It wasn’t quite what the coaches scripted.
It wasn’t easy, it wasn’t always smooth.
Very typical for a season opener.
However, even if Boone Central was not exactly polished Friday night in Albion, the Cardinals emerged with a shiny 42-21 triumph over visiting Broken Bow to begin the 2022 season 1-0.
A win is a win is a win.
The feisty Indians did not go down easily to Omaha World-Herald Class C-1 #4 Boone Central. Led by slippery option QB Eli Coble, Bow scored the game’s initial points and knotted the score at 21-21 with 3:11 remaining in the third quarter.
From there, Boone caught a break and capitalized, produced some key offensive plays, and got stops when needed to regain momentum and pull away for win one.
As Cardinal Coach Mark Hudson stated later, it made for an entertaining game for fans. At least neutral ones. Boone backers were on the edge of the seats for a good portion of the evening.
“Broken Bow graduated a lot, which made first-game preparation even tougher. They had some new formations and concepts that did catch us off guard, and those were a big part of their big plays,” Hudson said. “Add to that some first-game problems with not doing our jobs consistently, and that makes for an entertaining game for fans and a frustrating one for coaches.
“We scrambled up some adjustments and the kids made enough plays in the second half to win. All first games are full of mistakes – but in this one there were a plethora of them, and the boys need to be ready to be coached hard this next week.”
With the score tied 21-21, it would all come down to the fourth quarter and which team could make the necessary plays.
To the delight of the hometown crowd, it was the Cardinals who took flight.
Boone answered Broken Bow’s score with a seven-play march to the Bow eight-yard line to end the third period, highlighted by tough seven, five and six-yard runs by Rasmussen and Christo completions of nine, 29 and 16 yards to Benes.
On the first play of the final stanza, Christo fired a touchdown pass to Fogleman. A two-point conversion attempt failed, leaving Boone with a precarious 27-21 advantage.
Not for long.
Following another three-and-done by the Indian offense, Christo passed to Jack Roberts and the big Card senior advanced to the Indian 18, knocking several defenders aside like bowling pins. On the ensuing play, Christo and Fogleman hooked up again for the score, and Christo’s conversion run made it 35-21.
Four plays later, Benes – a thorn in Broken Bow’s side all game long – intercepted a Coble pass attempt and rambled 38 yards to score the game’s final touchdown. Fogleman tacked on another PAT.
That’s how winning teams and programs finish games.
Further details & stats in Print & Online editions of Albion News/Boone County Tribune
