March 28, 2024

Baxter football routs Twin Cedars

Bolts finish regular season 7-1 after 72-0 win over Sabers

BUSSEY — Baxter’s football team registered zero shutouts before this season during its short tenure in 8-man competition.

The Bolts locked up their third shutout of the fall on Friday during a 72-0 road win over Twin Cedars.

It was the sixth time this season the Bolts have scored at least 60 points and they won their Class 8-man District 6 finale after averaging 12.4 yards per carry.

Baxter scored six rushing touchdowns on its 16 carries and had four TD passes on just five completions.

The Bolts (7-1 overall, 5-1 in district play) led 36-0 after one quarter and outscored the Sabers 28-0 in the second half. Twin Cedars fell to 1-7 overall and 1-5 in the district.

Baxter goes into the postseason as the District 6 runner-up. The Bolts open the playoffs against Fremont-Mills (5-3) at 7 p.m. on Friday in Tabor.

Rory Heer scored three touchdowns on his three touches in the game. He had 36 rushing yards and two scores on two carries and added a 38-yard TD on his only catch.

Cody Damman was 4-of-6 through the air for 113 yards and three scores. Perrin Zulzle’s only completion went for a 14-yard touchdown to Cody Samson.

Jake Travis added 39 rushing yards and one TD on two carries, Nick Nelson had 57 rushing yards and one touchdown on four carries and Cade Robinson chipped in 19 yards and one score on five carries.

Cael Shepley tallied 58 yards and one TD on his two catches and Nate McMinamen also had a 17-yard TD catch.

Six different players — Heer, Damman, Shepley, Jake Travis, Treyton Travis and Aiden Johnson — converted two-point conversions.

The Bolts’ defense was led by Trice Clapper, who registered a career-high 11 tackles and added one sack and four tackles for loss.

Samson added 6 1/2 tackles and one sack, Aiden McFadden chipped in 4 1/2 tackles, one sack and two tackles for loss and Devan Fredregill collected 5 1/2 tackles and one sack.

Grant Borts finished with five tackles, Shepley had 3 1/2 tackles, McMinamen and Jake Travis added three tackles each, Alex Dille snagged an interception and Austin Roush recovered a fumble.