It was a tough, grin- it-out ballgame and we didn’t have a lot of possessions so it was hard to get in a rhythm. They’ve improved from last year, but we missed some opportunities and can’t keep doing that.”

Coach Chris Skeen

Up Next

The NCHS Tigers host Southeast on Friday, September 27. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.

SARATOGA – For the third time in 17 meetings, Niobrara County High School (NCHS) lost to Saratoga and in the process fell to 0-2 in conference play. While the Tigers didn’t play a bad game, they just struggled to put together consistent drives and control the tempo. The Saratoga Panthers’ slow, deliberate offense ran 59 plays, while limiting Lusk to only 46.

Over the first 12 minutes, the defenses made crucial stops and the period closed with a scoreless tie. Lusk’s fortunes took a turn for the worse midway through the second quarter when defensive back Isaac Assman went down with an injury. A trip to the hospital revealed a broken collarbone and the junior’s season was over. He also lamented the fact that he wouldn’t be able to fill his archery elk tag this fall.

As the final minute of the half ticked away, the home team had moved deep into Tiger territory and capitalized on a five-yard pass. Hazen Williams ran in the conversion and at the half, Saratoga held an 8-0 lead.

NCHS averted a deeper hole during the third quarter with a fourth-down stop backed up against their own 10-yard line. The offense put their best drive of the game together and as the clock rolled into the final stanza, got on the board. Jackson Smith hooked up with Nathan Miller for a 40-yard score, but Ridge Kupke was held short of the goal line on the conversion attempt. 

Kupke got the ball back minutes later with an interception that he took down the sideline to the 33-yard line. Lusk moved into the red zone, but a Panther defender stepped in front of Miller in the endzone to halt the Tigers’ drive.

The defense made one more fourth-down stop with three minutes remaining, but couldn’t manufacture a game winning drive in the 8-6 defeat.

“It was a tough, grin- it-out ballgame and we didn’t have a lot of possessions so it was hard to get in a rhythm,” coach Chris Skeen said. “They’ve improved from last year, but we missed some opportunities and can’t keep doing that.”

This week NCHS hosts Southeast to Gibson Field at Fullmer Stadium for a Friday kickoff at 6 p.m. While the Tigers are off to a 1-2 start the Cyclones are 3-0, but records don’t matter much in this rivalry.

Score by quarters

NCHS 0-0-6-0--6

SHS 8-0-0-0--8

Team stats

NCHS: Passing – 7/17, 72 yds. Rushing – 27/106. Receiving – 7/72. First Downs – 8. 3 Penalties/20 yds.

SHS: Passing – 5/15, 70 yds. Rushing – 44/151. Receiving – 5/70. First Downs – 13. 7 Penalties/40 yds.

NCHS player stats

• Passing – Smith 7/17, 72 yds, TD, INT. 

• Rushing – Ridge Kupke 20/89; Smith 6/21; Miller 1/-3. 

• Receiving – Miller 4/51, TD; Raynce Brott 1/14; Brady Swisher 1/5; Kupke 1/2. 

• Defensive Points – Miller 28; Kupke 24; Swisher 12; Smith 12; Brott 11; Cody Himes 9; Ryan Youngquist 7; JayDe Assman 5; Skyler Daniels 4; Quintin Bieri 3; Isaac Assman 2; Ryan Taylor 2.