Bulldogs 49-14 over Warrensburg - On to Semifinals

Thunder rolled and lightning flashed in the Missouri Class 4, state quarterfinal playoff round in Warrensburg. The Kearney Bulldog senior running back combination of Tristan Williams and Corbin Emmons combined for 263 rushing yards and three touchdowns in a decisive 49-14 win over the 11-2 Warrensburg Tigers.

Kearney set the tone early, scoring first on a 2-yard Grant Noland run behind a dominating Bulldog offensive line. Jacob Dillon’s point-after kick was perfect for a 7-0 lead.

Corbin Emmons had 96 yards rushing and scored two touchdowns for the Bulldogs Friday night.

Warrensburg entered the contest with a 7-game win streak, three of which were playoff wins. Their high-flying offense behind senior quarterback Kobe Westphal struck quickly on a 78-yard pass and run to sophomore ZJ Graham. The point-after kick evened the game at 7-7.

Kearney quarterback Carter Temple ran 11 yards for a touchdown late in the first quarter which was set up by a Tre Smith 12-yard, end-around carry. Temple came back immediately with a 2-yard carry for touchdown early in the second quarter giving Kearney a 21-7 lead. Temple would go on to run the ball 12 times for 62 rushing yards.

Warrensburg answered with a Westphal to AJ Smith 22-yard catch and run for touchdown. The Bulldogs came right back with a Tristan Williams 3-yard dash to the endzone to take a 28-14 halftime lead.

The Bulldogs scored on a Grant Noland 1-yard dive with their opening possession in the third quarter. Corbin Emmons tacked on another 1-yard touchdown. The score was 42-14 and Kearney’s defense took to the field with a mission: Hold Warrensburg scoreless in the second half.

“Boys, this is a weight-room game,” said Head Coach Logan Minnick. “I told our kids at halftime, we may not put a receiver on the field the rest of this game,” he continued. “I told our defense, ‘they (Warrensburg) do not score again.’ The defense bought into that, and we got the result we wanted.”

On heavy pressure up the middle, senior middle linebacker Theo Grace strip-sacked the Warrensburg quarterback and Mason Beaver recovered the fumble. Grace had three tackles, one assist, and three sacks. Grant Noland ran downhill from the safety position recording one tackle, eight assists, a sack, and one tackle for loss.

And so, it continues. Kearney defensive coordinator Marcus Brinkley schemed it perfectly. Kearney’s defense stalled the Warrensburg air show. The Tigers dropped like bricks when they were pressured up the middle or chased down from the edges by the likes of Mason Beaver, Isaac Beaver, Clayton Cowan, Aiden Arellano, Kale Tucking, Tyler Maynard, Theo Grace, Grant Noland, or linebacker/kicker Jacob Dillon, who picked off a pass from a zone coverage that completely frustrated the high-flying Tigers on a potential scoring drive.

Eight sacks, two tackles for loss, an interception, a forced fumble and recovery; not a bad day at the office by any measure. Corbin Emmons ran 6 yards for the final 49-14 win. Jacob Dillon was perfect on point-after kicks. The Class 4 quarterfinal-winning Kearney Bulldogs boarded the “yellow dogs” – Coach Minnick’s version of the standard issue school bus – and headed back to Kearney.

By the time any of the players on those buses reads this, they will have moved on to prepare for their next mission; one that requires the utmost urgency. The Lutheran North Crusaders are coming to Kearney for the Missouri Class 4 state semifinal. The winner moves on to the Missouri Class 4 state high school championship game.

Coach Minnick expects his team to play their best football every game; to be stronger, faster, smarter, and tougher with each consecutive contest. This game could perhaps require a mightier effort than the final championship game. We won’t know. Not until we get there. And it won’t be on the “yellow dogs”. It’ll be on a luxury coach.

The Bulldog Radio Network will carry the live broadcast of the semifinal game Saturday, November 30, at 1:00pm. Pregame starts at 12:40.

KPGZ News – Mike Davis contributed to this story.

Remember Safety this Thanksgiving Holiday

The Missouri State Highway Patrol says there will be an increase in traffic over the Thanksgiving holiday. Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel periods of the year, with Wednesday and Sunday afternoon/evenings being the most heavily traveled times.

The counting period for the 2024 Thanksgiving holiday weekend is from 6 p.m. Wednesday, November 27, 2024, to 11:59 p.m. Sunday, December 1, 2024. Troopers will be participating in Operation C.A.R.E., enforcing all traffic laws, and available to assist the public.

Over the 2023 Thanksgiving holiday counting period, nine people were killed and 483 injured in 1,342 traffic crashes.

Drivers should be sure their vehicle is in good condition, obey all traffic laws, and be sure everyone in the vehicle is wearing a seat belt or secured in the appropriate child safety seat for their size and age. The Highway Patrol also reminds drivers that Missouri is now a hands-free state and there is never a reason to speed, drive aggressively, or drive impaired.

The MoDOT Traveler Information Map can be a helpful tool while people are traveling. The map provides up-to-date information such as road closures, delays, construction zones, and alternative routes. Travelers can download the app for free to their smart device or access it by using this link: traveler.modot.org/map/index.html.

The public is encouraged to call the Patrol's Emergency Report Line (800) 525-5555 or *55 on their cell phone if they witness criminal activity, observe driving behavior that could cause a crash, or experience an emergency. These phone numbers are operational for both highway and water emergencies.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this report.

