Round one of the Battle of the Bulldogs took place in Gering Saturday with the Alliance Bulldogs facing the Gering Bulldogs in seventh grade football. It was the season opener for both teams as the squads will tangle next month in Alliance. And when the smoke cleared it was Alliance winning both the “A” game and “B” game by scores of 30 to 8 and 14 to 8. With the victories both teams start the year 1 and 0.
An early tone was set for good things for AMS on the opening kick. Return man Wyatt Stabnow grabbed the Gering kick and raced past midfield as Alliance began with good field position. A couple of nice runs by Caysen Robertson advanced the ball close to the goal line. A pass from Jay Shelmadine to receiver Creighton Fritzler got Alliance close. The first score on the season then took place with Shelmadine hitting Fritzler for a 10 yard touchdown pass. AMS led 6 to 0 midway throught the first period. Alliance was also strong early as Gering was forced to punt on its first possession. The hosts would fumble the snap, giving AMS great field position. Robertson would score from the 30 and tack on the PAT. After one quarter Alliance led 14 to 0. The second stanza saw Gering pick up a few yards but a key sack by Robertson, coming from his inside linebacker spot would deny Gering any scores. The guests went to half up 14 to 0.
Gering would get the second half kick and get turned away. On Alliance’s first play a screen pass from Shelmadine to Robertson work perfectly. The play covered 45 yards, putting AMS ahead 22 to 0. The rest of the half saw another score from Robertson and keys defensive plays by the Bulldog defense. Back to back stops by Jett and Coy Childers denied a Gering series. A late score by the hosts close the gap to 30 to 8 but it was too little too late. Final AMS 30 Gering 8
AMS 14 0 8 8 30
Gering 0 0 0 8 8
Fireworks began early in the B game. On the opening play Coy Childers got AMS on the scoreboard with a 65 yard t.d. run. Childers added the point after as Alliance went ahead 8 to 0. Later in the half it was a leaping interception by Stabnow that stopped a Gering series. Alliance remained strong on the defense later in the half as defensive end Dreyden Konopnicki forced a Gering fumble and recovered it at midfield. The game came to a close with an Alliance score by Coy Childers and a Gering touchdown on a long fumble return. Final AMS 14 Gering 8
AMS 8 0 0 6 14
Gering 0 0 0 8 8
Coach Mark Glesinger said, “It was really nice way to begin the year. We got off to a great start and got a lot of guys in the first game. Gering had beaten us 10 times in a row-twice for the last 5 years- so it was super to return the favor. I was impress with our tackling and our blocking got better as the game went on. It’s always to great to win both matches and hopes are high for a successful season!”
Coaching for the seventh grade team are Derrick Wells, Tim Devlin, and Orson Merrill and Mark Glesinger. It’s on the road again next Saturday as the Dogs play in Scottsbluff with a kickoff start set for 9 a.m.