Five turnovers and a standout all-around performance by Beckett DeJean were too much for Greene County to overcome on Friday. DeJean and his OABCIG (Ida Grove) Falcons were 34-14 Class 2A Iowa High School Football Playoff Round of 16 winners in Jefferson at Linduska Field. De Jean, a junior quarterback and safety, ran for three touchdowns, threw for two TDs, and nabbed a pair of pass interceptions to lead the Falcons to their 34th win in the last 35 games. They are 9-1 and advance to a Nov. 5 quarterfinal vs. Southeast Valley (Gowrie), the team that hung the only loss on the Falcons in the last three seasons.
Greene County ends the season at 8-2, losing the first and last games of 2021 with eight straight wins in between. Coach Caden Duncan’s team entered the game with a Plus-20 turnover margin, but turned the ball over five times while recording just two turnovers. Richard Daugherty intercepted a pass and Patrick Daugherty recovered a fumble.
OABCIG led 20-0 with 4:53 to play in the first quarter at a time the Rams had run just five offensive plays. De Jean had a TD run of 42 yards, and he passes to Trenton Kolar for four yards and to Gave Winterrowd from 18 yards out. Bryce Stalder threw to Richard Daugherty to get the Rams not he board from 25 yards out with 2:39 to play in quarter one and Nathan Behne’s extra point made it 20-7. DeJean scored on a 19 yard run and a two-point conversion pass made it 28-7 with 10:08 to play before intermission. With one second left from the OABCIG five yard line the Rams had one play before halftime and they made the most of it as Stalder found Richard Daugherty in the end zone to close the gap to 28-14 after Behne’s PAT.
The only points of the second half were scored by DeJean on a run of 10 yards. The Falcons had 151 rushing yards with DeJean accounting for 107 of that total, and he passed for 233 more on 24-39-1. OABCIG had 381 total yards.
The Rams had 286 total yards as Stalder went 17-32-3 for 206 and the team was held to 80 rushing yards. Richard Daugherty and Max Riley each had 64 receiving yards with Jackson Morton hauling in 63 yards in receptions.
Lost opportunities also cost the Rams as they were at the Falcons’ four with first and goal and did not score in the second quarter, were stopped on fourth and two early in the second quarter at the OABCIG eight, and first and goal at the one in fourth period and also were held off the scoreboard.
Daniel Rivera came up with a blocked punt for Greene County.
A deep and talented group of Ram seniors ended their Greene County football careers. The game was heard on KG98 and streamed on www.raccoonvalleyradio.com.