*Kale Tucking scored three touchdowns on two punt returns and a kickoff return. Photo: Kale Davis, Backroads Designs.*

The Kearney Bulldogs (8-0) scored 44 points in the first quarter, in a lopsided 58-8 victory over the Grandview Bulldogs (3-5).

Kearney senior Kale Tucking scored twice early in the first quarter, returning back-to-back 65- and 45-yard punts for touchdowns, tying the Missouri state record for single game punt returns for touchdown.

Tucking’s two punt returns for touchdown tied former Kearney Bulldog and Mizzou safety, Tommy Saunders’ record from 2003.

Kearney’s Cruise Emmons hauled in a Carter Temple pass and ran eight yards to the endzone for six points. Landon Carkeek was a perfect 8-for-8 on point after kicks.

Kearney senior quarterback Carter Temple tucked the ball and easily slipped past the Grandview defense 26 yards for his first touchdown of the night. His second was through the air, dropping a lofted spiral directly into the hands of Luke Denston, with no defenders in sight, for the 34-yard catch and score.

Grandview was backed inside their 1-yard line with 1:12 to play in the first quarter. Kearney’s defense forced a safety, and the resulting kickoff was returned 60 yards by Kale Tucking for his third touchdown in Kearney’s 44-0 opening quarter.

Kearney Head Coach Logan Minnick pulled the starters, giving two second-team seniors opportunities to make big plays on Senior Night.

“I've never coached in a game where the same kid ran three kicks back,” said Minnick. “I’m so proud of the kids’ effort tonight, and so cool for our seniors to be honored.”

“This has been a special senior class here. And to get so many seniors in the end zone, with two punt returns and a kick return was awesome. Atlas Owen with a big pick six, excited for him and then we got Graham Davis in the end zone there as well,” Minnick added.

Senior Graham Davis scored on an 8-yard touchdown run, completing a clock-controlling drive by the second unit offense. “Coach Minnick was looking down the sideline (at practice) and he said, ‘Graham Davis, you want to score a touchdown this week?’ and I was like, oh yeah, you know it,” Davis said.

Atlas Owen heard the home crowd roar as he returned a 72-yard interception for a touchdown. “I saw the quarterback throw, and I’m thinking, I gotta get that,” Owen said. “So I just watched (the ball) into my hands, catch it, start running, and I'm just hoping no one catches me. It was amazing, that's gonna keep playing and playing the rest of my life.”

Grandview’s last-minute touchdown and 2-point conversion will remain a footnote in the minds of Kearney’s junior varsity defense, some of whom are seniors, still contributing, always learning, and stacking up unfinished memories of a Kearney Bulldog football season that is far from over.

Kearney will play their last regular season game next week at Ruskin (2-6) on Thursday, October 22.

KPGZ News – Mike Davis contributed to this story.