The Greene County Rams, starting a new season with a limited number of players with significant varsity experience, were shut out by the non-district Kuemper (Carroll) Knights 27-0 in Carroll Friday evening.
The Rams were working from behind almost the entire game. They received the kickoff and went out on downs.
The Knights scored on their first possession, just 1:46 into the game, on a 52-yard drive capped by a 48-yard Miles Rupiper run. The point after touchdown kick by Kyle Derner was good and the Knights were ahead 7-0.
The Knights scored again early in the second quarter in an eight play drive that ended with a much shorter Rupiper run. The Derner PAT was good and the Knights’ lead was 14-0.
The Ram defense held the Knights the rest of the first half. The Rams were close to scoring late in the half. They had the ball on the Knights’ 13-yard line with six seconds to play. A pass play was not complete, but senior Nick Schroeder, who had made 60 consecutive field goal attempts, missed a 31-yard kick wide left and the Rams finished their possession and the half scoreless.
The Knights began the second half like the first. They scored on the second play of the half with a 71-yard Rupiper run. With the Derner PAT the score was 21-0 with 10:57 to play in the quarter.
The Rams went out on downs on their first possession of the half. On the Knights’ second possession, Jacob Schaeffer crossed the goal line on a 13-yard run, but there was a flag on the play and the ball was back to the 20 yard line with a second and 15 for the Knights. They still managed to score on the possession via a 35-yard Derner field goal just 13 seconds later. The score was 24-0 with 6:03 to play in the third quarter.
Derner added to the lead with a 39-yard field goal with 3:50 to play in the third quarter.
Sophomore quarterback Clint Dennhardt made his first complete pass for the game late in the third quarter. The Rams got as close as the Knights’ 28 yard line, but on first down and 10 Dennhardt fumbled and the Knights recovered the ball with just more than a minute to play in the quarter.
The Knights scored again with 4:20 to play in the fourth quarter on a drive that started on their own 37 yard line. The drive included a 22 yard run by quarterback Gage Gunnerson, his longest for the night. The drive was aided by a pass interference call against the Rams that gave the Knights an extra 11 yards – half the distance to the goal – when the Knights had been at first and 10 on the Rams’ 22 yard line. With the PAT the score was 34-0.
The Rams nearly scored in their last possession, with the Knights’ second team defense on the field. The Rams managed two first downs and moved the ball all the way to the one yard line but weren’t able to score. The possession ended with just a few seconds to play.
The Ram defense held the Knights four times on downs. A drive the Knights started with one minute to play in the third quarter ended with a bad snap on a punt and the Rams had the ball on their own 35 yard line. The Ram offense was able to move the ball only to their own 37 yard line before ending the drive with an incomplete pass on fourth and 12.
Dennhardt was three of 18 in passing for a total of 23 yards in the air. The Ram offense had 152 yards of rushing on 44 carries. Unofficially, senior Trey Tucker led in rushing with 90 yards, followed by junior Jake Berns with 80 yards. Senior Hunter Ruth led the Ram defense with seven tackles.
The Kuemper Knights had a total of 272 yards of offense, with 248 on the ground. Senior quarterback Gunnerson was two of eight passing for 24 yards.
The Rams travel to Harlan next Friday to face the Number 3 ranked Harlan Cyclones. They begin play in 3A District 2 on Sept. 9 in Jefferson against Dallas Center-Grimes.
