Bulldogs Overpower Van Horn 49-7

Kearney scored three touchdowns in the first half and four touchdowns in the second half in the Missouri Class 4 District 8 semifinal game. For the seventh time this season, the Bulldog defense held their opponent to one score or less.

Despite their 21-0 lead, the first half of play was uninspiring for the 10-0, defending state champion, Kearney Bulldogs.

Uncharacteristic mistakes, penalties and missed opportunities prompted Head Coach Logan Minnick to call an early timeout and refocus his team on the sideline. “At least offensively, it felt like we extended the bye week into the second quarter,” said Minnick.

“I don’t think we were mentally locked in,” said junior quarterback Brad Doll. “I don’t think everyone was taking (Van Horn) seriously and that’s a great football team over there.”

Emmons had 98 yards rushing for 3 touchdowns on Friday against Van Horn. Photo by Eric Stevens.

Within minutes from the start of the contest, Corbin Emmons scored on a 1-yard touchdown carry. Grant Noland darted 28 yards at the 5:07 mark giving the Bulldogs a 14-point lead. Jacob Dillon was 2-for-2 on the point-after kicks.

With less than a minute to go in the second quarter, Brad Doll tossed a 40-yard touchdown pass to Trent Dostal on a third-and-12 play. Jacob Dillon’s PAT gave the Bulldogs a 21-0 halftime advantage.

“We told our kids – loudly – at times, we didn’t feel like we played our best half,” said Minnick. “We (the first team varsity) hadn’t played into a second half in almost a month. We knocked off a little rust there. We have several things we can clean up. There’s plenty to fix. At this point of the season, you can’t have a bad half. But we’ll take all the bad ‘21-to zero’ halves we can get,” Minnick added.

Sophomore cornerback Aiden Arellano intercepted a pass in the end zone, derailing a sustained Van Horn offensive drive in the opening minutes of the third quarter. The Bulldogs’ offensive line and running game went into high gear on a 21-yard touchdown run by sophomore Kale Tucking. Three minutes later, Corbin Emmons scored on a 1-yard carry, giving Kearney a 42-0 third quarter lead. Dillon and Angelo Donze were on target with the point-after kicks.

Early in the fourth quarter, Van Horn sophomore running back Edarrius Scruggs sliced through the Kearney second-team defense 60 yards for the Falcons’ only score. Kearney Bulldog senior all-purpose player, Grant Noland topped off the victory with a 48-yard rushing touchdown. Donze’s point after kick was good for the 49-7 win.

“Van Horn has beaten seven other teams. They’ve got some really good players over there; they’re well coached,” said Minnick. “Give them some credit too for their game plan. We made some really good second-half adjustments. We came out and said, ‘we’re going to be the most physical football team out here,’ and I think that showed in the second half.”

The Bulldogs host Savannah for the district title next Friday, November 15. KPGZ 102.7FM will provide the live, play-by-play broadcast. Pregame starts at 6:40.

Mike Davis contributed to this story.

Family Foundation Needs People to Adopt Families

Adopting a family for Christmas is a very popular way to help less fortunate people during the holidays. The Kearney Family Foundation has families in the Kearney School District who need your help this year.

Adopting a family through the Kearney Family Foundation brings joy and relief to those who are struggling in our community. Last year, the Foundation was able to provide Christmas gifts to 107 families.

The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation founded in November 2003 as a community volunteer organization dedicated to assisting the children and families in the Kearney/Holt area. Every penny donated – 100 percent of all donations – goes directly to those children and families that the foundation helps.

To help others through the Adopt-A-Family program this year and provide gifts and clothing, please sign-up on the Kearney Family Foundation website at kearneyfamilyfoundation.org/how-to-help2. Scroll down to and complete the “Interested in Adopting a Family or Individual?” form. Please include your budget so that the Foundation can pair you with a family size that will meet your resources.

Gifts should be dropped off on November 30 (8 am - 2 pm) or December 2 (4 pm - 8 pm). All family adoption items can be dropped off at 351 W Washington St, Kearney.

Brian Watts contributed to this story.

Runners Earn State Invites at District

The Kearney High School Girls Cross Country team took second and the Boys team earned fifth at the 2024 District Championship meet on Saturday, Nov. 2 at Jesse James Park in Kearney.

