Bison win 60th straight regular season game

Friday, October 26, 2007
Grant Strunk/McCook Daily Gazette McCook Bison quarterback Matt Berry slashes through the Northwest Vikings' defense for a 54-yard touchdown scamper during the first series of the game. Berry, who ran back the opening kickoff 81 yards for a TD and scored two other TDs, accounted for close to 300 all-purpose yards and had an interception on defense to stop a Viking threat. McCook won 38-6.

McCook sprints

past GINW;

MHS opens

playoffs vs.

Alliance at home

GRAND ISLAND -- It didn't take long for the McCook Bison to make a statement in Thursday night's Class B-5 district game against Grand Island Northwest -- about 10 seconds.

That's how long it took for Bison junior Matt Berry to run back the opening kickoff 81 yards for the first score of the game.

The Bison rolled to a 31-0 first half lead en route to a 38-6 victory over the GINW Vikings, who finished the season 2-7.

McCook won its 60th straight regular-season game -- a streak dating back to the 2001 season -- and will open the Class B state playoffs Wednesday as the No. 1 seed in the West bracket.

McCook will host a first-round game at Weiland Field against Alliance (6-3), which lost its final regular-season game 35-0 to Cozad.

Kickoff for the McCook-Alliance playoff game is 4 p.m. School dismisses at 1 p.m.

McCook head football coach Jeff Gross, whose record at McCook improved to 95-16, said Berry's kickoff return to start the game set the tone for the way the Bison played.

"It was very nice knowing we had the lead and it took just 10 seconds," Gross said. "We clicked in all phases and I think we played our best first half of the season. We felt we were playing the football we were capable of. We needed to play playoff football.

"Matt Berry had a phenomenal game. Our offensive line (featuring senior John Haag and juniors Seth Schaeffer, Jake Curl, Joe Vetrovsky and Tyler Brown) gave our backs some big holes. They're a young group. We start a lot of juniors and our rushing total has gone up. What Matt did was give us the big play.

"The kids get to say they're part of something special to win 60 games in a row (regular season). This is a great community with great support. A lot of people put in a lot of hard work to make those 60 wins possible."

On McCook's first offensive series, Berry sprinted down the sidelines 54 yards for another TD.

Berry prevented a TD by intercepting a pass at the 1-yard line and added a 12-yard TD with 2 minutes left in the first half.

The Bison squad's other TD of the first half was scored on a 5-yard run by senior fullback Sam Frazier.

The 5-play, 99-yard drive, set up by Berry's pick and roughing the passer penalty, was highlighted by runs of 50 and 20 yards by junior fullback Chris Schleeman.

Junior Jeff Lorentz, who missed on his first two extra point attempts, booted a 27-yard field as time expired in the first half. McCook led at halftime 31-0 and had 311 yards in total offense.

The Vikings took the opening kickoff and drove down the field using the power running game.

But when GINW quarterback Ryan Kieselhorst tried to pass, he was intercepted by senior Andrew Reitz for McCook's second pick of the night. Reitz has four interceptions this season.

McCook's first drive of the second half was thwarted by two penalties.

The Bison played without the services of free safety/wide receiver/punter Cory Gaston, who injured a toe in a lawnmower accident earlier this week. He was replaced at punter by sophomore Chad Stull.

Berry tacked on his fourth TD on a 26-yard run to start the fourth. Lorentz' PAT kick made the score 38-0. The TD set in motion the running clock on the 35-point rule.

The Vikings got the board late in the game on a 3-yard run by Hadley Cooksley, an offensive lineman/fullback listed at 235 pounds.

McCook finished with 414 total yards, including 383 on the ground. Berry finished with 167 yards rushing and completed 3-of-9 passes for 31 yards with no interceptions.

Schleeman finished with 82 yards on just 3 carries. Zach Wieser had 72 yards on 8 carries. Frazier added 58 yards on 11 carries.

The McCook defense limited the Vikings to 126 yards rushing and 80 passing. Austin Pomajzl rushed for 73 yards on 19 carries.

Gross said his squad is looking forward to playing Alliance.

The Bison have not played the Bulldogs since Week 7 of the 2000 season. McCook defeated Alliance 28-14, said Gross. The Bulldogs put together a six-game winning streak during the season.

"Alliance's 35-0 loss to Cozad was a shocker," Gross said. "It is exciting this year because we don't get any rematches. You get tired of playing the same people."

McCook (9-0) 14 17 0 7-- 38

GINW (2-7) 0 0 0 6 -- 6

M -- Matt Berry 81 run (kick failed)

M -- Berry 54 run (Chris Schleeman run)

M -- Sam Frazier 5 run (kick failed)

M -- Berry 12 run (Schleeman run)

M -- Jeff Lorentz 27 FG

M -- Berry 26 run (Lorentz kick)

GINW -- Hadley Cooksley 3 run (no PAT)

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