Karns City football flattens rival Moniteau in season opener as QB Cole Johnston shines with 3 TDs
CHERRY TWP — Despite improving by three wins last season, Moniteau football learned it still had some growing up to do.
Archrival Karns City soundly defeated the Warriors 55-0 in the season opener Friday night at Moniteau High School.
“They outmanned us and outgunned us all the way up the field,” said Moniteau head coach Clay Kohlmeyer, now in his second season. “We’ve just got to flush this game and get ready for next week.”
“I think it’s a good start, but as I told the guys, it’s one game. We’ve got a lot of games left,” Karns City head coach Joe Sherwin said. “It’s one win, but we’ve got a lot of hurdles ahead of us.
The star performer of the game was Karns City senior quarterback/defensive back Cole Johnston, who completed 8 of 12 passes for 136 yards and three touchdowns, while also intercepting a pass on the other side of the ball.
But he was not alone. Bryce Galan scored three total touchdowns — two rushing, one receiving — and Owen Kaufman hauled in four receptions for 106 yards and a touchdown.
The tone for the game was set when Bodey Anderson returned the opening kickoff all the way to the Warriors’ 9-yard line. On their first offensive play, the Gremlins cashed in with a touchdown run by Galan.
Moniteau missed a golden opportunity to score in the first half after Aidan Shakley intercepted a pass from Johnston on the Gremlins’ second offensive possession and returned the ball to Karns City’s 17. Despite excellent field position, the Warriors failed to advance the ball, and Aiden Kern’s field goal attempt sailed wide right.
Aside from the interception, the Gremlins played a nearly flawless first half.
In the second quarter, Johnston made up for his interception by taking one of his own off Moniteau QB Weston Cook.
The most notable moment in the game occurred during the second quarter, when it appeared Johnston had scored on a 46-yard rushing touchdown. However, the touchdown was nullified by a Karns City penalty, and an additional unsportsmanlike conduct pushed the ball all the way back to the Gremlins’ 18.
On the ensuing second-and-very-long, Johnston heaved an 82-yard touchdown to Owen Kaufman. It was that kind of night.
Despite the loss, Kohlmeyer is looking ahead to the rest of the schedule.
“We’re still optimistic about the rest of the season,” he said. “We think we can win our region. It’s just a tough schedule for the first two games. We knew it was going to be hard. We were just hoping to play better, though. ... We’ll look at film, learn what we did wrong, and work on it from there.”
Sherwin still believes his team has plenty to improve upon.
“We’re nowhere near the team we need to be,” Sherwin said. “We need to stay humble, keep our heads down and keep working hard. We definitely have a lot more things to improve on.”
Karns City 21 20 7 7 — 55
Moniteau 0 0 0 0 — 0
1st Quarter
KC — Bryce Galan 9 run (Trevor Rumbaugh kick), 11:39
KC — Ronald Szczygiel 14 run (Rumbaugh kick), 3:36
KC — Tyson Frazer 12 run (Rumbaugh kick), 1:51
2nd Quarter
KC — Owen Kaufman 82 pass from Cole Johnston (Dittman kick), 8:05
KC — Galan 6 pass from Johnston (Rumbaugh kick blocked), 2:21
KC — Galan 4 run (Rumbaugh kick), 0:42
3rd Quarter
KC — Keagan Schrecengost 24 fumble return (Rumbaugh kick), 9:36
4th Quarter
KC — Bodey Anderson 9 run (Rumbaugh kick) 6:44
Individual Statistics
Passing: Karns City, Cole Johnston 8-12-136-1. Moniteau, Weston Cook 0-6-0-1.
Rushing: Karns City, Ronald Szczygiel 6-57, Bryce Galan 4-50, Tyson Frazer 3-22, Trevor Mong 3-15, Bodey Anderson 2-28, Owen Kaufman 2-19, Cole Johnston 2-14, Zac Neal 1-5, Liam Stitt 1-2. Moniteau, Liam Allison 11-29, Aidan Shakley 10-34, Ben Prengaman 3-3, Jordan Peatross 3-3, Hunter Wright 2-6, Weston Cook 1-2.
Receiving: Karns City, Owen Kaufman 4-106, Brock Dittman 1-13, Keagan Schrecengost 1-11, Bryce Galan 1-6, Tyson Frazer 1-0.
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Moniteau wide receiver Liam Allison (5) runs with the ball in a season-opening football game against Karns City, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Karns City's Cole Johnston (7) and Owen Kaufman celebrate after Kaufman's touchdown in a season-opening football game against Moniteau, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau's Aiden Cook (13) and Weston Cook (20) bring down Karns City's Ronald Sczygiel, front, in a season-opening football game Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau quarterback Weston Cook (20) looks for an open teammate to pass to in a season-opening football game against Karns City, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Karns City's Ronald Sczygiel (5) and Tyson Frazer (8) run the ball in a season-opening football game against Moniteau Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau's Carter Knight (56) tackles Karns City's Cole Johnston (7) in a season-opening football game Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau's Aiden Kern (13) runs the ball in a season-opening football game against Karns City Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau wide receiver Liam Allison (5) runs the ball down the center in a season-opening football game Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Karns City quarterback Cole Johnston (7) runs the ball in a season-opening football game against Moniteau Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Karns City quarterback Cole Johnston (7) fires a pass in a season-opening football game against Moniteau Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Karns City's Tyson Frazer (8) slams into Moniteau free safety Weston Cook (20) to score a touchdown in a season-opening football game Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau strong safety Aiden Kern (13) tackles Karns City wide receiver Bryce Galan (25) in a season-opening football game Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Karns City running back Bodey Anderson (27) celebrates after scoring a touchdown in a season-opening football game against Moniteau Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau and Karns City fans watch the game from the hilltop above the stadium at Moniteau High School during a season-opening football game Friday, Aug. 28, 2026,. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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The Moniteau High School dance and drill team performs during halftime in a season-opening football game Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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The Moniteau High School band performs during halftime in a season-opening football game Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Karns City's band plays music from the sideline in a season-opening football game against Moniteau Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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The Karns City football team take the field in a season-opening football game against Moniteau Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau's band and dance team perform during halftime in a season-opening football game against Karns City Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Members of the Moniteau band cheer from the sideline in a season-opening football game against Karns City Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau and Karns City fans watch the players from the hill above the stadium at Moniteau High School during a season-opening football game Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau ead coach Clay Kohlmeyer speaks to the team during a time-out in a season-opening football game against Karns City Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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A child rolls down the hill during a season-opening football game Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Monioteau cheerleaders perform on the sideline in a season-opening football game against Karns City Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
