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Unbeaten Cougars cross goal early, often at Cambridge
CAMBRIDGE, Neb. — Powerful Cross County built a 40-0 halftime lead and survived two Cambridge big-play touchdowns for Friday’s 54-16 state playoff win.
Senior Ethan Sides eluded the Cougars for a 50-yard TD run and quaterback Derek Trompke connected with Kohan Grindle for another Trojan score covering 60 yards.
Trompke converted both PAT two-point plays. He ran for one and tossed a pass to Wyatt Ervin.
The 16-0 finish wasn’t enough to overcome Cross County’s 54-0 advantage.
Cougar leaders Carter Seim (10 carries, 195 yards) and Isaac Noyd (eight for 162) averaged almost 20 yards per rush while scoring five touchdowns.
Haiden Hild added another 115 yards on his 12 rush attempts.
Noyd went 72 and 43 yards to the game’s first two scores to make it 16-0.
Seim then sprinted 61 yards and a third Cougar succsssful PAT finished the 24-0 opening quarter.
Cross County totaled 531 yards overall while denying Cambridge a return trip to the Class D-1 quarterfinals.
The Trojans finished 4-4 overall.
Sides gained 78 rushing yards in his final high school game, averaging 7.8 per tote.
Trompke completed eight of 17 passes which totaled 122 yards.
Grindle topped 100 yards receiving with three grabs for 101. CJ Fiene caught another two and gained 11 yards.
Defensively, Sides made two solo tackles and assisted on seven other stops. CJ Fiene’s four solos topped the Trojan ‘D’ with another three each from Cort Fiene and Ervin.
Jackson Trompke added another pair of solo tackles.
Cross County joins a loaded Class D-1 quarterfinal field featuring four undefeated teams and four with just one loss apiece.
The Dundy County-Stratton Tigers would not face Cross County until that D-1 state title game in Lincoln.