Friday Night Preview

Friday Night Preview
(MGN Online/Ed Clemente)
September 17th, 2021 | Chris Cottrell

Here in Nebraska week four of the high school football season opened up with a few games around the state and now we get set for plenty of Friday night action including our two games on the RRN-Scottsbluff as Scottsbluff is home to take on Sterling, CO while Gering heads out to play Chadron.

It’s time for the Friday Night Preview including a few relevant scores from Thursday.

Thursday games

  • Creek Valley 58, Minatare 34
  • Elkhorn 23, Blair 21
  • Sandhills/Thedford 45, Twin Loup 0

Now let’s get into the preview for the Friday Slate…

Sterling CO Tigers at Scottsbluff Bearcats (7 pm kickoff, 6:30 pregame on KNEB.tv, ALLO 15, Mobius 1500, 106.9 The Trail, KHYYfm.com)

These two teams enter with a combined record of 1-5. Scottsbluff fell to 1-2 with a 43-22 home loss last week to Aurora while Sterling has dropped their first three games of the season having been outscored 155-0 in losses to Resurrection Christian, Eaton, and Evergreen.

Scottsbluff coach Jud Hall recaps the loss to Aurora

This Sterling team comes in searching for answers and they do so with a very young group in spots as they start multiple freshman on both sides of the ball including a couple of those youngsters having to play on the offensive line. They were a state title team in Colorado just a couple of years ago but this season is looking like a year to start to build back up a bit.

Sterling coach Rob Busment on his teams young roster and trying to stay afloat

I would expect Scottsbluff will look to really crank up the ground game tonight against a smaller defensive front. Through three games the Bearcats are averaging 256.7 yards per game rushing with quarterback Braden Stull at 112 per game and running back Sebastian Boyle currently at 95 per game.

On the defensive side of the ball the star last week in the loss to Aurora was inside linebacker Josiah Mobley, who coach Hall called one of the best inside backers they’ve had at Scottsbluff in his time on staff. Last week Mobley recorded 15 total tackles to up his team leading mark on the year to 27.

Coach Hall’s defensive keys for the Cats tonight

Scottsbluff will also be looking for a better night in the kicking game after being down a couple kickers last week and having to go for two point conversions after their touchdowns. Jayce Wilkinson did average 38 yards a punt last week. Scottsbluff hoping to find a get right situation tonight at home against Sterling.

Gering Bulldogs at Chadron Cardinals (7 pm kickoff, 6:30 pregame on KMOR 93.3 FM, KMORfm.com)

You’ve got to imagine this week at practice was a week to see who wanted to really step up and try to right the ship for Gering. Last week’s game at home against Hastings had the feel around town of one that Gering thought they could get and needed to get against a Class B opponent that came in winless. Hastings won 33-0. Did that score tell the entire story, though?

Gering coach Danny O’Boyle with thoughts on Hastings loss after watching film

What about this Chadron team? They feature a solid running back in Dawson Dunbar, who’s already rushed for over 430 yards in three games, plus quarterback Justus Alcorn who’s very athletic and can run and throw the deep ball. Xander Provance can make a big play on the outside.

Chadron has won their first three games over Chase County, Gordon-Rushville, and Valentine by a combined score of 107-7.

Chadron coach Mike Lecher on his teams start to the season

Last year in this matchup it was a wild finish, one Gering could have (should have) won. Chadron got the comeback win in the closing moments by the final of 16-14. Even go back a few years when Gering broke their 34 game losing streak, they got that streak stopping win over Chadron in a season the Cards went 8-1 in the regular season.

Can Gering do it again tonight?

Coach O’Boyle keys to a win tonight

Expect some changes tonight in some positions and in terms of who might starting at certain spots as Gering looks to get their best combination of players on the field in spots where they can best help the team tonight.

Rest of the area schedule for tonight

  • Allinace (0-3) at Hastings (1-3)…The Bulldogs are averaging just six points per game to start the year against against Mitchell, York, and Northwest, so they’ve played tought teams. Hastings finally has that first win and some confidence after beating Gering last week. This is Alliance’s third road game out of four to start the season before finishing with three out of five at home.
  • Mitchell (2-1) at Chase County (0-3)…After having to sit out a Friday night because of a forfeit from Burns WY two weeks ago the Tigers showed some rust in a home loss to Gordon-Rushville last week. They travel to play 0-3 Chase County tonight.
  • Holdrege (0-3) at Sidney (2-1)…Former Scottsbluff assistant coach Jake McLain takes his winless Dusters into Sidney tonight to take on a Todd Ekart coached team that’s playing some good football through three games. The Red Raiders went on the road and hung with state ranked Cozad last week in a loss.
  • Ogallala (2-1) at Kearney Catholic (3-0)
  • Gibbon (2-1) at Bridgeport (0-3)…It’s been a tough go for the Bulldogs this season, still winless after a 27-20 loss to Holyoke CO last week. Gibbon heads west averaging 22.5 points per game and they have a win over a 3-1 Sandy Creek team to their credit.
  • Bennett SD at Gordon-Rushville (1-2)…After losses to Ord and Chadron to start the year (tough schedule there…) the Mustangs got a huge road win at Mitchell last week. The turnover battle was key in that one. They play an out of state opponent tonight.
  • Bayard (1-2) at Perkins County (2-1)
  • Hemingford (0-3) at Morrill (1-2)…The Bobcats are giving up an average of 68 points per game while Morrill played top ranked Sandhills/Thedford to a 36-8 final two weeks ago and then getting a forfeit win over Kimball last week. (again, Kimball canceled their season due to low numbers).
  • Hyannis (2-1) at Leyton (3-0)…The Leyton Warrios are hot to start the season averaging 55.5 points in their two games played. They also have a forfeit win over Kimball.
  • Garden County (3-0) at Mullen (2-1)…This is a big one for a pair of perennial playoff teams from the panhandle.
  • Wauneta Palisade (1-2) at Banner County (0-2)
  • Sioux County (1-1) at Guernsey-Sunrise
  • South Platte (0-2) at Hay Springs (1-1)
  • Potter-Dix (2-0) at Crawford (2-0)

Wyoming games

  • Tongue River at Torrington
  • Pine Bluffs at Saratoga
  • Wind River at Southeast
  • Lingle-Ft. Laramie at Wright
  • Upton-Sundance at Wheatland
  • Douglas at Powell
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