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Making the most of a second chancePhoto Credit: David Smith/Special to PrepsKC

   

Complete Box Score and Stats

Smithville resoundingly claimed the district championship over Kearney, 49-13. These two Northland schools had been on a collision course, since early in the season. Coming into the game, the Kearney Bulldogs were undefeated. Smithville had only, one loss this season. It was on September 9th. The Warriors lost 20-19 to the Kearney Bulldogs.

The Bulldogs got off to a fast start. Receiver Zach Grace completed a 44-yard throwback pass, to quarterback Casey Rooney for a touchdown. Grant Jacobsen converted the kick, and the home team was up 7-0.

The Warriors drove the length of the field, the scoring play was a Caleb Donnell, 1 yard run, right up the middle. Zach Wheeler tied the game with his kick.

Instead of kicking off deep to the Bulldogs, Jason Amborson, head coach at Smithville, had his kicker pooch-kick the ball into a soft spot of the Kearney, kick receiving team. Junior Ben Murawski recovered the live ball on the 35-yard line of the Bulldogs. Then came the play that caught everyone off guard. Andrew Hedgecorth threw a long lateral to Jake Shaffer. Shaffer completed his portion of the “double pass” to Tristan Henshaw for a 35-yard touchdown. The kick gave the Warriors a seven-point lead.

The Warriors found the end zone for the third time in the quarter when Andrew Hedgecorth, scrambled out of trouble and found his running back Donnell, in the right flat. Donnell outraced everyone down the sideline for a 22-yard score.  At the end of the first quarter the Warriors led 21-7.

The Bulldogs were inside the red zone, when Casey Rooney could not handle a high snap Murawski, again fielded the ball cleanly and returned it for a 78-yard scoop and score.

Smithville continued to pour it on. Facing a 4th and 2, from the Bulldogs 28-yard line. Hedgecorth competed a wide receiver screen to Max McKenzie. However, McKenzie pitched the ball back to Donnell, who went to the far side of the field for a touchdown. The kick made the score 35-7.

The Bulldogs did answer before halftime, Casey Rooney scored on a 19-yard keeper, diving over the goal line, to ensure the score. The kick was blocked, and the teams went to half with the Warriors up.

The second half it was all Warriors. Donnell scored twice more, one was a 50-yard gallop, in which the offensive line opened a huge hole. The final score was a one run, up the middle. The Warriors defense had big game forcing four turnovers, and the Bulldogs, had only one conversion on 4th down out of six attempts.

After the game, Ambroson, gave all the credit to his team. But when he was asked what was his message to his team after the Bulldogs defeated his team in week 3, his answer was quick, “Get Better. We didn’t play well; we didn’t feel like we played well. Instead about feeling bad about losing a winning streak, they worried about making another one.”

With the victory Smithville improves their record to 11-1. Next week they will take on another undefeated team, Center. The season is over for Kearney, and their final record will be 10-1.