CHADRON – In a game for the C1-7 District title that matched a pair of teams averaging just under 400 yards per game, it was their defenses that shined Friday night in Chadron. Behind two first half touchdowns, one coming with just 14 seconds left in the second quarter, the Sidney Red Raiders improved to 9-0 with a 14-0 win over the Chadron Cardinals. It is the first time Sidney has gone unbeaten in the regular season since going 7-0-1 in 1961.

Chadron went three-and-out twice and the Red Raiders once before Sidney got on the board on their second possession. Starting at the Red Raider 20, Sidney engineered a nine-play, 80-yard drive capped off by a 2-yard Alek Doty touchdown run.

The next four possessions in the game either ended in a punt or were stopped on downs. It was the only turnover in the game that spurred the Red Raiders next score. A 15-yard Sidney punt gave the Cardinals great field position at the Sidney 34. After a 4-yard run by all-state running back Quinn Bailey, Sidney’s Reid Fiscus picked off a tipped Tobin Landen pass at the 23-yard line and returned it to the 32 with 1:52 left in the half.

The Red Raiders moved the ball quickly into Cardinal territory, highlighted by back to back Doty to Landon Riddle passes, a 32-yard pass to the Chadron 24 and a seven yard pass to the Cardinal 17. Then it was Keian Kaiser’s turn to shine, as the junior tight end a Doty pass at the 11-yardline and bulled his way to the four, bringing up first and goal. Doty rolled right and threw back to Kaiser in the end zone on the next play with just 14 seconds remaining in the half. That would be all the points scored in the game, although Chadron did drive to the Sidney nine yard early in the fourth quarter, but the drive stalled and Sidney took over on downs.

Sidney’s defense held the Cardinals Quinn Bailey, who was averaging over 260 yards rushing per game, to just 113 yards on 14 carries. Chadron finished with 109 yards rushing and 43 yards passing for 152 total yards. Alek Doty rushed for 101 yards on 22 carries and one touchdown, while completing eight of his 12 passes for 84 yards and one touchdown. Owen Gillham rushed for 85 yards on 16 carries. Sidney finished with 270 yards of total offense.

Both teams move into the playoffs next Friday. Sidney earned the number one seed in the C-1 bracket and will host the number 16 seed Omaha Roncalli Catholic at Weymouth Field at 4:00 p.m. The Cardinals land as the number eight seed, and will host Lincoln Christian at 4:00 p.m. in Chadron.