Longhorns improve to 3-1 with win over Gibbon

    The Chase County football team kept itself in playoff position with a win over Gibbon Friday.
    CCS set the tone right from the start, forcing a three-andout series from the Buffaloes to start the game. With the wind behind them, the Longhorns took over and capped a six-play drive with a 20-yard touchdown pass from Carter Leibbrandt to Stephen Murray.
    As Gibbon struggled with the wind, CCS benefited from a short field and in two plays added another TD on a Dawson Mollendor six-yard run.
    The Longhorns continued to shut Gibbon down in the first quarter, but also struggled to put more points on the board. CCS had three penalties derail drives and missed a field goal.
    CCS Head Coach Nathan Gaswick said the Longhorns’ offensive line and backfield continue to play well, but CCS still struggles at times being consistent every play and every series with effort and intensity.
    “We went into halftime with a 13-0 lead but I felt we left some points on the table in the second quarter,” Gaswick said.
    Two turnovers in Chase County’s first two second half possessions turned into points for Gibbon, which tied the game at 13-13.
    “Just like last week, our offense responded big when it needed to with a big drive to punch in another score,” Gaswick said.
    Leibbrandt found Luis Co for a 52-yard completion to set up a James McArthur touchdown on the next play.
    As the Longhorns’ defense held the Buffaloes silent, the CCS offense added more points to the board.
    Five-straight rushes set up a 17-yard touchdown pass from Leibbrandt to Kade Anderson to give CCS a 25-13 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
    “Once we gained momentum back we never let it go and were able to shut them out for the remainder of the game and continue to move the ball offensively,” Gaswick said.
    A CCS sack on fourth and six set up the Longhorn offense in Gibbon territory early in the fourth quarter and led to another Mollendor TD.
    A late fumble by the Buffaloes set up Mollendor’s third touchdown of the night and sealed the 38-13 win.
Up next
    The Longhorns will travel to Gordon-Rushville (1-3) Friday.  Like CCS, the Mustangs have beaten Alliance and lost to Sidney. Gordon-Rushville’s other losses have come to a pair of 3-1 teams, Chadron and Ord.
    Gaswick said the long road trip will be a major test.
    “Gordon-Rushville is always an extremely physical opponent and their current record is not indicative of the team that they are,” he said, adding the Mustangs are always one of Chase County’s toughest games of the season and coaches don’t expect this year to be any different.
    The Longhorns’ 3-1 record have them sitting in the 15th of 16 playoff spots. The toughest part of Chase County’s schedule lies ahead. Mitchell is first in the Class C2 points standings, Valentine is eighth and Wood River, a non-district opponent, is 16th.