Thirty six points in a game is a nice night. Chadron put that many on the board just in the first quarter on Monday in winning a JV contest against Alliance 48 to 30. The Cards used two long kick returns in getting the victory in a match up played in Alliance.
It took just 14 seconds for the Cardinals to score in the first. A 63 yard kick return plus a good PAT made it an 8 to 0 affair with 9:46 left in the first quarter. Alliance was turned away scoreless in their first possession and another Chadron touchdown later put the Bulldog deficit 16 to 0 with under 9 minutes remaining. On the following drive, a Card pick setting up more Chadron tallies. The Cardinals extended their lead with a 9 yard TD run at the 7:48 mark. Down 24 to 0, Alliance got a nice kick return by Jacob Benigno to midfield to start their next attempt. Passes from quarterback Jacoby Bauer to receivers Smiley Valdovinos and Mason Winter helped AHS move the ball. Unfortunately, the drive was stopped and the Dogs were forced to punt. Chadron’s advantage then grew to 30 with a 72 yard TD carry. Jett Childers and Preston Flores stopped the point after try. Childers highlighted the next Alliance possession with runs of 7 and 14. Passes to Valdovinos covering 25 yards and 18 drove the Dogs into Chadron territory. The drive ended with a 12 yard TD pass from Bauer to Valdovinos. Childers added the PAT and with 2:28 left in the period, Chadron lead 30 to 8. That score didn’t last long. On the ensuing kick, the Cards scored again on a 61 yard TD return, putting the score at 36 to 8.
On Alliance’s second series in period #2, the Dogs had success. A 20 yard scamper by Bauer started the possession. It was followed by big gains in the passing game from Bauer, Winter, and Jackson Smith. From the 15, it was Bauer connecting with Winter for the Dog’s second TD at the 5:24 mark. The rest of the period had both teams failing to score. Tackles for losses by Alliance’s Colter Tolstedt and Colton Johnson kept the Cardinals off the board. The half came a close with a Bauer interception and the Dogs down 36 to 14.
Using a turnover by Alliance, the guests were able to extend their lead early in the third. A 55 yard TD run by the Cards make it a 42 to 14 ball game with just under 9 minutes left. Alliance had to punt of the next drive but a fumble recovery by Tolstedt gave the ball back to the Dogs. Before that, the Bulldog got another tackle for a loss by Johnson. The period ended with no more tallies and the Cardinals still ahead by 28. A sack by Flores is how the finale began. Starting at the 23, it was Tripp Johnson at quarterback leading the Alliance O. Passes to Winter and Smith plus a 11 yard carry by Childers had the Bulldogs knocking on the door. A two yard TD run by Childers made it 42 to 20 while a good PAT play from Johnson to Winter it a 20 point ball game. Both sides would score one more time in the final 4 minutes. The visitors scored on a 48 yard touchdown run to increase their advantage to 48 to 22. Alliance put one more of the board in final moments. Passes from Johnson to Valdovinos were the highlights. With 1:25 showing on the clock, a 31 yard TD strike to Valdovinos was the Bulldog’s final tally. Johnson then connected with Flores for the extra point. Final Chadron 48 Alliance 30
CHAD 36 0 6 6 48
ALL 8 6 0 16 30
Alliance ends their JV year with a road game on Monday vs Gering.