Trojans, Falcons deliver big week two wins on home turf

Cambridge junior Ben Hobarty (24, above) pulls down a catch beyond the reach of Pleasanton defender Tagget Nilsen (22) Friday night during a 66-42 Trojans victory in their home opener.

Steve Towery/McCook Gazette

TRENTON, Neb. — Sandhills-Thedford’s 27-game win streak never had a chance to reach 28 once the Knights met Hitchcock County Saturday night.

The Falcons were simply awesome throughout this Labor Day weekend collision between top five-rated teams in Eight-Man football.

Quarterback Keynan Gaston rushed for 189 yards and two touchdowns while also throwing two TD passes.

Arapahoe tacklers swarm around a Loomis ballcarrier while helping the Warriors finish a 50-42 road victory Friday evening in Loomis.

Steve Towery/McCook Gazette

One score would have been enough considering linebacker Keegan Shuler’s 14 tackles led a shutout defensive effort.

The Falcons prevailed, 44-0, while climbing to No. 3 in today’s Lincoln Journal-Star Class D-2 state rankings.

Sandhills-Thedford (1-1) suffered its first defeat in 28 regular-season contests. The Knights dropped a 45-40 state championship game against Kenesaw last fall.

Kolyn Gaston added another 48 yards on nine rushes besides returning two kicks for another 51.

Keynan Gaston completed four of his five pass attempts with Mason Schilke catching three for 44 yards and a TD.

Trent Kisker made the other pass reception turn into a 29-yard Falcon touchdown.

Drew Scott’s six solo tackles were another defensive highlight which also featured Kolyn Gaston (seven solo stops), Schilke (five solos) and Keynan Gaston (five).

Shuler sacked S-T quarterbacks twice among his 14 stops.

The Falcons (2-0 record) clearly appear poised to make noise all season like year’s Class D-1 state semifinal run.

They’ve outscored their first two opponents, 118-8.

In other area action Friday evening:

Cambridge 66,

Pleasanton 42

CAMBRIDGE, Neb. — The Cambridge Trojans totaled 600 yards of offense while evening their record at 1-1.

Junior quarterback Carson Trompke threw for 240 and three TDs with senior Will Taylor unleashing an amazing 171 yards on four receptions.

Taylor scored two TDs. Senior Kohan Grindle caught another score among his two for 42.

Junior Tye Stanton’s 151 yards and three TDs powered a 360-yard Cambridge rushing effort.

Grindle gained 98 on just five totes and two more scores.

Junior Tayten Koeppen rumbled 56 yards among his five carries overall for 74. He also scored six points.

Junior Hunter Perks and Stanton made 10 solo tackles apiece.

Arapahoe 50,

Loomis 42

LOOMIS, Neb. — Trailing 36-34, Arapahoe finished on a 16-6 surge to reach 2-0 this season.

Sophomore William Shaw (73 yards) and junior Rafe Hill (72) both reached the end zone twice while leading a balanced rush attack.

Quarterback Trenton Roskop completed both his pass attempts with one being a 47-yard scoring strike to Hill.

Shaw took the other completion 45 yards.

Roskop added 70 yards on the ground and picked off a Loomis pass.

The Warriors triumphed even though 1-1 Loomis senior Gunnar Hadley gained a game-high 193 yards on 26 carries.

Burwell 54,

Med Valley 0

CURTIS, Neb. — Brody Senff topped 100 yards with 56 rushing and 50 passing for 0-2 Medicine Valley Friday night.

Austin Roblee added 43 yards when he caught two of Senff’s four pass completions.

The Burwell Longhorns (1-1) rebounded from a rare defeat with Titus Gideon going four-for-four passing, 111 yards and two TDs.