Ryan Burke runs around the end for a touchdown.

Thirty seconds into the first quarter, Nick Kruse ran for a Cuba touchdown on the Wildcats’ first play from scrimmage, after an Eagles fumble at midfield. Kruse went 37 yards for the score and quarterback Cody Burgess added the two-point conversion run.

Barat fumbled on their next possession, and three plays later, Brandon Plank, in his first varsity start at the fullback position, went three yards for Cuba’s second TD. Ryan Burke ran in the two-point conversion to put CHS ahead 16-0 in the first quarter.

Kruse ran for his second touchdown from five yards out early in the second quarter, and then Burke got into the act by running 21 yards for Cuba’s fourth score of the first half at the 8:16 mark. The Wildcats led 28-0 at that point and it only got worse for the Eagles.

After a Barat punt, Kruse took the ball 45 yards for a score, but the play was called back due to a personal foul penalty. After Burke ran the ball for 18 yards, Kruse took it to the house again—this time from 14 yards out on a pass thrown by Burgess.

Not satisfied with having just three TDs under his belt, Kruse got his fourth of the first half on the defensive side, intercepting a Barat pass and returning it 60 yards for the score. Burgess ran in the conversion to put the Wildcats ahead 44-0 with about two minutes left in the half.

The Eagles finally got on the board with a 69 yard run on their next possession as Cuba had begun fielding some of its junior varsity players.

Nick Kruse outruns the Barat defense on his way to the endzone for six.

On the ensuing kickoff, Burke ran it back for a long gain and then took it to the endzone on the very next play. He ran 35 yards for the score and put Cuba up 50-7.

The Eagles did add a pair of second half touchdowns after the game was well out of reach and most of Cuba’s starters were on the sidelines, watching. The final score had Cuba ahead 50-21.

“We played well at times. Other times, we could’ve played better I thought,” said Coach Jim Wolfe. “I’ll chalk that up to it being early in the year and all the distractions of homecoming week. The first couple of drives I was really happy with our performance. After that, we lost some of our intensity and focus.”

Burke led the team in rushing with 111 yards on six carries. Kruse ran the ball nine times for 86 yards and had one 14 yard touchdown reception. Plank ran 11 times for 31 yards, and Burgess carried five times for 71 yards and was one of three passing, with a TD through the air. Austin Burlage, coming off the bench in the second half, ran the ball eight times for 30 yards.

Coach Wolfe said it was good to see the junior varsity getting into the game and getting some reps: “The JV got over some of their Friday night jitters, and it was good to get them into a game like that and see some varsity competition.”

THIS WEEK: The varsity team travels to Ashland, Mo. to play against Southern Boone High School on Friday at 7 p.m. Southern Boone is 0-2 after losing their first two games to a couple of solid football programs. Coach Wolfe expects it to be a physical contest, with both teams looking to run the ball.