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Mikael Kuhlman put the heat on Holdrege quarterback Jackson Hinrichs. (Johnson Publications photo)

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Trevor Peterson (63) leads a pack of Longhorn tacklers on this play, Peterson finished with 16 tackles. (Johnson Publications photo)

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Senior receiver Dylan Dreiling pulled in this fourth-quarter pass from Bennett Bauerle to score the go-ahead touchdown for the Longhorns Friday. Dreiling finished with two catches for 41 yards including this 27-yard scoring strike. (Johnson Publications photo)

Longhorns buck wind in 14-7 gridiron victory

    When the Holdrege “Dusters” came to town Friday to play football, it’s only fitting the wind played a big factor in the Longhorns’ 14-7 win.
    A south wind, estimated at 20-25 mph, blew the entire game, especially affecting both the passing and kicking game.
    Passing into the wind resulted  in interceptions by both teams. Sideline passes with the wind drifted downfield.
    But it was a 29-yard Holdrege punt into the wind that set up the Longhorns first score of the game.
    Taking over on their own 45, the Longhorns completed two passes with the wind. The first completion came on a third-down, nine-yard strike from quarterback Ryan Bernhardt to Bennett Bauerle.
    The drive appeared to stall at the Duster 35. But punter Clay Meeske executed a perfect fake, hitting Bauerle for 15-yard gain and a first down.
    With Bauerle at the helm, tailback Kobe Clevenger took a handoff and blew right through a huge hole opened by the line. The Dusters couldn’t stop him once he got into the open, scoring from 20 yards out.
    Hayden Bahler, who missed a 45-yard field goal on the possession before, drilled the extra point kick for a 7-0 lead with 4:18 left in the first half.
    On the final play of the first half, Dylan Dreiling picked off a Duster pass tipped up in the air by Trevor Peterson. He returned it from the Longhorn 38 to the Duster 38 before being brought down.
    Coach Dan Lenners said it would have been nice to convert that into a score right before half.

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