Bison run into one of best defenses seen for awhile

BENNINGTON, Neb. — Leading tacklers Davien Hanson and Gabe Roberts made one final “sandwich” of a Bennington Badger that showed McCook Bison never quit Friday night.

Yet the Bison could also never score against what coach Joe Vetrovsky noticed most about Friday’s Class B state playoff showdown.

“That Bennington defense was one of the best I’ve seen in several years, I would say,” the former offensive lineman said following those No. 1 Badgers’ 39-0 state quarterfinal victory.

Remember, the Bison (7-4) had steamrolled through a strong Hastings team one week earlier for 331 rushing yards with junior Tristan Campbell totaling 245.

Yet they ran into some very nasty Badgers who’d shredded eight previous opponents’ best points while not allowing more than seven points to any of them.

Sophomore fullback Lee Davidson shot past the Badgers for better than four yards a pop (eight for 33).

The other Bison carried 25 times to a grand total of 42.

That’s 1985 Chicago Bears-type defense — though those Bears never won four ultimate titles like Bennington can achieve with just two more victories.

“At the end of the day, we just couldn’t get anything going offensively,” Vetrovsky confirmed. “ They’re just a real good defense. Our defense battled hard, they were just on the field too much.”

McCook still finished 7-4 overall in its first season returning to Class B football. The Bison improved on their 4-5 record as a Class C-1 team last season; plus their previous ‘B’ season was 4-6 (2021) which also ended at Bennington.

McCook loses just eight seniors from this year’s squad with many more important starters likely set to return.

“There were only eight of them, but the way they led and the examples they set makes it feel like there were more of them,” the coach observed. Many were freshman on his first head coaching season in 2021.

McCook stopped Bennington “cold” to start Friday’s finale where weather was warmer and not nearly as wet as in southwest Nebraska.

Badger sophomore Will Gutz shook loose on a long run only to feel Bison sophomore Ty Junker make the touchdown-saving tackle.

Still, the ball was inside McCook’s 10 where those Badgers would certainly blast those first points in...

Or not!

McCook stopped the ensuing four plays including sophomores Tripp Raile and Junker stopping a screen pass inside that one-yard line.

McCook stone-walled the ensuing fourth-down run and took over possession of that pigskin.

“We made the first stop which was great,” Vetrovsky said. “But then we got the punt blocked.”

Indeed, the Bison soon faced fourth down and faced even more trouble when Badgers were able to block junior Miles Pollmann’s punt.

The ensuing safety actually gave this stout Badger defense enough points at 2-0.

Yet like all other 10 games, Bennington would tack on plenty of points.

Cooper Johnson’s 16-yard run with a screen pass and one missed tackle helped make it 9-0.

The Bison started their own march across midfield as senior Alex Landry caught a Trent Raile pass for first down at Bennington’s 45.

Sadly, McCook would soon face another fourth down and nine.

Pollmann’s solid punt at least the Badgers back, and senior Quentin Terry’s tackle for loss forced a Bennington punt.

Badger defense halted a third-and-two Bison plunge on this possession.

Bennington nearly fumbled away Pollmann’s ensuing punt, but kept the football before Johnson turned that next quick pass into a 50-yard touchdown.

Bennington now led 16-0. A slower-moving drive led to Kyle Lauridsen’s three-yard score and 23-0 margin.

Tripp Raile and Pollmann both caught sharp passes for first downs.

The Badgers still stopped McCook before moving to a 34-yard field goal just before halftime, making it 26-0.

A big story from the previous playoff weekend was how Bennington took three pass interceptions to TDs against Grand Island Northwest.

Sadly — just moments into the second half — Layne Boever stole a Bison pass and took it 18 yards to Bennington’s 33-0 advantage.

Gutz added a final six points which started the infamous “running clock.” Watch for final Bison details this week.