On Friday night at home the Gering Bulldogs picked up a signature win for this season as they beat a Chadron team that entered tonight undefeated by the final of 23-20.
With the win Gering could be eyeing a home playoff game in a couple of weeks.
Gering was well prepared defensively as they held Quinn Bailey, the leading rusher in the state, to 148 yards rushing. Considering Bailey came in with close to 2,000 yards on the season, that number is a feather in the cap of the Gering defensive unit.
Chadron got a 18 yard touchdown pass in the first quarter to take a 6-0 lead and then Bailey ripped off a 33 yard touchdown run in the second quarter as the Cardinals went in front 12-0 with about six minutes left in the first half.
Gering, needing to get something on the board, came through at around the four minute mark of the second quarter as Rece Knight hit Barron Williams on a 10 yard touchdown pass as Gering cut the Chadron lead at halftime to 12-7.
Moving to the second half Gering got on the board first in the third quarter as this time it was Knight connecting with Bo Gable on a 20 yard touchdown pass and the successful two point conversion made the score 15-12 with the Bulldogs in front.
Chadron took the lead back on a long 64 yard touchdown pass and with the two point conversion the Cardinals led 20-15 late in the third quarter.
The back and forth affair had another turn immediately after the Chadron touchdown when Gering got a 70 yard kick return for a touchdown from Gable and another two point conversion put Gering in front to stay, 23-20.
Gering held Chadron to 202 yards of total offense including holding Bailey to around 50 total yards in the second half.
For the Bulldogs offensively, Rece Knight had 78 yards passing and two touchdowns and 26 yards rushing and it was Barron Williams with a big night in the passing game with 9 catches for 60 yards and a touchdown.
