#1 Boone Central hosting #2 Aurora?
#1 Aurora visiting #2 Boone Central?
It depended on who you asked.
These heavyweights were considered the class of Class C1 entering the 2023 football season. The question? Who was #1?
At the end of Friday’s marquee early-season showdown, it was the Boone Central Cardinals with a 42-7 statement victory and bragging rights … for now.
There’s a long season … then postseason … to yet navigate. But for one night, in one game, featuring two prominent class championship contenders, what a performance by the Cardinals!
Boone Central parlayed a combination of key defensive stops and clutch offensive conversions to take the early lead, held a 14-7 halftime edge at the end of a very competitive and compelling first half, then stormed away to the wide margin of victory following intermission.
Cardinal contributors stepped up everywhere.
Boone’s experienced defensive unit snuffed four Aurora drives with fourth-down stops. Senior quarterback James Fogleman ran the Card offense adroitly and made timely throws. Senior Caden Stokes, a standout linebacker, enjoyed his best game at tight end with six receptions and a touchdown. Then there was senior Parker Borer – 202 yards and four touchdowns on 20 carries.
At times Aurora actually moved the ball quite well, especially in the first quarter and continuing throughout much of the first half. The Huskies were unable to capitalize, however, as Boone Central halted three scoring threats on fourth-down attempts, several inside the Cardinal red zone.
Boone scored the game’s initial points on its own fourth-down gamble at the Aurora 25-yard line with 54 seconds remaining in the first quarter. Fogleman lofted a touch pass to Stokes, who made the catch and bulldozed through several tackle attempts to reach the end zone. The PAT failed. Boone Central 6-0. The Cardinals doubled up midway through quarter two as Borer blasted 13 yards to paydirt and Fogleman connected with fullback Hank Hudson for the two-point conversion. Aurora was finally able to answer with an ensuing 68-yard scoring drive culminated by Maddox Eggers’ one-yard run.
Boone then made its one critical error of the contest, Fogleman throwing an interception that Cardinal Coach Mark Hudson blamed primarily on his own play-call following the contest. Aurora, with momentum, marched from midfield to the Boone Central five-yard line, only to be thwarted by the Cardinal D’s third fourth-down stop of the half. Boone 14-7 at intermission.
The pendulum of momentum swung violently in favor of Boone Central in the second half. Aurora received the kickoff to begin the third quarter and made another of several curious fourth-down decisions, going for the first down rather than punting (or attempting a field goal). Again, the Boone defense rose up and slammed the door, forcing an incomplete pass by Huskie quarterback Booker Scheierman.
The Cardinals wasted no time taking advantage of field possession at the Aurora 28-yard line. Borer capped a short touchdown drive with an eight-yard ramble, then added an 18-yard scoring run with seconds remaining in the third period. Boone Central 28-7.
The starch seemed to drain from the Huskies at that point and Boone Central used the fourth quarter to validate its quality throughout the contest. Borer galloped 36 yards to boost Boone’s lead to 35-7 and Hudson bolted eight yards for the final points of the night.
Final Cardinal statement – Boone Central 42, Aurora 7.
Further details and stats in Print & Online editions of News/Tribune
