Cardinals Top Raiders 19-13

 Sidney’s Red Raider Football team traveled to Chadron Friday for a division match up against the Cardinals, and after battling to a 7-to-7 tie at the end of the first half, the Raiders were unable to hold off the Cardinals and fell by a final score of 19-to-13. 

The loss moves Sidney to 2-and-4 on the season.

Chadron won the coin toss and elected to receive, and after returning the kick off to the Chadron 43 yard line, went on a 57 yard drive to score and take a 7-to-0 lead.

Sidney started their first drive with an 8 yard run by junior Luke Holly, but were unable to gain any more yards and punted away. Chadron again started to drive, but a fumble by sophomore Quinn Bailey stopped their drive and gave Sidney the ball.

A 21 yard pass from junior quarterback Isak Doty to senior Koleman Kaiser jump started the Sidney drive which extended into the second quarter. Sidney was able to gain a few first downs, but turned the ball over on downs on a dropped pass by Kaiser on 4th and three. Sidney was able to shut down the Cardinals’ offense and force a punt, but Sidney also was unable to drive and punted the ball back. 

On the Cardinals’ drive, a fourth down pass was intercepted by Doty and he had a clear field ahead, going 60 yards untouched for a touchdown that knotted the score at 7-to-7.  Sidney was able to stop the next Cardinals’ drive with a sack of junior quarterback Broc Berry by junior McGuire Rolls followed by a fourth down stop in the backfield. Sidney was unable to get a drive going in the final minute of the half, and the teams went into the break tied at 7-to-7.

Sidney received the ball to start the second half, but went three and out and punted the ball to the Chadron 19 yard line. Chadron drove but a holding call and a third down pass for a loss of four yards forced a punt that Luke Holly returned to the Sidney 29. Sidney punted after gaining a first down on a Chadron penalty, and the Cardinals started at their 25 yard line with two minutes left in the third quarter.

Chadron drove again, and at the Sidney 25 yard line, Berry completed a pass to Malachi Swallow for a touchdown, and after a failed extra point, the Cardinals led 13-to-7.  Sidney had only gained two yards in their two possessions in the second half, and looked to be starting to drive when Kaiser fumbled after a pass reception. Chadron started with a short field and after burning down much of the fourth quarter clock, scored on a quarterback sneak by Berry. Their two-point conversion failed, and the Cardinals led 19-to-7.

With two minutes left in the game, Holly returned the kick off to the 36 yard line, then Doty found senior Austin Roelle for a 33 yard pass reception. A few plays later, Holly broke through for a rushing touchdown, and a failed extra point attempt moved the score to 19-to-13. 

But there was too little time left for the Raiders, and Chadron just had to kneel on the ball to wrap up the win by a final score of 19-to-13. Sidney’s rushing attack was held to just 79 yards on the night while Doty was 6-for-13 passing for 83 yards and a touchdown. Sidney next travels to Cozad on Friday to take on the 3-and-3 Haymakers. Kick off is scheduled for 7 p.m.