The Greene County Ram football team has now played six consecutive quarters without being scored against. Last week the Perry Blue Jays were held scoreless in the second half, and this week the Rams held the Saydel Eagles scoreless for the entire game while posting 41 points.
The Sept. 15 game in Saydel opened play in Class 2A District 8. The Rams are 1-0 in the district and 3-1 overall.
The Eagles received the opening kickoff. After 10 plays they were at the Ram 43-yard line at fourth down and 8 when Noah Cornell recovered a fumble. Just four plays later Nick Stream rushed the last 25 yards needed for a touchdown, but he was whistled for an equipment violation after his mouthguard came out while he was running. The TD was nullified and the ball was moved back to the Saydel 30-yard line. The Rams scored two minutes later on a short pass from QB Gabe Ebersole to wide receiver Jack Hansen. Nathan Behne’s PAT was good and the Rams were up 7-0 with just less than 4 minutes left in the first quarter.
The Rams’ next points were on a nine play, 61-yard drive that began with a 17-yard rush by Camden Strennen, moving the ball into Eagle territory. Ebersole threw an incomplete pass on the next play, but then rushed for 27 yards for another first down on the Saydel 17-yard line. Five plays later Stream carried the ball the last two yards for a Ram TD, and with Behne’s PAT the Rams were ahead 14-0 with 7 minutes left in the half.
The Eagles made it to the Rams’ 38-yard line on their next possession. On fourth and 6 Eagle quarterback AJ Ollin threw an incomplete pass and the Rams had the ball back with 4 minutes left on the clock. Stream took the ball the first six yards, and on second and 4 from the Rams’ 44-yard line Strennen took off on a 56-yard romp to the goal line for the next TD. With the PAT the Rams were up 21-0 with 3:17 too play in the half.
Behne’s kickoffs consistently went into the end zone, putting the Eagles on their 20-yard line every time. This time, the Eagles had made it only to their 28-yard line when Ollin was sacked on fourth down and 2 yards. The Rams needed two plays to score – a 10-yard rush by Stream and an Ebersole pass to Hansen. With 1:16 left in the quarter the score was 28-0 after Behne’s PAT.
The Rams wasted no time scoring again. Ram Gavin Scheuerman intercepted an Ollin pass on Saydel’s 25-yard line and ran for a TD for a Pick 6. Officials threw their flags, but personal fouls after the play were called against each team, cancelling out the penalties, and the TD held. With the PAT the score was 35-0. The Rams had scored four touchdowns in six minutes of play, and with 1:16 left in the second quarter the Rams’ lead was big enough to set the clock running continuously.
The Rams received the kickoff to start the second half. Strennen returned the kick to the Ram 27, but on the second play of the drive the Rams fumbled and Saydel recovered it. They made it to the 50-yard line before punting, giving the Rams the ball on the Ram 19-yard line. It took the Rams just three plays to cover the 81 yards – a Stream rush of 52 yards followed by a penalty against the Eagles for grabbing a facemask, a seven yard rush by Christopher Daugherty, and another seven yard run to the endzone by Strennen. The snap for the PAT was bobbled and Behne did not attempt a kick. The score was 41-0 with 4:04 left in the third quarter.
That was the final score for the game. Ram sophomore Phoenix Hartman, on the field for the first time in a varsity game, may had saved the Rams’ shutout with 8 minutes left in the quarter. The Eagles had first down and 10 on the Ram 18-yard line when Hartman recovered a fumble. The Rams controlled the ball for the next four minutes before being held on downs at the Ram 48-yard line. Saydel was not able to score on their last possession.
The Rams won the game rushing, gaining 218 yards on the ground while the Eagles covered only 81 yards. Eagle QB Ollin threw for 125 yards, but he connected on fewer than half the passes he threw, making 9 of 21 passes. Ram QB Ebersole threw for only 41 yards, but he completed half of his eight passes.
Nick Stream led in rushing with 99 yards and two touchdowns. Strennen rushed for 95 yards and Ebersole rushed for 74. Ebersole’s yards per carry was the highest of the Rams at 18.5 yards.
Christopher Daugherty was credited with 6.5 tackles to lead the Rams in defense, but Hansen and Strennen were each credited with three solo tackles, whereas Daugherty had only one solo.
The Rams host the Knights of Kuemper Catholic (Carroll) for homecoming football next Friday. Kuemper is 2-2 overall and 1-0 in District 8 play after a 42-7 win over Roland-Story on Sept. 15.
