The Abilene Cowboys unveiled their newly renovated stadium tonight in their home opener vs the Concordia Panthers. The pregame excitement carried Abilene early as they game was scoreless headed into the second quarter.  The excitement would not last as Concordia scored 21 unanswered points in the second quarter enroute to a 42-0 victory.  It was the fourth straight victory in the series for the Panthers.

Concordia put together back-to-back long touchdown drives to take control in the second quarter.  The first an 11 play, 80 yard drive capped by a 4 yard run by Hunter Schroeder that made the score 7-0 after the P.A.T with 11:24 to play in the half.  The next drive was nearly identical, 11 plays and 75 yards, Quarterback, Wyatt Trost took it in on 4th and goal from the 1 yard line.  The touchdown and P.A.T. made the score 14-0 Panthers with 3:28 left in the half.  Their final touchdown of the quarter put the game away.  The Cowboys were backed up inside of their own 10 yard line and Kaleb Becker had trouble with a poor snap.  He was able to get off a kick but it was taken at the Abilene 3 yard line and taken in for the score by Alec Francis.  The touchdown increased the Concordia lead to 21-0 with 2:05 remaining in the half after the extra point.

Schroeder added to his numbers with a 23 yard touchdown run with 3:53 to play in the third quarter to push the Concordia lead to 28-0 after the P.A.T. with 3:53 to play in the third quarter.  Schroeder in Concordia’s 14-7 week one home victory over Wamego finished with just 13 carries for 57 yards.  He entered the season as one of the top running backs in the state after he finished last season with 1,103 yards and 6 touchdowns.  He carved up Abilene for 17 carries, 105 yards and two touchdowns.  The Panther’s Dylan Thoman, then scored on a 47 yard reverse with 1:30 to play in the third quarter to give Concordia a 35-0 after the extra point.

The final points for the Panthers came courtesy of Keyan Miller on a 17 yard run with 1:51 to play to make the final 42-0.  Miller was part of a two-headed monster in the backfield for Concordia.  Miller finished with 12 carries for 108 yards and a touchdown.

The Panthers finished with 404 total yards with 360 of that coming on the ground.  Abilene, who was shut-out for the second straight week was held to 120 yards,  The Cowboys finished with 111 total yards in the he opener.

Abilene fell to 0-2 on the season and will host Chapman next Friday.  It will be Homecoming and Senior night for the Cowboys.  Chapman fell 55-13 to Holton tonight and the Irish are 1-1 on the season.  Concordia improved to 2-0 on the season and will travel to Beloit next week.