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Bison JV dominate Lexington
It took a few plays, but the McCook High School junior varsity football team finally got rolling Monday, Sept. 13, against Lexington.
When the dust settled, the Bison reserves owned a dominating 49-0 win over the Minutemen JV in the contest played at McCook's Weiland Field.
The Bison JV had not played since a 60-0 win at North Platte Aug. 30. McCook coach Nick Umscheid said his team came out a bit flat in the first quarter, much as they had in the win over North Platte. But, like the previous game, McCook finally got in high gear.
"As the game went on, it looked like we started to lower our pad level, we tackled better, we sustained our blocks a little longer and our backs started running a little bit harder," Umscheid said. "They were running pretty physical, finishing off their runs going forward and not backward.
"I think that we took a step forward this week as compared to how we played the last time at North Platte. Even though the score isn't quite as good as it was at North Platte, I think Lexington's a better team overall than we faced then.
"I think we had a lot less mental errors overall for the entire game."
McCook took a 7-0 lead midway through the first period when quarterback Austin Cherry broke free on a 50-yard option run. Cherry found a seam around left end, then he cut against the grain and run untouched for the touchdown. Jacob Riemann booted the first of his seven successful point-after kicks to give the Bison a 7-0 lead.
Cherry hit Cody Wudtke on a 37-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter to boost the Bison to a 14-0 lead.
McCook got the ball deep in Lexington territory two more times before intermission. The Bison lost a fumble at the Lex 6-yard line. Seven plays later, McCook forced a punt with less than 10 seconds remaining. The short kick gave the Bison first down at the Lex 15. Riemann's 32-yard field goal attempt was just wide left as the first-half clock expired.
Blocked punt
McCook got the ball back quickly in the third period. Matt Collicott blocked a Lexington punt, and Will Burkert recovered at the Lex 19. Three plays later, Cherry and Wudtke connected again early in the third period for a 22-yard touchdown pass to boost McCook's lead to 21-0.
McCook forced another Lex punt, and it took just three plays for the Bison to score again. Shane Buck covered the final 12 yards for the TD and a 28-0 McCook lead.
The visitors drove into McCook territory on its next possession, but a fourth-down pass at the Bison 35 fell incomplete.
On the next play, Kyle Stewart recovered his own fumble for a one-yard gain. One play later, Riemann then slipped behind the Lex defense and Cherry found his wide receiver wide open en route to a 64-yard TD pass play and a 35-0 McCook lead late in the third period.
Tyson Karr relieved Cherry at quarterback in the fourth quarter, and Karr completed a 50-yard drive with a 15-yard TD run.
The Bison intercepted a Lexington pass, and Austen Sis ran four straight times, with the last carry a 7-yard run with just over a minute remaining for McCook's final touchdown.
McCook held the Minutemen reserves to 46 total yards in the second half.
Kyle Stewart led McCook with 91 rushing yards on 15 carries.
Defensive standout
Coach Umscheid said Matt Collicott, a sophomore, was a leader on the Bison JV defense.
"Matt Collicott on defense, he really upped his level (of play)," Umscheid said. "He's probably right on the verge of doing some special things at the next level. He's showing his dominance at the junior varsity level, getting better every week and taking the right steps. Hopefully he'll be ready if his number's called on Friday night.
"His twin brother (Mitch) is on the varsity right now (starting at offensive guard and defensive end). I think there's probably some sibling rivalry -- 'Look at me, why aren't you here?' So that can be good. That can be good."
The McCook junior varsity returns to action next Monday with an expected stern test against Class A Kearney High School's JV. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. at Weiland Field.
Coach Umscheid expects Kearney to bring their juniors and top sophomores to compete against the Bison reserves.
"It's going to be a better game for our kids," he said. "It's going to be a better challenge. I think they're going to enjoy that type of game more rather than coming out here and just kind of going through the motions, running up the score so to speak.
"Hopefully it's a good competition,. We're going to hopefully show up and be ready, and hopefully they are, too."
Lexington 0 0 0 0 -- 0
McCook JV 7 7 21 14 -- 49
McC -- Austin Cherry 50 run (Jacob Riemann kick).
McC -- Cody Wudtke 37 pass from Cherry (Riemann kick).
McC -- Wudtke 22 pass from Cherry (Riemann kick).
McC -- Shane Buck 12 run (Riemann kick).
McC -- Riemann 64 pass from Cherry (Riemann kick).
McC -- Tyson Karr 18 run (Riemann kick).
McC --- Austen Sis 7 run (Riemann kick).