The Greene County Rams football team moved to 8-0 on the season and stretched a streak of home wins to nine with a 60-8 victory over the winless Red Oak Tigers Friday in Jefferson.
The win sets up next Friday’s game in Ida Grove against the OA-BCIG Falcons as the Class 2A District 9 championship game, as both teams are undefeated.
The Rams’ senior-dominated starters built a 48-0 lead in the first half, allowing coach Caden Duncan to put reserves on the field to gain needed experience in the second half.
The Rams scored on their first possession in the longest drive of the game, an 82-yard, nine-play drive that took nearly four minutes. The Rams received the opening kickoff and play began on their 18 yard line. Senior quarterback Brent Riley connected with senior Nick Breon for a 33-yard pass play to take the Rams to the Tigers’ 49 yard line. The remaining 49 yards were a little tougher to come by, as the Rams were penalized three times, twice for off sides and another time for illegal motion. It was senior Jaxon Warnke who fielded a lateral pass from Riley and ran the final nine yards for the touchdown. Senior Cael Fisher kicked the point after touchdown and the Rams were up 7-0 with 8:06 to play in the first quarter.
The Tigers ended their first possession with a punt from their 40 yard line. With the wind at her back, Kyndal Kells’ kick flew 60 yards past the goal line and the Rams started their drive on the 20 yard line. Two dropped passes and a penalty for ineligible player down field later, sophomore Nathan Black punted into the wind. The Tigers started their possession on their 40 yard line; they ended the possession on their own 23 yard line.
The Rams used three plays to score their next touchdown, starting on their own 38 yard line. After not making much headway in two rushing plays, Riley pitched short to senior Carter Morton. Morton raced 59 yards to the end zone for the TD. The snap was bad on the PAT and Joe Carey attempted to run the ball for a conversion. The attempt failed and the score was 13-0 with five seconds left in the first quarter.
The Rams scored five times in the second quarter, taking advantage of short fields as the Tigers were unable to move the ball against the Ram defense.
Their first TD came on their first possession of the quarter. Morton returned a Tiger punt 24 yards to put it on the Tiger 26 yard line, which is where it was punted from. Kafer rushed three times and put the ball on the 1 yard line. Riley ran the ball the last yard for the TD. After Fisher’s PAT the score was 20-0.
The Tigers’ next possession started on their own 20 yard line and lasted one play, as Morton intercepted Tiger QB Jacob Athen’s pass on the 34 yard line. A penalty against the Rams for ineligible player down field moved the ball back to the Tiger 39. Riley connected with Warnke for his second TD of the game, but a flag against the Rams for a block in the back nullified the TD and put the Rams at first and 23 on the Tiger 47 yard line. The Rams were at third and 14 on the Tigers’ 38 when Riley fired a pass to Morton, who was crowded out of bounds on the 4 yard line. Kafer hauled the ball the last four yards and with Fisher’s PAT, the score was 27-0 with 7:56 to play in the quarter.
The score was 34-0 with 5:29 to play after a two-play, 29-yard drive that had Kafer rushing for eight yards, Riley passing to Breon for 21 yards for a TD, and Fisher making good on another PAT.
The Rams once again started with a very short field for their next drive. The Tigers punted from their 19 yard line; Morton returned the 22-yard punt 22 yards to start play on the Tiger 19. Brent Riley and his sophomore brother Max Riley connected on a 12-yard pass play, Kafer rushed for seven yards, and a short pass to Morton finished the drive. With another Fisher PAT the score was 40-0 with 2:54 to go in the half.
The Rams posted their final points of the first half on the first play after the Tigers punted to end their next possession. The Tigers punted from their 14 yard line, Morton returned the punt to the Tiger 25, and Riley connected with Hansen on a pass for the TD. After the PAT the score was 48-0 with less than a minute remaining in the first half.
The Rams totaled 322 yards of offense for the half, with Riley passing for 220 yards, Morton receiving for 97 yards, and Kafer rushing for 93 yards. The Tigers had -8 yards of offense.
The second half was much different, with all Ram reserves getting into the game. Coach Duncan used sophomores Brent Stalder and Joe Carey in the quarterback spot. The third quarter passed quickly and without scoring as the clock ran continuously.
The Rams scored early in the fourth quarter. The Tigers began the quarter at fourth and 18 on their own 3 yard line. They punted, and Nathan Black broke tackles at the 25 yard line for a 36 yard punt return and a touchdown. It was Black’s first varsity TD. The Rams did not attempt a PAT. The score was 54-0 with 10:54 to play in the game.
The Rams final score of the game came with 5-1/2 minutes later on a 46-yard, five-play drive. Quarterback Stalder connected twice with junior Zach Goff for 29 yards, and junior Cameren Miller rushed for 17 yards in three plays for the TD. It was also Miller’s first varsity TD. Once again, the Rams didn’t make an extra point attempt.
The Tigers got on the scoreboard with 13 seconds left In the game. The drive started on their 20 yard line. Five plays later they had made it to their 38 yard lie when quarterback Braden Woods connected on a 49-yard pass play to put his team within striking distance. The TD followed three plays later on a nine yard pass to Keith Archibald in the end zone. The Tigers completed a 2-point conversion for the final 60-8 score.
With 13 seconds left on the clock, Coach Duncan put all 13 seniors on the field and took penalty for too many players on the field.
The Rams added another 75 yards of offense in the second half for a total on 407 yards, with 266 yards in the air and 141 yards on the ground.
The Tigers finished the game with 52 yards of offense, with 26 yards passing and 27 yards rushing.
Will Hansen led the Rams in tackles with three solo tackles and three assists. Brayden Smith had two solo tackles and five assists. Gage Michaelsen had the Rams’ only sack.
Looking ahead to the regular season finale against OA-BCIG, the Falcons have averaged 50.6 points per game and have allowed an average of 12 points per game. The Falcon defense has tightened since starting district play, allowing only three touchdowns in four district games.
The Rams have averaged 44 points per game and allowed an average of 10.6 points per game. Six of the 12 TDs allowed by the Rams were by the Nevada Cubs in Week 2. The Rams have allowed five TDs in district play.
The Rams topped the Falcons 49-6 a year ago in Jefferson.
