Perkins County Plainsmen suffer second defeat of season

For the second week in a row, the Perkins County Plainsmen saw victory slip away in the closing seconds of the game. 

Two weeks ago, Sedgwick County scored in the final seconds to upend the Plainsmen. This week, the Hemingford Bobcats pulled off the same feat, scoring with 24.2 seconds left to edge the Plainsmen 36-32.

 The Plainsmen had scored a go-ahead touchdown prior to Hemingford’s final score, only to have it nullified by a penalty. 

Then, on a designed delay pass on fourth down, a referee got in the path of receiver Tyson Patrick, disrupting his route. That caused quarterback Charles Johnson to hesitate on the throw. That was enough for Hemingford to sack Johnson at the PC 22.

Over the next eight plays, Hemingford gave the ball to their junior tailback, Justin Davis, eight consecutive times. 

His eighth carry resulted in a fourth-down conversion inside the PC 10. 

After those runs set up the pass, with their quarterback rolling out and hitting one of two open receivers in the end zone for the score. They added the conversion on a shuffle pass to their fullback to take a 36-32 lead. 

Johnson returned the ensuing kickoff to the PC 30. Only enough time remained for three plays, which included  a pair of completions inside the Hemingford 35 as time ran out. 

Coach Lance Steffen said the Plainsmen got a couple of false-start penalties down the stretch “that really hurt us.”

Steffen said his team is resilient and expects them to bounce back from the loss, which leaves them at 3-2 on the season.

They will need to because they’re headed to Dundy County Stratton Friday. They are coming off a double-overtime upset by Southwest, dropping them to 2-2. 

Seven touchdowns by half

The Plainsmen got on the board first on their opening possession when Johnson capped the drive on a six-yard pass to Tyson Patrick. 

After forcing a three-and-out, the Plainsmen got great field position at the Bobcat 26 after a shanked punt. However the Plainsmen couldn’t get it in the end zone and the drive ended on a blocked field goal attempt. 

It looked like another three-and-out until the Bobcats executed a fake punt,getting all the way to the PC 18. A play later, they scored on a quarterback keeper but the Plainsmen still led 8-6 after a failed two-point conversion. 

The Plainsmen answered right back with Alex Patrick nearly breaking the kickoff return. 

Johnson would need just one play to break away for 45 yards. A. Patrick added the conversion for a 16-6 lead. 

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