KHS @ North Platte Football // Griffin Novacek // Corbey Dorsey Photography
NORTH PLATTE – The Bearcat Football team aimed to handle business as usual, and despite some hiccups did so on Friday night winning at Bauer Field in North Platte over the Bulldogs 38-24. Click here for the broadcast replay.
Kearney entered the contest at 4-0 having taken down their first three opponents comfortably while also edging out Bellevue West 16-14 in Week Four. North Platte was 1-3, having lost by one score in each of their three losses. The Bulldogs were feeling more confident coming off a bye week and winning their first game of 2023 over Columbus the week prior.
The Bearcats would win the coin toss, deferring to the second half in what would prove to be a physical contest for two power-run heavy teams. Kearney entered averaging 217 rush yards per contest, while the Bulldogs flexbone offense worked for a healthy 269 yards on the ground per game.
North Platte’s first drive followed the same format as each of the previous iterations of this rivalry matchup – a methodical march down the field hoping to chew clock and limit the Bearcats’ possession. The Bulldogs used seventeen plays to plow down the field, not throwing a single pass along the way, completing the eighty yard drive for a 7-0 lead after a four yard touchdown run by senior fullback Xavier Alberson. The possession also burned nine minutes off the clock, as only 3:04 remained in the quarter.
Kearney was not as concerned with time of possession, as Griffin Novacek started his big day by leading the Bearcats on a three play drive. Able Molina had a twenty yard run to start the drive, followed by a Novacek pass to Zander Reuling for 29 yards. The drive capped off with a fourteen yard touchdown rumble by Novacek to tie the game 7-7 with 1:54 left in the first.
A quick three-and-out from North Platte allowed Kearney to take control of the game from the second quarter forward. Following the punt, Kearney methodically moved down the field in ten plays mixing the pass and run for solid gains and converting third downs to move the chains. Eli Randolph’s first down run gave Kearney great position to take a two score lead, but two incompletions in the next three plays led to a 38 yard field goal by Jake Kracl. Kearney led 10-7 with 7:54 left before halftime.
North Platte would not go away easily, moving down the field with consistent run plays and using a big scramble by junior quarterback Caleb Joneson to convert a first down in Kearney territory. A tackle for loss by Kearney and an incomplete pass resulted in a Lane Borges 43 yard field goal to tie the game at 10-10.
The Bearcats felt no pressure getting down the field on their third drive, as Novacek and the offense converted two first downs to get into North Platte territory as a deep shot to Karter Lee fell incomplete but resulted in a holding penalty against the Bulldogs. With less than a minute to play prior to halftime, Kearney used their timeouts and short runs to get to the North Platte two yard line. Rolling the dice, head coach Brandon Cool kept the offense on the field to plunge Sawyer Schilke in for his first rushing score of the season taking a 17-10 lead with a second to spare before halftime.
Kearney would take the second half kickoff and extend the lead after a seven play drive went 71 yards for another score. Molina was the bell-cow on the drive having three first down runs including an impressive hurdle over a North Platte defender to give Novacek a chance to score form one yard out. Kearney controlled the contest leading 24-10 with 8:55 remaining in the third.
KHS @ North Platte Football // Able Molina // Corbey Dorsey Photography
North Platte’s next offensive series would go quietly after what appeared to be a huge gain by Joneson was called back due to an illegal motion. The Bulldogs would punt after five plays, as Kearney aimed to put the game away.
The Bearcats used a short pass to Lee followed by a big gain by Eli Randolph to then set up another first down run by Novacek to milk the clock and appear to ice the game earl in the second half. Novacek broke through the line, reaching for the goaline but was stood up short and fumbled, giving North Platte hope at their own two yard line on the recovery.
The Bulldogs would not waste their opportunity, using a short run after double unsportsmanlike conduct penalties went against Kearney allowing North Platte to get to the Bulldog 34 yard line. A first down run by Albertson gave way to the dam nearly breaking completely, as Joneson broke away from Kearney’s interior defense for a 55 yard scramble into the Bearcat red zone. As the fourth quarter started, the Bearcats defense broke as Albertson scored to make it 24-17 with 11:55 remaining in the contest.
Kearney remained on schedule, responding well with more gains by Molina and Novacek. Randolph also toted the rock while Novacek broke the back of North Platte with a first down run followed by a 24 yard touchdown run by the junior quarterback. Kearney led 31-17 in the fourth quarter.
A North Platte three-and-out and punt gave Kearney the final chance to land the knockout blow in the final stanza.
The proceeding seven play, 59 yard drive ended in a touchdown run by Eli Randolph with Kearney taking the 38-17 lead with five minutes and change to play. Reuling and Novcaek connected again on the drive for a 34 yard completion that gave the Bearcats a critical conversion into North Platte territory.
Reserves saw some action at the end of the contest with North Platte adding a late score, and after an onside kick was recovered by Kearney the Bearcats ran out the rest of the contest with Sam Nacthigal toting the rock. The Bearcats earned win No. 5, finalizing the game 38-24.
Kearney (5-0, 1-0) is undefeated heading into Week Six for the second consecutive season and travels to Grand Island’s Memorial Field next Friday for the WOGI/WOK matchup against the 4-1 Islanders.
North Platte (1-4, 0-1) heads to unanimous No. 1 Omaha Westside next week for a district matchup.
UNOFFICIAL KGFW KEARNEY HIGH BEARCAT STATS:
PASSING: Griffin Novacek: 5/10, 88 passing yards
RUSHING: Team = 38 carries, 337 rushing yards, 5 touchdowns, 1 fumble
G. Novacek: 16 carries, 155 rushing yards, 3 TDs, 1 fumble
E. Randolph: 10 carries, 85 rushing yards, 1 TD
A. Molina: 8 carries, 73 rushing yards
S. Nachtigal: 3 carries, 22 rushing yards
S. Schilke: 1 carry, 2 yards, 1 touchdown
RECEIVING:
Z. Reuling: 2 receptions, 63 receiving yards
K. Lee: 3 receptions, 25 receiving yards
