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Bison stampede Lex
STEVE KODAD
Gazette Sports Editor
LEXINGTON -- McCook got a little bit of Bison swagger back Friday night.
The Bison offense used the big play, and the defense held Lexington in check most of the night en route to a 35-0 victory in the Class B-7 District opener for both teams.
McCook improved its season record to 5-2, while the Minutemen fell to 4-3.
The Bison led 7-0 at halftime following a 17-play, 85-yard march in the second quarter. Senior quarterback Chad Stull completed five of six passes during the march, including a 4-yard scoring strike to 6-5 senior receiver Mark Nichols. Nichols stretched high above the Lexington defender to make a spectacular one-hand grab on the TD reception. Shane Wallen kicked the first of his five extra points with 1:18 left in the first half.
A bitter cold wind kicked up as the teams retired to the locker room at intermission. McCook won the opening coin flip and deferred its option until the second half. Head coach Jeff Cross and his staff made a bold move to start the second half. Gross chose to play with the win at McCook's back in the third period. The Bison scored twice in the third period to take control of the contest.
Following an 18-yard Lexington punt into that heavy wind, McCook took over at the Lex 38. Stull ran 17 yards on a beautifully executed option play, placing the ball at the Minuteman 4-yard line. Stull scored from a yard out three plays later.
The Bison held on downs again, and this time Lexington got off a 31-yard punt to the McCook 25. Senior tailback Andy Smith carried 19 yards on the next play. Smith then broke free for a 56-yard TD run. On the play, Smith took the handoff from Stull and dove into the left side of the McCook line. He found a seam, then cut back to the right. Two Lex defenders had a bead on Smith near the sideline about 20 yards from the end zone. Smith stopped before stepping out of bounds and juked both defenders, then tip-toed down the sideline for the score.
Senior Tye Smith set up McCook's next score when he intercepted a Lexington pass early in the final quarter deep in Minuteman territory. On the next play, Stull ran an option to the left side, then cut back to the right and outran the Lex defense for an 84-yard scoring jaunt.
Stull scored again on McCook's next possession, capping a 51-yard drive with a yard run.
According to unofficial Gazette statistics, Stull ran 12 times for 145 yards and three touchdowns, and he also completed the second-quarter TD pass to Nichols. Smith had 102 rushing yards for the Bison.
McCook faces another key district contest next Friday when Holdrege invades Weiland Field, with kickoff set for 7 p.m.