By Ernie W. Webb III
BURLINGAME – Burlingame knew it had its hands full Friday night against a team with so many players that the roster in the game program consumed two columns in small type. With little on the line in a non-district game, the Bearcats kept the play-calling vanilla in a 52-14 loss to Reno County Home School.
A relatively new team, Reno County might not have the name recognition just yet, but the Sabres have outscored their opponents 459-146 this season. At 7-0, Reno County has crushed several Eight-Man programs and thumped Douglass, a Class 2A school, in an 11-man contest. Last season, the Sabres (7-0) went 6-2, with their lone losses coming to third-ranked Burlingame (96-48) and Class 2A Eureka (32-30).
The Bearcats (5-2) have much more on the line next week against Rural Vista. That matchup in White City will determine the District 2 champion and a one seed in the Eight-Man Division II playoffs. The Heat is 6-1 after a rout of Hartford.
Burlingame got off to a daunting start against Reno County, going three-and-out on its first series. That combined with an 18-yard punt return set the Sabres up at the Bearcats’ 22 early in the opening quarter. Reno County led 6-0 four plays later on Beau Smith’s 3-yard run and Lawrence Cable’s conversion.
A fumble two plays later gave the Sabres another short field, and they capitalized with a 17-yard drive capped by a 5-yard touchdown pass from Beau Smith to Colt Smith. Rock Smith’s conversion made it 16-0.
Burlingame turned the ball over on its next series with an interception, but Brock Moon picked off a pass tipped by Dawson Richman moments later to give the Bearcats a little momentum. Danny Cain cut the deficit to 16-6 with a 3-yard run early in the second quarter.
Reno County pushed the lead to 22-6 when Beau Smith broke loose for 39-yard jaunt on third-and-8, but Burlingame answered with an eight-play, 65-yard possession. Cain connected with Drake Skirvin on a 15-yard strike over the middle to pull the Bearcats within 22-12 at the 6:16 mark of the second quarter. Jude Aguilar caught a pass from Cain on the conversion to cut the deficit to 22-14.
The final six minutes of the half were critical, as the Sabres scored three times to put the game away. First, Jett Smith made a leaping grab in the end zone, then Rock Smith and Beau Smith raced 19 and 16 yards for scores. By the end of the quarter, Reno County had a 44-14 lead.
The Sabres scored less than 90 seconds into the second half on Beau Smith’s 5-yard run and a conversion by Josiah Fall. The game ended shortly thereafter due to lightning in the area.
Cain led Burlingame with 82 total yards, including 47 rushing, while Skirvin had 35 yards on four receptions. Beau Smith had 212 yards, including 119 rushing and 93 passing.
RENO COUNTY 52, BURLINGAME 14
Reno County 16 28 8 X — 14
Burlingame 0 14 0 X — 52
First Quarter
RC – B. Smith 3 run (Cable run)
RC – C. Smith 5 pass from B. Smith (R. Smith run)
Second Quarter
BHS – Cain 3 run (Run failed)
RC – B. Smith 39 run (Run failed)
BHS – Skirvin 15 pass from Cain (Aguilar pass from Cain)
RC – J. Smith 30 pass from B. Smith (B. Smith run)
RC – R. Smith 19 run (Run failed)
RC – B. Smith 16 run (R. Smith run)
Third Quarter
RC – B. Smith 5 run (R. Smith run)
GAME IN FIGURES
RC BHS
First downs 11 6
Rushes-Yards 14-150 24-65
Passing 9-16-1 4-7-2
Passing yards 93 35
Total yards 243 100
Punts N/A 2-31.5
Fumbles-lost 1-0 2-1
Penalties 4-35 2-10
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING – Reno County: B. Smith 11-119, R. Smith 3-31. Burlingame: Cain 16-47, Aguilar 2-12, Middleton 6-6.
RECEIVING – Reno County: J. Smith 4-53, Kingsley 2-17, Cable 2-9, Loewen 1-14. Burlingame: Skirvin 4-35.
PASSING – Reno County: B. Smith 9-15-1 93, C. Smith 0-1-0 0. Burlingame: Cain 4-7-2 35.