~by Dustin Teays for The Scranton Journal
The Greene County Rams football team headed to the Carroll Athletic Complex Sept. 27to take on the Kuemper Catholic Knights.
The Rams are 2-3 on the year after their most recent loss to the Knights by a final score of 28-0. The Rams struggled to get anything going offensively, only generating 107 yards on offense.
“They were stacking the box at times and were also just more physical at the point of attack than we were. We found some other things that helped us move the ball, but we just weren’t consistent enough in our execution,” head coach Caden Duncan said.
Even though the Rams got shut out, there were some positives to take away from the game, including the continued impressive play of sophomore Trevon Keely.
Keely had four receptions for 43 yards and had three kick returns for 33 yards to go with two total tackles on defense. Mix that in with the fact that he is tied for the lead in Class 2A in kickoff returns for touchdowns with two, and the Rams have a player finding his way.
“Trevon is a really athletic and competitive kid. He has a knack for making plays and we’re excited about his future,” Duncan said.
At this point in the season, the Rams aren’t where they would have hoped to be with a 2-3 record, but there is still hope that they can close out the season on a winning note and finish 5-3, winning the next three games. To get there, the team knows the areas they need to improve.
“The physical side of the game needs to improve for us. That means blocking and tackling need to go to the next level, and just our overall execution needs to be more consistent,” Duncan added. “We’d obviously like to have a better record than what we have, but we’ve definitely seen improvement and some bright spots. We knew we wouldn’t have a lot of depth and most teams would have more players than us, so we have to do things to mitigate that advantage our opponents have.”
One thing is certain – while the Rams have a losing record at this point in the season, greatness is always just one play away, and the team is remaining in a positive mindset.
“We’re staying positive and just focusing on improvement. We still have opportunities ahead of us and we can still do some great things this season,” Duncan concluded.
The Rams still have a chance to close out the season with a winning record with three games left, with tilts against Roland-Story, Southeast Valley and Des Moines Christian left on the schedule.
Historically, the Rams have the advantage over Roland-Story 3-1 since 2012; Southeast Valley holds the advantage 1-0 since 2023; and the Rams lead 3-1 over Des Moines Christian since 2019. So, the Rams have a good chance of picking up these wins and finishing out their season on a strong note. The games against Roland-Story and Des Moines Christian may be tough though, as both are ranked by the Iowa High School Athletic Association for Class 2A seventh and ninth respectively.
Next up, the Rams will welcome the Roland-Story Norsemen to Linduska Field on Oct. 4, with kickoff scheduled for 7 pm. In games dating back to 2012, the Rams hold the historical advantage 3-1.
Greene County 0 Kuemper 28
Passing: Crew Conner 7/14 75 yds. 1 INT
Rushing: Nick Stream 48 yds., Camden Strennen 14 yds., Zack Stalder 3 yds.
Receiving: Trevon Keely 43 yds., Broc Stream 13 yds., Rafe Michaelsen 10 yds., Nick Stream 9 yds.
Tackles: Camden Strennen 9 total 6 solo, Broc Stream 7 total 4 solo, Christopher Daugherty 7 total 2 solo, Nick Stream 6.5 total 4 solo, Keegan Lawrence 6 total, Jaron Jacobs 5 total 2 solo, Kamden Kinne 3.5 total 1 solo, Patrick Graham 3 total, Trevon Keely 2 total 1 solo, Camden Jacobs 1.5 total 1 solo, Aden Bardole 1.5 total, Degan Miller 1.5 total, Bryce Habben 1.5 total 1 solo.
Kick returns: Trevon Keely 3 for 33 yds., Brennan Jacobs 2 for 18 yds.
Punting: Teagan Chisholm 3 for 99 yds.
Kicking: Teagan Chisholm 1 kickoff for 53 yards.
