KEARNEY – Grand Island now holds the celebration for the next 365 days as the Islanders converted two turnovers into touchdowns and garnered 289 rushing yards to upend the Bearcats’ perfect record and down Kearney 28-21 at Ron and Carol Cope Stadium. Click here to listen to the broadcast replay.
Kearney entered the contest on a hot winning streak having won their first five games of the season to sit perfect while still climbing statewide rankings. Grand Island lost their Week 2 matchup with Omaha Westside but had come-from-behind victories in two of there next three matchups to enter Foster Field at 4-1. The Bearcats’ aimed to continue their high flying aerial attack led by quarterback Treyven Beckman averaging 195 yards passing per contest. However, Grand Island’s formidable run game that averaged over 280 yards on the ground per game would force a sizeable challenge.
Kearney won the toss but would elect to defer to the second half, allowing the Islanders’ quarterback Cohen Evans a chance to operate the offense to start the game. Evans did not disappoint, starting at his own 20 yard line and marching down the field in 16 plays. Mixing running attacks with inside/outside runs with fullback Jace Crisman and running back Caleb Richardson, the Islanders methodically moved down Foster Field. 80 yards later and with nearly six minutes of game time burned off the clock, Evans connected to his favorite receiver on the season Cole Thorne for their first touchdown on the season and the contest. The touchdown led Grand Island in favor at 7-0 with 4:31 remaining in the first quarter.
Kearney then led their offense on the field for the first time, and quickly showed their pace of play with two first down passing strikes from Beckman after a big run kicked off the drive at Kearney’s own 35 yard line. After the second first down toss, a tackle-for-loss by Grand Island set up the Bearcats in second and long. Electing to air it out, Beckman found senior Jack Dahlgren in stride for his first touchdown reception on the season and tied the game at 7 all with 1:45 remaining in the first quarter.
The Bearcats defense would continue to push to stop the run, as the Islanders found success heading into the second quarter tied at 7 a piece.
In the second, Grand Island used the power running to their advantage until a sack from Kearney forcing Evans out of bounds followed by an incompletion created a punting opportunity and a chance for the Bearcats to take control of the contest.
However, a muffed punt from Kearney created a new chance for Grand Island inside of the Kearney 19 yard line. In three plays, the Islanders regained the lead capped by an 11 yard touchdown run by Chrisman. Grand Island took at 14-7 advantage with 8:07 remaining in the second quarter.
Kearney would not fold however, creating a big play strike to Karter Lee after a huge loss on first and ten. Lee’s big reception opened up the offense, garnering short runs on back-to-back plays followed by a six yard gain by Able Molina that ended with a Grand Island horsecollar tackle call, further advancing the ball into Islander territory. Two plays later, Beckman called Lee’s number again for a 19 yard touchdown strike as the Bearcats tied the game at 14 with 4:37 left to play in the second quarter.
Zander Reuling // KHS Football // Corbey Dorsey Photography for the Central NE Press Pass
Grand Island would follow the kickoff with eight plays, but unable to convert a fourth down play that held Evans short of the first down marker. Kearney had their first chance to take the lead in the contest, but instead was forced into a three-and-out from their own 46 yard line. The ensuing punt was mishandled on a bad snap that went over the head of Kearney’s punter, allowing Grand Island to pounce on their second turnover.
The turnover led to more points as Grand Island used four plays with a touchdown strike from Evans to Thorne again on a deep corner route that gave the Islanders their lead back to wrap up the second quarter 21-14.
Trailing by seven exiting the halftime locker room, Kearney looked to come out strong in the second half getting the ball to begin the third quarter. The offense could not find its rather however, going three-and-out and punting.
Grand Island then moved the ball from the Kearney 46 yard line in 7 plays until penalties forced a field goal try for the Islanders. Grand Island’s special teams missed Justin Murray, as the Bearcats block got through and forced an empty possession and gave the ball back to the Kearney offense.
Zander Reuling // KHS Football // Corbey Dorsey Photography for the Central NE Press Pass
Off the blocked kick, Kearney would punt after four plays which included a big run from Able Molina that was called back due to holding. The punt gave Grand Island excellent field position again inside the Kearney 48 yard line.
The Islanders would throw an incompletion on first down, but gave the jet sweep handoff to senior Colton Marsh who sprinted and weaved through the defense for a 48 yard rushing score to secure a two touchdown lead for Grand Island. Islanders led 28-14 with 4:20 remaining in the third quarter.
Kearney would be forced to punt on their next drive, as Grand Island began their clock-draining offense before punting on fourth down and pinning Kearney deep in their own territory to begin the fourth quarter.
Downed at their own 15 yard line, the Bearcats would convert a first down on their first pass play but would be stopped after three more plays with a forced out-of-bounds sack against Beckman by outside linebacker for Grand Island Alex Dzingle. Another Bearcat punt allowed Grand Island to begin to milk more clock.
KHS Football // Corbey Dorsey Photography for the Central NE Press Pass
The Islanders would stall in eight plays, but not before draining plenty of time off the fourth quarter game clock to give Kearney fewer chances to overcome the two score deficit. After a punt, Kearney received their chance to march back in the game at their own 28 yard line.
The Bearcats’ opened with back-to-back passes, hitting a big gain on the latter to Jack Dahlgren deep into Grand Island’s red zone. Four plays later on fourth and short, Beckman rolled right and found tight end Ben Cumpston crossing the opposite side of the field as Kearney threw up a cross-field pass that left the senior alone at the goal line for the score. 28-21 Islanders, but Kearney was rolling back into the contest.
Armed with two timeouts, Kearney’s defense would need a stop quickly. Jace Chrisman broke through on first down to move the chains, but four more plays forced a punt and Kearney with no timeouts was unable to work down the field in less than a minute, running out of time to tie the game and garnering their first loss of the season 28-21.
The Bearcats ended the contest with 258 passing yards from Beckman for three touchdowns. Karter Lee led all receivers with six catches for 134 yards and a touchdown, while Dahlgren had two catch for 45 yards and a touchdown. Zander Reuling was all over the field receiving 5 catches for 39 yards. Kearney’s Ethan Kowalek led Bearcat rushers with 14 yards.
Kearney heads to Omaha Westside on Friday, Oct. 7 after the Warriors fell on the road to North Platte – a shockwave from the No. 1 team in Class A. Hear the Kearney/Westside matchup on KGFW with pregame beginning at 6 PM.
