Islanders put together a Dream Game to throttle Kearney,

Grand Island's Slammin' Sam Sims. One of Class A's premier linebackers. *(photo by Bobby Mills)

-Memorial Stadium, Grand Island, Ne.

A running clock in a Grand Island/Kearney game? Are you kidding me?

Islander coach Jeff Tomlin sure never mentioned anything like that in our interview Wednesday, and I doubt if he ever envisioned this 2018 battle snowballing to the point of that 35 point clocking kicking in with a fat 9:41 remaining in the 4th quarter.

It was a thing of beauty for Grand Island on this perfect opening night of high school football, and the Islanders fashioned a dominating Dream Game only the Candy Man could have imagined.

It seemed like a downhill slide for Kearney a few seconds into the game when GI’s Sam Sims lowered his head after receiving the opening kickoff and flattened Bearcat defender Tristan Southwell in a violent collision. Southwell lay motionless on the field, the emergency unit had to called, and Southwell eventually was transported to the hospital where I understand he was responding well as far as movement in his extremities were concerned.

Jeff Tomlin’s troops were ready to roll on both sides of the ball tonight, and were clicking on all offensive cylinders after Caleb Francl’s one yard scoring blast on GI’s second possession of the game.

As far as the Islander defense? Super Sam Sims and his Islander “D” buddies never offered Kearney a chance all night, albeit the ‘Cats shot themselves in the foot with penalties, many of them illegal procedure (movement) calls that just drive coaches nuts, especially on opening night.

But, the Islander defense was so fierce, that Kearney was limited to 19 first half rushing yards and just 54 for the entire contest. The Bearcats Division One prospect Miko Maessner was limited to 10 yards on 5 carries and was knocked out of the game on a vicious tackle by Kodjo Atikpohou, around the 7:30 minute mark of the 2nd quarter.

The crunch was so loud, Maessner coughed up the football and Sims was there to pounce on the loose football. The speedy Maessner never returned to the field following the play and was in street clothes the second half.

Things just kept mushrooming for GI, as the Islanders forced turnovers, and when they fumbled the ball themselves there was a player in purple and black there to recover ball for a touchdown.

Oh, did those Islanders ever dazzle on offense in this 2018 debut. All-State QB candidate Cole Evans tossed two TD passes, RB John Reilly ran often and hard, junior Caleb Francl averaged a tad over 7 yards a carry, receivers Broc Douglass and Kyle Sextro looked like a million bucks on their scoring receptions and the Islander offensive line, Coach Tomlin’s baby, kept surging and surging far into the August night.

And disciplined and prepared they were, those Islanders, being whistled for only 4 penalties for 33 yards, none of which were concerning or drive killing types.

Defensive standouts for Grand Island.…..too many to name, but the player that stood out like a sore thumb for the Islanders was Sam Sims.

Good lord! I wrote a piece on this young man a few weeks back, forewarning the Class A field of his nose for the ball and relentless pursuit. Sims is a GI throwback to the days of Tom Rathman and Mike Anderson. I predicted great things for Sam Sims in 2018.

The kid made me look intelligent tonight with his performance, but what some missed was his tackle total for 2017.

Slammin’ Sam “snuck” in 77 tackles a year ago, overshadowed perhaps, by All-State Kohlten Keezor’s 107 total stops. But he was there, inflicting great pain and Excedrin headaches by the handfuls. And now, Sims is just getting started in 2018.

Grand Island (1-0) will hit the road to face a strong Lincoln High team, who rallied to come within 49-43 against Bellevue West’s “basketball on grass” show tonight.

Kearney (0-1) will open their home season next Friday when Lincoln North Star visits the ‘Cats.

Do not worry about this Kearney football team. Head Coach Brandon Cool is too smart, Brayden Miller is a terrific quarterback, Miko Maessner will return with a vengeance, the offense will clean up it’s penalties, and the team will improve every week, which leads me to one conclusion.

How good is this Grand Island team? Maybe better than you think.

…………………….1……..2……..3……..4……….Final

Kearney………….0……..0……..0……..0………….0

Grand Island...….6…….20…….7…….13………...46

1st Qtr…………………………………………………………..………..…..GI--K

GI - Caleb Francl 1 Run…………….………….PAT-Pass failed………..…..6...0

2nd Qtr.

GI - John Reilly 4 Run……………………....….PAT-Kick failed…………….12..0

GI - John Reilly 22 Run………………………...PAT-Keylin Wentling kick...19..0

GI - Eric Allen fumble recovery in end zone.....PAT-Wentling kick………...26..0

3rd Qtr.

GI - Broc Douglass 39 pass from Cole Evans..PAT-Wentling kick………...33..0

4th Qtr.

GI - Kyle Sextro 31 pass from Cole Evans…...PAT-Wentling kick………....40..0

GI - Sterling Rauch-Word 11 Run……………..PAT-kick failed………...…...46-0

Grand Island: 182 rushing yards, 92 passing for 272 total yards.

John Reilly 62 yards on 17 carries, Caleb Francl 51-7, Cole Evans 33-5

Cole Evans passing: 6 of 8 for 92 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT.

Kearney: 54 rushing yards, 140 passing for 194 total yards.

Brayden Miller 38 yards on 7 carries.

Brayden Miller passing: 19 of 29 for 127 yards, no TDs and 2 INTs.