Bulldogs Overpower Ruskin 59-0

Kearney needed an overtime touchdown to beat Platte County in the season opener. Two weeks later, the Bulldogs beat the Smithville Warriors by a razor-thin 20-19 margin. In their past three games, Kearney has outscored its competition 155-14. Two of those were road games.

Standing 6-0, it’s safe to say, the 2022 Kearney Bulldogs are on a roll. Kearney’s last 3 opponents have scored only 2 touchdowns against a fast, well-disciplined defense that plays hard, physical football.

“Our defense, or front six box guys – three down linemen and our three run-stopping linebackers – have done a great job all year keeping people contained,” said Head Coach Logan Minnick. “There are times we play extra pass coverage and kind of invite people to run it in there knowing they may have a number advantage and we expect our kids to make plays and get off blocks. We’ve been doing a great job with that.” 

The Bulldogs head back to Kearney with a 59-0 win against Ruskin. (Photo Credit – Quarterback Club)

Junior quarterback Casey Rooney has thrown for 475 yards and 7 touchdowns in his last three games while junior running back Cameron Emmons scored 6 touchdowns in his last two games. Emmons is one of six Kearney ball carriers who are well-capable of scoring the moment they are handed the football.  

“We’ve got guys, obviously who are electric with the football in their hands, and we have several,” says Minnick. “It makes it fun offensively because we can get really creative. We’ve expanded the offense a little more than I thought we would in year one. It’s a lot but our kids have picked it up.”

Minnick added, “And again, when you have that much versatility you’ve got guys who can not only line up in the backfield, but you can also line up at receiver, it definitely makes us tough to defend or game plan for.”

With their sixth consecutive win, this year’s senior football players are assured of their first winning season as Bulldogs. Where all of this goes and how it ends is to be determined. The possibilities are glorious. And by now, we’ve all imagined it.

KPGZ Sports – Mike Davis contributed to this story.