Plainsmen fall to Hemingford

Perkins County’s Plainsmen football team suffered their second loss of the season, falling to the Hemingford Bobcats 58-25 in district action there Friday. 

The loss dropped the Plainsmen’s record to 4-2 and 2-1 in the district. 

The Plainsmen will face Sutherland  in their final district game here Friday. A win against the ??? Sutherland Sailors would give Perkins County a share of the district title. 

Sutherland handed Hemingford their only district loss two weeks ago. A Plainsmen win Friday would give Sutherland its first district loss. All three teams would finish district play with one loss.  

To do that, Coach Tanner Collins said his squad will have to turn in a better effort than they did Friday at Hemingford. 

“We took a step back,” he said.

He felt his team didn’t play at the physical level they are capable of. They didn’t engage, he said. In addition, missed defensive and special team assignments, and untimely penalties proved costly as well.

The Bobcats pounded the ball on the ground for 322 yards and six touchdowns. They also collected two more in the air. 

The game had swings of momentum early.

The Plainsmen put the first points on the board, scoring on a third-and-26 from their own 30.

Quarterback Triston Hite found Hunter Garner in the left flat and he went 50 yards untouched for the score. 

Then, on Hemingford’s first play from scrimmage, Nolan Foster picked off a pass at the Bobcat 30.

However, two plays later, Hemingford returned the favor, picking off a Hite pass.

Collins took responsibility for that one, saying he called the wrong pass play. 

But the biggest momentum change came when Hite made the tackle on the interception. He injured an ankle that took him out for the rest of the game. 

“That took the wind out of the sails,” Collins said. If Hite plays the whole game, that makes a difference, the coach added.

Sophomore Casey Hanson took over quarterback duties for the second week in a row, taking over the helm last week against Kimball after Hite dislocated a finger in the Bayard game. 

Before the Plainsmen could get back on the board, the Bobcats put up three touchdowns of their own. 

Hanson answered with a 52-yard keeper to pull back within a touchdown, 20-13.

Hemingford provided their own answer with a five-play, 44-yard drive. 

Late in the second, Hanson hit Garner for a 33-yard score, only to have it nullified by a penalty. 

The Plainsmen remained within a pair of touchdowns at half, 26-13.

Hemingford stuck another dagger to open the second half, taking the kickoff 69 yards for the touchdown. 

The Plainsmen added two scores in the third but Hemingford closed it out with two scores in the fourth. 

That brings the Plainsmen forward to another big game here Friday against Sutherland 

Kickoff at Haenfler Field is set for 6 p.m. MT.

To view the entire story, purchase a Grant Tribune-Sentinel or go to our e-subscription page to purchase a single e-copy or subscribe to the print and/or e-edition.