Cowboys Move Into First Place With Win Over Scobey
The defense stepped up in a big way.
After trailing by a 22-18 half-time margin, Culbertson’s defense held Scobey scoreless during the second half and created a turnover that led to the go-ahead touchdown in a 26-22 victory. The outcome puts Culbertson in first place.
“That was a valiant effort by the boys,” Culbertson Coach Brian Manning said on the field after the game. “That was a heck of a game.”
The Cowboys’ stubborn defense began to turn the contest’s momentum around by putting field position in its favor throughout the third quarter.
“That was the turning point,” Manning said of winning the field position battle.
Culbertson created the turnover that was needed late in the third quarter when Kyler Kempton recovered a fumble at the Scobey 31.
After a 13-yard gain by Kobe Nickoloff to the 18, Kempton broke loose for a first down at the five. Kempton, a senior, went on to race in for a 10-yard touchdown to put the Cowboys in the lead with 11:15 remaining.
“He’s a hard worker and always positive. I would say he’s our glue,” Manning said of Kempton. “He wants his teammates and team to succeed. If he gets going, everybody feeds off of it because he’s so positive.”
Quarterback Payton Perkins ran in the two-point conversion for a 26-22 advantage.
The Spartans responded by driving and picking up a first down at the Cowboy 14. Culbertson’s defense took control as tackles by Colin Avance and James Kirkaldie along with a quarterback pressure by Aiden Perkins put Scobey into a fourth-and-nine situation. Avance then stopped Scobey quarterback Boen Tande short of the needed yardage with 5:28 remaining.
Scobey’s final possession started on its own 30 with 3:32 left. Tackles by A. Perkins, P. Perkins and James Kirkaldie created a fourthand- 12 situation. An incompletion ended Scobey’s drive with only 1:24 remaining.
Kempton led Culbertson’s rushing attack with 75 yards while Nickoloff ran for 52 and P. Perkins added 74 yards.
The Cowboys opened their homecoming contest by driving 65 yards on 12 plays for a touchdown. P. Perkins scored on a seven-yard keeper run with 6:17 left in the first quarter.
Culbertson’s second touchdown came on the defensive end when linebacker Justice Bengochea intercepted a pass and returned the ball six yards for a touchdown for a 12-0 lead with 2:33 left in the opening quarter.
The Spartans, however, got on the scoreboard when Tande scored on a four-yard keeper on a fourth-down play with 10:59 left in the half. Colter Oie ran in the two-point conversion to pull Scobey to 12-8.
The Cowboys quickly answered when P. Perkins scrambled 58 yards for a touchdown to increase the margin to 18-8 with 9:20 remaining in the half.
Scobey struck on a 15-yard dash by Gage Hallock with 3:34 left in the half. Tande passed to Cole Taylor for the conversion.
After stopping Culbertson on a fourth-down attempt, the Spartans drove 30 yards to move ahead. Tande scored on a two-yard run with 25 seconds left to put Scobey up by a 22-18 half-time margin.
