Bradley Rhoades has a Wyatt Bird pass go off his fingertips during first quarter action Friday night against North Platte.
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As the fourth quarter of Friday night’s season football opener rolled around, it was clear that single touchdown in the final minutes would either win the game for Gallatin or give North Platte what it needed to slam the door on the Bulldogs.
Perhaps a fitting end to two fine defensive performances, neither team cracked the end zone and the Panthers held on for a baseball-like winning score of 2-0.
For the Bulldogs, the game had plenty of ups and downs….ups for the GHS defense and too many downs for the struggling offense.
The most exciting play of the night failed to produce points for either team, and its climax prevented the Bulldogs from winning the game.
Facing fourth and three yards to go for a first down on Gallatin’s 15-yard line, Panther halfback attempted a pass into the end zone. Bulldog safety Tate Hancock stepped in front of the receiver and as the seconds ticked down, took off running down the GHS sideline.
Reaching mid-field, he cut across the grain of pursuit with one defender to beat to the end zone. Unfortunately, the last man had the angle for a touchdown-saving tackle on the Panther one-yard line as time expired in the first half.
The lone score came with just under four minutes to play in the second quarter. Quarterback Wyatt Bird couldn’t handle a high snap from the 12-yard line. The ball rolled into the end zone before he could fall on it and that produced the Panther safety.
Gallatin’s offense just couldn’t produce the big play when needed. The Bulldogs drove to the Panther nine-yard line late in the first quarter, only to stall on fourth down. Facing fourth and one near mid-field in the second period, the Bulldogs came up inches short of sustaining a promising drive.
A fourth quarter illegal procedure penalty took the steam out of another GHS drive, turning a third and one into a third and six passing down that failed. Graydee Rains made a great catch across the middle on Gallatin’s final drive, stealing the ball from a pair of Panther defenders.
Three plays later, the Bulldogs faced fourth and six at the Panther 32 with less than two minutes remaining. Bird completed a pass to Bradley Rhoades but the GHS senior was cut down one yard short of a first down.
Gallatin outgained North Platte, 178 to 132, in total yards from scrimmage.
The Bulldogs travel to Hamilton on Friday to take on the 0-1 Hornets, who fell in their opener to South Harrison, 17-6.