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Road, bugs, Vikings spoil first Bison road trip
GRAND ISLAND, Neb. — The road to Bison victory was filled with stalled traffic and state patrol
Reversed fumble calls and too many bad turns against a tough Northwest team.
Yet moments following the 20-3 defeat, McCook coach Jeff Gross was seeing some light on this second football Friday night.
The Bison can still defy any odds from this rare 0-2 start.
“We got better tonight,” Gross declared after Northwest gained one more first down, 11-10, and the teams played a 3-3 second half. “Stay the course. Stay the course, keep working and good things are going to happen.”
The course to Grand Island was cluttered early from a reported automobile accident on Interstate 80.
Gross said the Bison reached G.I. about 45 minutes late as traffic was still being slowed around 6 p.m. for fans trying to reach this 7 p.m. game.
Once the Bison arrived, they soon ran into a fast-starting Northwest attack focused on stopping its streak of 13 straight losses to McCook.
The Vikings followed Hastings’ gameplan one week earlier, taking a first possession directly to six points on quarterback Rans Sanders’ one-yard touchdown run.
“Northwest has never been known for playing great defense or running the ball,” Gross said. “So you usually feel like a team can always come back.”
McCook started an early comeback when quarterback Cam Berry and senior Luke Roberts connected for a 22-yard pass play.
Northwest defenders quickly said enough by forcing McCook into fourth down-and-12.
Thankfully, McCook fans who faced their own four-quarter battle against local bug populations saw Bison defense stand strong.
Senior Drew Daum stopped Sanders’ third-down run before Viking kicker Parker Jansky missed a long field goal from about 51 yards.
The Bison stayed within 7-0 until Northwest brought its other no-typical ingredient: a good running game.
Brady Baasch broke loose to rumble about 40 yards before Bison safeties made the touchdown-saving tackle.
A great stop, too, considering the Vikings later settled for another three-point try that made it 10-0.
McCook’s offense still faced too many first-half setbacks — none bigger than senior receiver/running back Sterling Wright’s career-ending injury.
Wright caught a Berry pass over the middle near midfield, only to be hit low and suffer what most believed was at least — perhaps more — torn knee ligaments.
“Yeah, he’s done for the year,” Gross confirmed about the transfer from Shelton High School.
Wright’s 60-yard run vs. Hastings last week has been the one Bison touchdown through two games.
However, McCook’s rush game was much stronger at Northwest. Senior Corban Jernigan consistently gained good yardage while running past strong Bison blocks.
The Bison just couldn’t sustain enough consistency for a second straight week.
McCook’s defense stayed strong as junior Torrington Ford broke through to drop Sanders for a five-yard loss.
The Vikings (2-0) delivered a real hope-breaker during their next play.
Sanders didn’t hesitate to run a quarterback draw, race around Bison containment and rumble 54 yards into six-point paradise.
An ensuing PAT kick completed Northwest’s 17-0 first half.
“Actually, we were throwing the ball and had two receivers wide open,” Vikings coach Kevin Stein explained. “But they (the Bison) blitzed off the edge and we didn’t quite pick it up.”
“If Rans had stayed there, he would have taken quite a shot,” the coach added. “Thank goodness his mom and dad have good genes because it makes me look like a good coach.”
McCook deserves credit for not allowing any big plays from there. In fact, junior Mason Schmoker picked off a long Sanders pass for his second interception in two games.
Schmoker’s pick also ignited the best Bison drive all evening.
Strong runs from Jernagan and junior Alec Langan moved McCook downfield. Berry’s pass completion to senior Joel Carter set up frist down at the Vikings’ eight-yard line.
Yet the next play became disaster. Not only did Vikings stop Berry’s run, referees talked for a few moments before calling fumble and awarding the football to Northwest.
“There was no beanbag thrown (by refs to indicate a fumble). Did I think it should have been our ball?” Gross asked. “Yes, but then I am the McCook coach.”
The Bison kept battling to an eventual Luke Maris 28-yard field goal with 7:54 remaining.
“McCook showed a lot of guts,” Stein said.
Unlike last season, Northwest stopped any remaining Bison rally attempts.
The Vikings wasted a 21-0 lead at Weiland Field last year, losing 35-21. Not again.
“We played it a little safe when we got up 17-0. Against a McCook defense that was bringing the house, it didn’t mix well,” Stein concluded. “But our guys stayed in the moment and played four consistent quarters.”
The Bison face a third straight Class B Top 10 team when York visits Weiland Field at 7 p.m. on Friday. York (2-0) shut out the Blair Bears, 14-0, last weekend.