Longhorns get Homecoming win over Perkins County 60-42

On a very cold Friday afternoon, the Kimball High Longhorn Football Team secured their 2nd win of the season defeating visiting Perkins County 60-42 in a high scoring contest. The contest was a rare afternoon game with kickoff at 1 p.m. And despite the cold, the stands were filled with a good turnout from both towns. I might add that despite the bitter cold, there were only 3 turnovers in the game although there were 11 fumbles total.

Kimball jumped out to a 28-8 first quarter lead with Zane Anthony getting the Horns on the board early with a 1 yard touchdown run and then ran in the 2 point conversion. Izaac Reuter connected with Austin Lulf for a 35 yard TD to make it 14-0 when the conversion try failed.

The Perkins County club, with only 9 players suited, gave great effort and came right back to score and close to 14-8, but the Horns would get two more scores before the 1st quarter ended with Reuter busting loose for a 43 yard run and then hitting Lulf for the 2 point conversion on a pass. Anthony, who always seems to come up with a big play intercepted a Plainsman pass and ran it in for a TD but again the conversion run failed.

Alex Patrick, a standout player for Perkins County, scored the first TD of the 2nd quarter on a 4 yard run to cut the margin to 28-14, but Anthony would score twice more before half time on a 3 yard run with Jake Jenkins running in the conversion, and then the shifty and quick footed Anthony striking again on a 22 yard run and Corey Travis ran in the conversion to make the score board read 44-14 at intermission.

In the 3rd quarter Patrick would score twice for the visitors and Jake Jenkins had a 9 yard touchdown run for Kimball with Travis running in the conversion. It was 52-28 heading into the 4th period where Patrick scored 2 more times for the Grant club, including a 75 yard run and a 19 yarder. Reuter broke for another long run for Kimball of 53 yards to complete the scoring.

Perkins County actually held a small margin of 4 yards in total offense with their 365 to Kimball's 361, led in first downs 20 to 18, and had a minute and a half more time of possession. It was mostly a ground game for both clubs as Perkins County was 0 of 6 passing with 1 interception that Anthony turned into a touchdown for Kimball. The Horns were 1 of 1 for a TD plus their conversion completions.

Alex Patrick, 170 pound junior for the Plainsmen, amassed 320 yards rushing on 33 carries for a 9.7 yard average per carry and scored 5 touchdowns. He was also Grant's top defender with 10 solo tackles and 2 assists.

Kimball had pair of 100 plus yard rushers with Reuter getting 145 yards on 9 carries for a 16 yard average and 2 touchdowns, and Anthony 113 yards on 17 carries for 3 touchdowns. Jake Jenkins had 50 yards on 9 carries with 1 TD. Lulf had the 1 catch for a 35 yard TD.

A solid game for senior lineman Corey Travis who led the tackle charts for Kimball with 5 tackles and 6 assists including 2 tackles for loss yardage, Jake Jenkins and Luis Portillo both charted 3 solo stops and 4 assists and Portillo was in on 1.5 tackles for loss, Christian Allen-Van Pelt was 1 and 7, Zane Anthony 2 and 5 with the interception for a TD, Izaac Reuter 2 and 5 with tackle for loss, Austin Lulf 2 and 2, Toby McManigal 1 and 4, Ethan Greenwood 1 and 3, and Blaynne Rohde 2 and 1.

Along with their play on the field, Anthony, Reuter and McManigal were recognized as Homecoming Royalty at half time with McManigal crowned Homecoming King. Lacey Klinkhammer was crowned queen with Hailey Paxton and Madison Wynne as attendants.

The Horns are on the road to Morrill this Friday with kickoff set for 7 p.m. The Lions lost to Bayard 64-26 this past week and are 2-2 on the season.

Perkins County 8 6 14 14---42

Kimball 28 16 8 8---60