Kearney Bulldog senior defensive lineman Grant Bogert kicked a fourth quarter field goal giving the Bulldogs a 31-14 win over Savannah, and for the fourth year in a row, the Class 4, District 8 championship trophy. Bogert played a pivotal role on the Kearney defense which proved to be too much for Savannah to overcome after a 7-7 halftime tie.

*Kearney defenders Jackson Lager (46), Grant Bogert (25), and Luke Tucking, (22) converge on Savannah running back Jackson Price (28). Photo: April Reid Photography*

Kearney Bulldog Stadium overflowed, rocking with enthusiastic fans on both sides. Savannah (11-0) rolled in with an impressive record, averaging 47.1 points per game and allowing 11.6 on defense; Kearney (10-0) averaged 47.5 points scored, and allowed 6.4 points per game.

From start to finish, an unrelenting Kearney defensive front three – Lane Cook, Grant Bogert, and Ryker Bruto – with coverage from a razor-sharp Bulldog secondary, flushed Savannah quarterback, Caylor Schrick (4 of 13 for 45 yards) out of the pocket, forcing him to run or simply throw the football away.

Kearney’s all-state linebackers Luke Tucking, Aidan Arrellano and Kale Tucking sealed up run gaps and closed off the edges throughout the game, holding Savannah to 145 rushing yards on 40 carries.

In early first quarter play, Bulldog linebacker Luke Tucking shut down a potential Savannah scoring drive from the Kearney 15-yard line. On fourth down-and-inches, Tucking burst through the Savannah offensive line and wrestled Schrick to the ground for the sack, forcing a turnover on downs.

The first half of play left little doubt these were two of the best teams in the state regardless of class. Despite four astonishingly uncharacteristic Bulldog turnovers – one resulting in a 52-yard pick-6 by Savannah defensive back Jake Bodenhausen – the Kearney Bulldogs still hammered out 154 first-half yards offensively, including an Aidan Arellano 30-yard touchdown run against a talented Savannah defense.

“I've been telling (Coach Minnick) ‘put me in’ since my freshman year,” Aidan Arellano, the senior linebacker laughed. “I can carry the ball. I think my stats are like 3 carries. I love being able to influence all three phases, just being able to help the team in any way.”

On the second play from scrimmage in the second half, Kale Tucking scored on a 47-yard touchdown run. Landon Carkeek’s point after gave the Bulldogs a 14-7 lead.

Savannah answered with a seven-minute, 83-yard drive. Schrick was initially stopped by the Kearney Bulldog defense inside the 1-foot line. On his next attempt, Schrick leaped over the goal line, and with 4:04 to play in the third quarter, the score was tied 14-all.

Kearney fought back with a three-minute, 53-yard drive to the 8-yard line, where Kale Tucking scored on a reverse touchdown run. With 41 seconds remaining in the third quarter, Kearney led 21-14.

Luke Tucking recovered a Caylor Schrick fumble on a mishandled snap from center, setting up a Carter Temple (9 of 17 for 93 yards) 2-yard touchdown run and a Carkeek point after kick for a 28-14 lead.

Momentum grew in Kearney’s favor. Savannah turned the ball over midway through the fourth quarter, as Kearney junior defensive back Landon Wiederholt picked off a Caylor Schrick pass and returned it to the Savannah 21-yard line. Savannah’s defense held Kearney to a Grant Bogert 21-yard field goal, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a fourth quarter, 31-14 Kearney lead.

Two Missouri class 4 heavyweights, the last two undefeated football teams in the State Championship bracket, battled in a fiercely competitive one-and-done showdown. Kearney piled up 231 rushing yards and 93 yards passing and the number one ranked Kearney Bulldog defense played their best game of the season – thus far. For now, the stat that shone brightly on the scoreboard is official Kearney football legacy: 31-14 Bulldogs and a fourth consecutive district title.

“The defense was lights out all night,” Head Coach Logan Minnick said. “You know that's a team that averages close to 50 points a game and the defense only gave up seven. When you have four turnovers and you only give up seven points defensively you feel really good about that.”

The Kearney Bulldogs (11-0) advance to the state quarterfinal round at Pleasant Hill (8-4) on Saturday, November 21, 2026, at 1:00 pm.

KPGZ News – Mike Davis contributed to this story.