Three Kearney Teens Involved in Fatality Crash

Three people are dead, and three others went to the hospital after a Sunday morning crash in Atchison County on November 17. The crash involved three teens from Kearney.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports the crash occurred around 7:22 am on I-29 North, six miles north of Watson, Missouri.

A 29-year-old Bellevue, Nebraska man drove south into northbound traffic and struck a car head-on driven by 18-year-old Kole Cunningham of Kearney. The car continued south after the collision, traveled off the road, hit a bridge, and caught fire. Cunningham's vehicle traveled off the road as well, and flipped upside-down.

The drivers of both vehicles were pronounced dead at the scene. 18-year-old Lucy Yeates of Kearney was also pronounced dead at the scene. The Missouri State Highway Patrol report indicates she was not wearing a seatbelt.

A second passenger in Cunningham's vehicle, 18-year-old Aubrey Yeates from Kearney, suffered serious injuries and was flown to Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. She was wearing a seatbelt.

A one-year-old boy in the Nebraska man's car suffered moderate injuries and was taken to Grape Hospital in Hamburg, Iowa.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story.

Bulldogs Defeat Savannah for District Title

For the second straight year, the Kearney Bulldogs are Class 4 District 8 champions. Kearney ran the ball 29 times for 277 yards in a 34-7 district championship win over the Savannah Savages.

Senior Grant Noland scored on a second-quarter 14-yard pass reception from Carter Temple, and a 42-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter. He also led the Kearney defense with six solo tackles, four assists, and two tackles for loss.

The Kearney Bulldog defense held Savannah quarterback Aiden Knechtenhofer to only 73 yards passing until a late fourth quarter, 67-yard pass and run to Max Howe for the Savages’ only score. Kearney’s defense slammed the door on any hope of a meaningful Savannah running attack, holding the Savages to only 54 total rushing yards, 41 of which were Knechtenhofer scrambles.

Corbin Emmons dashes to the endzone for a bulldog touchdown. Photo by Eric Stevens.

“Anytime our defense is playing the way they’ve been playing, it doesn't take a ton of points to get to where we need to be,” said Head Coach Logan Minnick.

Bulldog dual-threat quarterback, Carter Temple was 8 of 13 for 85 yards passing and one touchdown. Temple led the Bulldogs in rushing with 95 yards and a touchdown. Senior running back Tristan Williams had 66 yards and a touchdown, Noland had 58 yards on 3 carries and a touchdown, and Corbin Emmons rushed for 49 yards on 10 carries with a touchdown.

“Coming into this game, we knew Savannah was pretty physical,” said Kearney senior lineman, Nyk Belabre. “We had to be just as physical up front. Our running backs ran hard, and Carter had some great plays.”

“The big guys up front have been good all year and had a great night,” said Minnick. “We challenged them all week. That is a very good defense over there.”

Kearney forced two Savannah turnovers in the first half of play: A Trent Dostal pass interception; and a blocked punt by Jacob Dillon recovered by Conner Reid. Kearney’s offense capitalized on both, scoring 14 points in the second quarter.

Kearney punted the ball once. The defense had six tackles for loss and a sack against a prolific offense led by a talented, athletic quarterback in Aiden Knechtenhofer. The Bulldogs would score three final touchdowns in the fourth quarter for the 34-7 win over Savannah, a team that averaged 34.5 points per game this season.

“You know as we talk about our goals for the year and putting banners up in the gym, this is banner number two this year,” said Minnick. “You win the conference, you win the district and now, we're going to try to make a run at this thing.”

Kearney will face the Warrensburg Tigers in Warrensburg for the state quarterfinal game on Friday, November 22 at 7:00 pm. The Bulldog Radio Network will carry the live broadcast. Pregame begins at 6:40.

Mike Davis contributed to this story.

Watch for Increased Deer Along Roadways this Fall

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Missouri has consistently ranked within the top 15 states nationally for collisions involving deer. The Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance (DCI) warns drivers to be mindful of deer and other wild animals that commonly cross the roadways as temperatures drop and nights become longer.

In 2023, Missouri drivers experienced 3,591 crashes involving deer, equating to one deer strike occurring approximately every 2 hours and 30 minutes in the state. In these crashes, there were four fatalities, and 420 people were injured.

“Dawn and dusk are the most susceptible times to experience deer collisions,” said Chlora Lindley-Myers, Director of the Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance. “Always be cautious and regularly scan both sides of the roadway. Keep in mind some accidents are unavoidable, so it’s always best to be prepared by contacting your agent or carrier to discuss appropriate insurance coverage.”

Deer are often in groups, even in populated areas. Be extra cautious at night when animals tend to be more active and watch for the reflection of their eyes from your vehicle headlights. Stay focused while driving and be ready to react by reducing your speed if you encounter deer. Never swerve to avoid animals in the road, as it can cause loss of vehicle control, resulting in serious injury or death.

Damage to a vehicle from an accident with an animal is covered under an auto policy’s optional comprehensive coverage. If you only have collision or liability coverage, your insurance carrier will not cover vehicle damage from an animal collision.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates damage caused by deer accidents alone results in about $1 billion of uninsured losses annually. If you experience an animal collision accident, ensure your personal safety before promptly reporting the incident to your insurance carrier. Take photos to document the on-scene damage if you can do so safely. Filing a claim for an accident covered by your comprehensive coverage means you’ll still need to pay a deductible. After that, your insurer typically covers the costs of the claim up to your policy limits.

MO DCI Press Release