Doane thrashes Hastings in dominant road display

HASTINGS, Neb. - Doane football pieced together by far its best overall performance of the season, taking advantage of five takeaways and good field position throughout, and Doane (2-7, 2-6 GPAC) quite simply dominated Hastings (2-7, 2-6 GPAC) in all facets in a resounding 40-3 win on Saturday afternoon.  

The flat 40 points were the most the Tigers have scored since October of 2021, also against Hastings. Hastings fumbled on their first possession, Doane took over at midfield, got into the end zone, and never looked back – in the Tigers’ two wins this year, they never trailed.  

The Broncos have been brutalized by fumbles all season long, and that was certainly evident on Saturday. Running back Josh Ray fumbled on Hastings’ second play from scrimmage, Doane took over near midfield, and just a few plays later Darnell Riley made a one-armed catch on a throw from Sam Hartman in the back of the end zone to get Doane on the board early. 

Hastings mounted an impressive response drive that finished with a short field goal from Xander Salyers to make it 7-3 midway through the first quarter, but the Broncos would barely even sniff the red zone again the rest of the afternoon. Hastings went three-and-out on four straight drives, and meanwhile, Rian Green put the Tigers ahead for good with an electric 49-yard score on the first play of the second quarter and Andrew Waido made a catch on a ball that was batted in the air by a Bronco safety, and Waido took it the final 15 yards for a Hail Mary touchdown to end the first half with Doane in front 24-3.  

And the Tigers were far from done. In the second half, Kelen Meyer nailed a field goal from 50-plus for the second straight week, John DeRiso caught his first career touchdown while pushing past defensive pass interference, and Riley caight his second score of the game on a ball that bounced out of Waido’s hands and into Riley’s for the score.  

Meanwhile, the Doane defense made life extremely difficult for the Broncos all day long. Five different Tigers recovered fumbles, Tanner Simdorn continued his strong play with a sack and three TFLs, Jarrett Boggs canceled out a Hastings drive with a strip sack on fourth down and goal, and the Tigers kept the Broncos out of the end zone entirely in their Homecoming game, leading Doane to its long-awaited second win of the season.  

Doane will now go into its annual bye week on a high note before the Tigers return to Al Papik Field for their final home game of the season in two weeks’ time. Doane will host Midland for Senior Day on Saturday, November 9, with kickoff set for 1 PM on News Channel Nebraska and Ol’ Red 99.5.