McCook Bison rolls past Lexington

John J. Mesh/McCook Daily Gazette McCook High School quarterback Tony Purvis (5) barks out signals as the Bison offense is backed up at their own 6-yard line in the first quarter by the Lexington defense. McCook led at halftime 19-0 en route to a 54-6 victory.

No. 1 team

in Class B

now 6-0

The McCook Bison offense found its rhythm again and made Lexington pay Friday night at Weiland Field.

McCook, the No. 1-ranked team in Nebraska Class B, scored 35 second-half points and piled up 555 total yards en route to a 54-6 victory.

McCook improved to 6-0. Lexington dropped to 1-5.

McCook's Craig Fritz scored three touchdowns -- all on big plays. He scored on TD runs of 60 and 29 yards and caught a 70-yard TD pass from Tony Purvis for another score.

He rushed for 155 yards on 13 carries.

Purvis also hooked up with Micah Kamla on a 70-yard TD pass and scored on TD runs of 12 and 33 yards.

The Bison tacked on two TDs in the fourth quarter -- a 42-yarder by Joel Arterburn and a 17-yarder by Austin Barenburg.

Josh Cherry kicked five extra points and David Cappel added one.

Lexington got on the scoreboard when the defense sacked Bison backup quarterback Justin Spector on a blitz in the fourth quarter and forced a fumble.

Lexington's Andrew Ostrum picked up the fumble at the Bison 3-yard line and scored.

"It was good to get back to our game," said McCook head football coach Jeff Gross. "Craig Fritz had a good game on both sides of the ball.

"Overall we ran the ball well. Tony made some big reads. Hat's off to the kids. We had a little gaffe and missed a blitz call."

Purvis rushed for 85 yards and completed just two passes for 143 yards.

Ryan Bedore added 46 yards and rushing, Arterburn 42, Mitch Green 33, Sam Frazier 21, Barenburg 17, Caleb Morgan 5 and Spector 4.

The Bison defense limited Lexington to 84 yards passing despite 14 receptions and 92 yards rushing.

Curtis Roemmich led the Minutemen with 37 yards rushing and caught four passes for 33 yards.

The Bison host Sidney next Friday. Kickoff at Weiland Field is 7 p.m.

McCOOK 54, LEXINGTON 6

M -- Tony Purvis 12 run (PAT failed)

M -- Craig Fritz 60 run (PAT failed)

M -- Fritz 70 pass from Purvis (Josh Cherry kick)

M -- Purvis 33 run (Cherry kick)

M -- Micah Kamla 73 pass from Purvis (Cherry kick)

M -- Fritz 29 run (Cherry kick)

Lex -- Andrew Ostrum 3 fumble return (PAT failed)

M -- Joel Arterburn 42 run (Cherry kick)

M -- Austin Barenburg 17 run (David Cappel kick)

Team stats

Team stats

Rushing

McCook: Fritz 13-155, Purvis 10-85, Bedore 8-46, Arterburn 1-42, Green 2-33, Frazier 5-21, Barenburg 1-17, Morgan 1-5, Spector 5-4.

Lexington: Curtis Roemmich 11-37.

Passing

McCook: Purvis 2-4-0-143.

Lexington: Reynolds 9-22--2-49.

Receiving

McCook: Kamla 1-73, Fritz 1-70.

Lexington: Roemmich 4-33.

Defense

Interceptions

McCook: Cherry, Aterburn.

Fumble recoveries

McCook: Lucas Kotschwar.

Lexington: Andrew Ostrum.