Kearney deals Platte County its first loss of season

Fall was in the air Friday night in Kearney.

An early October chill brought out the coats, scarves, stocking caps and gloves. The preferred beverage in the bleachers seemed to be hot chocolate.

Kearney’s performance on the football field, though, was anything but vanilla.

If there were concerns that Kearney might still be reeling from last week’s three-point loss to Winnetonka — the Bulldogs’ first loss this season — that fear was quickly erased.

Kearney, ranked No. 3 in The Star’s small-class rankings, scored 10 points in a 94-second span in the first quarter. It just got better and better for the Bulldogs, who handed No. 2 Platte County its first loss of the season in decisive fashion.

Kearney 52. Platte County 6.

“All week we were determined that we weren’t going to fall apart in any phase of the game,” said Kearney running back Reagan Frakes, who rushed for 107 yards on 25 carries. “It was all about not stopping ourselves. I don’t think we did.”

Kearney, 6-1, didn’t waste any time putting Platte County in a hole. The Pirates gambled on fourth-and short from Kearney’s 49 in the first series from scrimmage, but a snap over quarterback Justin Mitchell’s head ended the drive. Ten plays later, Kearney quarterback Johnny Weidmaier scored on a 1-yard keeper, launching what would become a 24-point first half for the Bulldogs.

Platte County, which fell to 6-1, added to its own misery by fumbling away the ensuing kickoff. Kearney kicker Dawson Goepferich finished the drive by nailing a 42-yard field goal.

In its next possession, Kearney proved that its signal callers are dialed in. Logan Hinck entered in place of Weidamaier and marched Kearney 54 yards in six plays, capped by Hinck’s 18-yard touchdown run.

Not to be outdone, Weidamaier came back in and notched the Bulldogs’ next score, a 1-yard run, midway through the second quarter. By halftime, Kearney had established dominance; the Bulldogs totaled 225 yards of offense against a Platte County team that had allowed an average of 10 points per game.

The triumph for Kearney also kept a streak intact. The Bulldogs have not lost a home game since October, 2012.

“Good teams take the momentum and build from it. That’s what they did,” Platte County Coach Bill Utz said about Kearney. “They took the momentum and didn’t give it back.”

Kearney, a winner eight out of the last nine times it has played Platte County, picked up where it left off after halftime. Jess Davis returned a punt 42 yards for a score with 10:02 remaining in the third quarter. In its next possession, Kearney stepped on the gas. Weidamaier hooked up with Kale Harmon for a 43-yard touchdown strike to make it 38-0.

Platte County avoided a shutout in the third quarter, when Mitchell connected with Micheal McNair for an 11-yard scoring pass. Kearney had an answer, though. In their next possession, Davis scampered 16 yards for a Bulldogs’ touchdown.

Kearney coach Greg Jones had a feeling his team had an edge Friday night. The Bulldogs proved him right.

“We kind of had a chip on our shoulder all week,” Jones said.

This story was originally published October 3, 2014 at 9:45 PM with the headline "Kearney deals Platte County its first loss of season."