Boys Town football coach Kevin Kush got the test he was seeking.

At least for a half.

The Class C-1 No. 1 Cowboys struggled offensively through the first two quarters Thursday night before taking a 41-0 win over Fort Calhoun in the first round of the state playoffs.

“We wanted to see how our kids would respond,” Kush said, “and we're happy with the way they did. That was good for us.”

For 23 minutes of the first half, it didn't look like the same Cowboys team that had beaten Fort Calhoun 48-0 in the regular season. On its first four possessions, Boys Town went three-and-out, missed a field-goal try, turned the ball over on downs and punted on third down.

The Cowboys' next four possessions ended in the end zone.

Quarterback Kevin Barrett engineered an 80-yard drive in waning minutes of the first half, throwing for 28 yards and running for 52, including a 24-yard touchdown scamper.

The problems of the first half were a distant memory after three scores in a span of just over two minutes, all by running back Kevin Humphrey. The senior went in from 3 yards out on the Cowboys' opening possession after halftime, then put away short drives following Fort Calhoun turnovers with touchdown runs of 1 and 16 yards.

“We just didn't come out good tonight,” Humphrey said. “But we finished strong.”

That strong finish included another Humphrey score, this one from 7 yards following another Boys Town interception, its third of four on the night.

“In the first half, we came out and strung some downs together,” Fort Calhoun coach Michael Huffman said. “They're just a good football team.

“I told our kids that Boys Town was going to come out with just a monstrous effort in the third quarter, and we would have to withstand it. They did, and unfortunately we weren't able to.”

After going 8 of 13 in the first half, Fort Calhoun quarterback Kenny Chacon was 2 of 15, missing on his first 11 passes after the break. The Pioneers were held to 92 total yards, including minus-12 on the ground.

Still, a Boys Town team that had outscored its opponents 374-13 during the regular season was pushed in the first half.

“It was nice to see us come out in the second half and do some of the things we intended to do,” Kush said. “We were able to play a full three and some of four quarters, and that's something that we haven't done much this season.”

Barrett carried 17 times for 76 yards and a score, and he was 5 of 13 in passing for 101 yards.

Receiver Nehemiah Wilkins hauled in five catches for 134 yards and a late 37-yard touchdown from backup quarterback Devin Winston. Humphrey finished with eight carries for 55 yards, and he added an interception on defense.

Boys Town will take on Ashland-Greenwood on Wednesday in the second round. The Bluejays (7-2) defeated Wisner-Pilger 26-6 on Thursday night.

Fort Calhoun (4-5)................0 0 0 0—0

At Boys Town (9-0)..................0 6 28 7—41

BT: Kevin Barrett 24 run (kick blocked)

BT: Kevin Humphrey 3 run (run failed)

BT: Humphrey 1 run (Roberto Zamora kick)

BT: Humphrey 16 run (Zamora kick)

BT: Humphrey 7 run (Humphrey pass from Barrett)

BT: Nehemiah Wilkins 37 pass from Devin Winston (Zamora kick)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING: FC, Shaun Erwin 7-9, Kenny Chacon 16-(minus 10), Nathan Schulz 1-15, AJ Nelson 1-(minus 3), Team 2-(minus 23), Total 27-(minus 12). BT, Kevin Barrett 17-76, Kevin Humphrey 8-55, Trey Richardson 1-minus 6, Kevin Guerrier 1-10, Trent Wallace 2-(minus 1). Total 29-134.

PASSING: FC, Chacon 10-28-4 104; BT, Barrett 5-13-0 101, Devin Winston 1-1-0 37.

RECEIVING: FC, Schulz 1-9, Stephen Green 2-28, Erwin 2-8, Nelson 1-7, Shane Perrigo 1-5, Jimmy Wright 3-47; BT, Nehemiah Wilkins 5-134, Humphrey 1-4.

Contact the writer:

850-0781, nickrubek@hotmail.com

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