pictured is Zach Miller
The Abilene Cowboys proved last week’s victory over Marysville was no fluke, with a 27-8 victory at Concordia Friday night. Abilene improved to 2-0, 2-0 (NCKL) with the win and snapped a 5-game losing streak to Concordia.
Concordia opened the game with a 10 play, 65-yard drive, that took 5:21 off the clock. Junior Quarterback, Braeden Primeaux, capped the opening series with a 1 yard run and Senior, Stryker Hake added the 2-point conversion to give the Panthers an 8-0 lead with 6:34 to play in the first quarter.
The Panthers then attempted an onside kick that was recovered by Abilene’s Joe Nicks at the Concordia 45-yard line. The Cowboys would then put together a 6-play drive capped by an 8-yard run by Junior, Zach Miller. The extra point would pull Abilene to within 8-7 with 5:09 to play in the opening quarter.
The Cowboy defense would then step up. Concordia appeared to be headed for a touchdown on their third series. Hake busted loose for a 51-yard run to the Abilene 3-yard line. He was caught on the long run by Junior, Judah Bowell. The Panthers went on to get back-to-back penalties and on 4th and 11, Freshman Heath Hoekman sacked Primeaux, to complete the goal line stand.
Abilene would grab their first lead of the game on a 65-yard drive capped by a Weston Rock 5-yard touchdown reception from Junior Quarterback Stocton Timbrook. It would be the first of two scores on the night by Rock, a Sophomore. He was the co-Nex-Tech Wireless Player of the Game along with the offensive and defensive lines for the Cowboys. Rock’s touchdown gave Abilene A 14-8 lead after the P.A.T. at the 4:40 mark of the second quarter. That would remain the score at halftime.
In the third quarter, Hoekman came up big again. This time on offense. On 3rd and 10 at the Concordia 35-yard line he out jumped two defenders to catch a ball at the Panther 1 yard line. One play later Timbrook would take it in for the score to extend the lead to 21-8 after the X.P. with 4:36 to play in the 3rd quarter.
Abilene put the game away in the 4th quarter. Concordia went for it on 4th and 13 at their own 42-yard line and Junior, Sam Whitehair, came through with the Cowboy’s second drive ending sack of the night. Rock would finish off the scoring on the night 4 plays later on a 4-yard reception with 2:20 left in the game.
The offensive line of Tyler Holloway, Devin Alvarez, Tristan Randles, Richard Ortiz and Sam Whitehair helped pave the way for 280 yards of total offense in the victory. Timbrook finished the night 16-26 for 131 yards and 2 touchdowns. Junior, Zach Miller balanced the offense with 109 yards on 21 carries.
Alvarez, Randles, Ortiz along with Junior, Kayden Timm started on the defensive line in the victory. They limited Concordia to 249 yards in the loss and the Cowboys have only surrendered 15 total points in the first two weeks after giving up an average of 43.6 ppg last season.
Abilene will travel to Clay Center to face a Tiger team that took down Chapman 24-0 on the road Friday night. Clay Center is 1-1, 1-1 on the season, they lost to Wamego 45-6 in their opener. Wamego 2-0, 2-0 will travel to Concordia 1-1, 1-1 next week.
