Scott City rallies to top Longhorns
Scott City, Kan. (westernkansasnews.com)–Holcomb and Scott City entered Friday night’s game at Darner Field with several questions from week one. Both teams, who are quite familiar with each other, met up in a defensive battle in front of a near-capacity crowd. Whether or not those questions were answered, that is to be determined. What was consistent was the defensive play on both sides.
After being scoreless in the first half for the first time in 46 games, it would be a second half rally for the Beavers, as they would pick up a 14-3 win over the Longhorns on Military Appreciation night.
It would be a scoreless opening period, and for all but 20 seconds of the first half, remain scoreless. Edgar Ramirez would set up the first score of the game late in the first half, on a 36-yard interception return to the Scott City 20. After the Longhorns advanced the ball to the Beaver one yard line, a four-yard loss on third down, set up a Ramirez 22-yard field goal with 20.3 seconds left in the first half to give Holcomb a 3-0 lead at the break.
It was the first time Soctt City was shut out in the first half since their state championship game with Rossville in 2014.
While the Beavers may have been scoreless in the first half, it wouldn’t take long for them to take the lead. On the second play of the second half, Cale Goodman would rumble in from 40 yards out to give Scott City a 7-3 lead, with the Alexis Reyes PAT.
The Beavers would move the ball again late in the third quarter only to see their drive stall at the Holcomb nine. On Scott City’s third possession of the fourth quarter, the Longhorns would force their second turnover of the night, when Levi Knoll ripped the ball out of Cale Goodman’s hands near the goal line with 11:13 left, and go 66 yards to the Beaver 34 yard line. Holcomb’s drive would stall due to a penalty and they would punt, setting Scott City up on their own 13.
It would be another long drive for the Beavers. A 16-play, 87-yard drive would be finished off by a Parker Gooden three-yard run with 2:12 remaining to go up 14-3 after the Reyes kick. Scott City convered three, third downs on that drive.
Holcomb had one last chance, but turned the ball over on downs in four plays and the Beavers would run out the clock to win back to back games against the Longhorns for the first time since the 2014 and 2015 seasons.
Scott City now leads the all-time series 15-5.
For Scott City, Cale Goodman had 33 carries for 169 yards and a touchdown, while Hunter Yager added 59 yards rushing on 11 carries. The Beavers rushed got 296 yards and had 315 yards of offense. Harrison King was just 3-11 passing for 19 yards with an interception. Yager had 21 yards on two catches. Scott City finished with 21 first downs and were penalized four times for 20 yards.
Holcomb saw Kolby Johnson rush for 94 yards on 12 carries. Kobe Hands was 2-12 passing for 12 yards, with both passes being complete to Levi Knoll. Holcomb finished with 117 yards of offense and had only four first downs. They did not convert a first down in the second half. The Longhorns had nine penalties for 57 yards.
Scott City is 2-0 on the year, and will begin a three-game road swing next Friday at Goodland. The Cowboys fell to 0-2, after a 49-12 loss to Ulysses at home. Holcomb is 1-1 and will host 2-0 Colby, who doubled up Hugoton 16-8.
Assistant Coach Dakota Hayes Postgame
