Falcons feast on tasty road win; rounding up the pigskins

CAMBRIDGE, Neb. — Nearly knocking off the defending D-1 state champions only made Hitchcock County's football squad even more determined Friday evening.

The Falcons ventured over to Cambridge where most expected a close battle between 3-1 teams both recovering from first defeats.

Instead, Hitchcock played like an unbeaten throughout an impressive 30-6 road win over the Trojans.

Drew Scott rushed for 114 yards and two TDs, but he was only one of three Falcons who teamed to total 275 against Cambridge's talented defense.

Quarterback Keynan Gaston gained 77 yards and passed for another 56 — including a touchdown connection with brother Kolyn Gaston (two receptions, 50 yards).

Senior state track medalist Braydn Hutto roared past Trojans to one more TD while adding 74 rush yards.

The Falcons (4-1) only punted twice all game which matched how many Cambridge passes they picked off. Scott and Hutto both made interceptions to stop any potential Trojan comebacks.

Top tackler Keegan Shuler reached those honors again, totaling 15 stops (seven unassisted).

Hutto and Scott both added 11 tackles with six solos apiece.

Kolyn Gaston (seven tackles), Trent Kisker (six), Tanner O'Brien (four), Travis Neben (three) and Colten Hagan (three) were all part of the strong defensive effort.

Cambridge (3-2) completed 14 of 25 passes for 165 yards but was held to 26 yards on 24 rushes (1.1 yard per carry). The Trojans have been held to less than 200 total yards two consecutive weeks after averaging nearly 400 in wins over Amherst and Southern Valley.

Hitchcock County will get another test Friday as unbeaten Leyton (5-0) arrives to play a 3 p.m. contest in Trenton.

The Trojans aim to regain momentum at 1-4 Maxwell Friday evening.

Dundy County-Stratton 54, Maxwell 28

BENKELMAN, Neb. — It would be silly to start with one Corbin Horner pass reception considering he rushed 14 times for 282 yards (20.1 average) and scored five touchdowns Friday evening.

Senior quarterback Quade Myers threw that lone completion to Horner when he wasn't adding another 125 ground yards along with two more TDs.

The undefeated Tigers (5-0) made sure their 18th consecutive win overall featured no drama. They led 22-0 through quarter and 46-6 by halftime over those visiting Wildcats.

Senior Talan Riley's nine total tackles led a DC-S defense that dominated until the game was decided.

Sophomore Jackson Kerchal added eight stops while senior Alec Sundell and junior Samuel Fasso made six apiece.

Horner and junior Andrew Englot titled five tackles each.

Senior Mark Nelms forced a Maxwell fumble that Riley recovered.

The Tigers averaged 10.7 yards overall with 426 yards on 42 totes.

Arapahoe 49, Elm Creek 28

ELM CREEK, Neb. — Senior Wyatt Jenkins rumbled to 58, 15 and 17-yard touchdowns to help unbeaten Arapahoe (5-0) built a 35-6 halftime lead Friday evening.

Tristian White added at the other two first-half scores on six and one-yard runs.

White then edged Jenkins, 4-3, in TDs with his 56-yard punt return followed by one 47-yard scoring dash.

Just like DC-S, Arapahoe dominated while completing only one pass for five yards.

Jenkins gained a game-high 151 yards on 17 carries. White needed only seven to gain 70 yards with Rafe Hill and Austin Warburton gaining 21 yards apiece.

Bryan Conn's six solo tackles powered another strong Warrior defensive effort.

Gabe White made two quarterback sacks. Dylan Bahe and Cooper Wendland both blasted through for two tackles behind 0-5 Elm Creek's line.

Kade Smidt's 90 yards rushing and two TDs were the main E.C. highlights.

Wauneta-Palisade 43, Southwest 26

BARTLEY, Neb. — Wauneta-Palisade's win streak reached three thanks to a 22-0 third quarter that broke the 14-14 halftime tie Friday night.

The Broncos (3-2) actually trailed 14-6 early against a determined 0-4 Southwest team.

Hanna's 12-yard strike to Michael Duvel and two-point conversion caught the Roughriders at 14.

Kyle Jutten's 40-yard TD gallop then ignited the 22-0 third period.

Senior Grant Walker shook loose to dash 48 yards for the next score. Jutten added another from just one yard and Wyatt Muth's PAT kick made it 36-14.

Hanna later ran 49 yards on a kickoff return for those final Bronco points. Jutten added the PAT.

Aidan Kennicutt's six-yard catch delivered the first touchdown. Hanna's completing better than 61 percent of his passes through five games.

He threw for 97 yards at Bartley while Jutten carried 17 times to 112, a six-yard average.

Walker added 62 yards on six rushes.

Hanna's eight completions went to five teammates: Duvel, Kennicut, Jutten, Hunter Miner and Walker.

Hanna added nine tackles and nine assists while Kennicut made four tackles for loss.

Sophomore Conner Bryner broke through for two tackles in Southwest's backfield among his seven solo tackles and six assists.

Southwest delivered its best offensive game this season as senior Jacob Kerns carried 24 times to 125 yards and two TDs.

Quarterback Nathan Rippe added 66 yards on seven runs including another TD. He also completed 10 strikes with Hunter Blume turning one of his three grabs into six points.

Sophomore Rippe made eight solo stops and seven assists for the Southwest 'D'.

Junior Tyler Ellis evenly split 14 tackles with seven solos.

Chase County 8, Valentine 6

IMPERIAL, Neb. — The Chase County Longhorns earned their first varsity football win of this season Friday evening.

No other details were obtained. Watch for more recaps on Tuesday.