JEFFERSON — Greene County senior quarterback Daric Whipple threw for four touchdowns and ran for another and the Ram defense had no trouble shutting down the Perry offense as the hosts posted a 35-0 win at Linduska Field Friday in the 84th playing of the Cowbell Game.
The senior class at both schools finished 2-2 in Cowbell Games, with Perry winning in 2012 and 2013 and Greene County both last season and again this year. The win lifts Greene County (Jefferson) to 54-28-2 all-time in the rivalry game.
The victory lifted the Rams to 3-4 overall and 1-3 in Class 3A District 2 play while the Bluejays fell to 0-7, 0-4 while suffering their third shutout loss of the season.
A recurring theme to Perry’s season has been giving up quick scores to start games and Friday was no exception, as Whipple found a wide-open Nick Schroeder streaking through a huge gap in the Perry secondary for a 56-yard scoring strike just 77 seconds into the game. The first of five Schroeder PAT kicks made it 7-0 and visibly stunned the Perry sideline.
However, the visitors quickly recovered and mounted sustained drives that, while not resulting in points, allowed the defense to regroup. Perry forced a pair of Greene County punts, but the Rams were able to convert a possession into points late in the opening quarter when Whipple — who bothered Perry on read-option plays most of the contest — bolted into the end zone from 15-yards out for a 14-0 lead.
Disaster struck for the Jays on their next offensive play, as miscommunication led to tailback Eli Saemisch and quarterback Ryan Rathje colliding just as Gil Garcia’s shotgun snap arrived. Greene County’s Matthew Gordon recovered, and on the next play Whipple hit Tyler Beger on an inside slant for a 24-yard TD and a 21-0 lead.
The two TDs — scored with 23.5 and 10.5 seconds left on the first quarter clock — were the last points of the first half, as improved defensive play from Perry and a stout Greene County defensive effort kept the second quarter scoreless.
Any realistic hope that Perry could mount a comeback died early in the third quarter when the Rams converted out of a 3rd-and-24 jam with a 22-yard pass and five-yard run on fourth down to keep a drive alive, a drive that ended with Whipple hitting Beger on an eight-yard strike with 7:51 left in the period.
The Rams set a continual clock in motion with :41.1 seconds left in the third stanza when Whipple connected with Calvin Skalla on a 10-yard TD pass and a 35-0 lead. The score capped a 91-yard drive that saw the hosts repeatedly rip off plays of 5-8 yards per attempt as they marched down the field against a tired Perry defense.
Greene County’s four-receiver sets often forced Perry to use a nickel defense with five defensive backs. However, the Bluejay defensive line was unable to provide a pass rush against Whipple with any regularity, allowing him enough time to look for his second or third choices on pass plays, far too long for any secondary to provide tight coverage.
Unofficially, Whipple was 16-of-27 for 202 yards and four TDs through the air while adding a TD and gaining 61 yards on 14 carries. Anthony Cunningham (6-45) and Max Neese (6-31) helped add to a 185-yard ground attack from the hosts.
Schroeder caught four passes for 87 yards and a score and Beger five passes for 55 yards and two scores to lead the Ram receivers.
Ryan Rathje was 12-of-22 for just 58 yards passing for Perry, with Taviar Lucas’ five catches for 32 yards and Marcu Meri’s three snags for 11 yards leading the Jay receiving corps.
The ground game accounted for 39 yards after yards lost to sacks were deducted. Lucas had 20 yards on eight carries and Saemisch 18 yards on five runs.
Saemisch had 10 tackles, Joe Olvera eight and both Brandon Juarez and Kade VanKirk seven apiece to led the Bluejay defense.
Perry will finish their season with a pair of games at Dewey Field. Fourth-ranked Webster City visits next Friday, with Humboldt capping the season with a visit Oct. 23.
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84th Cowbell Game
GREENE COUNTY 35, PERRY 0
at Linduska Field, Jefferson, Oct. 9
Team 1 2 3 4 — Final
PRY 0 0 0 0 — 0
GC 21 0 14 0 — 35
Scoring by Quarters
First Quarter
GC — Schroeder 56 pass from Whipple (Schroeder kick), 10:43.
GC — Whipple run 15 (Schroeder kick), :23.5.
GC — Beger 24 pass from Whipple (Schroeder kick), :10.5.
Second Quarter
No Scoring
Third Quarter
GC — Beger 8 pass from Whipple (Schroeder kick), 7:51.
GC — Skalla 10 pass from Whipple (Schroeder kick), :41.1.
Fourth Quarter
No Scoring
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