Indians Win Yoke Bowl; Remain Unbeaten
On Friday night, October 7, the St. Francis Indians earned an important win in Atwood. With the win, the Indians remained undefeated on the season and maintained in possession of the Yoke Bowl Trophy. The Indians scored twice in the first period and stretched the lead to 36-0 at halftime. The Indians won the contest 52.6. The Indians' defended a strong RC running game well, forcing the Buffs to pass. The good pressure of Indians' defensive front made it tough going for the Rawlins County passing game, and the Indians emerged with a lop-sided win in a highly anticipated game.
The Indians kicked-off to the Buffaloes to open the contest. Brock Waters tackled Rawlins County's return man, Cole Sramek, at the 24 yard line. The Buffs opened the game with a false-start penalty before Sramek cruised around the right side to the St. Francis 34 line. Quinton Cravens' tackle stopped the play from going any farther. On the next play, Waters sacked the Buff's quarterback, Maverick Green, for a five-yard loss. The Indians pressured Green on the following play resulting in another Buff's penalty. On 3rd-and-20, Sramek ran up the middle gaining 8 yards. On 4th down, the Buffs punted.
The kick was returned by Taylor Rogers to the Indians' 15 yard line. Rogers carried the ball for a big gain on 1st down, but a holding penalty on the Indians negated the play. Facing 1st-and-20 at the 5 yard line, the Indians nearly made a critical mistake when the Indians mishandled the center-quarterback exchange. Quinten Cravens recovered for the Indians and turned the play into a two-yard gain. Cravens passed to Rogers on 2nd down for a 1st down at the SF 32 yard line. An option play to the left nearly became a disaster when Cravens fumbled, but the ball rolled out of bounds keeping the Indians in possession after a 1 yard gain. Luke Lampe ran up the middle on 2nd down, gaining 4 yards. A pass intended for Tate Busse drew an interference penalty advancing the ball to the RC 29. Rogers gained 6 yards on a counter play on first down, and a penalty on the Indians during an incomplete pass attempt resulted in 3rd-and-9. Cravens then found Waters with a pass moving the ball to the 14 yard line for another 1st down. After runs by Cravens and Rogers, the Indians earned a measured 1st down at the 4 yard line. On the next play, Rogers' run over left tackle was met by the Buff's linebacker, Ginther, for no gain. Cravens scored on the next play, breaking tackles on a four-yard run over the right side. Cravens also ran for the conversion points. With 6:01 remaining in the first quarter, the Indians led 8-0.
Brady DInkel's kick sailed into the end zone. The Buffs earned a first down after runs by Green and Sramek. Brock Waters' tackle stopped Sramek for a 1 yard gain on the ensuing 1st down play. After the Buff's were assessed a five-yard penalty, Tate Busse defended a RC pass attempt well causing it to drop incomplete. After another incomplete pass and procedure penalty, the Buffs punted.
Taylor Rogers returned the kick to the St. Francis 39 yard line, a 14 yard return. Rogers then ran for 9 yards around the left side. After a RC time-out, Quinton Cravens scrambled over the right side of the line for a first down at the RC 21 yard line. Rogers ran right for 3 before Lampe was stuffed for a two-yard loss on second down. On 3rd-and-9, Cravens passed to Brock Waters for a 20 yard touchdown. The conversion pass fell incomplete. With 2:38 left in the first quarter, St. Francis now led by two scores, 14-0.
Sramek gained only a few yards before being tackled by Rogers on the kick return. Beginning at the 25 yard line, Green earned 3 yards on first down before being pressured and sacked by Luin Norris and Dalton Straub on 2nd down. With one minute to go in the first quarter, a strong run by Green earned the Buffs a first down. Green gained one more yard on first down, and Tate Busse tackled Sramek after he caught Green's pass for a one-yard gain. After the first quarter horn sounded, the Buffs punted from the 36 yard line.
The Indians took possession after the out-of-bounds punt at their own 8 yard line. The first two plays, runs up the middle by Lampe and Rogers, gained nothing as the Buffs defense held strong. On 3rd down, the Indians attempted a play-action pass to Busse that was incomplete deep. On fourth down, the Indians punted.
Rawlins County returned the punt for short yardage before being tackled by Dalton Straub. On 1st down, the Buffs mishandled the deep snap. Maverick Green was tackled by the Indians for a loss. On 2nd down, a pass to Sramek gained 2 yards. On 3rd down, the Indians' pressure up front caused Green to scramble, before being tackled for no gain. The Buffs punted on 4th down with the ball going out-of-bounds at the Indian 21 yard line. A block-in-the-back penalty on the Indians moved the ball even deeper to the 11.
Jordan Raby gained 6 yards around the left side on first down. After an incomplete pass, Cravens connected with Waters in the left flat. The pass advanced the football to the Indians' 37 yard line. On the next play, Cravens ran around the left end all the way the to Buffs 27. One play later, Taylor Rogers sprinted around the left end for the third Indian touchdown of the evening. The conversion score was good, but an offensive pass interference penalty nullified the play. The Indians' PAT from the 18 yard line was intercepted by Buffs. The Indians led 20-0.
