Rams secure playoff berth with win over Boone

By SUE RIEDER
sports@beeherald.com

The Greene County’s varsity football team had their best scoring night of the season when they rolled up 471 yards of offense to defeat Boone 52-23. The Rams improved their district record to 4-1, and since four of the seven district teams get playoff berths, the win guaranteed them a spot.

This was a total team victory with many Ram players contributing. Quarterback Daric Whipple had his best numbers as a varsity player leading the rushing attack with 121 yards and completing passes for 130 yards. Of course, those numbers wouldn’t be what they were without starting offensive linemen Noah Juergensen, Isaac Perez, Alex Rasmussen, Mathew Gordon, and Alec Schneider and others who replaced them, who gave Whipple time to find his receivers and opened up holes for all the running backs. Greene County set some new records in this game. Their 341 rushing yards, was the most by a Greene County team, and since Jordan Challen was right behind Whipple with 115 rushing yards, the squad also had two players rush for over 100 yards in the same game. That also has not happened since the Greene County team was formed.

Boone got most of their yards through the air, as sophomore Tanner Schminke completed 16 of 32 passes for 283 yards and Bailey Turner added another 11 yard completion for 294 total passing yards. Greene County did well stopping the run, as the Toreadors only got 66 yards on the ground. Boone scored on a 16 yard pass play in the first quarter and an 80 yard pass play in the second period. The home team scored nine points in the third period on a safety and got a TD on a 7 yard pass play. In the first half the Rams scored on a seven yard pass to Max Neese in the first period, and a 20 yard pass to Jake Carey and a eight yard pass to Neese in the second quarter. Nick Schroeder was successful on all PAT attempts, and the Rams led 21-14 at the intermission.

In the third quarter, Greene County scored on a 64 yard Whipple run, and a 31 yard Challen run. The fourth period scoring started when Nick Schroeder broke another Greene County record by booting a 48 yard field goal. Long time football observers who have been watching the Rams for the past 35 years cannot remember a longer field goal by anyone playing for a Jefferson based program. The Rams finished the final quarter with a 1 yard Whipple run, and a 14 yard run by Dylan Hamilton. Schroeder kicked all extra point attempts, and now has been successful on all 21 that he has kicked this season.

Defensive highlights were two interceptions by Tyler Beger, one pick by Challen, and a fumble recovery by Carey. Joe Doran, Keyden Pollock, Challen, and Sico Boateng all had over five tackles in the game.

“The boys knew the implications this game had for the rest of the season,” said Coach Dean Lansman. “They knew that we controlled our own destiny, and if we took care of business, we would be in the playoffs with an opportunity to play Carroll for a share of the district title. Offensively, we got things going early and often. I think our offense has gained a lot of confidence in last three weeks. It has been good to get more players involved, so teams have more difficulty preparing. Defensively, I thought we could have been a little more physical, but felt we were playing cautious, so we wouldn’t give up the big play, which we did in the first half. Once we settled down, we were able to create some big turnovers.”

It will take a supreme effort to upset league leading Carroll on Friday as their only loss is to top ranked Sioux City Heelan. Quarterback Addison Ross has passed for 1510 yards and also has 445 rushing yards, so he may be difficult to contain. The Tiger’s leading rusher, Matt Pauk, averages almost 100 yards per game. Carroll averages scoring 37 points per game and allows an average of 12 points per game. Is it a long shot? Yes, but whatever the odds, the Rams will give it their best shot, and who knows what will happen.

Greene County - 52
BOONE - 23
Gr. Co.      7     14    14    17—52
Perry         7      7      9       0    23    
                              Gr. Co.           Boone
Yards Rushing         341                  66
Passes                       15                  32
Completed                 10                  16
Intercepted                   1                   3
Passing Yards            130               294
Total Yards                471               360
Punts                             1                   3
Average                       36              24.3
Fumbles/ Lost             2/1               3/1

Gr. Co.
Rushing (yds/attempts) –  Daric Whipple 121 on 19 (2 TD),  Jordan Challen 115 on 13 (1 TD), Dylan Hamilton 78 on 16 (1 TD) Max Neese 16 on 4, Sico Boateng 10 on 3
Passing (attempts/completions/yards/int – Whipple 10/ 15/ 130/ 1
Receiving (completions/yds – Tyler Beger 3-49, Jake Carey 3-43 ( 1TD), Neese 3-30 (2 TD), Nick Schroeder 1-8
Leading Tacklers – Joe Doran (2 solo,14 assist), Keyden Pollock (3 solo, 6 assist), Challen (2 solo, 5 assist), Sico Boateng (2 solo, 5 assist), Beger (1 solo, 4 assist),  Neese (1 solo, 3 assist), JC Weitl (2 solo, 1 assist), Mathew Gordon (1 solo, 2 assist), Ben Lint (0 solo, 3 assist), Mitchell Gorsuch (0 solo, 3 assist),  
Interceptions- Beger (2), Challen (1)
Fumble Recoveries- Carey (1) Penalties- 4 for 25 yards
Kickoffs – Nick Schroeder 9 - 336, 37.3 average
Punts – Doran 1-36
Kickoff returns – Hamilton 3 -102
Punt returns- Beger 1-9

Boone
Rushing – Player Tanner Schminke 61 on 9, Jaymen Tedrow 17 on 13, Ashton Clemons 6 on 1, Ryan Dighton 2 on 1, Alex Vodenik -23 on 1.
Passing – (attempts/completions/yards/ interception)-  Schminke 32/ 16/ 283/ 2, Bailey Turner 3/ 1/ 11/ 1
Receiving/yards) -Caleb Wallace 3-111( 2 TD), Danny Anderson 6-83, Jaymen Tedrow 13- 36, Raithe Clemons 2-23, Ryan Dighton 1-16 (1 TD), Tyler Newbold 1-12, Jacob Johnson 1-10
Leading Tacklers – Ashton Clemons (9 solo, 9 assist), Dillion Calkins  (6 solo, 7 assist), Dighton ( 4 solo, 8 assist), Ryan Olson (4 solo, 6 assists), Schminke ( 3 solo, 3 assist), Jackson Hull (3 solo, 2 assist), John DeVries(1 solo, 4 assist)
Interceptions-  A. Clemons (1)
Fumble Recoveries- Olson (1)
Penalties- 5 for 30 yards
Kickoffs – Tyler Stotts 4-209/ 52.3 ave.
Punts - Vodenik 3-72/ 24 ave.
Kick off returns- Tedrow 3-56, Anderson 2-18, R. Clemons 1-17