Kearney entered their last regular season game against the Belton Pirates with a 6-2 record and ranked 4th in Missouri Class 4. Emotions were high as a boatload of Bulldogs were recognized in a pre-game ceremony that featured 26 senior players and their families.

Senior Brock Colhour started the Bulldog scoring with an incredible 85 yard punt return with 5:38 to go in the first quarter.

The Pirates would send a shot across the bow when QB Cooper Schrum found Elias Walker in the corner of the endzone for a 30 yard touchdown pass. After this Belton score, the Kearney defense would batten down the hatches and not allow another point on the night.

The Bulldogs would use their entire arsenal to add 5 more touchdowns in the remainder of the game.

At 10:21 to go in the second quarter, Corbin Emmons scored on a 3-yard rushing TD to extend the Bulldog lead 14-7. After a tremendous defensive goal line stand by the Bulldogs led by Seniors Tyler Jarrett and Carson Shears, Rooney would fire a shot to Cameron Emmons for a 35-yard TD pass on 4th and 12 to make the score 21-7 with :20 seconds remaining in the half.

To start the 2nd half, Belton would attempt an onside kick but the Bulldogs anticipated they may run a rig and easily recovered the ball after a devastating block from Cameron Emmons cleared the way.

After a Rooney bullet pass to Cameron Emmons moved the ball inside the 10-yard line, Theo Grace scored his first TD of the season from the “Ham package”. The play made famous by his brother Zach last season extended the Kearney lead to 28-7.

On the subsequent kickoff, Coach Minnick would order an onside kick of his own. Junior Kicker, Jacob Dillon, executed the play to perfection as he kicked and recovered the ball. Dillon was also a perfect 6-6 on PAT’s for the night.

The Bulldogs would find paydirt 30 seconds after the onside kick with a 49-yard pass play from Casey Rooney to Manny Linthacum. This made the score 35-7. Rooney would find Trent Dostal in the back of the endzone on a 30 yard play action pass to complete the scoring with 11:16 to go in the game.

With the final score of 42-7, Kearney extended their streak to 6 games of scoring 40 or more points while holding their opponents to under 13 points.

Kearney finishes the regular season in shipshape at 7-2. The Bulldogs will play the Benton Cardinals at home next Friday to open District play.