Quick strikes sink Panthers

HARLAN — The first two possessions of Friday’s game at Harlan’s Merrill Field gave no indication of the big-play shootout that was about to come.

With both teams seeking their first district win, Creston took the opening kickoff and methodically moved 73 yards on 12 plays to take a 7-0 lead in a four-minute drive.

Harlan answered by eating up five minutes on a 13-play, 86-yard march to tie it 7-7 on a 6-yard plunge up the middle by fullback Brody Bendorf.

From that point, Harlan scored four touchdowns of 40 yards or more in a 56-35 Cyclone victory. Harlan improved to 2-4 overall and 1-1 in Class 3A District 6. Creston falls to 0-6 and 0-2.

After each team opened with their long initial drive, Harlan unleashed a series of big plays to quickly take a 28-7 lead with 9:06 left in the first half.

Landon Nihsen, a junior receiver, started the onslaught by taking a Panther punt 67 yards down the left sideline for a touchdown late in the first quarter. After the Panthers went three-and-out on offense, Harlan tailback Ayden Redmon raced 77 yards on a sweep to the left side for one of his three touchdowns.

Ray Schechinger intercepted a pass on Creston’s next possession, setting up a 5-yard touchdown run by 210-pound fullback Shane Cooper to make it 28-7.

From that point, Creston three times pulled within two scores (28-14, 42-28, 49-35), but ultimately it was too much of a hill to climb after falling behind 42-14 midway through the third quarter.

“Our offense responded and they’ve done that all season,” Creston coach Brian Morrison said. “Our problem was giving up the big run plays. We had guys in the right place, and just missing tackles in space. That’s what it boils down to. Their speed was definitely a factor.”

Crucial stop

A key segment of the game occurred in the second quarter as Creston’s Lane Travis recovered an onside kick after the Panthers scored to close it to 28-14. The Panthers controlled the ball for eight plays, going from the Harlan 47 to the 6-yard line.

On fourth-and-goal from the 6, Creston quarterback Tanner Ray rolled out to his right and fired to Seth Gordon breaking toward the right sideline. Harlan’s Sam Shields knocked away the pass.

Instead of Creston completing the drive and moving to within one score at 28-21, the Cyclones responded with a 94-yard drive in the final 3:02 of the half to take a 35-14 halftime lead on a 40-yard touchdown pass from Gabe Arkfeld to Nihsen.

“In the second half we were kind of in desperation mode, having to onside kick every time, and that makes it tough,” Morrison said.

Harlan compounded the issue by controlling large chunks of the second-half clock. Redmon carried the load for a Cyclone team more known for its passing attack in the first five games. The 175-pound senior amassed 243 yards rushing and three touchdowns in 17 carries.

Harlan was forced to punt just once in gaining 480 yards in total offense. Creston’s nearly matched that production, with 464 total yards. Junior quarterback Tanner Ray finished with 103 yards and one touchdown on the ground, along with 16 completions in 25 pass attempts for 222 yards and one TD.

After six games, Ray ranks fourth in Class 3A passing yards (1,167). Harlan’s Arkfeld is sixth at 1,050 yards.

Jackson Pettegrew rushed for 58 yards and two short-yardage touchdowns for the Panthers.

Senior receiver Jace Purdum scored the team’s lone passing touchdown on a 12-yard play catch from Ray. He finished with seven catches for 93 yards. Gordon had four catches for 77 yards. Tight end Rhett Driskell left the game with an ankle injury in the second quarter.

Leading tacklers for the Panther defense were Kal Barber with six total tackles, followed by Colby Brammer with five and four each by Lane Travis and Ethan Holliday.

District race

Two teams in Class 3A District 6 are 2-0 after Friday’s action. Atlantic routed Perry 49-7 and Carroll (3-3 overall) knocked off 14th-ranked Greene County, 35-0, dropping the Rams to 4-2. Carroll hosts Creston this week.

“We’re close to being a pretty good football team,” Morrison said. “But we have another tough test Friday, so we have to keep getting better.”

Harlan 56, Creston 35

Points by quarter

Cr 7 7 7 14 — 35

Harl 21 14 7 14 — 56

SCORING SUMMARY

First Quarter

Cr — Jackson Pettegrew 1 run (Joaquin Flores kick), 8:17

Harl — Brody Bendorf 6 run (Jacob Spangenberg kick), 2:54

Harl — Landon Nihsen 67 punt return (Spangenberg kick), 1:21

Harl — Ayden Redmon 77 run (Spangenberg kick), :02.8

Second Quarter

Harl — Shane Cooper 5 run (Spangenberg kick), 9:06

Cr — Pettegrew 2 run (Flores kick), 5:48

Harl — Nihsen 40 pass from Gabe Arkfeld (Spangenberg kick), 0:21

Third Quarter

Harl — Bendorf 7 run (Spangenberg kick), 6:18

Cr — Jace Purdum 12 pass from Tanner Ray (Flores kick), 2:45

Fourth Quarter

Cr — Ray 8 run (Flores kick), 11:55

Harl — Redmon 11 run (Spangenberg kick), 7:02

Cr — Gabe Kaufman 44 run (Flores kick), 4:21

Harl — Redmon 39 run (Spangenberg kick), 1:25

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TEAM STATISTICS

CR HARL

Rushes-yards 38-242 41-381

Passing 16-25-1 5-11-0

Passing yards 222 99

Total yards 464 480

Punts-avg. 2-45.5 1-14

Fumbles lost 0 0

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — CR: Tanner Ray 14-103, 1 TD; Jackson Pettegrew 17-58, 2 TD; Gabe Kaufman 7-81, 1 TD. HARL: Ayden Redmon 17-243, 3 TD; Brody Bendorf 11-64, 2 TD; Gabe Arkfeld 7-52; Shane Cooper 4-16, 1 TD; Jackson Arhenholtz 2-6.

PASSING — CR: Ray 16-25-1 for 22 yards, 1 TD. HARL: Gabe Arkfeld 5-11-0 for 99 yards, 1 TD.

RECEIVING — CR: Jace Purdum 7-93, 1 TD; Seth Gordon 4-77; CT Stalker 1-18; Durrell Haynes 2-16; Riggins Hanson 1-11; Pettegrew 1-7. HARL: Colton Schneider 2-56; Landon Nihsen 2-35, 1 TD; Dallas McDowell 1-8.

TACKLE LEADERS (solo) — CR: Kal Barber 6.0 (3); Colby Brammer 5.0 (3); Lane Travis 4.0 (2); Ethan Holliday 4.0 (4); Coltyr Frey 3.5 (2); Davin Wallace 3.5 (3); Cason Scarberry 3.0 (2); Brodrick Phelps 3.0 (2); Zadek Engdahl 1.5 (1); Hayden Levine 1.5 (2). HARL: Dallas McDowell 6.5 (5); Hegen Sorensen 6.0 (4); Brody Bendorf 6.0 (4); Nick Gubbels 5.0 (4); Foxx Argotsinger 4.5 (4); Coy Obrecht 4.5 (3).

INTERCEPTIONS — CR: None. HARL: Ray Schechinger 1.

FUMBLE RECOVERIES — CR: None. HARL: None.

TACKLES FOR LOSS — CR: None. HARL: Schechinger 1.5; McDowell 1.0; Argotsinger 1.0; Obrecht 1.0; Jaspyr Nielsen 1.0; Shane Cooper 0.5.

SACKS — CR: None. HARL: None.