Play Saturday morning between the Alliance Middle School 8th graders and Gering was a tight contest with both clubs scoring 2 touchdowns. Gering was able to cash in on one of their PATs and post the win 14 to 12. The battle took place in Alliance. With the defeat, AMS starts the year at 0 and 1. A late score by the hosts got the Bulldogs to within 2 at 14 to 12 but their ensuing extra point was stopped. Alliance had one more chance in the final moments but were turned away. Gering led 14 to 0 before 2 TDs by the hosts got them close.
Gering found the end zone first. The guests scored on a 38 yard TD pass with 4:10 remaining in the first quarter. Alliance defensive end Bo McCune sack the Gering QB on the point after as the guests led 6 to 0. A solid kick return by Ashton Weingart on the ensuing series set up the Dogs with good field position close to midfield. The return went 20 yards. Alliance then got strong runs to end the period from McCune and Dreyton Perez. After one, Gering was up 6 to 0.
Both ball clubs found the end zone in the second. Gering scored on another long pass and added the PAT to surge ahead 14 to 0 with under four minutes left in the half. A pair of long passes by AMS followed. McCune completed a 25 yard pass to Liam Pena then a 34 yard strike to Nehemiah Valdez to set up their first score. McCune powered in from the 5 yard line as the hosts got into the scoring column. The all important PAT was no good. The half closed with a 38 yard pass from McCune to AJ Garcia but no scores. Gering led at halftime 14 to 6.
Quarter #3 had both team’s defense controlling the line of scrimmage. AMS got close after big gains by Perez and McCune but an interception in the end zone denied another TD for Alliance. On defense, A town got big plays by Cooper Haskell, Perez, and Kendrick Quick to stay close. The period ended with AMS still down by 8. After a big run by Perez, the A Dogs went to the air and had success. A pair of passes to Pena covering 27 yards gave Alliance a chance. At the 4:46 mark, McCune scored from the 5 but the ensuing extra point was no good. Both teams had one more offensive series with no tallies record.
Final G Town 14 A town 12
Gering 6 8 0 0 14
Alliance 0 6 0 6 12
A fifth quarter was then played featuring a combination of Alliance’s B seventh and eighth graders. AMS got some strong defensive stops from Oscar Hernandez and Eston Collins to keep the visitors from scoring.
Chadron comes to town on Saturday.