Kearney scored early and often in a 63-6 conference thrashing of the Raytown South Cardinals. Bulldog senior quarterback Carter Temple (197 yards passing) led Kearney’s air attack, tying former Bulldog quarterback Anthony Pritzel (2016) for a share of the Kearney High School record of six touchdown passes in one half of play.

*Cruise Emmons (6) cuts to the outside. Emmons ran for 96 yards and two touchdowns. Photo: Kale Davis, Backroads Designs.*

On Kearney’s first play from scrimmage, Temple tossed a strike to a wide-open Caleb Stevens on a 38-yard touchdown reception. Landen Carkeek drove the extra point between the uprights – effectively planting Kearney’s stake in the ground for their next dominant-in-all-phases victory.

“Great effort again,” Head Coach Logan Minnick said. “Some of these games could be games where they kind of start looking ahead and I didn't feel like we did that all week. We thought we had a good week. There is still plenty to clean up. At the same time you know, you're talking about some little things in a 63 to 6 game.”

With a minute left in the first quarter, senior wide receiver Ian Sheller caught a 10-yard Temple pass for touchdown. “We've been practicing that one all week, so when he called it, I was prepared for it,” said Sheller. “I knew where to go, which gaps to read – so yeah, I kind of just walked on in.”

Stevens scored again on a Carter Temple 28-yard pass with 45 seconds remaining in the first half, pushing Kearney’s halftime lead to 42-0. Sophomore place kicker Landon Carkeek was a perfect 9 of 9 on extra-point kicks with junior quarterback Caden Webster holding.

The Bulldogs balanced their game plan grinding out 216 yards on the ground including a Luke Denston 70-yard kick return for touchdown on the opening kickoff of the second half. Denston also scored on a 5-yard push pass from Temple in the first quarter and a 36-yard pass in the second quarter.

Cruise Emmons (96 yards rushing) scored midway through the second quarter on a 13-yard screen pass and later in the third quarter on a 34-yard run.

The Kearney defensive front three (Lane Cook, Ryker Bruto, Grant Bogert) and linebackers (Kale Tucking, Aidan Arellano, Luke Tucking) brought the heat, forcing Cardinals quarterback Amir Shelton to choose between throwing into tight windows or into the turf as the Bulldog secondary kept his receivers locked down; ultimately, holding Raytown South to 23 yards passing on 2 receptions.

“Our goal every week is to get a goose egg and make sure they get zero points every time,” said senior defensive back Kyle Pritzel, who came up with a red zone interception inside the 10-yardline. “Part of that is our game plan, making sure that we know what we're doing and going hard in the weight room. Coverage wise, we're doing our team drills and our indie drills every week so it’s all about preparation.”

On special teams, Grant Bogert had a successful onside kick from a short field, resulting from a personal foul against Raytown South on Kearney’s prior touchdown play.

Raytown South got on the board in the third quarter when kick returner Laurence Heath ran back a Kearney kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown. The 2-point conversion attempt failed.

Kearney senior running back Brandon Johnson scored the final touchdown of the night, crashing three yards through the Raytown South defense for the 63-6 win.

“The kids played pretty well, but definitely, we've been telling them all week, it doesn't matter who we play over this next month. We’ve got to get better and that's what we’re going to do next week,” said Minnick.

Kearney hosts Grandview (3-4) next Friday, October 16.

KPGZ News – Mike Davis, Kelly Gentry and Eric Stevens contributed to this story.