McLouth football falls to Nemaha Valley in opener
McLouth High coaches and players knew they’d be in for a tough test in their opener Friday against Nemaha Valley, and the Raiders proved why they were a cause for concern.
The Bulldogs started their season on a sour note, committing several turnovers in 41-8 loss in Seneca.
“We made a lot of mental mistakes,” coach Chris Stewart said. “Looking back at it, we might have game planned for a little too much, and we weren’t quite ready for it.”
NVHS, which dropped a 32-6 decision to McLouth in last year’s opener, raced out to a 34-0 halftime lead and never looked back. Stewart said several of the Raiders’ scoring drives came on a short field, as McLouth turned the ball over multiple times in its own territory.
MHS got on the board late in the game when quarterback Jack Courtney hooked up with Nick McAferty on a long touchdown pass, and Courtney added a two-point conversion on the ground. That’s all the offense the Bulldogs could manage, though, and NVHS scored once more for the final margin of victory.
Stewart’s squad will return Friday to the friendly confines of Stan Braksick Sports Complex for its homecoming game against Doniphan West. The Bulldogs defeated the Mustangs last season, 46-14.
“We’ll get back to working on our basic plays and try to get better with those,” Stewart said. “I think the kids will come out and work a lot harder.”