Kearney Football Enters District Semifinal 9–0 After Conference Championship |
Bulldogs carry a perfect record and No. 1 district seed into the Nov. 6 semifinal. |
Kearney High School football enters the postseason with a perfect 9–0 record, a conference championship and the No. 1 seed in Missouri Class 4 District 8.
The Bulldogs closed the regular season with a 50–0 road victory over Ruskin on Oct. 22. KPGZ reported that Luke Denston, Cruise Emmons, Braiden Feurer and Matthew Lindsey all scored first-quarter touchdowns, with Emmons reaching the end zone twice. Jackson Lager added a defensive touchdown on a fumble recovery, and Trace Brewer capped the scoring in the second quarter. |
 Editorial informational graphic by The Kearney Buzz & Beyond, based on KPGZ’s Oct. 27, 2026 championship report. Source: https://1027kearneymo.com/kpgz-news/2026/10/27/undefeated-bulldogs-claim-conference-championship |
The shutout continued a dominant regular season for Kearney and gave the Bulldogs the conference title. The Ruskin game also produced an individual milestone: quarterback Carter Temple broke Kearney High School’s career touchdown-passing record. KPGZ reported that Temple reached 53 career touchdown passes, surpassing the previous mark held by Casey Rooney.
Kearney’s No. 1 district seed earned the Bulldogs a first-round bye on Oct. 30. The next game is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 6, in the Class 4 District 8 semifinal against the winner of St. Joseph Benton and Van Horn. Because that opening-round game had not been completed when this article was prepared, The Kearney Buzz & Beyond is not naming a semifinal opponent until the result is official. |
 Editorial informational graphic by The Kearney Buzz & Beyond; schedule as reported Oct. 27, 2026. Source: https://1027kearneymo.com/kpgz-news/2026/10/27/undefeated-bulldogs-claim-conference-championship |
If Kearney advances on Nov. 6, the district championship is scheduled for Nov. 13. The Bulldogs now move from a perfect regular season into the part of the schedule where every result determines whether the season continues.
At a glance
• Regular season: 9–0, with a 50–0 closing win over Ruskin.
• Conference champions and the No. 1 seed in Class 4 District 8.
• Nov. 6: district semifinal against the winner of St. Joseph Benton and Van Horn.
Bulldog fans can follow official Kearney School District and KPGZ updates for the confirmed Nov. 6 opponent and game details. Share this story with a Kearney football fan and subscribe to The Kearney Buzz & Beyond for the week’s local updates.
Source: KPGZ — “Undefeated Bulldogs Claim Conference Championship,” Oct. 27, 2026
https://1027kearneymo.com/kpgz-news/2026/10/27/undefeated-bulldogs-claim-conference-championship |
4 Comments
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I like that they are not naming the next opponent until the game is actually final. Too many scores get repeated before they are verified.
The bye is nice, but the district semifinal is where things get serious. Curious to see who they draw after Benton and Van Horn.
Temple getting the career touchdown record is a big deal. Nice to see a local kid leave a mark like that.
9-0 and a conference title is a great way to head into districts. That first quarter against Ruskin sounds like it got out of hand fast.