YORK-It was a tightly contested battle that took nearly the full 48 minutes to decide a winner,
but it was the Dukes that prevailed in a thriller, 8-7 on Friday night at East Hill Stadium in York,
Nebraska.
In a game that saw points come at a premium, the Dukes did not find the endzone until midway
through the fourth quarter. The first quarter saw an exchange of punts, offensive drives, and good
defensive stands. The first quarter ended 0-0. Ralston got on the board in quarter number two
after a long run by running back Dylan Tatum that got the Rams deep into Duke territory. They
would eventually punch it in to the endzone. The extra point made it 7-0 Rams.
That score remained the same until the 6:26 mark of the fourth quarter. The Dukes, who had
success moving the football, but not the same success scoring, finally broke through on a 35 yard
touchdown strike from quarterback Ryan Seevers to Dalton Snodgrass. An offside penalty
against the Rams on the extra point try moved the Dukes closer to the goal line. That left Head
Coach Glen Snodgrass with a difficult decision: go for the tie, or the lead. A decision that could
have made the head coach a hero or a goat, Senior Marley Jensen ensured a positive outcome for
the Dukes. He lowered his shoulder pads and mowed over the goal line to convert the two point
try. That made the score 8-7, and the Dukes would hold on and run out the clock.
Dylan Tatum paced the Rams with 117 yards on 16 carries. Harrison Acklie chipped in 11 yards
on 5 carries, and Isa Stewart had 7 yards on 2 carries.
Marley Jensen led the attack for York with 95 yards rushing on 19 carries. Ryan Seevers added
63 yards on 7 carries. Seevers was also 5-11 through the air for 62 yards and a touchdown pass.
Dalton Snodgrass also chipped in 25 yards on 10 carries and a touchdown reception.
The Dukes (3-1) will play host to the Aurora Huskies next Friday, September 24. Kickoff is set
for 7pm from East Hill Stadium. The game will be broadcast on KOOL Radio.
