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Donut city: Bison blank Tigers for first shutout of season
McCOOK, Neb. — They came out admittedly flat and still featured almost three 100-yard rushers Friday night.
McCook’s 24-0 win over Hastings still showed how dominant the Bison can be if they don’t sleepwalk just a bit.
“We call the defense a bunch of wild dogs rallying to the football,” junior Gabe Sehnert declared while senior lineman Aryeh Elsen and junior Colin Giron agreed. “Offense is like a well-oiled machine.”
“There’s definitely a different level of energy playing defense,” Elsen added. “On offense, I go to bed dreaming about blocks. But I don’t know whether it was the weather or not as many people or what. We came out a little flat.”
The Class B No. 4 Bison only led Hastings, 3-0, through one half in front of Weiland Field stands that probably weren’t half-full.
Rain showers less than an hour before the game clearly dampened normally strong McCook attendance.
Yet the Bison weren’t letting this be a four-quarter excuse. As coach Jeff Gross said, “You’re only guaranteed nine of these Fridays in the fall. Don’t waste one of them.”
“Coach inspired us at halftime,” Sehnert said. “He always knows what to say.”
The Bison let their strong play do plenty of talking.
They immediately marched downfield behind much better blocking. Juniors Paxton Terry, Sehnert and sophomore quarterback Cameryn Berry would combine to rush for nearly 300 yards.
Yet it was Berry’s super 19-yard pass to junior tight end DJ Gross that FINALLY set up a first Bison touchdown.
Gross smartly rumbled down to Hastings’ one-yard line. Seconds later, Sehnert went into the end zone literally untouched.
Junior Trae Koetter’s first of three PAT kicks made it 10-0 and the Bison were rumbling like usual from there.
“Oh yeah, the holes were big in the second half,” Sehnert observed.
“We like blocking for Gabe and Paxton,” Elsen added. “I can feel his helmet on my back and we know he’s ready to get through the hole.”
Sehnert and Berry both ran to two more touchdowns. Berry ran nine yards around end and the third Koetter PAT would complete this 24-0 win.
Oh by the way, Koetter was also McCook’s leading tackler along with Gross in a first Bison shutout of 2017.
They only permitted 102 yards total and more than 60 arrived during one late Hastings drive.
Bison reserves still stepped up and stopped the Tigers on fourth down inside McCook’s 10.
“We wanted the goose egg,” Sehnert concluded.
McCOOK, Neb. — All the leaders from McCook’s latest victory over Hastings at Weiland Field Friday evening:
TEAM STATS
Rushing yards: McCook 323, Hastings 37.
Passing yards: Hastings 67, McCook 56.
Total yards: McCook 379, Hastings 104.
First downs: McCook 19, Hastings 7.
Third-down efficiency: McCook 8-for-12 (67%), Hastings 3-for-12 (25%).
Penalty yards: McCook 40, Hastings 10.
OFFENSE
Rushing: Paxton Terry 12 carries-101 yards, Gabe Sehnert 18-96-1 touchdown; Cameryn Berry 12-92-1 TD; Corban Jernigan 3-34.
Passing: Berry 6 completions-9 attempts-56 yards-1 interception.
Receviing: DJ Gross 3 catches-40 yards, Hunter Potthoff 3-15, Terry 1-1.
DEFENSE
Total tackles: Trae Koetter 6 (3 assists), DJ Gross 6 (3 assists), Seth Dugger 4 (7 assists), Paxton Terry 4 (2 assists), Kaleb Taylor 3 (6 assists), Gavyn Klein 3 (3 assists), Hunter Potthoff 3 (2 assists), Frank Hernandez 2 (6 assists), Colin Giron 2 (4 assists), Alec Bunger 2 (1 assist), James Mockry 2, Landown Towne 1 (2 assists), Jorban Jernigan 1, Joel Carter 1, Gabe Sehnert (4 assists). Morgan Fawver, Zach Latimer, Aryeh Elsen and Jack Vogel each had 1 assist.
Tackles for loss: Taylor 2, Giron 2, Hernandez, Gross, Terry.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Punting: Morgan Fawver 2 for 58 yards.
Kickoffs: Fawver 5 for 292 yards.
Kick returns: Cameryn Berry 3 for 12 yards, Sehnert 3 for 5.