When Cody-Kilgore junior Peyton Sterkel broke loose for a 46-yard touchdown run on the fourth play of the game Friday night in Potter, it was just an omen of things to come. Fullback Tucker Ravenscroft rushed for four touchdowns as the Cowboys rolled up 329 rushing yards, in a 42-8 dismantling of the Potter-Dix Coyotes, to advance to the semifinals of the D6 Nebraska State Football Playoffs.

The explosive Potter-Dix offense, that was averaging 378 yards per game was shut down by a physical Cowboy defense. The Coyotes, who were held to -13 yards on the ground, did find some success through the air. Potter-Dix threw for 253 yards on 14 of 29 passing, but were intercepted four times to stop Coyote drives.

After Sterkel scored on the initial drive of the game, both teams turned the ball over on downs. The Coyotes moved from their own 15 out to mid-field in seven plays, followed by the Cowboys giving it back to Potter-Dix at the same spot four plays later. But before the Coyotes could gather any momentum on their second possession of the game, quarterback Luke Kasten was picked off at the Cody-Kilgore 35 yard line by cornerback Cactus Millar, who returned it to the Coyote 5 Two plays later Ravenscroft scored from tow yards out to give Cody-Kilgore a 14-0 lead.

Luke Kasten led the Coyotes quickly back with passes of 10 and 25 yards to Jared Anton and a 28 yard strike to Javon Coyle to take Potter-Dix from the own 15 to the Cody-Kilgore 6 yard line. After an Illegal Procedure penalty backed then up to the 11 yard line, Kasten threw his second interception at the 1 yard line to end the Coyote threat.

Cody-Kilgore was unable to move the ball and punted from their own 9 yard line. The Coyotes took over at the Potter-Dix 22 yard line, but were stopped on downs on Cowboy territory at the 37. The Cowboys pounded their way for 47 yards, on 7 plays, capped off by Ravenscroft’s second touchdown run to take a 22-0 lead.

On the Coyotes next possession, Potter-Dix lost 11 yards on 3 plays and was forced to punt from their own 4 yard line. A 47-yard punt pushed Cody-Kilgore all the way back to their own 29 yad line. Potter-Dix held the Cowboys to just 8 yards on their first three down. But a confident Cody-Kilgore offense decided to go for it on fourth down. Peyton Sterkel broke free again, this time for 36 yards down to the Coyote 5. Ravenscroft plowed in from there to give the Cowboys a 28-0 halftime lead.

Potter-Dix started the second half with Luke Kasten finding Javon Coyle with a 64 yard strike to the Cowboy 1 yard line. The Coyotes were stuffed on their first attempt, but there second try proved more costly. Quarterback Luke Kasten was knocked from the game when he was slammed to the turf for a 15 yard loss. Brayden Kasten took over and connected with Jared Anton in the end zone for what turned out to be the Coyotes only score of the night. Luke Kasten never returned to the game and left the Potter-Dix sideline in the fourth quarter.

Cody-Kilgore scored on both their possessions in the third quarter to finish off the scoring for the game. The Cowboys drove to the Potter-Dix 1 yard line in 9 plays to begin the fourth period, but fumbled at the 1 yard line.

Cody-Kilgore will now host 9-0 McCool Junction in a semifinal next Friday. The same two teams met last year in the semifinals with McCool Junction winning 40-28 to end the Cowboys season at 10-1. The Mustangs advanced to the semifinals with a 79-29 over Paxton.

Potter-Dix ends a storybook season at 9-1.