Kearney Prevails 28-14 over Grain Valley

The Kearney Bulldogs drew one of the toughest schedules imaginable; opening their season against Fort Osage and later facing in order: Smithville, Park Hill, North Kansas City and Grain Valley. Kearney remains 6-0 and sits at the top of Missouri Class-4.

Kearney Prevails 28-14 over Grain Valley. Photo by Ray Weikal.

“We know we're battle tested. When we go at this thing and try to make a run at (a title) you know it's going to be that way,” said Head Coach Logan Minnick. “We've got two teams in our district ranked in the top five in class-4, so it's not long before we're playing huge games again.”

Grain Valley mobilized every strength they could muster right up to the final minutes with 6-man defensive fronts, and a vicious ground attack behind sophomore running back, Dawson Head who ran for 144 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries.

Despite a brilliant effort by the visiting eagles, they couldn’t contain an overwhelming Kearney offensive attack. Bulldog quarterback Carter Temple scored twice in the first half on 1-yard and 4-yard runs. With 23 seconds remaining in the second quarter, Temple hit Dryden Hendrix on a 24-yard screen pass. Hendrix shed five, would-be tacklers on his way to the end zone as Kearney took a 21-7 halftime lead.

“Those last two wins against class-6 teams were definitely tough, but tonight was honestly a little tougher,” said Kearney senior linebacker Konner Dampier. “They were some big dudes and were technically sound, but we came out with the win tonight.”

Temple ran the football 21 times for 74 yards and 3 touchdowns. His final score, with 59 seconds remaining in the game, was on a reverse-field cutback move that left Grain Valley defenseless.

Kearney running back Matthew Lindsey rushed for 78 yards on 8 carries, Hendrix had 37 yards and a touchdown. Overall, the Bulldog offense had 198 yards rushing and threw for 143 to the Eagles’ 157 rushing and 32 passing yards.

Kearney hosts Raytown South next week for Homecoming.

KPGZ News – Mike Davis contributed to this story.

Bulldogs Execute Another Shutout Win

Ellie Switzer came up big with a single that cleared the bases for three runs. Photo By David Haggart.

The Kearney Bulldog Softball team delivered a commanding performance Tuesday, defeating the Excelsior Springs Tigers 7-0 behind a dominant shutout pitched by Reghan Lueken. The Bulldogs’ pitching and timely hitting kept the Tigers off the board at Kearney High School.

Kearney struck first in the opening inning when Alyssa Quick doubled to bring in two runs, setting the tone early for the Bulldogs. Quick continued her strong night in the third, blasting a solo home run over center field to extend the lead. The Bulldogs pulled away in the sixth inning, scoring four runs to secure the victory. Ellie Switzer came up big with a single that cleared the bases for three runs, while Reese Narron added another run with a single of her own.

Excelsior Springs pitcher Kayden Rogers worked six innings, allowing seven runs—four of them earned—on eight hits. Rogers struck out two and walked two in the effort, but couldn’t slow the Bulldogs’ offense.

The bottom of Kearney’s lineup came through, with Quick leading the team with three RBIs and finishing 2-for-3. Kennedi Casey also contributed, matching Quick with two hits. On the Tigers’ side, Bella Loeffert, Josie Casler, and Rogers each picked up a hit, but the team couldn’t push any runs across. Excelsior Springs did manage to turn a double play defensively, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Kearney’s momentum.

With Lueken shutting down the Tigers’ bats and the Bulldogs’ offense firing on all cylinders, Kearney earned a well-deserved shutout win to keep their season rolling. The Bulldogs are now 21-5 on the season.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story.

Quick Hits for the Cycle, Landewee Throws No-Hitter

It was a night to remember at the diamond as Kearney High School Varsity delivered a commanding 11-0 win over the Smithville Warriors on Tuesday, marked by standout performances from Alyssa Quick and pitcher Kate Landewee.

Alyssa Quick put on a show at the plate, hitting for the cycle and powering the Bulldogs’ offense. Photo by David Haggart.

Alyssa Quick put on a show at the plate, hitting for the cycle and powering the Bulldogs’ offense. She started strong with a double in the opening frame, driving in two runs to put Kearney on the board. In the second inning, Quick crushed a home run to center field, bringing in three more runs and helping build an early lead. She added a single in the fifth and capped off her night with a triple in the sixth, completing the rare feat and keeping the momentum firmly with Kearney.

On the mound, Kate Landewee was untouchable. The Kearney ace struck out 13 batters, allowing no hits or runs over six flawless innings without issuing a single walk. Smithville’s lineup could not solve Landewee, who kept them off balance from start to finish.

Kearney’s offense was relentless, tallying 15 hits on the night. Morgan Pennington, Brooke Paalhar, Kennedi Casey, and Reese Narron each picked up multiple hits, while Paalhar also drove in a run with a single in the second. The Bulldogs added four more runs in that inning, stretching their lead and never looking back.

Defensively, Kearney was perfect, playing error-free ball. Caroline Jury led the way in the field, recording 13 chances without a misstep.

For Smithville, Nora Schoening took the loss, pitching two and two-thirds innings and giving up 10 runs on 12 hits. She finished the outing without a strikeout and walked one.

With Quick’s cycle and Landewee’s no-hitter, Kearney High School Varsity sent a clear message with their dominant performance, securing a memorable win and pursuing the Suburban Blue Conference Title for the fourth year in a row.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story.