Cogs end 16-game hex versus Cardinals
GENOA -- Thanks to a phenomenal game by both of its two running backs, Genoa-Kingston topped Stillman Valley 49-34 Friday night in a Big Northern Conference West Division showdown.
Despite the fact that they have drastically different running styles, G-K running backs Kevin Billington and Martin Dwyer both enjoyed career nights against a porous Stillman Valley run defense.
"It's great to block when you have two backs behind you that you know have a chance to take it all the way every time," Cogs senior lineman Cody Knapek said.
G-K (7-1, 3-1) now heads into the final week of the regular season tied with Oregon atop the BNC West standings.
Billington, who runs straight over people at 6-feet, 205 pounds, carried the ball 25 times for a whopping 255 yards and four touchdowns -- the highlight being an inside handoff where he plowed his way through three defenders on his way to a 46-yard score.
G-K ended a 16-game losing streak against Stillman (4-4, 2-2).
"Our offensive line came to play tonight. You could have driven a truck through the holes they were making," Billington said.
Not to be outdone, the shifty Dwyer (5-9, 165) ran for 193 yards on only 14 carries with three touchdowns. Dwyer's first score gave the Cogs their first lead of the game when he made two defenders miss, then cut all the way back across the field for a 66-yard run.
"We're a lot more experienced this year, and that helped because this was a total team effort tonight," Dwyer said.
Despite the impressive offensive display by the Cogs, the Cardinals managed to keep things close in the first half and trailed only 20-15 at the break.
The Cogs quickly widened the gap in the second half, though, with Dwyer breaking a 57-yard touchdown run inside of the first minute of the third quarter.
The Cardinals then fumbled a pitch on their next possession and the Cogs recovered at the Cardinals' 30. Three plays later, they scored again with Billington taking a handoff in from 6-yards out. Billington added two more second-half touchdowns as the Cogs milked the clock the rest of the way for the victory.