Cross Country combines four Boys districts and four Girls districts to compete at a super district. The top four teams advance to the state meet. The top 30 in each race earn All-District honors.

The Bulldogs’ Girls and Boys teams both qualified for invitations to the state meet. Cross Country is marking its 50th anniversary this season at KHS. This is the school’s 29th Girls team to run at state and 20th Boys team.

Girls Team Results:

3rd Daisy Burnam 20:09

17th Olivia Brock 21:46

19th Alex Kinstler 21:49

20th Drew Gustafson 21:59

31st Abbi McQuillen 22:31

37th Jordin Vaughn 22:48

43rd Josie Masters 23:32

Boys Team Results:

7th Cameron Fowler 16:47

12th Isaac Smith 17:12

22nd Rylee Johnson 17:37

25th Alex Gustafson 17:38

30th Cameron Daniel 17:51

39th Carter Smith 18:27

55th Luke Vanderstel 19:41

The Bulldog community will help celebrate the 50th anniversary of the KHS Cross Country program during the Kearney School District Education Foundation’s annual Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning, Nov. 28.

Ray Weikal contributed to this story.

Missouri Decides Constitutional Amendments

Voters went to the polls on Tuesday, November 5, to decide who will fill key office positions in the Missouri government. Missourians also had a chance to cast a vote for several statewide issues, including legalized sports betting, abortion and another minimum wage hike.

Amendment 2

Missourians were in favor of legalized sports betting. Amendment 2 is said to create new opportunities for Missouri to retain sports betting revenue previously lost to neighboring states. The measure establishes a 10% tax on betting revenue. Proceeds are supposed to go for public education, programs for compulsive gambling prevention, and the gaming commission, but details were fuzzy to most voters. 

Amendment 3

Amendment 3, to overturn Missouri’s abortion ban eked by with just 51.7% of the vote. Amendment 3 restores the right to have an abortion up to the point in a pregnancy when the fetus is likely to survive outside of the uterus. It gives state lawmakers some say in regulating abortion after fetal survivability, which is around six months. There would be exceptions for the life, mental and physical health of the mother regardless of fetal survivability.

Amendment 5

Amendment 5 to license a new casino on the Osage River near Bagnell Dam failed by over 52% of the vote.

Amendment 6

About 61% of voters struck down this amendment that would have reinstated a $3 court fee to help fund the Missouri Sheriff’s Retirement System. The funding would have been used for current and former sheriffs, circuit attorneys, and prosecuting attorneys.

This was not a tax on the general public, but a court fee charged to defendants in the Missouri court system. Opponents argue that reinstating the fee could lead to more drivers receiving tickets, although there is no data to support that assumption.

Amendment 7

Missourians also voted for Amendment 7 which clarifies that only U.S. citizens may to vote in Missouri elections. It also bans ranked choice voting where voters rank their choices instead of voting for a winner.

Proposition A

Proposition A, which will raise the state’s minimum wage and mandate sick leave for all employees, passed by 57.6% of Missouri voters.

Missouri has given its workers minimum wage increases over the last several years, and residents wanted another. Missouri’s current minimum wage of $12.30 an hour will increase next year to $13.75 an hour, then to $15 an hour in 2026. Missouri’s minimum wage will also be adjusted each year based on the consumer price index.

Brian Watts contributed to this story.

Fulfillment House Fulfills Your Dessert Needs this Thanksgiving

The Fulfillment House in Kearney normally offers packaging, filling, and shipping services, warehousing and inventory needs, and printing services. This Thanksgiving they are filling your dessert needs to raise money for the non-profit organization.

The Fulfillment House and Betty’s Place in Holt are working together to provide desserts for your table with several sweet treats. Available items include dinner rolls, biscuits, cinnamon rolls and twists, carrot cake cupcakes, and pumpkin, pecan, strawberry rhubarb, and apple cobbler pies.

“Your purchase directly impacts our mission to provide the meaningful and enriching employment opportunities for adults with special needs,” reads the Fulfillment House website.

Orders are due by Saturday, November 16. Pick up will be on Tuesday, November 26, from 7 am to 4 pm. Your purchase directly impacts their mission to provide the meaningful and enriching employment opportunities for adults with special needs.

To order your Thanksgiving desserts click HERE.

If you'd like to order more than those items listed, please e-mail Abigail at abigail@thefulfillmenthouse.org.

Brian Watts contributed to this story.