The Nickerson Panthers dropped their season opener 28-20 to Class 1A power Conway Springs Friday night at Detter Field in Nickerson.
Conway Springs led 14-6 after one quarter and 28-13 at halftime.
Nickerson scored the only touchdown of the second half.
Nickerson quarterback Kris Monroe completed 3-of-7 passes for 84 yards and one touchdown and carried the ball five times for 61 yards.
Rylan Morrell had 18 carries for 109 yards and one TD. Dalton Wakefield-Baker had 7 carries for 20 yards.
Chase Welch caught 1 pass for 59 yards and 1 TD. Riley Brawner had 1 catch for 20 yards. Austin Peterson had 1 catch for 5 yards.
Nickerson had 251 total Yards: (84 passing and 167 rushing).
“Our boys played with great effort, grit and heart last night (Friday),” said Nickerson’s first-year head coach Parker Bruce. “For this team and this program to take a two-time defending state championship team and a perennial powerhouse and well-respected program like Conway Springs down to the wire was a major step for the Panthers’ program.
“Execution was not to our best ability, but we can fix execution. The effort that was played with last night can not be taught or coached. That is the exciting part about this group’s future.”
The game started out with both teams driving down the field and scoring on their first possessions. Conway Springs missed the field goal first, .
Nickerson scored on a Rylan Morrell 9-yard rushing TD. Cooper Malloy kicked in the PAT for the Panthers to take the lead.
The Conway Springs Cardinals then ran their offense very successfully and fluently to drive home their second and third possessions to take the lead 20-7.
On Nickerson’s third possession with 4 minutes left in the second quarter, Monroe connected with Welch on a 59-yard completion to score. The PAT following was blocked to put the score at 20-13 Conway Springs.
The Cardinals then drove down on their fourth possession to finish the half with another rushing TD to put the score at 28-13 at half.
Nickerson came out the second half and adjusted some things defensively. Having received the opening half kickoff, Nickerson was forced to punt first possession out.
However, the Panthers took advantage of a turnover opportunity when Connor Bower jumped on a loose ball to recover a fumble and give the Panthers some life.
Nickerson used this opportunity to drive the field and took nearly 7 minutes of time off the clock.
The Panthers punched in the TD on a Monroe rushing TD to close the final score at 28-20.
Nickerson hosts Haven next Friday. The Haven Wildcats opened the 2025 season with a 26-12 victory over Hillsboro Friday night at home.
