~by Dustin Teays for The Scranton Journal
The Greene County Rams football team is riding high again after their first-round win in the Class 2A playoffs.
The Rams got on the bus and headed to Clarinda to take on the Cardinals in the Class 2A first round. They won 30-6, sending the Rams to the next round of the playoffs. The offense was firing on all cylinders, with 200 yards passing and 221 yards rushing, showcasing a well-executed game plan.
“We felt good about our game plan and our matchups in this game. We knew we had to make some stops on defense and be versatile on offense, and we did both of those things. It was great to see,” head coach Caden Duncan said. “Clarinda plays a unique type of defense that is very aggressive. We adapted some of our run schemes to take advantage of that and found favorable matchups in the passing game. We felt like we had a good game plan coming into the game, and the kids executed it well.”
Just a few weeks ago, the Rams were the owners of a 1-2 district record, and it was unclear if they would make the playoffs with two district games left. The Rams took care of business against Southeast Valley and looked to lock up the fourth team spot with that win.
The final district game was against Des Moines Christian, which the Rams won 14-13. This win had implications far beyond that last week of play. With it, the Rams earned the third team spot in their district, which allowed them to play a number two seed from another district.
“That game was huge. We knew coming into that game that it could greatly improve our chances in the playoffs, and then this past week, we focused on capitalizing on the opportunity that we earned in that game,” Duncan added.
This week, the Rams have drawn the PCM Mustangs, who finished out the year ranked second in Class 2A. The Mustangs are undefeated, and they have a gifted passer in Gavin VanGorp and a running back in Adrien Robbins, but the Rams are ready to go.
“They are a very good team. They look the part, big and fast at most positions. We know we’ll need a great week of practice and need to play well to give ourselves a chance. I know the kids will work hard and give it our best shot,” Duncan said.
One thing is sure: the Rams are going to Monroe to play their best football. No matter the outcome, they will give it their all, and nothing will take away the magic that has been Rams football over the last few weeks.
“It’s been such a great run these last few weeks. These games are ones that I’ll never forget and I’m happy for the kids to have these memories. I’m proud of the continued improvement this team has shown, seeing how much better we’ve gotten over the course of the year. We’re just really proud of them,” Duncan concluded.
The Rams will take on the Mustangs in Monroe Friday, with kickoff at 7 pm.
Greene County 30 Clarinda 6
Passing: Crew Conner 8/16 169 yds. 2 TDs, Zack Stalder 1/1 31 yds.
Rushing: Nick Stream 136 yds. 2 TDs, Camden Strennen 38 yds., Patrick Graham 34 yds., Christopher Daugherty 8 yds., Crew Conner 5 yds.
Receiving: Broc Stream 94 yds. 2 TDs, Trevon Keely 71 yds., Phoenix Hartman 31 yds., Camden Strennen 4 yds.
Fumbles: Degan Miller 1 recovered
Kicking: Teagan Chisholm 6 kickoffs 1 touchback, 1/1 FG, 3/3 PAT
Tackles: Camden Strennen 9.5 total 7 solo, Jaron Jacobs 7 total 5 solo, Christopher Daugherty 5.5 total 2 solo, Aden Bardole 4 total 1 solo, Keegan Lawrence 3.5 total 2 solo, Bryce Habben 3 solo 2 solo, Kamden Kinne 3 total, Trevon Keely 3 total 1 solo, Camden Jacobs 3 total 2 solo, Degan Miller 2 total 1 solo, Patrick Graham 2 total 1 solo, Nick Stream 1.5 total 1 solo, Drew Wolterman 1 total 1 solo, Bryce Stephenson 0.5 total, Brock Stream 0.5 total
Interceptions: Christopher Daugherty 1
