Three costly first quarter fumbles and five total turnovers by the North Platte football team (0-7) helped West Platte (6-1) cruise to a 54-14 victory over its conference rival on Oct. 8.
The Blue Jays erupted for 34 points in the opening quarter, starting when Tanner Rowe connected with Zayne Truxal for an 11-yard touchdown. On North Platte’s first offensive possession, Isaac Williams fumbled and Truxal picked it up and ran 30 yards for the senior’s second score of the night.
With 7:01 remaining in the first quarter, Panther running back Jason Shanks fumbled the ball at the North Platte 22-yard line and West Platte senior Emmett Sullivan recovered the football and ran into the end zone. The Panthers fumbled one more time in the first quarter on a fourth down snap that heaved over the punter’s head, and the Blue Jay’s offense scored five more rushing touchdowns in the first half.
West Platte’s Crystian Resch (#58) reaches for one of North Platte’s three first quarter fumbles on Oct. 8.
Truxal, Rowe and Trent Taylor all found the endzone on the ground, while Williams ran in for two rushing touchdowns in the opening half. North Platte was scoreless in the first 24:00, but the Panthers scored one touchdown in each of the last two quarters.
Kaden Mullendore rushed into the end zone from the 2-yard line with 1:52 remaining in the third quarter and Jason Shanks ran in for a 29-yard touchdown as the clock expired in the contest. Alexis Stewart converted on the kick after both scores to give North Platte 14 points on the night.
For West Platte, Williams led the offense with 83 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns on seven carries. Taylor ended with 54 yards on six attempts and a score on the ground, while Rowe finished with 41 rushing yards for a touchdown.
For the Panthers, Liam Servaes and Shanks combined for 124 yards on the ground. Shanks averaged 13.6 yards a carry when the sophomore ended with 68 yards and a touchdown on five carries, while Servaes finished with 56 rushing yards.
North Platte will look to bounce back when it takes on Lathrop (1-6) on the road on Oct. 15. On the same day, West Platte will host Hamilton (5-2) when the Blue Jays can clinch a top-3 finish in the KCI Conference with a victory.