Video highlights: Perry Homecoming

It took all of two offensive snaps for Algona to put 14 points on the board last Friday en route to a 52-14 ruining of Perry’s Homecoming.

While the Bluejay defense was struggling, the Perry offense — for which “struggling” might be too kind a description — suddenly came to life with a series of excellent plays, as seen in the video clips provided by assistant Matt Hardy.

Several plays were the result of outstanding blocking, which is more readily seen if the clips are viewed more than once or on a second-by-second pace and on a full-screen mode.

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Senior Eli Saemisch (27) breaks off a 44-yard gain thanks to blocking along the line by Solomon Pierce (83) and left tackle Joe Olvera (72) while center Gil Garcia also provides a key block. Right guard Kevin Lopez’s trapping block springs Saemisch, who breaks free when left guard Tyler Soll (67) knocks a linebacker into the umpire, who, fortunately, was not hurt on the play.

Taviar Lucas (13) provided several highlights, including this 56-yard run. The left side of the offensive line collapses the defense, and Lucas steps around a lead block from Saemisch (27) before cutting outside off a Lopez (75) block on a linebacker. Key blocks in the open field from Jacob Thompson (22) and Marcus Meri (84) helped the play gain extra yardage.

Senior quarterback Ryan Rathje (4) hits Lucas (13) with a swing pass. A Thompson (22) block and Lucas’ ability to make the first man miss results in a gain of 16 yards.

Rathje’s 24-yard TD pass to Lucas is under thrown, but the senior makes a leaping, circus-like scoring catch over the back of the defender, who never turned to face the ball. The flag on the play was for defensive pass interference, which was, of course, declined.

Senior tight end Marcus Meri (84) lined up on the outside on this play and streaked down the sideline, where Rathje (4) — who stepped up in the pocket to avoid a blitzing linebacker — found him with a perfectly-placed pass for a 34-yard gain.

Lucas (13) uses a block at the line from Thompson (22) and a downfield block from Pierce (83) to break into the open. He jukes one defender completely out of bounds, then breaks one tackle before being hauled down after a gain of 32 yards.

Junior Adan Medina (35) finds the open crease down the middle of the Bulldog defense, and Rathje (4) finds Medina, with a 20-yard TD strike the result.

Saemisch (27) added a second long run later in the contest when he rumbled for 37 yards. Blocks at the point of attack from Olvera (72) and Soll (67) open a seam, with Alonzo Zarate (71) chipping off a linebacker. Lucas (13) collected several defenders in the middle of the field, with Meri (84) adding a block before Saemisch twisted, turned and bulldozed his way for the final 15 yards.

Perry returns to action Friday for a little thing they like to call “The Cowbell Game.” This year’s edition — the 84th in the series — will be held at Linduska Field in Jefferson, where the Rams of Greene County will await the Bluejays. Kick off is set for 7:30 p.m.