Gladbrook-Reinbeck too much for Baxter football

BAXTER — Baxter’s football team had trouble keeping up with Gladbrook-Reinbeck on Sept. 27.

Bolts head coach Rob Luther said before the game that the Rebels were big, fast and experienced and the defending district champions proved it on the road.

Gladbrook-Reinbeck rushed for 337 yards, returned two interceptions for touchdowns, brought a kickoff back for a TD and blocked a punt that led to a safety during a 66-6 win over the Bolts.

It was the third straight win for the Rebels, who improved to 3-0 in Class 8-man District 5 play. Baxter fell to 2-4 overall and 1-2 in district play.

“It was disappointing from an offensive standpoint because we moved the ball and only had one three and out but just couldn’t score enough points,” Baxter coach Rob Luther said.

Baxter’s lone touchdown came on a 10-yard pass from senior Cole Damman to senior Carter Nelsen.

Damman finished with 162 passing yards, 49 rushing yards and 18 receiving yards in the loss. Nelsen gained 41 yards on his four catches.

Rory Heer added 18 passing yards, 84 receiving yards on eight catches and 71 rushing yards on seven carries.

The Bolts picked up a pair of first downs on their first drive but had to punt. G-R scored on its first offensive play from scrimmage as Keagan Giesking ran 66 yards to the end zone.

Giesking also scored on G-R’s second play from scrimmage, had 158 rushing yards on seven carries and led the Rebel defense with 12.5 tackles.

“The game plan was to eat clock and run a lot of plays and we did that,” Luther said. “But they were more physical than we were, especially on the offensive line.

“This was a young team against a top 10 ranked team. They may not be ranked, but they are good. They have some dudes.”

Baxter’s second possession lasted 10 plays, and the Bolts got a first down on a 12-yard pass play from Damman to junior Kael Johnston and another on a 16-yard run by sophomore Rory Heer. But the drive stalled and Baxter turned it over on downs.

Giesking went 49 yards to paydirt on the first play of the Rebels’ next drive.

The Bolts’ next drive began on their own 25-yard line. This time, Baxter ran 14 plays and picked up four first downs. The biggest play was a 15-yard pass from Damman to Nelsen.

After that play, the Bolts went backwards and turned it over on downs again.

Cullen Eiffler rushed twice in the game and scored both times, gaining 67 yards on those carries. Eiffler’s 22-yard TD run on the Rebels’ next drive made it 22-0.

Baxter’s next two drives ended in a pick six and a blocked punt.

The two shortest drives of the first half for the Bolts came after the first pick six. The Rebels blocked a punt out of the end zone on the ensuing drive to make it 30-0. Heer halted G-R’s next drive with an interception, but Eli Thede made it 38-0 with a 6-yard interception return for a TD.

It was 38-0 at halftime and then Thede opened the second half with a 55-yard kickoff return for a score.

Damman’s TD pass to Nelsen came on the Bolts’ first drive of the second half. The drive covered 65 yards in 10 plays. The TD pass to Nelsen covered 10 yards and made it 44-6.

Freshman Cody Damman had five catches for 29 yards on offense and finished with four tackles on defense. Freshman Jake Travis led the defense with seven tackles.

Baxter stays home for another district game against Twin Cedars at 7 p.m. on Oct. 4 in Baxter. It’s the Bolts’ homecoming game.