Greene County hosted Des Moines Christian on Friday night in the Class 2A District 8 football opener and the Rams won by a 30-22 score. It was also the first true home game at Linduska Field in Jefferson this season and it was Homecoming in a contest heard on KG98 and streamed on www.raccoonvalleyradio.com. Coach Caden Duncan’s Rams are 3-1 on the season and DMC is 1-3 and the Greene County coach is 27-8 in his 3-1/2 seasons here.

Greene County reached season highs in rushing yards and total yards while holding DMC to season lows in passing yards and total yards. The Rams ran the ball 54 times for 352 yards led by senior Patrick Daugherty with 26 carries, 234 yards and three touchdowns, all career bests. He scored on rushing plays from 33, 22, and 15 yards. Junior quarterback Gabe Ebersole was 5-9-0 passing for 57 yards and junior Jack Hansen was the top Ram receiver with 51 yards on two catches. Greene County racked up 409 total yards. Junior kicker Nathan Behne was three for three on field goals and three for three on extra points. The field goals were from 29, 37, and 26 yards and all boomed through the uprights.

The Lions entered the game with 2A’s top passing attack. Quarterback Tate Platte threw for 849 yards and 12 TDs in the first three games, but was held just 153 yards including only 45 in the first half. Trey Schilling picked off a Platte pass in the first quarter, just the second INT the junior QB has thrown this season in 120 attempts. He found Owen Fadden and Gavin Phillips for second half touchdowns and the Lions had 250 total yards of offense.

The Lions led 6-3 only five seconds into the second quarter, but the Rams were up 20-6 at halftime and 20-14 at the end of the third period. Ahead 30-14 late in the game, the Rams surrendered the last eight points with just 57 seconds left in the contest to return it to a one possession game. DMC tried an onside kick that went out of bounds into the Greene County sideline and the Rams ran out the clock.

F

Lions  o   6   8   8   22

Rams 3  17  0  10  30

Scoring summary: Rams 6:24 (1) Nathan Behne 29 field goal, 3-0. Lions 11:55 (2) Tyler Drefke 6 run (PAT blocked), 6-3. Rams 7:54 (2) Patrick Daugherty 33 run (Behne PAT), 10-6. Rams 4:08 (2) Behne 37 field goal, 13-6. Rams 2:24 (2) P. Daugherty 22 run (Behne PAT), 20-6. Lions 2:20 (3) Own Fadden 26 pass from Tate Platte (Landon Mumm pass from Platte), 20-14. Rams 10:41 (4) Behne 26 field goal, 23-14. Rams 2:11 (4) P. Daugherty 15 run (Behne PAT), 30-14. Lions :57 (4) Gavin Phillips 20 pass from Platte (Platte conversion run), 30-22.

The Rams remain at home on Sept. 23 in District 8 play vs. Clarinda at 7 p.m. on KG98 and streamed on www.raccoonvalleyradio.com. The Cardinals are 2-2, 1-0 after winning 28-7 at previously undefeated Clarke (Osceola) on Friday.