DEARBORN – In the most lopsided score in the rivalry since 2014, the “tobacco stick” is staying at North Platte for another year.
The North Platte football team poses with the ‘tobacco stick’ after taking down its rival, West Platte, for the second straight season on Oct. 13.
The North Platte football team (7-1) took an early lead and never looked back en route to the 44-0 win over West Platte (3-5) on Oct. 13. Every season, the KCI Conference rivals play, and the winner gets bragging rights and gets to hold on to the “tobacco stick” for another year.
This was North Platte’s first shutout over a conference team since defeating Mid-Buchanan 34-0 on Sept. 8, 2017. Counting the 32-0 win over Maysville with Winston (3-4) in Week 2, the Panthers have officially shut out two teams in the same season for the first time since 2010.
From the get-go, North Platte was in control as it scored two touchdowns in the first 2:28 after West Platte turned the ball over on back-to-back plays. The Blue Jays started with the ball and Kane Cogan had a pair of crucial turnovers early.
Jason Shanks intercepted a pass at the West Platte 48-yard line and Corbin Britting took the first Panthers’ offensive snap to the house. After a failed 2-point conversion and a kickoff, Cogan fumbled the snap and Dylan Armstrong picked up the ball and took it the distance for a 32-yard scoop-and-score before also running in for two and North Platte had a 14-0 lead with 10:41 on the first quarter clock.
The rest of the first quarter was scoreless but the Panthers started the second quarter at the Blue Jay 5-yard line. Two plays later, Liam Servaes ran in for a 3-yard touchdown.
Armstrong recovered another fumble, which set up a 10-yard touchdown pass from Colton Kirkham to John Winkler on 4th down. Chance Garber brought in the 2-point conversion, making the score 28-0 with right under seven minutes left in the half.
West Platte’s deepest drive of the half was halted on an offensive holding call that pushed the ball out of the red zone. The Blue Jays faced a 4th and 18 at the Panthers’ 24-yard line and turned it over on downs with 2:24 left in the half.
North Platte added one last score before halftime on a 7-play, 76-yard drive that was capped off with a touchdown pass from backup quarterback Westin Snook. He connected with Jaxson Carpenter from 26 yards out and Servaes kept in on the 2-point conversion, extending the lead to 36-0 with 45 seconds left.
Snook got in the end zone again with 8:42 left in the fourth quarter for the only second half score. He broke multiple tackles and rushed in from 15 yards out and Armstrong rushed in on the 2-point conversion.
North Platte’s offense produced 260 yards on the ground – 107 of which were by Servaes alone – and 345 total yards with three different players completing a pass. Kirkham completed 4-of-5 passes for 27 yards and a touchdown, Snook completed 2-of-4 passes for 41 yards and a touchdown and Armstrong completed his only pass attempt for 17 yards on a trick play.
West Platte turned the ball over four times, three fumbles that were all recovered by Armstrong and one interception by Shanks. The Blue Jays move to 0-3 on the road this season and the Panthers have now won their last five games.
Both teams are set to be in the Class 1 District 3 Tournament, which starts on Oct. 27, and North Platte is currently at the top of the rankings with West Platte sitting at No. 5 out of nine teams. The Panthers will head to Lathrop (2-6) and West Platte will host Penney (4-4) in the regular season finale on Oct. 20.