium. Aurora ambushed McCook, 29-7, two years ago and 22-7 in 2013.
“We definitely wanted to prove a point tonight,” Barenberg said.
The Bison now prepare for their own home opener against Gering Friday night at Weiland Field (7 p.m. kickoff).