The Greene County Rams won their Homecoming football game Sept. 16 against the Des Moines Christian Lions by a 30-22 score. Ram senior Patrick Daugherty led his team with 234 yards rushing. The Rams totaled 353 yards on the ground and 58 through the air for a total of 451 total yards of offense.
DMC junior quarterback Tate Platte threw for 163 yards while the team added 111 yards rushing (including 50 by Platte) for 274 yards of offense.
The Rams scored first and led most of the game.
The Rams had the first possession, starting on their own 21 yard line. They made it well into DMC territory in the first two plays, securing a first down at the DMC 33 yard line. A pair of penalties against the Rams, the first of eight first-half penalties against the home team, slowed progress until finally, at fourth and 7 on the DMC 12 yard line Ram coach Caden Duncan sent in junior kicker Nathan Behne for a field goal attempt. Behne’s 29-yarder was good and the Rams led 3-0 with 6:26 on the clock.
Behne showed versatility on the next play. Lion Carsen Theis returned Behne’s kickoff and ran for 51 yards before Behne tackled him. The Lions started with good field position at the Ram 44 yard line, but had lost yardage back to third and 19 on their own 48 when Ram junior Trey Schilling intercepted a Platte pass. The Rams took over on their own 41 yard line, but were not able to capitalize.
The Lions got the ball back on the Ram 47. After three incomplete passes they punted and landed the ball all the way back at the Ram 2. At fourth and 2 quarterback Gabe Ebersole punted, a kick that was returned 22 yards to the Ram 22. The Lions scored four plays later from the 6 yard line. With 5 seconds gone in the second quarter the score was 6-3. Lion kicker Gianna Bennett missed the kick for the point after, but the Rams were penalized for roughing the kicker. The ball was moved half the distance to the goal line for a second kick. The Rams were determined and blocked that kick, keeping the Lions’ point margin at only three.
The Rams reclaimed the lead on their next possession, covering 71 yards in eight plays, including a 20-yard carry by Patrick Daugherty and shorter rushes by sophomore Camden Strennen and junior Gavin Scheuermann. It was Daugherty who took the ball for the final 10-yard crash over the goal line, putting the Rams ahead 9-6. Behne’s PAT was good and the score was 10-6 with 7:54 left in the half.
The Lions again went out on downs, covering only 5 yards to their own 40 yard line. The Rams were penalized for holding on the first play of their next possession, putting them at first and 27 on their 38 yard line. Patrick Daugherty rushed on the next two plays, the first a five yard run up to the Ram 43, followed by a 32-yard run to the DMC 25 yard line. The Rams were stymied for a first down. At fourth and 5 on the DMC 20 Behne kicked a field goal, putting the Rams up 13-6 with about 4 minutes on the play clock.
The Rams recovered a Lion fumble five plays later and had the ball on the Lions’ 31 yard line. Ebersole threw an incomplete pass, but got the ball to Daugherty on the next two plays, with Daugherty making runs of nine and 22 yards to score. With Behne’s PAT the score was 20-6 at half-time.
The Lions scored the only points of the third quarter, putting five plays together in an 81-yard drive. The score came on a 26-yard Platte pass to Owen Fadden. The Lions then made good on a 2-point conversion for a score of 20-14 with 2:20 to play in the third quarter.
The Rams began their next drive on their 27 yard line. The quarter ended with a first down for the Rams on their 45 yard line. Unfortunately, Scheurmann was injured on the last play of the quarter and did not return to the game. The Lion defense did not yield the last 10 yards of field to the Rams, but Behne was able to kick a 26-yard field goal to put the Rams up 23-14 early in the fourth quarter.
The Rams’ last score of the game was the culmination of a 51-yard, 12-play drive the began when the Ram defense held the Lions on downs at the Ram 49. Again, the drive ended with Patrick Daugherty running the final six yards. With Behne’s PAT the score was 30-14.
Patrick Daugherty’s twin Richard, also a senior, played the entire game as wide receiver and defensive back. Their younger brother, freshman Christopher, was on the field as part of the specialty team for the kick-off after the PAT.
The Lions added to their score late in the fourth quarter, starting their drive from their own 23 yard line. Quarterback Platte gained all the Lions’ yardage, starting with a 19-yard run followed by a 6-yard run. Platte then passed at second and 5 from the DMC 48 yard line to get into Ram territory on the 41 yard line. He threw incomplete on the first down, then lost a down on a penalty for illegal formation. At third and 10 from the Rams’ 41 Platte connected on a 21 yard pass, and finished the drive with a 20-yard pass play to senior Dutch Phillips. The Lions succeeded again with a 2-point conversion for the final score of 30-20.
Ebersole completed five of nine passes. Jack Hansen was top receiver, grabbing two passes for a total of 51 yards.
Junior Cody Allen led in tackles with seven total, three solos. Junior Michael Rumley was credited with six tackles, five of them solos. Richard Daugherty led in kick returns with two returns for 32 yards.
The game was the first in Class 2A District 8 play. The Rams are 3-1 overall and 1-0 in district play. The Lions are 1-3 overall and 0-1 in district play.
The Rams host Clarinda this week, Sept. 23, and then travel to Red Oak and Shenandoah before closing the regular season at home on Oct. 14 vs Clarke Community.
