Nevada flies past Butler

By Kelly Bradham

Herald-Tribune

NEVADA, Mo. -- It would appear as though 2006 would be a football season for evening old scores if recent events are taken into consideration.

The Bolivar Liberators got back at the Tigers for the 39-0 drubbing the Tigers put on them the last time they met in 1963. Friday night, it was Nevada's turn to make amends for the 32-0 thumping they suffered at the hands of the Bears when they last met in 1989 as they cruised to a 38-22 Homecoming victory at Logan Field before a large crowd.

It was the first victory by a Nevada team over Butler since 1950 in an on again off again series dating back to 1921.

The Tigers played solidly on both sides of the football as Cole Bond paced the Tigers defensively with a key punt block leading to a touchdown and a fumble recovery when Butler had the ball on the Nevada 1-yard line.

Quarterback Ronnie Herda enjoyed another stellar performance with 10-for-18 in the passing department for 169 yards. He rushed for three touchdowns. The Tigers had just 94 yards rushing as favorable field position often cut the distance they had to travel for scores.

Aaron Dade returned the opening kick to his own 29-yard line for Nevada and on the first play from scrimmage, Herda swept to his left and hit the sideline for 16 yards.

The Tigers were stopped at that point and after an exchange of punts, Butler was fourth-and-eight from the Bear 23. The punt attempt was blocked by Bond. the ball rolled to the right where it was picked up by Dade, who ran it all the way to Butler's 2-yard line. On second down, Herda went in from the two with 8:14 left in the first period. Herda added the conversion to make it 8-0.

Neither team moved the ball much through the remainder of the quarter, but Butler got a good opportunity on the final play with an interception by Derrick Dickinson at the Nevada 35.

Once again, Nevada's defense was up to the task and Derek Varns was halted short of a first down on a fourth down pass reception. The Tigers started at their own 42 and on a second down play, it was Jake Anderson with a 38-yard reception all the way to the 10. On third and a yard, Herda took it across with 9:00 left in the half. Jacob Cherry added the conversion for a 16-0 padding.

What appeared to be a key tackle for a big loss by Dan Lovinger wasn't enough for the Tigers, though, as Colby Teeman completed a third down and long pass to Varns at the 26-yard line, good for 27 yards. Six plays later, it was Nevada's ball as the Tigers stuck Butler in reverse.

Nevada's next series was highlighted by the combination of Herda to Cherry as he hit him for 19 yards and 26 yards and added a completion to Shepherd for 9 sandwiched between. Herda got his third touchdown of the night with 14 seconds left in the half on a plunge from a yard out. Herda added the PAT for a 24-0 lead that stood at halftime.

It didn't take Butler long to get on the scoreboard in the second half after a punt return to Nevada's 39-yard line. Varns followed with a 36-yard reception and Cody McGuire scored from a yard out with 7:34 showing. The conversion failed to leave it at 24-6.

After the Tigers started at their own 35, Colby Shepherd made quite a reception with an over the shoulder catch that went for 46 yards to the 17. Anderson followed with the touchdown at 7:19 and Butler drew a flag on the conversion run with an unsportsmanlike conduct call on a late hit as Shepherd scored to make it 32-6.

Butler's next drive was halted by a Dade interception to the 34, but an illegal block penalty brought the ball back to the 15. There was nothing doing, but on the next series it was Shepherd with an interception and broken field run that took him from the north sideline to the south sideline and covered 74 yards all the way to the 5. A third down completion to Lovinger went for the touchdown at 11:36 of the fourth quarter. The run failed to make it 38-6.

Butler turned to a passing game in an attempt to get back into it and managed to add two more touchdowns before time melted away. Teeman tossed a 9-yard scoring strike to Varns with 5:37 showing and Kirt Seward caught the conversion pass.

The final score was a 20-yard strike from Teeman to Duston Delozier. Varns also caught the PAT pass.

Nevada improved to 2-1 and Butler fell to 2-1. It doesn't get any easier for the Tigers next week as they open the Southwest Conference season at home against Carthage on Ed Streich Night. Streich, star of the 1973 and 1974 Tigers, will be inducted into the NHS Wall of Fame.

Scoring:

BUTLER......0 0 6 16--22

NEVADA.....8 16 8 6--38

NEV -- Herda, 1-run. (Herda run)

NEV -- Herda, 1-run. (Cherry run)

NEV -- Herda, 1-run. (Herda run)

BUT -- McGuire, 1-run. (Pass failed)

NEV -- Anderson, 17-run. (Shepherd run)

NEV -- Lovinger, 5-pass from Herda. (Run failed)

BUT -- Varns, 9-pass from Teeman. (Seward, pass from Teeman)

BUT -- Delozier, 20-pass from Teeman. (Varns, pass from Teeman)