BOONE — The Perry defense held Class 3A’s most prolific passing attack to just over one-third of their average yardage but Boone managed three aerial scores and had success on the ground in scoring a 27-10 win in the Class 3A District 2 opener for both teams Friday.
Junior quarterback Tanner Schminke entered the game with 891 yards passing with 10 touchdowns, and while held to only 115 yards by the Perry defense still found three different receivers for scores to offset a strong performance by the Bluejay secondary.
With the passing game inconsistent in moving the ball, Boone (1-3, 1-0) turned to a ground game that had accumulated only 215 yards through three games. The hosts, realizing Perry (0-4, 0-1) was often using a nickel defense to limit the aerial assault, pounded away behind their big offensive line for an unofficial 177 yards and one score rushing.
“I am proud of how we played defensively,” Perry head coach Jason Olejniczak said. “We gave up three touchdowns passing, but I thought our defensive backs played very well. We were much smaller than their receivers but did a good job most of the night.”
Perry appeared much sharper and more determined than they had in lackluster efforts that resulted in shutout losses to North Polk and Gilbert in the second and third games of the season, an impression not lost on their head coach.
“This was definitely the best effort we have given since the ADM game in week one,” he said. “We fought hard, even when we got down a couple of scores, and that was something the coaches were hoping to see.”
Perhaps realizing his primary targets were several inches taller than the players covering them, Schminke was high on several of his passes, especially in the first half. He overthrew 6-6 tight end Jonathan Herrick — who was covered by the 5-6 Donald Chavez — early in the first quarter, with the deflected pass landing in the arms of Brandon Juarez, who returned the ball 30 yards.
A block-in-the-back penalty reversed some of the yardage, but Perry was in business deep in Boone territory. The first drive gained one first down, but stalled, with senior Ivan Garcia easily drilling a 36-yard field goal for a 3-0 Bluejay lead less than four minutes into the game — Perry’s first time they had led at any point in four games.
Boone’s second drive resulted in a punt, but the hosts recovered a Perry fumble three plays later on the Bluejay 38-yard line to set up their first score.
Facing fourth-and-nine from the 17, Schminke found Raithe Clemons on an inside slant for a TD and a 7-0 lead on the last play of the first quarter.
Neither team sustained any momentum in the second quarter until Boone took control with four minutes left in the half. The Toreadors ran five-of-seven plays over the right side of the offensive line which the Jays simply could not stop, allowing the hosts to march the four-yard line. Schminke then snuck over left guard from a yard out with seconds left in the half for a 14-3 Boone lead.
Perry slowly began to wear down defensively as the game wore on, primarily because the offense simply could not stay on the field.
Quarterback Ryan Rathje was 11-of-16 for 73 yards and no interceptions but was relegated to throwing quick-hitters along the line of scrimmage, while the ground game was once again non-existent. Senior tailback Eli Saemisch had little, if any, room through which to run, finishing with 31 yards on nine carries while Gage Welch carried three times for no yards.
Schminke connected with Herrick in the waning seconds of the third period on a 15-yard score, then found Danny Anderson for a 17-yard TD strike with eight minutes to play.
The scores did not reflect the effort of the secondary, as Anderson had just four catches for only 44 yards after entering as 3A’s second leader receiver with 15 catches for 454 yards and seven TDs while Herrick averaged four snags for 92 yards but was held to three receptions for 39 yards.
Perry scored with nine seconds left in the game when reserve Wyatt Halling’s pass to a double-covered Jacob Thompson was batted into the air, where it was pulled down by Taviar Lucas, who bolted 50 yards down the sideline for a TD to set the final score.
Sherrard finished with 115 yards on 21 carries for Boone, with Schminke carrying 13 times for 57 yards. Penalties hampered Boone throughout the game, as the team committed 10 infractions for 75 yards while Perry was flagged four times for 40 yards.
Mark Campos led Perry with 9.5 tackles, with Joe Olvera making five stops and Kade VanKirk and Tyler Soll 4.5 stops apiece.
Perry travels to Carroll Friday before hosting Algona for Homecoming October 2.
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Class 3A District 2
BOONE 27, PERRY 10
At Boone, Sept. 18
Team 1 2 3 4 — Final
PRY 3 0 0 7 — 10
BNE 7 7 6 7 — 27
Scoring by Quarters
First Quarter
PRY — FG Garcia 36, 8:11.
BNE — Clemons 17 pass from Schminke (Smith kick), :00.3.
Second Quarter
BNE — Schminke 1 run (Smith kick), :12.
Third Quarter
BNE — Herrick 15 pass from Schminke (kick failed), time n/a
Fourth Quarter
BNE — Anderson 17 pass from Schminke (kick failed), time n/a
PRY — Lucas 50 pass from Halling (Garcia kick), :09.2.
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As long as everyone had fun is all that matters,after all its just a game. Maybe the team should wear all blue socks for the next game change it up a little. You never know it could help. Something so small could make a big difference. All blue socks for the next game I will even pay for it with my own money. Call me coach
Suggestion for Coach. Maybe you should get all the players together sometime this week and everyone watch the movie RUDY great motivational football movie and it can bring players and coaches together like a family maybe its what the team needs rite now. Lets get this done guys Right Here Right Now like there is no tomorrow.