The seventh ranked Cozad Haymakers scored four times in the second quarter on the way to a 47-0 rout of the Sidney Red Raiders Friday night at Weymouth Field. Leading 13-0 after the first quarter, Cozad scored three times in one minute and nineteen seconds in the second quarter to blow the game wide open before halftime.

Sidney won the toss and deferred their option to the second half. An inspired Raider defense shut down Cozad on their first possession, holding the Haymakers to only 3 yards. After a 30-yard Nolan Wetovick punt, Sidney’s offense started at their own 33 yard line. The Raiders drove out to the 44 yard line before the drive stalled and Sidney had to punt.

Cozad’s first score came quickly after a 27-yard Brady Robb punt. Starting at their own 39, it took the Haymakers only four running plays to put the first points on the board. Quarterback Nolan Wetovick picked up 19 on his first carry, followed by Fullback Kaleb Pohl’s 5-yard run. Wetovick then busted loose for 31 more yards, and running back Jacob Weatherly capped the drive from 6 yards out.

Both teams went three-and -out on their next possession. The first turnover of the game came on Sidney’s third possession of the quarter. Facing a third and ten at Raider 32, Hofrock had a shotgun snap sail over his head and the Haymakers recovered at the Sidney 12. Two plays later, Wetovick went untouched into the endzone.

After the ensuing kickoff, Sidney’s offense drove from their own 30 yard line out to the Raider 46 before the drive stalled. After a 27-yard Brady Robb punt, the Haymakers started their first possession of the second quarter at their own 34. It took Cozad only 7 plays and 3:02 to cover 66 yards and make the score 19-0 with 8:02 to go in the half.

That’s when the wheels came completely off of the Raider wagon. Sidney fumbled on their first play from scrimmage following the kickoff and the Haymakers picked it up an returned it to the Sidney 15. Quarterback Nolan Wetovick scored on Cozad’s first play at 7:38 remaining in the half. On Sidney’s next possession, Nolan Hofrock then threw a pass, on the Raiders second play from scrimmage, that was tipped and picked off by Jacob Engel at the 30 yard line and returned for a touchdown with 6:43 remaining until halftime. A manageable 13-0 Red Raider deficit, at the beginning of the second period, had turned into a 33-0 rout in just one minute and nineteen seconds. Cozad added another score with :47 remaining in the half to take a 40-0 lead into the locker room and initiate a running clock to begin the second half.

The Raider offense only generated one first down on three possessions after halftime as the Haymaker reserves added a fourth quarter score to make the final Cozad 47, Sidney 0.  

The Haymakers, who host Adams Central next week improve to 3-0 on the season while Sidney falls to 1-2 and will travel to face 1-2 Holdrege.