(Editor’s note – Statistics added Sunday evening)
The Greene County Ram football team totaled only nine yards of offense against the Webster City Lynx, but even with that, the Rams weren’t shut out. Ram senior Trey Tucker recovered a Lynx fumble in the fourth quarter to put the Rams on the scoreboard. The entire second half was played with a continuous clock, as the Lynx were ahead 35-0 at halftime. The final score was 49-6.
The Rams are now 0-4 overall and 0-2 in Class 3A District 2 play. The Lynx are 3-1 overall after a loss in Gilbert last week, and 1-1 in district play.
The Lynx dominated the entire game, which was homecoming in Webster City. They scored on five of seven first half possessions, while the Rams ended every possession with a punt. With senior kicker Nick Schroeder out due to a back injury, Tucker had punting duties. His punts were in the 30-yard range, but virtually the entire game was on the Rams’ end of the field.
The Lynx scored twice in the first quarter, on their first and second possessions. The first score came on a 41-yard drive that was capped by a 29-yard run by senior running back Robert Frederickson, just the first of many in the game. The point after touchdown was good and the Lynx were up 7-0 with 8:27 to play in the quarter.
The Lynx scored again with 6:25 to play in the quarter when Payton Kannuan ran 27 yards following a 51-yard Frederickson run. The PAT was good and the score was 14-7. The five-play drive covered 78 yards total.
Kannuan had his second TD less than three minutes into the second quarter. The Lynx started on the Ram 40 yard line and three plays later Kannuan ran 38 yards for a touchdown. With the PAT the score was 21-0.
Ram Chase Stoline dropped the ball on the kick off and although he managed to retrieve it, the Ram possession started on their own 15 yard line. Tucker punted from inside the end zone when the Rams went out on downs. It was a 28-yard punt, but Kannuan returned it to the 10 yard line. Two plays later Frederickson carried the ball the last yard over the goal line. This time the PAT kick was not good and with 8:03 to play in the second quarter the score was 27-0.
The Rams ended their next possession with a 44-yard Tucker punt that gave the Lynx their longest field of the half. That didn’t deter them. The Lynx covered 64 yards in nine plays. A two-point conversion was good and the Lynx led 35-0 with 4:07 to play in the half.
Unofficially, the Rams had two first downs in the first half and only 15 yards total offense. The Ram offense did not make it to the Lynx side of the 50-yard line during the half. The Lynx, who averaged 438 yards of offense in their first three games, had 282 total yards of offense in the first half. Of that, 241 was on the ground. The Ram defense held the Lynx on downs twice during the half.
The second half was played with a continuous clock. The Lynx received the second half kick-off and started on their own 40 yard line. It took them six plays to score with the help of a 25-yard Frederickson run. The PAT was good and the score was 42-0 with 8:35 to play in the third quarter.
The Rams scored a defensive touchdown with 4:20 to play in the third quarter. With the ball on the Ram 48 yard line Lynx second team quarterback sophomore Dylan Steen fumbled. Tucker recovered the fumble and ran 52 yards for the touchdown. In the absence of Schroeder to kick, the Rams tried a two-point conversion but quarterback Clint Dennhardt was hit for a loss. The score was 42-6 with 4:20 to play in the third quarter.
The Rams were able to claim the ball again when the kick bounced of a Webster City player’s chest and senior Calvin Skalla recovered it on the Rams’ 46 yard line. Four plays later the Rams punted and the Lynx had the ball on their own 42 yard line. Sophomore running back Trace Kepler ran for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage. The PAT was good and with less than 2 minutes to play in the third quarter the Lynx were up 49-6.
With less experienced players in for the Lynx, and some for the Rams as well, the scoring pace slowed.
The Lynx punted for only the second time of the game with 4:40 to play in the fourth quarter. The Rams took over the ball on their own 20 yard line. The possession ended with Tucker’s 10th punt for the evening.
The Rams held the Lynx on downs and had the ball for one last possession before the game ended.
The Rams had a net loss of yardage in the second half and finished the game with 48 yards of total offense. Sophomore quarterback Clint Dennhardt was three of 16 passing for a total of 27 yards in the air, connecting twice with Tucker for 11 yards and once with Chase Stoline for 16 yards. The Rams had 21 yards rushing, with that statistic including seven quarterback sacks.
Tucker was the leading rusher with 22 yards in 16 attempts. Chase Stoline rushed for 12 yards, Jake Berns rushed for nine yards and Joe Towers rushed for seven yards.
Defensively, Logan Lansman had six solo tackles and four assists. Trey Hinote had six solo tackles. Tucker had five tackles and three assists and Berns had five tackles and one assist. Towers had four tackles and three assists. Also, (tackles/assists) Joe Anderson 1/0, Bryce Burkhardt, 2/2, Charlie Gunn 1/0, Nick Hidlebaugh 0/1, Bryce Hoyle 3/1, Lance Hughes 1/0, Thomas Jacobsen 1/0, Jordan Patterson 2/1, Kyle Peters 1/2, Hunter Ruth 1/2, Calvin Skalla 1/0, Stoline, 2/0, and Caden Wilson 3/0.
Unofficial stats show the Lynx with 467 total yards of offense – 426 on the ground and 41 in the air.
The Rams play their homecoming game next Friday at Linduska Field against Iowa Falls-Alden. The Cadets are 2-2 following a 33-12 loss in Gilbert this week.
