The Minden Whippets will face off against the Cozad Haymakers at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Minden's offense hasn't had much luck over their past three contests, but Friday's matchup will give them a chance to turn things around.
Minden is headed into the game out to prove that what happened against Gothenburg on Friday (when they were outscored in every quarter) was just a minor bump in the road. The Whippets lost 27-6 to the Swedes. The Whippets were down 20-0 at the end of the third quarter, and things only got worse from there.
Minden didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Andrew Runions and Caleb Schwenka.
Meanwhile, while Cozad put up plenty of points on Friday, the same can't be said for Holdrege. The Haymakers breezed past the Dusters to the tune of 42-0. Considering the Haymakers have won three contests by more than 20 points this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
Minden better keep an eye on Olliver Davis. He was instrumental in Cozad's win, throwing for 335 yards and five TDs while picking up 14.0 yards per attempt. Davis also deserves a shoutout for his performance on D, picking up 0.5 sacks and making nine total tackles (1.5 for loss). Cozad's leading receiver Mathew Arndt was Davis' top target yet again, picking up 149 receiving yards and one score.
Cozad's run defense was locked in: Holdrege could only muster 1.3 yards per carry. While two picked up at least nine total tackles, Davis stood above the rest. He threw for 335 yards and five touchdowns while picking up 14.0 yards per attempt. Cozad's ground attack was stronger, having averaged 3.6.
Cozad's defense didn't let the opposing QB, get away unscathed either: they got into the backfield for five sacks. The team can thank two different players for their defensive prowess: Davis and Harrison Edeal, who each picked up 0.5 sacks apiece. Arndt got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
The win got Cozad back to even at 4-4. As for Minden, their defeat dropped their record down to 2-6.
Minden came up short against Cozad in their previous matchup back in October of 2024, falling 20-7. Thankfully for the Whippets, Noah Shoemaker (who rushed for 160 yards and a pair of TDs, and also threw for 152 yards and one touchdown) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
