Stu Pospisil joins Jake Anderson to preview this week's Nebraska high school state football semifinals, including the surprising Kearney Bearcats facing Elkhorn South, Omaha Westside hosting Millard South and more.
FREMONT, Neb. — On a night when two defenses showed how much they’ve improved this season, big plays were at a premium.
Only two plays went for more than 36 yards Friday at Heedum Field. And both were by Fremont Bergan, which earned its first berth in a state final in a decade by beating Yutan 21-7 in a Class C-2 semifinal.
Because the Knights (12-0) are the top-seeded team, they will host Ord next Friday for the title. Ord defeated defending C-2 champion Oakland-Craig 38-28 in Friday’s other semifinal.
While semifinals were being played Friday night, the Nebraska School Activities Association announced its decision to move the finals from Memorial Stadium in Lincoln to home-field sites on Nov. 20 because of COVID-19 concerns.
Wherever and whoever the Knights were to play, Bergan coach Seth Mruz told his charges in the postgame huddle that he was excited the school is in the title game for the first time since finishing as runner-up in 2010.
“I’m just proud of these kids for what they’ve accomplished this season,” Mruz said. “Going from unranked in the preseason to the state championship game is a pretty big accomplishment.”
Bergan and Yutan met in the season opener, which the Knights won 41-13.
On Friday, the Knights scored the only first-half points on their first drive of the game. They went 53 yards in 10 plays, showing balance with five rushing and five passing plays. Koa McIntyre found Jarett Boggs open on the right side for a 5-yard touchdown. Freshman Alex Langenfeld added the extra point to put Bergan ahead 7-0.
The contest then turned into a defensive battle, save for two big plays in the second half.
Bergan put together a clock-chewing drive early in the second quarter but failed to score after McIntyre was intercepted by defensive back Sean Henkel at the Yutan 36.
The Chieftains then went on their best drive of the game but couldn’t come away with points when back-to-back passes by Brady Timm fell incomplete with 27 seconds left before halftime.
On the fourth play of the third quarter, Bergan’s McIntyre found his brother Kade racing down the sideline and connected in stride for a 46-yard gain to the Yutan 3. Three players later, Koa McIntyre scored on a 1-yard sneak to put Bergan ahead 14-0.
Yutan’s offense then put together its lone scoring drive, going 61 yards in seven plays. Caden Egr’s 6-yard run closed the Chieftains’ deficit to 14-7.
Yutan, which had won nine straight entering Friday, was poised to tie the game late in the third quarter before the Chieftains were called for an illegal substitution penalty on fourth-and-goal from the 1. Timm was stopped 5 yards short of the end zone on the first play of the fourth quarter.
The momentum stayed with Bergan after that. Five plays after the defensive stand, Koa McIntyre went 75 yards through the middle of the Yutan defense for what proved to be the final points of the game.
“Up front that was kids getting a hat on a hat,” Mruz said. “There was a little crease he could take advantage of, and that’s all he needed.”
Yutan (9-2)...........................0 0 7 0— 7
At Fremont Bergan (12-0)....7 0 7 7—21
FB: Jarett Boggs 5 pass from Koa McIntyre (Alex Langenfeld kick)
FB: McIntyre 1 run (Langenfeld kick)
Y: Caden Egr 6 run (Paul Kirchmann kick)
FB: McIntyre 75 run (Langenfeld kick)
Ord 38, Oakland-Craig 28
The Chanticleers scored the final 10 points to knock off the defending state champs. Ord (11-0) never trailed, but the game was tied three times, including 28-28 after a Grady Gatewood TD with 9:48 left. Kelen Meyer then kicked a 32-yard field goal with 7:17 left before Zach Smith added a 7-yard run with 5:44 left. Oakland-Craigh finished 10-2.
