There are big wins, and then there are very big wins.
Boone Central/Newman Grove’s 43-22 victory over visiting Ord (4-2) in Class C1 District 6 play Friday night definitely fell into the “very big” category.
With the win, the Cardinals halted a three-game losing skid in impressive fashion and thrust themselves back into state playoff contention.
BC/NG (3-3) stunned Ord with a 50-yard lightning bolt touchdown in the waning seconds of the first half to take a 22-15 lead at intermission, then put the C1 #10 Chants away by completely dominating the third quarter.
The biggest play of the contest may well have been that long scoring strike. With the score tied at 15-15, the Ord secondary let Cardinal junior Cody Nelson slip deep and he gathered in a perfect rainbow from QB Dylan Gentrup with just 22 seconds remaining in the second quarter.
That came after the teams traded punches for most of the first 24 minutes.
While Ord’s first apparent touchdown – a 61-yard pass play from Jesse Ulrich to Garrett Bundy – was nullified by a block-in-the-back penalty, the Chants did strike first. Ulrich capped a 78-yard, 17-play drive with a one-yard TD plunge and also ran for the two-point conversion.
BC/NG responded on its ensuing possession, with Gentrup completing consecutive passes to Derek Stuhr (25 yards) and Nelson (45 yards), then scoring on a one-yard run. He matched Ulrich’s conversion run to tie the score.
That stalemate was short-lived, as Ulrich immediately passed 52 yards to Bundy for another six points. Ord booted the PAT to lead 15-7.
The Cardinals again had an answer, marching 65 yards 13 plays. Levi Kreuger scored the touchdown, taking a swing pass from Gentrup and racing around and through Chanticleers to complete a 26-yard scoring play. Will Frey’s PAT made it 15-15.
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There was no back-and-forth in the third period, however. Boone Central/Newman Grove extended its seven-point halftime lead by driving 65 yards on the opening series of the second half. Kreuger bolted over from two yards out for the touchdown and Frey tacked on the PAT.
The Cardinal defense stuffed Ord’s Trevin Kruml on a fourth-down attempt on the following possession, giving BC/NG possession at its 41-yard line. It took the Cards just three plays to reach the end zone again, Gentrup breaking free and streaking 45 yards with 5:10 remaining in the quarter. Frey again added the PAT.
Caden Ranslem recovered an Ulrich fumble four plays later and Boone Central/Newman Grove put the final nails in the Ord coffin with a 53-yard scoring march that carried into the final period. Gentrup scored on the drive’s 11th play from five yards out and Frey made it 43-15 with the PAT.
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