Bulldog Legacy Sealed with Grit, Pride, and Class

The Kearney Bulldogs showcased extraordinary heart and determination in their nail-biting matchup against the Father Tolton Trailblazers, ultimately coming just short in a dramatic 2-1 finish on Friday, October 31. With the game knotted at one run each heading into the bottom of the seventh inning, Kearney’s resilience pushed the contest to the final play, where the Trailblazers managed to edge ahead with a walk-off single from Kenadie May.

2025 Bulldog Softball Team - 2nd Place. Photo Submitted by Katelyn Birchfield.

Throughout the season, Kearney demonstrated the strength and unity of a truly exceptional team, smashing several school records along the way. Kate Landewee set a new high for strikeouts in a season, Alyssa Quick broke the single-season home run record, and Brooke Paalhar established new marks for career hits, doubles, and RBIs. The Bulldogs also made history with their record 31 wins, underscoring the talent and drive of this remarkable squad.

The game itself was a masterclass in pitching, with Father Tolton’s staff collecting 12 strikeouts and Kearney’s hurlers close behind with 11. The tension mounted until the sixth inning, when the Bulldogs struck first—Kennedi Casey doubled, sending home Ellie Switzer with Kearney’s lone run and giving the team a well-earned lead.

Even as Father Tolton responded in the bottom of the sixth, Kearney remained undaunted. Alexis Sexauer’s single tied the game, setting up an electrifying seventh inning. Kearney’s athletes rose to the occasion, battling fiercely until the very last pitch.

Both teams were anchored by standout performances in the circle. Bella Trim secured the win for the Trailblazers with a complete game, but Kearney’s Kate Landewee matched her stride for stride, pitching six and two-thirds innings and allowing only four hits and two runs (one earned) while striking out 11. The defensive effort from the Bulldogs was equally impressive, with players Brooke Paalhar and Kennedi Casey leading the offense and delivering key at-bats.

Father Tolton’s defense was sharp, but Kearney’s determination never wavered. Despite the heartbreak of a last-moment finish, the Bulldogs’ grit and accomplishments throughout the season have established them as one of the school’s most memorable teams. Their resilience, teamwork, and record-breaking performances will be remembered and celebrated for years to come.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story.

Quick’s Power and Landewee’s Dominance Propel Bulldogs to State Final

Alyssa Quick powered the Kearney Bulldogs to a decisive 9-0 victory over the St. Francis Borgia Varsity Knights Thursday, October 30, delivering two home runs and collecting four runs batted in.

2025 Bulldog Softball. Photo by Ray Weikal.

Quick’s first blast came in the fourth inning, a solo shot to left field that ignited a rally for the Bulldogs. She struck again in the sixth, launching a three-run homer to center and helping Kearney seal the win.

Pitcher Kate Landewee was again unstoppable from the circle, tossing a complete seven-inning shutout. The right-hander racked up an impressive 18 strikeouts, holding the Knights’ offense to just two hits and never allowing them to mount a threat.

The Bulldogs broke open a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fourth. Quick led off with her solo homer, setting the tone for the inning. Soon after, Kate Stumpenhaus added a two-run homer to center, widening the gap, and Ellie Switzer followed with a single to drive in another run. By inning’s end, Kearney held a 4-0 lead.

Kearney’s offense erupted again in the sixth. Kennedi Casey contributed a run-scoring single before Quick’s second home run cleared the bases, pushing the Bulldogs’ advantage to 9-0. The Bulldogs finished the day with 12 hits, including multi-hit performances from Morgan Pennington and Stumpenhaus.

For St. Francis Borgia, right-hander Eve Schmelz took the loss, pitching four innings and yielding four runs (three earned) on six hits. Despite her efforts, the Knights’ offense couldn’t break through Landewee’s dominant outing, managing only two hits—one apiece from Clara Nowak and Stella Hancock.

With the win, Kearney High School Varsity showcased both power at the plate and command in the circle, delivering a statement performance as they continue to the Class 4 State Final game at 12:45 pm tomorrow.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story.

Undefeated Bulldogs are Conference Champs – Again

The Kearney Bulldogs took care of business on a chilly Thursday night with a 63-6 win over the Excelsior Springs Tigers. In their final game of the regular season the Bulldogs rushed for 283 yards and passed for 158 more, emerging as the Suburban Blue Conference champions and establishing themselves as the one-seed with a first-round bye in the Class-4, District-8 playoffs.

Senior starting quarterback Carter Temple was 4 of 8 for 80 yards passing. Photo by Eric Stevens.

“I'm so happy our district moved the game up a day,” said head coach Logan Minnick. “What an unbelievable weather night for football and for senior night for all the activities involved.”

“I think we had seven or eight different people score touchdowns tonight,” said Minnick. “That's always fun. I'm so proud of our kids, you know this is three undefeated seasons out of four, and you know those are hard to get. You've got a senior class with three of them. I’m so proud of the kids’ effort and glad we got to honor them tonight.”

Kearney got the entire roster involved in this senior night blow-out. Twelve different players contributed to the rushing total, including some underclassmen and senior defensive players, who throughout the season, had limited opportunities to touch the ball on offense. Senior running back Kendahl Davis carried the ball 11 times for 61 yards and led the team with two touchdowns. Senior defensive linemen Isaac Beaver and Jackson Leigh-Kent both scored rushing touchdowns on short yardage plunges into the end zone. Senior cornerback and backup quarterback Brad Doll scored on a 6-yard carry to the end zone.

Dryden Hendrix ran for 68 yards and a touchdown. Lindsey Matthew had one 20-yard carry. Freshmen, Colt Weymann had two carries for 37 yards and Landry Parks ran for seven. Senior running back Corbin Emmons had 34 yards rushing and a 51-yard touchdown reception. Sophomore running back, Cruise Emmons carried for 18 yards.

Senior starting quarterback Carter Temple was 4 of 8 for 80 yards passing and stepped aside in the second half for Brad Doll who was 3 of 3 for 66 yards. Later in the game, sophomore Caden Webster was 2 of 2 for 12 yards.

On special teams, Drew Nelson was 7 of 7 on point-after kicks. Kale Tucking had a 56-yard punt return for touchdown. Defensively, sophomore Byrom Braxton had two interceptions.

“We were very excited that we got every single healthy kid that was on the sideline in the game tonight,” said Minnick. “And that’s including we dressed six freshmen tonight.”

District playoffs begin next Thursday, October 30. With their first-round bye, the Bulldogs will face the winner of Van Horn vs. Excelsior Springs on Friday, November 7. District playoff brackets can be found at MSHSAA.org.

KPGZ News – Mike Davis contributed to this story.