Warrensburg entered the contest with a 7-game win streak, three of which were playoff wins. Their high-flying offense behind senior quarterback Kobe Westphal struck quickly on a 78-yard pass and run to sophomore ZJ Graham. The point-after kick evened the game at 7-7.
Kearney quarterback Carter Temple ran 11 yards for a touchdown late in the first quarter which was set up by a Tre Smith 12-yard, end-around carry. Temple came back immediately with a 2-yard carry for touchdown early in the second quarter giving Kearney a 21-7 lead. Temple would go on to run the ball 12 times for 62 rushing yards.
Warrensburg answered with a Westphal to AJ Smith 22-yard catch and run for touchdown. The Bulldogs came right back with a Tristan Williams 3-yard dash to the endzone to take a 28-14 halftime lead.
The Bulldogs scored on a Grant Noland 1-yard dive with their opening possession in the third quarter. Corbin Emmons tacked on another 1-yard touchdown. The score was 42-14 and Kearney’s defense took to the field with a mission: Hold Warrensburg scoreless in the second half.
“Boys, this is a weight-room game,” said Head Coach Logan Minnick. “I told our kids at halftime, we may not put a receiver on the field the rest of this game,” he continued. “I told our defense, ‘they (Warrensburg) do not score again,’ the defense bought into that, and we got the result we wanted.”
Senior middle linebacker Theo Grace had three tackles, one assist, and three sacks. Grant Noland ran downhill from the safety position recording one tackle, eight assists, a sack, and one tackle for loss.
And so, it continues. Kearney defensive coordinator Marcus Brinkley schemed it perfectly. Kearney’s defense stalled the Warrensburg air show. The Tigers dropped like bricks when they were pressured up the middle or chased down from the edges by the likes of Mason Beaver, Isaac Beaver, Clayton Cowan, Aiden Arellano, Kale Tucking, Tyler Maynard, Theo Grace, Grant Noland, or linebacker/kicker Jacob Dillon, who picked off a pass from a zone coverage that completely frustrated the high-flying Tigers on a potential scoring drive. Mason Beaver even picked off a pass of his own.
Eight sacks, two tackles for loss, and two interceptions; not a bad day at the office by any measure. Corbin Emmons ran 6 yards for the final 49-14 win. Jacob Dillon was perfect on point-after kicks and the Kearney Bulldogs boarded the “yellow dogs” – Coach Minnick’s version of the standard issue school bus – and headed back to Kearney.
By the time any of the players on those buses reads this, they will have moved on to prepare for their next mission; one that requires the utmost urgency. The Lutheran North Crusaders are coming to Kearney for the Missouri Class 4 state semifinal. The winner moves on to the Missouri Class 4 state high school championship game.
Coach Minnick expects his team to play their best football every game; to be stronger, faster, smarter, and tougher with each consecutive contest. This game might perhaps require a mightier effort than the final championship game. We won’t know. Not until we get there. And it won’t be on the “yellow dogs”. It’ll be on a luxury coach.
The Bulldog Radio Network will carry the live broadcast of the semifinal game beginning at 12:40pm on Saturday, November 30, at 1:00pm. Pregame starts at 12:40.
KPGZ News – Mike Davis contributed to this story.
