Luke Mullin and Amie Just are ready to project a win total for the Huskers in 2024. Plus, volleyball and soccer talk. CHADRON — Put a check in the win column, and the Good Life Trophy in the trophy case.
Holding Chadron State to two field goals and scoring on a pair of pass plays, the University of Nebraska at Kearney won the first game of a renewed rivalry, 18-6, Thursday night at Chadron State's Don Beebe Field. "At the end of the day, we won the game and that was the No. 1 thing, to get that trophy then find a way to get better," UNK coach Ryan Held said.
UNK won three games last year, Held's first year as the Lopers' head coach, and was picked to finish last in the MIAA. While Thursday's victory came in a non-conference game, the win carried plenty of significance for Held. "You've got to learn how to win.
It's not easy coming up to these places. Chadron is tough. Their kids played hard.
But so did ours," Held said. UNK marched 86 yards on its opening drive, overcoming two penalties, and scoring on a 24-yard pass from Reagan Jones to Shane Dailey Jr. — Jones from Missouri Western and Dailey from Idaho State.
"That was a big drive. We ran the ball really well and made some throws," Held said. "We can really be good offensively, we just have to continue to be aggressive when we need to be aggressive," Held said.
Jones completed 12 of 21 passes for 180 yards and found Reggie Anderson for a 50-yard touchdown late in the second half. Isaiah Harris, a transfer from Nebraska, was the workhorse in the rushing game, carrying the ball 24 times for 121 yards. Freshman kicker Trey Pritchard handled the rest of the scoring with a PAT, a 25-yard field goal and a 2-point conversion on a fake, taking a flip from holder Mary Mormino.
But all of the scoring came in the first half. "I would have liked to have played better in the second half, offensively. .
.. We weren't as aggressive in the second half because I didn't want to do anything as long as our defense was playing well I just wanted to make sure we got it done," Hold said.
The defense came up with a blue-ribbon performance, holding the Eagles to field goals of 39 and 38 yards by Wilson Yee. Defensive linemen Quillan Felton highlighted the performance with eight total tackles, one tackle for loss and one quarterback hurry. Throughout the night, Felton and the Loper defensive unit made things rough for the Eagles' quarterbacks.
DJ Ralph, recruited from San Diego State, left the game in the first quarter with a shoulder injury. His replacement, Miguel Larios, was replaced by Kearney High graduate Preston Pearson after throwing three second-half interceptions. Pearson entered in the fourth quarter and was Chadron's second-leading rusher with 12 yards on four carries.
"They tackled well and we didn't give up any big pass plays," Held said. Sophomore linebacker Parker Wise, senior safety Jamere Jones and graduate cornerback Jabea Tilong came up with the interceptions. Wise, another Kearney High graduate, finished four tackles and shared a tackle for loss.
Two of the interceptions came inside the UNK 15-yard-line, keeping the Chadron State from challenging in the second half. That gave Held the luxury of being conservative. The Eagles "were doing a lot of moving around and everything.
They were selling out. I wanted to keep the clock moving, too, I didn't want to have incomplete, incomplete," he said. But that will be one of the things the Lopers have to work on before hosting Northwest Missouri State on Sept.
7. Another thing is penalties. UNK had 10 penalties for 105 yards, including two targeting penalties that led to player ejections.
Seven of the penalties came in the first half, and two helped lead to one of Chadron State's field goals. "We had too many penalties. We have to get that fixed," Held said.
Shane Dailey Jr. (2) and Reggie Anderson (8) celebrate Anderson's 50-yard touchdown in UNK's 18-6 win over Chadron State Thursday night in Chadron. UNK's Josh Davies-Balogun (2) fights off a blok by Chadron's Levi Banuelos (77) while pursuing Eagles quarerback Miguel Larios (12) UNK's Josh Davies-Balogun pressures Chdaron State quarterback Miguel Larios UNK's Quillan Felton (4) tackles Chadron State running back Jake Marshall.
UNK's Jovan Marsh (113) and Caleb Freeland team up to tackle CHadron State's Brock Ping. Chadron State's Omr Ali tackles UNK's Isiah Harris. UNK's Shane Brennan (61) blocks for running back Isaiah Davis (22).
UNK's Isaiah Harris breaks away from Chadron State tackler Sutton Pohlman. UNK's James Murphy (93) pursues Chadron State quarterback Miguel Larios. UNK kicker Trey Pritchard (11) catches a flip from holder Marty Mormino (40) during a successful 2-point conversion.
UNK quarterback Reagan Jones (7) flips the ball to Shane Dailey Jr. before getting sacked by a Chadron State defender. Referees review a call.
UNK's Reggie Anderson steps into the end zone for a 50-yard touchdown against Chadron State.. Shane Dailey Jr.
(2) and Reggie Anderson (8) celebrate Anderson's 50-yard touchdown in UNK's 18-6 win over Chadron State Thursday night in Chadron. UNK's Josh Davies-Balogun (2) fights off a blok by Chadron's Levi Banuelos (77) while pursuing Eagles quarerback Miguel Larios (12) UNK's Josh Davies-Balogun pressures Chdaron State quarterback Miguel Larios UNK's Quillan Felton (4) tackles Chadron State running back Jake Marshall. UNK's Jovan Marsh (113) and Caleb Freeland team up to tackle CHadron State's Brock Ping.
Chadron State's Omr Ali tackles UNK's Isiah Harris. UNK's Shane Brennan (61) blocks for running back Isaiah Davis (22). UNK's Isaiah Harris breaks away from Chadron State tackler Sutton Pohlman.
UNK's James Murphy (93) pursues Chadron State quarterback Miguel Larios. UNK kicker Trey Pritchard (11) catches a flip from holder Marty Mormino (40) during a successful 2-point conversion. UNK quarterback Reagan Jones (7) flips the ball to Shane Dailey Jr.
before getting sacked by a Chadron State defender. Referees review a call. UNK's Reggie Anderson steps into the end zone for a 50-yard touchdown against Chadron State.
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