The Greene County Rams finished their 2016 gridiron campaign Friday with a 50-0 loss to the Ballard Bombers in Huxley. Ram sophomore quarterback Clint Dennhardt played against more experienced QBs in every game and showed consistent improvement in both passing and rushing during the course of the season.
The Bombers and junior running back Hunter Wright wasted no time in scoring. Ballard received the kick off and on just the third play of the game Wright ran 47 yards to score the first touchdown of the game. With the extra point good, the Bombers were up 7-0 with 10:49 to play in the first quarter.
The Rams’ first two possession ended with Austin Delp punts. The Bombers scored on the first play of their third possession, with Wright running 80 yards for a touchdown. The Bombers made a two point conversion and the score was 15-0 with four minutes to play in the first quarter. Wright, the Bombers’ leading rusher, came into the game averaging. 7.5 yards per carry. In his first four carries against the Rams he averaged 35 yards.
Wright scored his third touchdown of the game with 11 seconds to play in the second quarter. The TD came on a 11-yard run. With the PAT, the Bombers were up 22-0 after one quarter.
The second quarter continued to be all about the Bombers. They scored with 8:10 in the second quarter with a 79-yard, 5 play drive that ended with a short pass from Max Stoltz of Tyler Ihle. With the PAT the score was 29-0.
Their next score came on their next possession with a 31 yard Max Stoltz pass to Reece Huen. With the PAT the score was 36-0.
The score was 43-0 with 1:23 to play in the half with a 60 yard drive that took three plays and ended with a 52-yard Wright run. Wright rushed for 235 yards on 11 carries in the first half.
A first half highlight was a 31 yard Clint Dennhardt pass to Nick Schroeder with the Rams at third and 23 yards on their own 9 yard line with about 3:30 to play in the half.
The second half started with a continuous clock. The Bombers scored with 6:26 to play in the third quarter on a 60 yard drive. Wright again finished the drive with a 12 yard run. With the PAT the score was 50-0.
That score proved to be the final score of the game, although the Ballard starters were left for the entire game. The Rams were unable to put together a scoring drive, punting to finish every possession.
Unofficially, the Rams had 117 yards of offense. Sophomore quarterback Clint Dennhardt was nine of 26 passing for 104 yards. Dennhardt threw no interceptions. Senior Nick Schroeder received two of those passes for 69 receiving yards.
The Rams’ 117 yards was not the lowest total for the season. They had a net 48 yards against Webster City. Webster City finished as District 2A champion.
Ballard had 476 total yards of offense. Wright claimed 286 yards on 17 carries.
The highlight of the second half was again a 38 yard pass from Dennhardt to Schroeder with 40 seconds to play in the fourth quarter. The play put the Rams at Ballard’s 15 yard line, the closest the Rams were to the goal line in the game. The Rams were unable to capitalize and finished the season being shut out, just as they started the season in August.
The Rams finished the season at 1-8 overall, 1-6 in Class 3A District 2. The Ballard Bombers were 6-3 overall and 4-3 in the district with losses to Dallas Center-Grimes, Webster City and Boone.
