The Ord Chanticleers showed plenty of fight Friday night during homecoming week, but came up just short in a 27–26 nail-biter against the O’Neill Eagles. Despite the narrow loss, the Chants proved they can line up with anyone when they bring their trademark toughness and grit.
Ord’s offense was powered by a strong rushing attack. Quarterback Jordan Williams, ran for 237 rushing yards and three touchdowns, including a 44-yard sprint that had the Chanticleer crowd roaring. Williams also connected for 57 passing yards and a touchdown, keeping O’Neill’s defense on its heels all night.
The Chants’ receivers made key plays when called on, with Beau Wells hauling in 44 yards through the air and Haydin Nelson snagging a 6-yard touchdown grab just before halftime to swing momentum back to Ord.
Defensively, the Chanticleers dug in after a tough first half. Nelson and Grey Geiser led the way with six tackles apiece, while Colt Meyer and Beau Shafer chipped in with big stops. The group forced O’Neill into a scoreless second half, a testament to the team’s ability to adjust and battle.
In the end, it came down to a single point separating victory from defeat. O’Neill struck early, jumping to a 27–6 lead, but the Chants stormed back with 19 unanswered points by the end of the third quarter. The defense held firm in the fourth, giving the offense a chance, but the final drive stalled just shy of another miracle comeback.
While the scoreboard wasn’t in their favor, the effort showed why Chanticleer football is built on pride and perseverance. With nearly 400 yards of total offense and a defense that refused to fold, Ord is just a play or two away from turning the corner.
The Chants will regroup this week and look to channel that same fire into the next challenge. One thing is clear: if this team keeps fighting the way they did against O’Neill, good things are coming for the Chanticleers.
Ord will be on the road this week to play Broken Bow at 7:00 P.M. on Friday.
Game Leaders
Ord Chanticleers
Passing: J. Williams - 5/12, 57 Yds, 1 TD
Rushing: J. Williams - 18 Att, 237 Yds, 3 TD, B. Wells - 10 Att, 34 Yds, H. Nelson - 11 Att, 30 Yds, G. Geiser - 2 Att, 9 Yds, E. Ryschon 1 Att, 4 Yds
Receiving: B. Wells - 2 Rec, 44 Yds. Ryschon - 2 Rec, 7 Yds, H. Nelson - 1 Rec, 6 Yds 1 Td
Tackling: H. Nelson - 6 Tkls, G. Geyser - 6 Tkls, C. Meyer - 4 Tkls, H. Winkelbauer 3 Tkls