Cam Berry, McCook defense shine in a 20-13 win over #1 York

The McCook defense digs in to stop Garrett Snodgrass and the York offense Friday night. McCook won the battle, 20-13. *(photo by Bobby Mills)

YORK, NE

Sometimes baptism by fire is a good thing, and in McCook junior quarterback Cam Berry’s case, it proved to be a great thing. Pressed into service almost immediately last year when All-State Bison QB Zach Schlager went down with an injury in the season opener at Aurora, Berry was forced to grow up in a hurry.

Matter of fact, Cam Berry played quarterback in every single MCook game in 2017 due to reoccuring injuries to Schlager, and ended the season with impressive enough statistics to be in the “Dual Threat” offensive category.

Berry passed for 648 yards and 9 TDs in 2017, and ran for 617 more and 6 scores…..as a sophomore. Tonight, the 170 pound junior flashed some veteran moves, some great patience and that “make things happen out of broken plays thing" displayed by so many great Bison QBs of the past.

Cam indeed made things happen against the defending Class B champions, enough so to engineer a 20-13 win over York, snapping their 15 game win streak in the process.

York drew first blood in the contest, leaning on Husker recruit Garrett Snodgrass all the way. Snodgrass scored on the 9th play of the 3:33 drive, scoring a 24 yard jaunt around the left right side of the Bison defense. Thomas Ivey booted the PAT over the fence, giving the Dukes an early 7-0 lead in the battle of Class B’s #1 and #3 teams. That score was set up by an alert play by Snodgrass fielding a high snap, retreating 15 yards, then spotting Brady Danielson for a 22 yard gain.

It would take McCook only two plays to answer the York score. On the very first play following the Garrett Snodgrass TD, the Bison caught the York defense playing up tight, fed the ball to fullback Paxton Terry, who shot through a quick opening for a gain that stretched all the way from the Mcook 27 yard line to the York 26.

It was the Dukes Jeb Lucas that prevented Terry from going all the way with his TD saving tackle. It didn’t really matter though, because Berry rolled to his right the very next play and spotted Morgan Fawver on a crossing pattern all the way across the field, nailing him for a beautiful 26 yard touchdown strike.

Trae Koetter coverted the PAT and things were all square after the first quarter at 7 apiece.

Koetter would hit a 26 yard field goal before halftime to give the Bison a 10-7 advantage. Garrett Snodgrass, who ran for 42 yards on 5 carries in the opening period, suffered through a nightmarish 2nd quarter that saw the talented 235 pound senior gain only a net 2 yards on 9 touches. Snodgrass also lost a pair of fumbles in the quarter primarily caused by unforced errors.

The McCook defense continued to apply pressure on Snodgrass in the 3rd quarter, while their offense leaned on a mix of runs by the bullish Paxton Terry and the crisp passing of Cam Berry.

McCook had only one possession in that 3rd quarter but it was a doozy. The Bison ate up 6 minutes and 4 seconds of that 3rd frame with Paxton Terry finally walking into end zone from 3 yards out.

The York defense had the Bison on the ropes, facing a 4th and 2 at the nine yard line, but the crafty Berry tricked the Dukes into jumping offside with a hard count, giving McCook a first down at the 4. Paxton would then score, giving McCook a 17-7 lead, their biggest advantage of the night.

York wasn’t about to give up though. The Dukes put together a quick 76 yard, three minute 49 second drive that ended with a a Garrett Snodgrass “rugby scrum” type touchdown run from 3 yards out. Thomas Ivey’s PAT attempt was blocked by an ever improving 6-3, 235 pound Colin Giron, making the score 17-13 McCook, with 11:47 left in the game.

The McCook defense came up big the rest of the way in the money quarter. Meanwhile, Cam Berry and his offensive buddies ate more than five minutes off the clock with a drive that culminated with a 36 yard Trae Koetter field goal at the 3:52 mark of the 4th quarter.

York would have one more shot at it, and Garrett Snodgrass and Brady Danielson pulled off some magic with their pass/catch expertise, moving the ball all the way to the McCook 29.

But a high snap from center forced Snodgrass all the way back to midfield before he heaved a desperation pass that was picked off by Morgam Fawver and returned 49 yards to the Dukes 20 yard line.

Berry took a knee and the Bison had themselves a 20-13 win over number 1 York.

Cam Berry ended the night completing 7 of 11 passes for 111 yards and a score. The junior also rushed for 66 yards on 14 totes. Hard nosed FB Paxton Terry the McCook ground game with his 97 yards on 12 carries.

Garrett Snodgrass led all runners with 98 yards, but it took 28 grueling carries to get that honor. The All-State QB also completed 9 of 18 passes for 115 yards with one INT. The senastional Brady Danielson caught 8 of Garretts 9 completions for 123 yards.

The right side of McCook’s offensive line was very efficient tonight, led by the hard charging Nick Baker (#77), and you just cannot talk about the Bison defense without giving high praise to Colin Giron (#55) and of course the skillful DJ Gross (#88).

York will face another stern test next Friday when they travel to Omaha Skutt for a rematch of last year’s Class B title game. McCook will return home to face an uncharacteristically 0-3 Beatrice team.

……………………….1……..2……..3……..4……….T

McCook (3-0)...........7……..3……..7……..3……….20

York (2-1).................7……..0……..6……..0……….13

1st Qtr…………………………………………………………………………… .Mc Y

York - Garrett Snodgrass 24 run…………………….PAT-(Thomas Ivey kick) 7 - 0

McC - Morgan Fawver 27 pass from Cam Berry…..PAT-Trae Koetter (kick) 7 - 7

2nd Qtr

McC - Koetter 26 yard Field Goal………………………………………………….7 - 10

3rd Qtr

McC - Paxton Terry 3 run…………………………….PAT-Koetter kick).............7 - 17

4th Qtr

York - Snodgrass 3 run……………………………….PAT- (kick blocked).........13 - 17

McC - Koetter 36 FG………………………………………………………………..13 - 20