Brady Dinkel's kick-off was a high floating kick that was bobbled by Cole Sramek when he was hit hard by the Indians. The football was recovered by St. Francis. After a Rogers run for 2 yards, Cravens attempted a pass to the end zone. The pass was nearly intercepted. On 3rd-and-8, Cravens tried the left side and picked up 7 1/2 yards. On the next play. Cravens found Waters open in the right flat. Waters rambled to the 5 yard line setting up 1st-and-goal. On the next play, Cravens ran for the 4th St. Francis touchdown. Cravens scrambled for the conversion points, but a holding penalty moved the ball back to the 18 yard line. Cravens found Waters in the right flat for the 18-yard conversion. The Indians advanced their lead to 28-0 with just under six minutes remaining in the half.
Rawlins County returned the kick-off to their 28 yard line. Quarterback Marerick Green ran around the left side for a 6 yard gain before being tackled by Luin Norris. Green was forced to scramble on second down and was tackled by Dalton Straub for no gain. Facing 4th-and-2 the Buffs punted once again.
St. Francis took over after the ball went out-of-bounds at the SF 14. On first down, Cravens attempted a deep pass to Waters that fell incomplete. On 2nd down, Cravens connected with Taylor Rogers in the left flat. Rogers juked a defender, used a good block by Waters, and sprinted to the right side going 66 yards for a touchdown. A Cravens to Waters pass accounted for the conversion points. St. Francis now led 36-0.
Dinkel's kick went into the end zone for a touchback. On first down, the Indian defense got good pressure on the the RC quarterback. Waters and Busse tacked Green for a three-yard loss. Pressured again, Green scrambled again on 2nd down, picking up 5 yards. On 3rd-and-8, Green's pass included a SF holding penalty giving the Buffs a 1st-and-10 at the St. Francis 35 yard line. With less than two minutes to play in the half, it was the first entry into St. Francis territory for the Buffs. The Indians continued to apply good defensive pressure up front and eventually earned a 4th down interception by Cravens at the St. Francis 2 yard line.
Deep in their own territory, St. Francis elected to kneel down to run out the clock. St. Francis held a 38-0 lead at halftime.
Tyler Beckman's kick-off opening the second half sailed into the end zone. Passes from Cravens to Jordan Raby and Blake Waters moved the ball to mid-field quickly. Three successive incomplete passes (two dropped by open receivers) setup a 4th down punt by the Indians.
Rawlins County took over at the 21 yard line. After a 1st down run netted zero yards, Green's pass to Nick Withington was dropped incomplete. A 3rd-down pass to Wyatt Britt gained 5 yards in the right flat before a tackle by Rogers. A low, line-drive punt returned the ball back to the Indians.
Cravens returned the ball for a short gain to the 18 yard line. Cravens ran for 22 yards on first down, just entering RC territory. He pick up two more on the next play before passing to Jordan Raby on 2nd down. Raby, wide open near the end zone, dropped the pass. Cravens next pass was dropped by Rogers in the left flat. On 4th-and 2, Cravens ran for a first down to the RC 22 yard line. On the next play, the Buffaloes perfectly defended a pass intended for Rogers in the end zone. On the next play, Cravens completed a pass to Waters advancing the ball to the 6 yard line. Rogers ran for another touchdown on the ensuing play. The conversion points were also good, being added by a pass from Cravens to Tate Busse. The Indians had stretched the lead to 44-0.
Rawlins County continued to fight.On 3rd-and-5, Green scrambled around the left side for a first down at the RC 38. Quinton Cravens defended a deep pass from Green on 1st down. On 2nd down, a scrambling Green found Tyler Beckman for a 6 yard gain. Dylan Straub tackled Green for a very short gain on the next play. After a RC time-out, Green completed a fourth-down pass to Sramek. The play ended with a tackle by Cravens at the SF 27. Ryan Grover applied pressure to Green on the next play causing him to scramble and be tacked by Straub after a 4 yard gain. On 3rd down, Green completed a pass to Nick Withington in the right flat. The play advanced the football to the SF 3 yard line. It took the Buffs three tries, but they eventually scored on a one yard run by Green. The conversion pass was complete, but was stopped inches short by the Indian defense. St. Francis now led 44-6.
Rawlins County attempted an onside kick that was recovered by Ryan Grover for the Indians. The Indians began their final drive on the RC 39. Cravens pass intended for Waters fell incomplete on 1st down. Cravens connected with Taylor Rogers for a pass that was carried all the way to the 15 yard line by the shifty runner. On the next play, Jordan Raby caught a pass from Cravens in the endzone. Cravens ran up the middle for the conversion points to close the game on the 45-point rule. St. Francis defeated the Rawlins County Buffaloes 52-6..
The Indians have an open week next Friday. The Indians will face Quinter on October 21 in St. Francis.
