NEVADA — It took all of three minutes and eight seconds for Perry to find the Nevada end zone Friday night. Unfortunately, it would be their only such visit of the game, as the Cubs rallied for a tying score later in the first quarter, then added nine second-quarter points en route to a 24-7 non-district victory.
Perry (1-1) grabbed a 7-0 lead when Alexis Garrido found speedy receiver Reece Dunlap for a 62-yard touchdown connection. German Alvarenga’s extra point put the Bluejays in front with 8:52 showing on the first quarter clock.
Nevada (2-0) responded with a little chicanery, as Cam Shill flipped a pass to Ominique Wilkerson, who initially lateraled the ball to Brandon Sellberg, who raced 51 yards to the end zone to complete the hook-and-ladder play. Jack Cahill’s PAT boot tied the score.
The Cubs took possession of the lead for good with 8:12 to play in the half when Trent Stahl burst across the goal line from 11 yards out. The PAT kick was no good, leaving the hosts holding a 13-7 lead.
Momentum likely swung in Nevada’s favor for good seconds later when the Cubs recovered a Bluejay fumble on the kickoff following Stahl’s TD. The Perry defense denied access to their end zone, with the hosts settling for a 30-yard Cahill field goal and a 16-7 lead.
Perry’s offense spent much of the game spinning their wheels, with Alvarenga forced to punt seven times. Neither team managed much headway in the third frame, with Shill capping the scoring on a one-yard quarterback sneak with 5:12 left in the contest. Shill hit Sellberg with a conversion pass to set the final score.
Garrido was 12-of-23 for 137 yard and a score for Perry through the air. Dunlap caught five passes for 85 yards, Brandon Kenyon four for 41 yards, Jered Narber one ball for 10 yards and Drew Levan one for five yards while Mark Campos lost four yards on a reception.
Campos rushed for 84 yards on 15 carries, with Garrido adding 47 yards on eight runs and Donald Chavez five yards on two rushes. Dunlap was handed the ball four times, but the Cubs were more than ready, resulting in a combined loss of 14 yards.
Shill hit on 10-of-20 passes for 117 yards and a TD for the hosts, with Stahl throwing one pass for 12 yards.
Sellberg caught five passes for 86 yards and a TD while Stahl pulled in three aerials for 25 yards to lead the receiving corps.
Strottman (24-108), Stahl (14-92, 1 TD) and Sellberg (5-15) were the top rushers for the Cubs, who were coming off a 14-13 win over West Marshall.
Jack Higgins had eight tackles and recovered a fumble to spark the Nevada defense,with Tony Adelmund also falling on a Bluejay fumble.
Campos had 12.5 tackles to lead Perry, with Mana Martinez making 8.5 stops. Conner Kenyon had 6.5 tackles, Kaleb Olejniczak six and Dunlap four. Olejniczak recovered a fumble, with the defense combining for five tackles behind the line of scrimmage.
Perry, who was a 38-31 double-overtime winner at North Polk August 25, hosts Ballard Friday at Dewey Field as Class 3A District 2 play begins at 7:30 p.m. The Bombers (1-1) bounced back from a 43-28 home loss to Carlisle to thump visiting ADM, 43-7, in Week Two. Ballard was a 26-7 winner over Perry in a rain-soaked game in Huxley last season.
