(Stats added Sept. 7, courtesy of The Scranton Journal. See below)
The Greene County Ram varsity football team played better offense than during the season opener last week, but they still came up short against the highly regarded Harlan Cyclones. The Rams played the non-conference game in Harlan and made the long ride home carrying a 42-19 loss.
The Cyclone offense dominated, but not until the second quarter. The first quarter belonged to the Rams.
The Rams scored on their first possession and led the game 7-0 with 8 minutes to play. They claimed the ball on the Cyclones’ 20 yard line after two incomplete passes put the Cyclones at fourth and 10 and a 37-yard field goal attempt went wide right.
It took just three plays for the Rams to score their first touchdown for the season after last week’s 34-0 shut-out against the Kuemper Knights. Senior Logan Lansman carried the ball for a loss and a penalty on the play against the Rams put them at second and 19 on their own 11 yard line. Senior Trey Tucker rushed 10 yards to put the ball on the Rams’ 21 yard line. On the next play, Dennhardt threw a short pass to Lansman. Lansman picked up some good blocks and ran down the sideline for a 79-yard touchdown. Nick Schroeder’s extra point kick was good for the 7-0 margin.
Harlan’s next possession ended with a fumble on a punt snap recovered by Ram sophomore Brock Wuebker. The Rams had the ball on their own 41 yard line. The Ram drive included a 24-yard pass from Dennhardt to Schroeder, but it ended with an unsuccessful 42-yard field goal attempt.
The Rams held the Cyclones on downs and got the ball back on their own 38 yard line. On that possession it was the Rams’ turn to fumble setting up a punt play and after a five yard penalty against the Cyclones they had the ball.
It was then that the Cyclones started spinning. A 13-play, 91-yard drive ended with a Harlan touchdown with 5:37 to play in the second quarter. The extra point was good and the score was tied 7-7.
The Rams went out on downs in their possession and the Cyclones got the ball back on their own 45 yard line. It took them just under three minutes to score another touchdown. The drive ended with a 32-yard pass play from junior quarterback Deren Schmitz to Dillon Sears. With another good PAT kick by senior Kyle Schmitz, the Cyclones were up 7-14.
The Rams came right back and scored in an unusual way. Dennhardt fumbled the ball on the first play, but Tucker picked it up and ran 73 yards to score. The PAT was not good and the Rams were down by one, 14-13, with 2:22 to play in the half.
The Cyclones scored again quickly on a 71-yard drive that was capped by a 58-yard pass play to Sears. With the PAT the score was 21-13 in favor of the Cyclones with 1:16 to play.
The Rams went out on downs and the Cyclones scored another time, their fourth TD in 5-1/2 minutes of play. The Cyclones were at first and 10 on the Ram 25 yard line when Schmitz connected on a pass to sophomore Jonathan Cheek. With the PAT the Cyclones were up 28-13 at halftime.
Unofficially, the Rams had 207 yards of offense, more than they had for the entire game a week earlier. But, the Cyclones had 391 yards.
The second half began much like the first half ended. The Rams received the kick-off but were held on downs. Schroeder’s punt took some good bounces and stopped at the Cyclones’ 30 yard line. It took the Cyclones seven plays to move the ball the 70 yards needed for another TD. With the PAT the Cyclones were up 35-13.
The Rams went out on downs again, but an early block in the backfield penalized the Cyclones and they took possession on their own 4 yard line. The possession ended when junior Jake Berns intercepted a pass on Harlan 9 yard line.
The Rams weren’t able to capitalize on their good fortune. After four incomplete passes it was the Cyclones’ ball on their own 6 yard line. They ended that possession with a punt and the Rams had the ball on their own 46 yard line with two minutes to play in the quarter.
The Rams put together a seven play, 54-yard drive that ended with a 14-yard Dennhardt pass to senior Chase Stoline with 11:14 to play in the game. The drive got momentum from a 30-yard pass to Schroeder on a third and 4 play from the Cyclones’ 48-yard line. Schroeder’s PAT kick was blocked and the score was 35-19.
The Cyclones were penalized on the punt return and had the ball on their own 8 yard line to start a drive that required 16 plays to score. The drive ended with a 16-yard Nick Foss run. The Cyclones took more than eight minutes off the clock on the drive. With the PAT the Cyclones were up 42-19.
The Rams took possession on the 23 yard line. After three incomplete passes Shroeder punted. The punt was returned 70 yards by Cyclone Caleb Rasmussen for a touchdown, but the score was nullified by a personal foul call and the Cyclones had the ball on their own 36 yard line.
The Cyclones were called for an illegal procedure on their first play and they were at first and 15 on their 31 yard line. With two minutes to play, Cyclone coach Curt Bladt put in his reserves, including sophomore Brett Sears as QB. The possession ended with a punt and the Rams had the ball with 27 seconds to play in the game. Tucker added yardage to his rushing total with a 27-yard run, but the game ended with the Cyclones owning the ball after a pass interception. The final score was 42-19.
Unofficially, the Rams totaled 337 yards of offense, 173 of them through the air and 164 rushing. Dennhardt was six of 22 passing. Tucker was the leading rusher with 161 yards in 13 carries. Schroeder was the leading receiver with 79 yards in four catches.
The Cyclones totaled 584 yards with 303 in the air and 281 yards rushing. QB Schmitz was 16 of 27 passing.
GAME STATS
Greene County gained 164 yards on the ground and 173 in the air for 337 yards of total offense. Harlan racked up 584 yards of offense.
Tucker had a big night on offense, gaining 161 yards on 13 carries with one TD. Jake Berns added three yards; Dennhardt, one yard; Schroeder, two yards, and Joe Towers, one yard. Logan Lansman lost four yards on a carry.
Dennhardt completed six out of 22 passes for 146 yards. He was intercepted once. Tucker completed a pass for 27 yards. Schroeder was the leading receiver, catching four passes for 79 yards. Lansman was credited with a 79 yard reception for a TD. Stoline grabbed a 14-yard aerial for a score. Tucker grabbed a one yard pass.
Towers, Lansman and Bryce Burkhardt topped the Ram defense. Towers had two solo and 16 assisted tackles. Lansman brought down two solo and 13 assisted tackles. Burkhardt made two solo and 11 assisted stops.
Additional tackles were credited to: Jake Berns, two solo, nine assists; Tucker, five solo, four assists; Stoline, four solo, five assists; Jordan Patterson, three solo, six assists; Bryce Hoyle, two solo, two assists; Hunter Ruth, one solo, six assists; Nick Hidlebaugh, one solo, one assist; Trey Hinote and Brock Wuebker, one solo; Schroeder, Charlie Gunn and Caden Gerdes, three assists; Calvin Skalla and Kyle Peters, two assists; Dylan Davis, one assist.
Berns intercepted a Cyclone aerial and Wuebker recovered a fumble. Schroeder punted six times for 229 yards and kicked off four times for 206 yards. Stoline returned a kickoff for 19 yards. Tucker fielded a kickoff with a six yard return.
The Rams are now 0-2 on the season. The Harlan Cyclones are 1-1, having lost to 4A Lewis Central (Council Bluffs) 45-13 last week.
The Rams play in Jefferson next Friday against the rated Dallas Center-Grimes Mustangs to open Class 3A District 2 play.
