KEARNEY – The Kearney Bearcats Football team took care of business from start to finish, downing Lincoln North Star at home in Week Three 35-7. Click here to listen to the broadcast replay.
The Bearcats entered the contest at 2-0 and faced an upstart North Star squad that was also undefeated after two weeks. Kearney had taken down Lincoln East in their home opener and beat Fremont on the road in Week Two. The Navigators, however, had blown out Omaha Benson 93-0 and Lincoln Northeast 50-0 in their opening contests.
Kearney aimed to establish their running game early, as Lincoln North Star won the coin toss but deferred to the second half. Kearney opened the game with a pounding 13 play drive that began at their own 31 yard line. Mixing the run and pass throughout, quarterback Griffin Novacek and running back Able Molina carried the load in the first possession. After a big pass play converting a first down to Kaleb Larson put Kearney in favorable position to score, the Bearcats were snuffed on the goaline before missing a 25 yard field goal.
North Star’s opening possession was a quick three-and-out that ended in disaster as senior Karter Lee had his second punt block in consecutive weeks, resulting in a Bearcat three play drive that ended with a thrilling 22 yard touchdown run by Novacek. Kearney led 7-0 with 1:18 left in the first quarter.
Kaleb Larson // KHS Football v. LNS // RICK TUCKER
North Star would begin to move the ball in the second quarter, but ran into a buzzsaw of swarming defenders as Ryan Meier would force a sack on second down in Kearney territory, followed by a team sack dropping the Navigators to a punt at midfield.
Kearney’s offense took over at their own twenty yard line, going eighty yards in six plays with big passing plays from Novacek to senior Zander Reuling and Karter Lee. Reuling’s sideline snag set up Kearney in North Star territory, as the junior quarterback looked to his senior again for a 25 yard touchdown toss on an inside post route to lead 14-0 with 5:51 remaining in the second.
Zander Reuling // KHS Football v. LNS
North Star would drive again off a first down run on their preceding drive – going backwards off a Meier tackle for loss and eventually forcing a turnover on downs. Nearing the end of the half, the Bearcats took only three plays for a touchdown as Molina blasted for a first down run followed by a Eli Randolph 27 yard touchdown scamper. Bearcats led 21-0 with less than two minutes remaining in the half.
An interception of the second play of the following drive by North Star by Kearney’s Able Molina gave the Bearcats prime possession to score quickly before halftime. That would not take long, as after a first down pass to Lee, Molina finished off his interception with a touchdown run from two yards out. 28-0 Bearcats at halftime.
Able Molina // KHS Football v. LNS // RICK TUCKER
The Bearcats held off a five play drive from North Star at the start of the third quarter with Kearney taking one play to get to a running clock. Randolph zoomed past the Navigator secondary for a 54 yard touchdown run, giving the Bearcats the 35-0 lead with 9:23 left in the third.
Kearney would drive one final time deep into North Star territory with their reserve offense, unable to punch a score in. A late touchdown toss from the Navigator’s Dean Donaldson to Maurice Purify Jr. would be the lone reconciliation for North Star, as Kearney dominated from front to back in their 35-7 win.
The Bearcats improve to 3-0 on the season and host Bellevue West on Friday night at Foster Field. Austin Jacobsen and Ford Clark will have the call on 1340 KGFW, 96.1 FM, on the free KGFW mobile app, and online at KGFW.com.
North Star falls to 2-1.
A full photo gallery can be found from the first half of the Kearney/North Star contest can be found at KGFW and Central Nebraska Today.
UNOFFICIAL KGFW GAME STATS:
KEARNEY BEARCATS:
Team Rushing: 34 carries, 252 rushing yards, 4 touchdowns
Able Molina: 5 carries, 16 yards, 1 touchdown
Eli Randolph: 3 carries, 81 yards, 2 touchdowns
Griffin Novacek: 10 carries, 70 yards, 1 touchdown
Sam Nachtigal: 7 carries, 35 yards
Kenton McElhinny: 1 carry, 5 yards
Hunter Beerbohm: 1 carry, 36 yards
Team Passing: 10/12 passing, 152 passing yards, 1 touchdown
Griffin Novacek: 8/10 passing, 136 passing yards, 1 touchdown
Jake Kracl: 2/2 passing, 16 yards
Team Receiving:
Zander Reuling: 3 receptions, 71 yards, 1 touchdown
Karter Lee: 2 receptions, 32 yards
Kaleb Larson: 1 reception, 22 yards
Josh Dolence: 1 reception, 10 yards
Beau Skala: 1 reception, 4 yards
Able Molina: 1 reception, 7 yards
Reese Bertrand: 1 reception, 6 yards
