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Can Bison quiet Tigers' football roar Friday night?
McCOOK, Neb. — Jungle-like weather will be just fine Friday night because the McCook expect plenty of new Tarzans to step up against those Hastings Tigers.
“We’ve stayed healthy through fall practices and feel good about our progression,” new head coach Joe Vetrovsky proclaimed during an interview with Bison radio voice Rich Barnett. “Now we’re just excited to finally have a game week. Hastings brings a lot of threats to the table, but we feel good about what we bring.”
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Weiland Field where temperatures will surely be topping 90 degrees.
Yet the Bison are ready “to play a lot of guys” while aiming for their first win over Hastings since 2018.
Hastings has tallied 42, 35 and 30 points during three straight wins over Bison but — just like McCook — the Tigers are breaking in many new starters Friday evening.
Hastings (0-1) already played its opener last week and blazed to a 14-0 lead over Lincoln North Star.
The Navigators found direction, though, to 23 unanswered points while Hastings’ usually prolific offense went silent.
Troublemakers like quarterback Jarrett Synek, Carson Shoemaker and receiver Brandon Kavelage all graduated last May.
“They’re still going to pose a variety of threats that we have to be ready for,” Vetrovsky said. “(Beau) Dreher is a good player at receiver and on defense.”
Dreher scored both Tiger touchdowns on a 45-yard interception return and reception from new quarterback Johnny Wyrick covering 20.
Though Hastings did not score another point, Wyrick completed 11 of 17 passes (almost 60 percent) for 133 yards.
Dreher took four receptions to 89 yards while Ryan Bauer added 19 on two pass grabs.
The Tigers’ rushing attack saw Jett Samuelson average nearly five a carry at eight for 39.
Senior classmate Oaklyn Smith gained a team-best 51 yards though he needed 15 carries (3.4 per rush).
New Bison starting Bison senior defensive linemen Teegan Rice, Max Weimer, Ethan Spencer and others will join returning starter Eli Kehler in tackling this first big test.
“It’s going to be a long night for someone who has to block Eli Kehler,” Vetrovsky observed about of the three returning Bison varsity starters. “Honestly, defensive line has been one area we knew could be a question mark.”
“But Teegan Rice has really stepped out at a defensive end position,” Vetro added. “Our other starters along with guys like Leyton Carpenter and Keegan Rice have also looked good. Obviously, we haven’t played a game yet but it (D-line) has been a real point of emphasis.”
Vetrovsky said breaking through Hastings’ “great defense” will be another opening challenge for his first Bison team.
The Tigers allowed 297 total yards to North Star with a near-equal balance of 132 passing and 165 rushing.
Junior Jacob Gomez-Wilson gained 168 yards during just more than one half at Hastings in the 2020 season opener.
JG-W returns and leads McCook’s attack into the rematch on that hallowed Weiland Field turf.
New starting quarterback Adam Dugger brings his own elusive running ability which follows the footsteps of recent starters Mark Arm and Cam Berry.
However, he’ll also be moving the ball around to new Tarzans like junior tight end Garrett Kaps.
Kaps brings explosive talent to complement a returning outside receiving weapon in junior Lucas Gomez-Wilson.
“They (Hastings) do have a great defense, but we feel we have guys at the skilled positions and on the offensive line,” Vetrovsky said.
Seniors Nathan Renner at receiver and tight end Matt Nichols are also set to make their first varsity football starts Friday night.
The Bison-Tiger games haven’t been too close during recent years. In fact, the last four meetings including a McCook 2018 win were all by 21 points or more.
New kicker Patrick Gross, a sophomore, gives McCook more confidence if Friday becomes much closer.
The Bison are eager to avenge these recent losses including 30-7 at Weiland two years ago.
“We had a tough night, no doubt about it,” Vetrovsky concluded “But they were a really good team and are a really good program. A couple more plays and they could have been in the state finals last year.”