Kearney 68, Hillsboro 28: Live updates recap from Missouri Class 4 football state championship
Class 4 in Missouri high school football is down to Kearney and Hillsboro for the state championship.
The Hillsboro Hawks and Kearney Bulldogs will face off at 11 a.m. Central time Saturday, Dec. 2, in the Missouri Class 4 football championship game at Memorial Stadium in Columbia.
Hillsboro (12-1) is making its first-ever appearance in the championship game, while Kearney (12-2) is looking to win its fifth Class 4 title.
Missouri high school football scoreboard
Read below for our live updates recap from the state championship game Saturday.
FINAL: Kearney 68, Hillsboro 28
FOURTH QUARTER UPDATES
TOUCHDOWN KEARNEY! Cohen Jacobs scores on a 12-yard run after a Hillsboro fumble and it's 68-28 with a running clock in effect for the final eight minutes.
TOUCHDOWN KEARNEY! It's up to 61-28 after a 21-yard Manny Linthacum run on a reverse to cash in a Bulldogs interception. Those 61 points are a season high for Kearney. 8:51 left.
TOUCHDOWN KEARNEY! It's back to the air for the Bulldogs, as Casey Rooney finds Cohen Jacobs with a 46-yard strike. 54-28 Kearney with 9:52 left.
Kearney ball to start the fourth leading 47-28.
THIRD QUARTER UPDATES
TOUCHDOWN HILLSBORO! Preston Brown connects with Dalton Ross for a 20-yard TD to make it 47-28 with less than a minute until the final quarter.
TOUCHDOWN KEARNEY! Hillsboro didn't get that desperately needed stop. Instead it's Cameron Emmons scoring again from 1 yard out to make it 47-21 with four minutes left in the quarter.
TOUCHDOWN HILLSBORO! Preston Brown scores on a 6-yard keeper to narrow the deficit to 40-21 with 7:49 left. Hawks desperately need a defensive stop.
TOUCHDOWN KEARNEY! Cameron Emmons with his third TD, this one pushing the pile from 7 yards out, as the Bulldogs pick up right where they left off. 40-14 with 9:45 left in the third.
HALFTIME STATS
Hillsboro won the yardage battle in the first half, with 298 yards to Kearney's 285.
But the Hawks' two fumbles and inability to convert in the red zone have been the difference as Kearney leads 34-14.
Kearney scored touchdowns on five of its six possessions.
SECOND QUARTER UPDATES
FUMBLE! Hillsboro coughs it up on the Kearney 1-yard line to end the half. A 50-yard halfback pass from Payton Brown to Chase Sucharski doesn't lead to any points and it's 34-14 Kearney at the half.
TOUCHDOWN KEARNEY! Cameron Emmons scores his second TD on the ground, this time from 2 yards out. It's 34-14 Bulldogs, who've scored touchdowns on all five of their possessions. 3:03 left.
TOUCHDOWN HILLSBORO! The Hawks answer quickly with a TD strike from Preston Brown to Chase Sucharski for 34 yards. It's 27-14 Kearney with 5:52 left. Two Kearney defenders ran into each other to help Sucharski break free.
TOUCHDOWN KEARNEY! Manny Linthacum gets wide open and Casey Rooney drops in a perfect 36-yard pass to put Kearney up 27-7 with 7:39 left.
TOUCHDOWN KEARNEY! Bryce Page makes a 32-yard TD catch-and-run and it's 20-7 Bulldogs with 11:11 left. Page Mossed one defender and then shed another on his way to the end zone.
FIRST QUARTER UPDATES
Exciting first quarter comes to a close. Kearney ball to start the second, leading 13-7.
TOUCHDOWN HILLSBORO! Payton Brown breaks loose for a 55-yard TD and it's 13-7 Kearney. Track meet, anyone?
TOUCHDOWN KEARNEY! Bulldogs capitalize on a Hillsboro fumble with a 34-yard touchdown pass from Casey Rooney to Manny Linthacum on the next play. 13-0 after the missed extra point, 2:40 left.
TOUCHDOWN KEARNEY! Bulldogs drive the length of the field and score on a 1-yard dive by Cameron Emmons. 7-0 Kearney with three minutes left in the quarter.
TURNOVER ON DOWNS! Hillsboro busts a 79-yard play by Payton Brown to get first and goal, then gets stuffed by the Kearney defense. Kearney ball in the shadow of its own goal line.
And we're off! Hillsboro starts its opening drive on its own 19.
PREGAME UPDATES
Kearney wins the toss and defers, so Hillsboro will start with the ball.
Players are taking the field. Kickoff coming soon!
PREGAME READING
Kearney opened the season with two losses in their first three games, but the Bulldogs rebounded to win 11 straight to advance to the championship game.
They have not allowed more than 13 points in a game during that streak and outscored their past two opponents, Nevada and Jefferson City, by a combined score of 77-7.
Hillsboro is averaging 43.8 points per game and allowing 18.2 this season.
The Hawks edged Festus 29-28 in the District 1 championship game, then beat Pacific 48-35 in the quarterfinals and Lutheran North 34-12 in the semifinals to get here.
(Feature photo by Nate Latsch)
—
-- Mike Swanson | swanson@scorebooklive.com | @sblivesports
