From the Capital Journal:
Rossville put up eye-popping numbers in its win against Caney Valley on Friday. What makes the totals even more impressive is that they were almost all accumulated in the first half.
Jacob Bradshaw rushed for 369 yards and three touchdowns, and the Bulldawgs scored on every possession of their 67-31 Class 3A section win to reach sub-state for the third straight season.
All of Bradshaw’s yardage, and all but 13 of Rossville’s points, came in the first half, and a running clock was implemented just four minutes after halftime, with the Bulldawgs up 61-12.
Rossville (11-1) will host top-seeded Nemaha Central (12-0) next Friday.
“We had a couple good schemes we were able to take advantage of,” Rossville coach Derick Hammes said. “It’s a group effort. Kids were blocking really well up front, we had some good ball fakes and the tempo we play at. You put all that together, and good things can happen.”
It’s been no secret the Bulldawgs’ gameplan centers on their senior quarterback. The state’s touchdown leader started the game with an 80-yard run and capped the three-play opening drive with a touchdown.
Caney Valley answered with a score of its own, as Benjimen Thornton dumped a short pass off to Cole Griffin, who leapt across the pylon to make it 7-6.
“We had some early issues defensively,” Hammes said. “I don’t think we were quite in tune to what we needed to be.”
While it appeared early on the Bullpups and Bulldawgs might engage in a shootout, Rossville quickly showed it had far more firepower.
Bradshaw ran for a 69-yard score on the next possession, and Caney Valley’s next drive ended on a blocked field goal.
Another 50-plus-yard run by Bradshaw set up a Dawson Hammes touchdown and gave the Bulldawgs a 21-6 first-quarter lead.
In the second, Bradshaw had rushes of 54 and 65 yards and added passing and rushing touchdowns. Hammes scored again before halftime, in addition to a pair of 2-yard touchdowns from Trevor Balch and Perry Foster.
With several backups in and the clock running, Caney Valley cut into the margin considerably. Baylor Mechiori extended a drive with a 25-yard run on a fake punt that led to a touchdown, then the Bullpups recovered two onsides kicks and added two more touchdowns to make it 61-25.
After earlier interceptions by Reed Miller and Trevor Balch, Cole Schumacher returned a third Bulldawgs’ pick 50 yards in the fourth quarter to stop the bleeding.
A 40-yard run by Foster on 2nd and 35 helped run down most of the clock before a 10th and final touchdown put Rossville back ahead by 42.
“We’re here, and that’s where you want to be obviously,” Hammes said. “I always feel like you need to make improvements, and I feel like this group still has some potential left in them.”
Caney Valley (9-3) … 6 … 6 … 7 … 12 … — … 31
Rossville (11-1) … 21 … 33 … 7 … 6 … — … 67
Rossville – Bradshaw 5 run (Andersen kick)
Caney Valley – Griffin 12 from Thornton (kick failed)
Rossville – Bradshaw 59 run (Andersen kick)
Rossville – Hammes 14 run (Andersen kick)
Rossville – Hammes 6 run (Andersen kick)
Caney Valley – Melchiori 13 from Thornton (run failed)
Rossville – Bradshaw 54 run (Andersen kick)
Rossville – C. Schumacher 40 from Bradshaw (pass failed)
Rossville – T. Balch 2 run (Andersen kick)
Rossville – Foster 2 run (kick failed)
Rossville — Foster 41 run (Andersen kick)
Caney Valley – Thornton 2 run (Melchiori kick)
Caney Valley – Melchiori 11 from Thornton (pass failed)
Rossville – Gfeller 15 run (run failed)
Caney Valley – Haberly 2 run (kick failed)
GAME IN FIGURES
CV Ross
First downs … 23 … 21
Rushes-yards … 54-261 … 24-568
Passing yards … 92 … 49
Passes … 8-16-3 … 2-3-0
Fumbles-lost … 0-0 … 0-0
Punts … 3-33.4 … 0-0
Penalties-yards … 2-25 … 3-45
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — Caney Valley: G. Richey 6-34, Melchiori 14-116, Thornton 11-58, Griffin 13-26, Simpson 5-8, Aberly 3-4, T. Richey 2-15. Rossville: Bradshaw 10-369, Hammes 4-50, Balch 1-2, Foster 6-104, Gfeller 2-16, Johnson 1-27.
PASSING — Caney Valley: Thornton 8-16-3, 92 yards. Rossville: Bradshaw 2-3-0, 49.
RECEIVING — Caney Valley: G. Richey 3-23, Melchiori 3-47, Griffin 1-12, Heid 1-10. Rossville: Schumacher 2-49.
PUNTING – Caney Valley – Melchiori 3-33.4.
