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Cherokee Chief football team two wins away from clinching district title

The Cherokee Chief football team remained undefeated in district play after beating Kremlin-Hillsdale 48-0.

The Broncs kickedoff to begin the ball game and it was recovered on the 50-yard line by Kremlin-Hillsdale.

The Broncs moved the ball 8 yards to the Chiefs 42-yard line on six plays before a fumble was caused by Damien Lobato and recovered by him as well.

The Chief offense took two plays to score. The first was a 16-yard pass from Lake Lyon to Lobato for 16 yards and then Ruston James finished it up with a 42-yard touchdown run. Lyon and James connected on the two-point conversion pass and led 8-0 with 8:50 left in the first quarter.

The Kremlin-Hillsdale return on the ensuing kickoff was returned to their 27-yard line where the drive began. The Broncs ran the ball five times before finishing with two incomplete passes that ended their drive on a turnover on downs.

Cherokee had a short field to work with, starting at the Kremlin-Hillsdale 40-yard line. Lobato opened the possession with an 8 yard run, a holding call on second down pushed it back to the 39-yard line, but Lobato found the endzone on the run. Colby Roach added the two-point conversion and with 4:49 left in the first, the score was 16-0.

The Chief defense held the Broncs to just 3 yards of offense on the drive and forced a punt.

Following the punt, Cherokee began on their 20-yard line. James ran the ball for 19 yards to start the drive. The next play started back 5 yards due to an offensive illegal procedure penalty, but James followed up with a 22-yard run. Damien Ramirez added 6 yards and Lobato added 11 but a block in the back pushed it back. The Chiefs were facing a 2nd and 1 on the Broncs’ 35-yard line and incomplete pass looked to slow down the offense, but a defensive pass interference moved the ball 15 yards and gave Cherokee the ball on the Broncs 20-yard line. Lobato ran for 7 yards and the first quarter came to a close with Cherokee leading 16-0.

James opened the second quarter with an 8 yard run and Lobato finished the drive with a 5-yard touchdown run. The two-point conversion was good and the Chiefs led 24-0 with 11:34 left in the quarter.

Cherokee forced another turnover on downs on the Broncs drive. Kremlin-Hillsdale moved the ball 49 yards before stalling out and throwing an incomplete pass on fourth down.

James opened up the drive with a 17-yard run followed by a 16-yard run by Lobato to put the Chiefs on the Bronc 26-yard line. The ball was moved back by a false start, holding and a run that lost 9 yards. On 2nd and 34 from the Kremlin-Hillsdale 49-yard line, Lobato broke free and scored the touchdown. James found Treavor Green for the two-point conversion and the lead stood at 32-0 with 5:45 left in the second quarter.

A punt ended the next Bronc drive and it was downed at the Cherokee 48-yard line. James broke off a 50-yard run to set the Chiefs up inside the 5-yard line and Kolby Roberts ran in the touchdown. Roach added the two-point conversion and the score was now at 40-0 with 4:49 left in the quarter.

Roberts followed up his 2-yard touchdown run with an interception at the Bronc 34-yard line.

A holding call and false start on the Cherokee offensive drive forced them back and then a fumble gave the ball back to the Broncs.

Cherokee was able to hold the Broncs and score their final touchdown on a Roach 9-yard run. Ramirez added the two-point conversion to give the Chiefs the 48-0 lead with 28 seconds left in the first half.

The quarter and game came to a close during Kremlin-Hillsdale’s next drive.

Cherokee put up 365 yards on 21 plays. The offensive stats are as follows:

• Lyon 1-1 for 16 yards.

• James: seven carries for 149 yards and one touchdown.

• Lobato: seven carries for 135 yards and three touchdowns and one catch for 16 yards.

• Roach: two carries for 48 yards and one touchdown.

• Kai McHenry: one carry for 9 yards.

• Ramirez: one carry for 6 yards.

• Roberts: one carry for 2 yards and one touchdown.

Cherokee gave up only 60 yards on 37 plays to the Broncs. The defensive stats are as follows:

• Lyon: one unassisted and two assisted.

• Gabe Wyatt: one unassisted and two assisted.

• Roberts one pass deflect and one interception.

• Lobato: two unassisted and six assisted, one pass deflect, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

• James: three unassisted and six assisted and one pass deflect.

• Ramirez: two assisted and one pass deflect.

• Nathan Phillips: two unassisted and one assisted.

• Char Smith: one unassisted and four assisted.

• Matthew Reeves: two unassisted and four assisted.

• Roach: one unassisted and one assisted.

• Brant Failes: two unassisted.

• Julius Luster: three assisted.

• Green: one unassisted, two assisted and one sack.

• McHenry: three unassisted and two assisted.

• Lathan Golden: one assisted.

• Jake Whitesides: one assisted.

The Chiefs will travel to Ringwood for a 7 p.m. kickoff this Friday. The Red Devils are 3-0 in district play and 4-4 on the regular season. Ringwood is coming off a 28-8 victory over Waukomis.

The last time these two teams met, Cherokee won 48-0. The winner of this year’s contest could hold the number one spot in district play.

Cherokee will return home on Nov. 6 for the final game of the regular season against Pond Creek-Hunter.

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