Thunder earns statement rivalry win
TUCKER KLAMM/THE FORUM
Nodaway Valley senior Garrett Carpenter pulls down Platte Valley running back Lucky Ferry on Friday in Hopkins.
HOPKINS, Mo — Ninth-ranked Nodaway Valley beat second-ranked Platte Valley handedly 58-20 on Friday in Hopkins. After Platte Valley won the first three matchups, Nodaway Valley earned its first win in the Battle of the Valley rivalry.
“We got to enjoy it, but refocus on what’s ahead of us,” Nodaway Valley head coach Alan Calfee said.
Platte Valley would start the day on offense before a tenacious Nodaway Valley front line would force a 4-and-out on a senior Garrett Carpenter sack.
Nodaway Valley stalled on offense thereafter, but picked right back up with a 12-yard completion to freshman Jax Cowden. A big fourth-and-13 came after, but senior quarterback Lane Larabee found his favorite target, sophomore Tye Hoyt, in the back of the end zone.
Junior and sophomore backs Lucky Ferry and Dylan Klamm chugged the injury-riddled Platte Valley offense along — converting fourth downs and pushing forward. The Thunder would then stop the Platte Valley offense on fourth down to take over.
Larabee would punch it in with a 13-yard touchdown run. On the kickoff after, Platte Valley showed life, Ferry would take the squib kick and find a hole for a kickoff return touchdown, ending the first quarter with a 12-6 Thunder lead.
Sixteen seconds after the Platte Valley score, Nodaway Valley struck again with Larabee scoring on a 27-yard touchdown run to open the quarter.
In what seemed like a replay of the last, Larabee ran another in.
Ferry would once again breathe life back into the Platte Valley offense. A 43-yard run brought Platte Valley to the 2-yard line, before Dylan Klamm dove in to reduce the Nodaway Valley lead 20-14.
Soon after, junior Cooper Snodderly took a big run to bring the Thunder to the goal line before senior Preston Jenkins bulldozed in for the touchdown.
On the Nodaway Valley kickoff, they forced a fumble and took over on the PLatte Valley 18 yeard line. Hoyt took a screen pass, made defender after defender miss and scored the touchdown as Nodaway Valley began to pull away, 36-14.
“I just knew when I got the ball that I had to make a man miss,” Hoyt said.
After a Platte Valley 4-and-out, Larabee immediately threw a 50-yard bomb to junior Dakota Patterson.
“The offensive line gave me all kinds of time,” Larabee said. “It was great. I could sit back, make my reads, and I saw I had a man open and let it fly.”
After another Platte Valley 4-and-out, Patterson would catch another touchdown pass, this one for 10 yards, to put Nodaway Valley up 50-14 going into the half.
At the end of the third quarter, Platte Valley showed some life. Senior end Justin Miller would make a first-down catch before sophomore quarterback Ridge Clements took a counter for a chunk gain. A huge 38-yard catch from Miller brought Platte Valley to the 2-yard line.
They would open up the fourth quarter with a Ferry 2-yard touchdown run as Nodaway Valley led 50-20.
Jenkins would punch in another short touchdown for the final score of the night as Nodaway Valley won 58-20.
“We’re just ready to go,” said Hoyt. “We’ve been amped up and our mentality is that we have something to prove so that’s what we’re trying to do.”
Nodaway Valley moves to 4-0 as they look to continue their momentum against Mound City next week.
“I think it was just a mentality,” Calfee said. “We challenged (our line) all week and before the game that this game is going to be won up front. I think they really rose to the occasion.”
Platte Valley falls to 3-1 on the year and finds themself with a short week, playing East Atchison on Thursday to get back on track.
