Potter-Dix was unstoppable. Creek Valley--well, their offense was just about the opposite, gaining only 70 yards all night.

When the dust at Combs Field settled and the lights switched off, the final result--a 99-0 Coyotes shellacking--was still etched in everyone’s mind.

The score stood at 34-0 after one. At the half, Potter-Dix held an enviable 75-0 advantage. By then quarterback Luke Johnson had hit on 15 of 20 passes--ten of them going for touchdowns. Ty Ottoson reined in seven of them for 172 yards. Each of his catches resulted in six points, marking the second time the standout receiver has tied the state eight-man record.

Indeed, the Johnson-Ottoson connection was responsible for the game’s first three scores--the opening drive capped by a tipped ball that dropped fortuitously into Ottoson’s hands. Then the Coyotes signal caller turned to Brady Knigge, hitting him for 23 yards and another touchdown. Cody Aure closed out the first quarter by scooping up a Dylan Bagwell fumble and racing 13 yards to paydirt.

And there were still three periods to go.

“We executed well early,” said Potter-Dix coach Joe Martin. Instead of looking long, the Coyotes relied on screens and quick passes. “On most of them the line was getting out and making blocks,” he continued. “They’re in shape and quick and real focused every day.”

The Storm were never able to answer. They fumbled five times, threw two interceptions and rarely broke through the Coyotes’ swarming defense, led by Bryan Knigge (12 tackles) Jake Johnson (10) and Aure (10). Even the junior varsity side proved tenacious, playing the entire second half. Sammie Gingerich sacked Bagwell three times and the second string defense contributed 12 points.

“The score went from 75-0 to 87-0 really quick,” Martin noted.

Potter-Dix substituted heavily to start the second half, but quarterback Kyle Gorsuch raced for two touchdowns in the third, untouched on both occasions.

In fact, Creek Valley’s defense only managed 31 tackles as a team, with Alex Humpfer involved in most of them. Potter-Dix scored on their first snap six times.

With the clock running, the Coyotes tried to stall their offense--Gorsuch taking a knee with more than five minutes remaining in the game. Backed up deep in their own territory as a result, Ottoson stepped back on the field for the team’s only punt of the night--a soaring, bounding 63 yarder than put Creek Valley on the ropes. As the final moments ticked off, Storm quarterback Bagwell bobbled the exchange. Joey Bailey of Potter-Dix fell on the ball in the end zone.

That was all. The Coyotes again took a knee instead of converting.

“It was time to end that game,” Martin acknowledged.

Potter-Dix did not try to run up the score. They simply outclassed the visitors on both sides of the ball--and on special teams. It was the first time all season the Coyotes went without a turnover. Their defense executed flawlessly and Johnson’s timing was near perfect.

“The boys were catching everything and turning upfield,” Martin observed. “ And Luke looked confident.”

In addition to Ottoson’s record-tying (again) seven touchdown performance and Gorsuch’s two scores, Brady Knigge added two, Clint Serres, Jeff Maddox, Aure and Bailey one apiece.

That’s fifteen touchdowns in 48 hurried minutes. The defense also notched a safety for good measure.

Friday they face a more formidable foe than 0-6 Creek Valley. The Coyotes travel to Hay Springs (3-3), a team coming off a neat 46-14 triumph at Banner County.