Boone capitalizes on Perry miscues to score 35-28 win

Toreadors survive four touchdown passes from Kaleb Olejniczak to keep Bluejays winless.

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Perry senior Kaleb Olejniczak unloads on what would become a 50-yard TD to Kato Dougan against Boone last season. The senior standout was recently named Academic All-State by the IFCA.

A blocked punt. An errant snap on a punt, an interception and two fumble recoveries all combined to help Boone slide past host Perry, 35-28, in Class 3A District 2 action at Dewey Field Friday.

The turnovers and failures to execute offset an otherwise strong outing from the Perry defense, which, despite allowing 217 passing yards, suffocated the Boone ground game by yielding only 35 yards on 21 rushes.

Perry’s self-inflicted wounds turned aside an excellent effort from senior quarterback Kaleb Olejniczak. Though completing only 10-of-23 passes and tossing two interceptions, Olejncizak threw for 208 yards while becoming just the second Bluejay quarterback to pass for four touchdowns in a single game in the past 13 seasons.

The Bluejays converted a long drive at the end of the first quarter to score the first points of the game. The hosts were stopped inside the Toreador 10-yard line and faced a fourth-and-four from the six-yard line.

It appeared Perry would settle for a short field goal attempt, but the team called a timeout and then reconsidered. The move paid dividends as Olejniczak found Connor Kenyon for a six-yard touchdown, with Mario Cruz adding the PAT kick for a 7-0 lead.

Perry (0-8, 0-4) struck again minutes later when Olejniczak spun a spiral down the middle of the field which Kato Dougan ran underneath, pulling in the dart and racing the final 20-some yards into the west end zone for a 14-0 advantage.

Boone (5-3, 3-1) stopped the Jays on their next possession deep in their own end. Cori Alamina’s punt was blocked, with the Toreadors recovering on the seven-yard line. Quarterback Tyler Casotti rolled right and scooted into the end zone on the next snap, with John Runestad booting the PAT to close the gap to 14-7 with 6:05 left in the first half.

A Perry fumble on the next Bluejay offensive play led to a four-play drive for the guests, with Casotti hitting Alex Sturtz for a four-yard TD pass at the 4:42 mark. The PAT was blocked, leaving Perry holding a 14-13 edge.

A crisp drive moved the Bluejays swiftly down the field as the clock wound down. Olejniczak’s third TD pass of the first half went to Ever Tobar, who caught a crossing pass behind the linebackers and stepped 28 yards into the end zone. Cruz added the PAT, giving Perry a 21-13 lead at the intermission.

Boone’s Gage Morain returned a third quarter interception 35 yards to set up the lone scoring of the period, which came when Casotti connected with Quali Sporaa in the front corner of the end zone from 20 yards out when the Perry defender lost his footing while spinning around to guard against the completion. Casotti flipped a two-point conversion to Jackson Hora, tying the contest at 21-all.

The score came after Boone had tackled Alamina on a punt attempt when a high snap upset the play. The Toreadors were guilty of offensive pass interference, helping the Bluejays blunt the danger. The interception sent the defense back onto the field with little rest, a situation that has hurt Perry, who plays with limited reserves, throughout the season.

Perry responded promptly, with Kenyon streaking down the middle of the field and pulling in a long Olejniczak pass. Kenyon, hit in stride, outran the Boone defense for a 63-yard score. Cruz connected on the PAT and the hosts had a 28-21 lead.

Boone was able to tie the game at 28-all when Casotti flipped a nine-yard pass to Hora over the Perry secondary, with Runestad kicking the PAT with 4:12 remaining.

Perry began what they hoped would be a game-winning drive, but fumbled the ball away near midfield. Boone promptly marched deep into Perry territory, grabbing a 35-28 lead when Casotti hit an open Sporaa from nine yards out with 1:37 still to play.

The Bluejays refused to yield. Olejniczak ran for 16 yards, hit Dougan for nine yards and added a 10-yard run as the hosts moved into Toreador territory, but the Boone defense came away with an interception with just over 30 seconds to play to cement the win.

Casotti finished 17-of-37 for 217 yards and four touchdowns while also running for a score.

Hora had seven catches for 70 yards and a score, with Sporaa scoring twice on four catches for 48 yards. Tegan Bock caught four balls for a team-high 75 yards, with Alex Sturtz (1-9, one TD) and Morain (1-15) also involved.

Casotti ran for a score and 26 yards on 14 rushes, with Norbert Riyazimana (5-9) and Morain (two runs, no yards) also carrying the ball.

Olejniczak was 10-23-2 for 208 yards and four TDs for Perry. Dougan had one TD and 111 yards on seven catches, with Kenyon scoring twice and gaining 69 yards while Tobar caught a 28-yard TD.

Olejniczak (20-92), Justin Stammer (10-33), Kenyon (7-10) and Xavier Craddock (5-6) all carried the ball for Perry.

Perry will conclude their regular season Oct. 19 with a trip to Humboldt (3-5, 2-2). The Pirates fell, 27-24, to Carroll in Week 8 action.

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