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Hy-Vee High School Athlete of the Week: Kearney QB Casey Rooney leads Bulldogs to Missouri Class 4 title

Kearney Football
Posted at 12:13 PM, Dec 06, 2023
and last updated 2023-12-07 09:59:23-05

KEARNEY, Mo. — They call Kearney quarterback Casey Rooney the point guard of the offense.

And he had the game of his life Saturday, spreading the ball around during the Missouri Class 4 state championship game against Hillsboro.

“He was unbelievable; so many throws, deep throws, just right on the money during that game," Bulldogs coach Logan Minnick said.

Rooney threw for 293 yards and four touchdowns and ran for nearly 100 yards in Kearney's 68-28 win.

With that performance, he's also won KSHB 41's Hy-Vee High School Athlete of the Week honor.

“We had our best game on the biggest stage," he said. "That’s awesome, a season-high 68 points. We haven't done that all year and we all just clicked. That’s probably, that was, our best game of the year hands down."

Kearney finished 13-2 overall, winning state for the first time since capturing the Class 4 crown in 2015.

“He had a lot of good games, but this one was crucial," senior wide receiver Manny Linthacum said of Rooney. "Biggest game of the year and he played amazing."

Rooney was lights out on the field in helping bring home another title to Kearney — which also won state in 2002, 2003 and 2009 and now owns five MSHSAA state titles.

“Casey was unbelievable — 11 of 13 — one of those was kind of a Hail Mary pass, one of the incompletions was right before half, so you’re not really planning on completing that one anyway, " Minnick said.