Watch a replay of the game on the Excelsior Citizen YouTube Channel
EXCELSIOR SPRINGS, Mo. (Oct. 25, 2024) — The Excelsior Springs Tigers faced the reigning state champion Kearney Bulldogs Friday night, falling 56-0 in a humbling matchup at Tiger Stadium. With the win, the Bulldogs completed a perfect 9-0 regular season, while the Tigers, led by first-year head coach Jake Danneman — a former Kearney assistant — wrapped up at 2-7.
Kearney wasted no time asserting their dominance, taking a 28-0 lead by the end of the first quarter. The Bulldogs’ offense struck efficiently with a balanced attack, led by quarterback Carter Temple, who threw for two touchdowns in the opening quarter. By the end of the first, Kearney had begun rotating in their JV players, and later, they provided game reps for their third and fourth-string players.
The injury-plagued Tigers found it challenging to break through Kearney’s defense, managing just 16 yards on the ground and 37 yards through the air. Quarterback Landon Marcum completed 8 of 29 passes, including a 20-yard reception by Kota Triplett, but was consistently pressured by the Kearney defense, which held strong through four quarters.
Defensively, Excelsior Springs’ standout performances came from Owen O’Dell, Justin Wright, and Brant Cashett, whose efforts included a recovered fumble and solid tackling against Kearney’s starters and reserves. O’Dell and Wright combined for over 9 tackles, but the Tigers’ defense faced extended periods on the field and looked deflated, as Kearney converted 7 of 12 third-down attempts and controlled the clock with over 31 minutes of possession.
As the regular season wraps up, the Tigers turn their attention to next week’s district tournament, where they are set to face Van Horn (6-2) in the opening round. Kearney, with their undefeated record, is expected to receive a first-round bye as they look to defend their state title.
Scoring Summary
1st Quarter
- Kearney: Tristan Williams 5-yard rush, Jacob Dillon PAT – Kearney 7-0
- Kearney: Trent Dostal 19-yard pass from Carter Temple, Dillon PAT – Kearney 14-0
- Kearney: Grant Noland 1-yard rush, Dillon PAT – Kearney 21-0
- Kearney: Dostal 16-yard pass from Temple, Dillon PAT – Kearney 28-0
2nd Quarter
- Kearney: Drew Nelson 29-yard pass from Brad Doll, Dillon PAT – Kearney 35-0
- Kearney: Corbin Emmons 2-yard rush, Dillon PAT – Kearney 42-0
- Kearney: Brad Doll 3-yard rush, Angelo Donze PAT – Kearney 49-0
3rd Quarter
- Kearney: Graham Parker 65-yard rush, Donze PAT – Kearney 56-0
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