The Greene County Ram football team got its first win of the season, a convincing 38-0 win over the Perry Blue Jays in the decades-long Battle of the Cowbell. It was the last home game of the season, the last game for the seniors at Linduska Field.
The Rams’ 38 points are more than three times their average of 11 points per game this season. The Blue Jays have scored only six points on the road this season.
The Rams got to the business of scoring quickly. The Blue Jays had the ball first and went out on downs. A punt from their 28 yard line hit the back of a Perry lineman and Ram Trey Tucker picked it up and ran to the Perry 14 yard line.
The Rams scored five plays later with quarterback Clint Dennhardt finishing the job with a one-yard sneak across the goal line. Nick Schroeder’s point after touchdown kick was good and the Rams were ahead 7-0 with 7:11 to play in the first quarter.
The Rams’ next possession started on their own 22 yard line. On a second and 10 play Dennhardt hit Schroeder for a 49-yard pass play, taking the ball to the Perry 29 yard line. The Rams made it to the 11 yard line but at fourth and 8 the Rams opted to try a field goal. Schroeder’s 28-yard kick was good and the Rams were up 10-0 with 10:54 to play in the second quarter.
The Rams blocked the punt that finished the Blue Jays’ next possession and it took just four plays to move the ball the 25 yards needed for another touchdown. Dennhardt did the honors again with a 5-yard quarterback keep. Schroeder’s PAT was good and the Rams held a 17 point lead with eight minutes to play in the half.
The Blue Jays were working the ball away from their own goal line when Tucker intercepted an Alexis Garrido pass and ran to the Blue Jay 36 yard line. The possession ended four plays later when Dennhardt’s pass was intercepted by Kaleb Olejniczak. The Perry offense took over on their own 35 yard line.
Perry made it to the Rams’ 29 yard line but lost yards on a penalty. The Ram offense took over on downs on their own 33 yard line with 3:30 to play in the half.
Tucker started the possession with a 22 yard run, and Charlie Gunn’s rush took the ball to the Blue Jay 38 yard line. The Rams took 11 plays to score a touchdown via a 4-yard Dennhardt to Schroeder pass on fourth and goal. The drive was aided by a 15-yard penalty against the Blue Jays. Schroeder’s PAT kick put the Rams up 24-0 with 15 seconds to play in the half.
The Rams had not scored as many as 24 points this season. They had eight first downs in the first half, more than they’ve had in most games total.
A extra highlight of the game was the introduction of the 1985 and 1986 Paton-Churdan football teams at halftime. The teams won back-to-back Class A championships those years and had a 23-game winning streak. P-C played the 1987 season with Cedar Valley and won the first seven games until East Greene snapped the win streak at 30 games.
Chase Stoline returned the second half kick-off 46 yards but the Perry defense moved the Rams back 16 yards in the next three plays before Schroeder punted.
The Blue Jays ended their first possession of the half with a 40-yard wind-assisted punt and a touchback to the Ram 20-yard line. The Rams also went out on downs with Austin Delp punting the ball 32 yards. A short return put the ball on the Perry 34 yard line. The Blue Jays fumbled on their first play and Anthony Jacobsen recovered the fumble.
The Rams scored on their next play on a flea-flicker play. Dennhardt flicked the ball to Stoline, who tossed it back to Dennhardt who passed to Schroeder in the end zone. After the PAT the Rams were up 31-0 with 5:13 to play in the third quarter.
Perry punted on their next possession, a 45-yard punt that was returned 18 yards by Schroeder. The Rams got as close as the Blue Jays’ 34 yard line. They were pushed back and were held on downs at the 36 yard line.
At the start of the fourth quarter the Blue Jays had the ball mid-field when the defense pushed them back, Ram Hunter Ruth forced a fumble, and Ram Bryce Burkhardt claimed the ball on the Blue Jays’ 31 yard line.
The Rams scored four plays later with the last play being a 13-yard run by Tucker. The Rams were up 38-0 after the PAT, and with 9:24 to play in the game the clock went to continuous mode.
The Blue Jays punted on their next possession. Stoline returned the ball 43 yards to the Blue Jays’ 7 yard line. The defense held and the Blue Jays took over on their own 19 yard line. A penalty gave the Blue Jays a five yard advantage. They were at first and 5 on the 24 yard line when they fumbled and Burkhardt recovered his second fumble for the night.
The Rams put reserves in to finish the game. The Perry offense was able to incur losses of yardage on several plays, but the Rams had their first win of the season, 38-0.
The Rams totaled 238 yards of offense, with 130 yards rushing and Dennhardt completing five of nine passes for 98 yards. They had 13 first downs.
Schroeder had two touchdown receptions and a field goal. Dennhardt scored two touchdowns and Tucker scored one.
Jake Berns led the team in tackles with seven solo tackles, one for a loss, and one assist. Anthony Jacobsen had five solo tackles and one assist. Joe Towers had four solos and an assist and Trey Hinote had four solo tackles. Chase Stoline had three solos and an assist, and Hunter Ruth and Bryce Burkhardt had three solo tackles. Tucker and Logan Lansman both had two solos and two assists, and Charlie Gunn and Kyle Peters had two solos. Bryce Hoyle, Edwin Lenchanko, and Jordan Patterson were credited with a solo tackle.
The Blue Jays, who are short several players due to injury, had 70 total yards of offense, with 61 yards passing. They had four first downs.
The Rams are 1-7 for the season, 1-5 in Class 3A District 2. The Perry Blue Jays are now 0-6 in the district and 2-6 overall.