Nebraska high school state football champions since 2004
Photos: Nebraska high school state football champions since 2004
2019
Class A: Bellevue West 35, Omaha Westside 0
Class B: Omaha Skutt 21, Scottsbluff 20
Class C-1: Wahoo 38, Pierce 0
Class C-2: Oakland-Craig 19, Sutton 0
Class D-1: Osceola/High Plains 40, Burwell 34
Class D-2: Humphrey St. Francis 70, Pleasanton 16
2018
Class A: Omaha Burke 24, Grand Island 20
Class B: Omaha Skutt, 48, Scottsbluff 27
Class C-1: Aurora 49, Ord 7
Class C-2: Centennial 29, Norfolk Catholic 28 (OT)
Class D-1: Creighton 32, Burwell 30
Class D-2: Johnson-Brock 56, Mullen 26
2017
Class A: Omaha North 27, Kearney 20
Class B: York 31, Omaha Skutt 0
Class C-1: Norfolk Catholic 35, Boone Central/Newman Grove 0
Class C-2: Yutan 27, Centennial 6
Class D-1: East Butler 36, South Loup 14
Class D-2: Bruning-Davenport/Shickley 58, Blue Hill 23
2016
Class A: Bellevue West 43, Omaha North 6
Class B: Elkhorn South 34, Omaha Skutt 32
Class C-1: O'Neill 39, Wahoo Neumann 22
Class C-2: Wilber-Clatonia 20, Crofton 0
Class D-1: Burwell 47, West Point GACC 18
Class D-2: Falls City Sacred Heart 44, Twin Loup 28
2015
Class A: Millard North 21, Millard West 14
Class B: Elkhorn South 32, Aurora 21
Class C-1: Columbus Scotus 32, Norfolk Catholic 27
Class C-2: David City Aquinas 36, Oakland-Craig 7
Class D-1: Bruning-Davenport/Shickley 44, Burwell 30
Class D-2: Humphrey St. Francis 22, Chambers/Wheeler Central 20
2014
Class A: Omaha North 41, Omaha Creighton Prep 0
Class B: Omaha Skutt 40, Elkhorn 10
Class C-1: Boone Central/Newman Grove 54, Ashland-Greenwood 14
Class C-2: David City Aquinas 40, Hartington Cedar Catholic 6
Class D-1: Hemingford 52, Bruning-Davenport/Shickley 8
Class D-2: Exeter-Milligan 40, Anselmo-Merna 26
2013
Class A: Omaha North 23, Omaha Westside 21
Class B: Omaha Skutt 30, York 0
Class C-1: Cozad 47, Ashland-Greenwood 21
Class C-2: Doniphan-Trumbull 32, David City Aquinas (10-3) 13
Class D-1: Exeter-Milligan 20, Hemingford 18
Class D-2: Falls City Sacred Heart 63, Stuart 14
2012
Class A: Millard North 17, Omaha North 14
Class B: Omaha Gross 14, Norris 7
Class C-1: Norfolk Catholic 24, Boone Central/Newman Grove 13
Class C-2: David City Aquinas 35, Sutton 20
Class D-1: Elgin Public/Pope John 40, Exeter-Milligan 14
Class D-2: Giltner 42, Humphrey St. Francis 26
2011
Class A: Lincoln Southeast 21, Omaha Burke 9
Class B: Elkhorn 26, Crete 17
Class C-1: Norfolk Catholic 20, Platteview 6
Class C-2: David City Aquinas 27, Kearney Catholic 13
Class D-1: Elgin Public/Pope John 44, West Point GACC 14
Class D-2: Sargent 21, Howells 18
2010
Class A: Millard North 28, Millard South 20
Class B: Crete 34, Elkhorn 0
Class C-1: Norfolk Catholic 28, Pierce 13
Class C-2: Hastings St. Cecilia 17, Fremont Bergan 14
Class D-1: West Point GACC 45, Creighton 30
Class D-2: Howells 46, Sargent 7
2009
Class A: Millard South 45, Millard West 17
Class B: Aurora 34, Omaha Skutt 21
Class C-1: Hastings St. Cecilia 26, Norfolk Catholic 18
Class C-2: Ponca 14, Hartington Cedar Catholic 13, OT
Class D-1: Howells 68, Giltner 28
Class D-2: Humphrey St. Francis 34, Hayes Center 0
2008
Class A: Millard West 21, Millard South 8
Class B: Aurora 20, Beatrice 14
Class C-1: Pierce 20, Boys Town 10
Class C-2: Blue Hill 14, Fremont Bergan 0
Class D-1: Howells 46, Axtell 21
Class D-2: Ewing 49, Humphrey St. Francis 24
2007
Class A: Omaha Central 26, Millard North 21
Class B: Crete 14, McCook 7, OT
Class C-1: Pierce 34, Wahoo Neumann 28, OT
Class C-2: Wakefield 19, Blue Hill 0
Class D-1: Pope John 39, Clarkson 30
Class D-2: Chambers 28, Elgin 24
2006
Class A: Kearney 41, Omaha Westside 21
Class B: Crete 28, Elkhorn 14
Class C-1: Auburn 28, Valentine 27, 2OT
Class C-2: Wakefield 34, Blue Hill 7
Class D-1: Overton 32, Bancroft-Rosalie 8
Class D-2: Dodge 28, Stapleton 20
2005
Class A: Millard North 35, Lincoln Southwest 14
Class B: Omaha Skutt 6, McCook 0
Class C-1: Norfolk Catholic 20, Chase County 13
Class C-2: Plainview 21, Cambridge 6
Class D-1: Howells 46, Axtell 6
Class D-2: Bruning-Davenport 34, Sargent 12
2004
Class A: Omaha Creighton Prep 21, Millard North 7
Class B: Lincoln Pius X 14, McCook 9
Class C-1: Norfolk Catholic 26, Boone Central 13
Class C-2: North Platte St. Patrick’s 21, Stanton 6
Class D-1: Howells 43, Overton 6
Class D-2: Lindsay Holy Family 36, Mullen 18
