Dusters Spoil Sidney Homecoming

SIDNEY - Jackson Hinrichs connected on 11 of his 23 passing attempts for 134 yards, rushed for 87 yards on 21 carries, and accounted for all 3 Holdrege touchdowns in a 21-14 win over the Red Raiders and put a damper on Sidney’s Homecoming Friday night at Weymouth Field. The loss evens Sidney’s record at 2-2 while Holdrege picks up their second straight win to improve to 2-2.

With starting running backs Luke Holley and Cam Leeling out with concussions, and playing with a shuffled offensive and defensive line due to illness, Sidney still got on the board first in the first quarter. After an unsuccessful first possession, the Raiders got a second chance when quarterback Jackson Hinrichs fumbled on a handoff on the Dusters fourth play from scrimmage giving Sidney the ball at the Holdrege 48. 6 plays later, Isak Doty sneaked in from the 2 for the Raiders only lead of the night. The 2-point PAT was no good but Sidney led 6-0.

The Raiders had another opportunity to add to their lead late in the first period after stopping the Dusters on Holdrege’s next drive. Trace Anderson’s punt from the Sidney 40 yard line sailed into the end zone giving the Red Raiders the ball at their own 20. On Sidney’s first play from scrimmage, fullback Nathan Kennedy went up the left sideline for 55 yards to the Duster 25. But the Sidney drive stalled at the Holdrege 11 and the Raiders turned the ball over on downs.

That’s where the Dusters began their first scoring drive of the night with :50 left in the opening stanza. An 89-yard drive that used over half of the second quarter. Along the way, Sidney’s defense had an opportunity to stop Holdrege by forcing 2 fourth downs, which the Dusters converted. Hinrichs eventually recorded his first score of the night when he was flushed out of the pocket and scampered up the right sideline for an 8-yard touchdown run. The PAT kick was good and Holdrege had the lead for the night.

On their next possession, Sidney picked up 3 yards on their first play, but lost 5 yards and faced third down and 12 yards to go at the Sidney 38. Isak Doty’s pass for Micah Schneider was intercepted by Jackson Hinrichs at the Holdrege 35. A Red Raider personal foul penalty moved the line of scrimmage to midfield and it didn’t take the Dusters long to capitalize. On their third play from scrimmage, Hinrichs connected with his fullback Cade Kirwan on a screen pass and the junior galloped 44 yards for the score. The PAT was good and the Holdrege took a 14-6 into halftime.

The Dusters mounted a 13-play drive to begin the second half, but it stalled as Holdrege couldn’t convert on fourth and nine when Jaydan Janssen fumble a pass and Sidney recovered at the Raider 35 yard line. Sidney’s first possession of the second half lost 10 yards on 2 plays, and coupled with a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty was forced to punt from their own endzone. Things got worse when a 15-yard punt set the Dusters up at the Sidney 25. However, the Red Raider defense shut the Dusters down at the 20, forcing an unsuccessful field goal attempt.

Sidney’s second drive of the third quarter started with a 21-yard Doty to Austin Munier pass. Two plays later Nathan Kennedy busted up the middle for 42 yards to set the Raiders up with a first down at the Duster 13. Four plays later, on the first play of the fourth quarter, Doty pushed across the goal line for his second score of the night to cut into the Holdrege lead. The 2-point conversion was no good, but Sidney had cut the lead to 14-12.

The dagger came on the Dusters’ first possession of the final period. After a good kickoff return set the Dusters up at their own 44, Holdrege drove to the Sidney 9 yard line in 6 plays. But the Raider defense held on the next three plays leaving Holdrege with a fourth and goal at the Sidney 9. Hinrichs found Trace Anderson in a crowd over the middle and after the PAT the Dusters had a 2-possession lead.

Sidney’s short-handed offense generated just 12 yards on their next 7 plays and punted with 5:12 remaining in the game. That was the last that Sidney would see the ball as Holdrege ran out the remaining time for their second win in a row.

Sidney was led by Nathan Kennedy, who had 156 yards on 17 carries before leaving the game with an injury. The Red Raiders will have another chance next Friday to pick up their first win at home this season when Yuma Colorado Indians come calling. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at Weymouth Field.