McCook pulls away in the 4th to top fiesty Aurora, 38-8

McCook QB Zach Schlager gets ready to guide the McCook offense against Aurora. Schlager was injured in the game and did not return. *(photo by Bobby Mills)

McCook overcame the loss of All-State QB/LB Zach Schlager in the first half, waited patiently for sophomore signal caller Cameryn Berry to get his feet wet, then pulled away in the 4th quarter to post a 38-8 win over an always tough Aurora team.

Berry, the “quarterback of the future” for McCook football, was pressed into service much quicker than had coach Jeff Gross would have liked. Late in the second quarter with the Bison up 14-0, Schlager suffered what appeared to be a hip pointer when the Colorado State commit was gang tackled by group of Aurora defenders after attempting a pass. Schlager never returned to the field.

The versatile McCook quarterback had already rushed for 40 yards and a touchdown and connected on 5 of 7 passes for 67 yards before departing with the injury.

On the very next possession following the Schlager injury, first year Aurora quarterback Baylor Scheierman, who had already completed 11 of 18 passes, found junior WR Cade Reichardt for a slick 21 yard touchdown pass. Scheierman then nailed RB Cal Narber for the 2 point conversion, pulling the underdog Huskies to within 14-8.

That was as close as Aurora would get, but the Huskies wouldn’t go down easy until their young defensive line finally wore down late in the 4th quarter.

The Bison did add a 2 yard Gabe Sehnert TD run with a minute and 22 seconds before halftime that gave the visiting Bison some breathing room with a 21-8 lead. The short Sehnert scoring blast was set by a 34 yard run by Paxton Terry, who found a gaping hole in the Aurora defense, thanks to some powerful blocking by the left side of that McCook O-Line.

Aurora, who returned only 4 starters, with only one on the defensive side of the ball, raised havoc all night with the Bison running game. Meanwhile on offense, it was apparent what Huskie head coach Kyle Peterson wanted to do. Throw the football. And despite the fact Baylor Scheierman had not started a single game at quarterback, Peterson knew how talented the slender junior was on the basketball court and what pure athletic skills the kid possessed.

Scheierman gave the McCook defensive mid-section a menacing workout all evening with his pinpoint short passes, most of which went to Narber or Reichardt. In fact, all but two were gathered in by the talented Huskie duo.

In the end, it was a few failed 4th down gambles, a costly kick return fumble and silly penalties at the wrong time that did the Huskies in. That, a stingy McCook run defense and a sophomore quarterback/linebacker who grew up in a hurry spelled defeat for Aurora.

After a scoreless 3rd stanza, and half of the 4th, the McCook offensive line finally started wearing down the young Huskies. The Bison, under Cameryn Berry’s hand, drove down to the Aurora 16, facing a 4th and 3. Junior Trae Koetter’s field goal attempt was wide left, but Aurora was flagged for roughing the kicker on the play.

Koetter’s next kick was true on the play following the penalty, and the Bison had a 24-8 lead with 9:44 left in the game.

The real killer came on the ensuing kick-off when the Huskie return man coughed up the football on a crushing hit by a Bison defender. With the ball on the Aurora 32 yard line, it took only two plays for Cameryn Berry to look like a seasoned QB, as he lofted a perfect 30 yard scoring strike to 170 pound junior Morgan Fawver, who is also listed as a quarterback on the Bison roster.

That score stretched the McCook lead to 31-8 with 4:47 left in the contest. The Bison would add one more tally on a 2 yard run by the suddenly experienced sophomore Berry to reach the final 38-8 score.

Unofficially, McCook had 350 yards of total offense, 220 yards coming on the ground. Cameryn Berry finished his aerial night hitting half of his 8 passes, good for 63 yards and a TD. Hard running 190 pound Paxton Terry led all rushers. The McCook junior churned out 129 yards on 14 carries.

Aurora wasn’t that far off McCook’s offensive pace with an unofficial 330 yards of total offense. QB Baylor Scheierman completed 24 of 41 passes in his first ever start for Aurora, good for 278 yards and a touchdown. He did however, suffer 2 interceptions.

Glue-handed Huskie junior Cade Reichardt (#5) hauled in an amazing 15 receptions for 156 yards and Aurora’s only score.

1-0 McCook will open their home season next Friday against Gering, who was blitzed by GINW 48-7 tonight. Aurora will try to hit the win column when the Huskies travel to 1-0 Sidney next Friday. The Red Raiders opened with a 20-7 victory over Lexington tonight.

………………….1……..2……..3……..4……….F

McCook……..0…….21…….0…….17……..38

Aurora……….0……...8…….0……..0………..8

2nd Qtr.

McC - Zach Schlager 7 run………………………………..PAT - Koetter kick…...11:53

McC - Gabe Sehnert 3 run………………………………..PAT - Koetter kick……..6:28

Aur - Cade Reichardt 21 pass from Scheierman..PAT - Pass to Narber...4:09

McC - Sehnert 2 run………………………………………….PAT - Koetter kick…....1:22

4th Qtr.

McC - Koetter 23 Field Goal……………………………..9:44

McC - Fawver 30 pass from Berry…………………….PAT - Koetter kick……..4:47

McC - Berry 2 run…………………………………………….PAT - Koetter kick……..1:53