Class D-2 State Football Championship Capsules

Anselmo-Merna QB Troy Gilligan (#22) fakes a pitch to sophomore Keenan Stupka (#24). Gilligan is a duel threat quarterback for the Coyotes.

Monday, November 24th - 10:15 AM

Anselmo-Merna (12-0) vs. Exeter-Milligan (12-0)

58 Stapleton 22...........................52 Kenesaw 26

64 Bertrand 42...........................52 Sterling 14

80 Elwood 52...........................56 Johnson-Brock 14

90 Pleasanton 36........................76 Giltner 62

34 Sandhills-Thedford 29............66 Lawrence-Nelson 24

50 Overton 38.............................46 Falls City Sacred Heart 20

70 S E M 21.............................62 Meridian 13

70 Brady 32.................................50 Red Cloud 6

76 Southwest 20...........................56 Red Cloud 6

74 Paxton 13...............................58 Chambers/Wheeler Central 18

44 Sandhills-Thedford 8...............28 Humphrey St. Francis 26

56 Maxwell 36............................28 Falls City Sacred Heart 22

766 Opponents 349.....................624 Opponents 308

63.8 Opponents 29.0...................52.0 Opponents 25.7

Anselmo-Merna Individual stats:

Rushing: RB-Trent Geiser (#1) - 2,313-280 (8.3/carry) 43 Tds, QB-Troy Gilligan (#22) - 1,364-222 (6.1) 27 Tds

Passing: Troy Gilligan - 66 of 127 for 1,375 yds - 21 Tds - 2 Ints.

Receiving: Shaun Cristen (#21) - 18 - 476 8Tds, Keenan Stupka (#24) - 18 - 399 6 Tds

Tackles: Geiser - 172, Gilligan - 150, Kylen Thompson (#2) - 129, Tyler Chandler (#54) - 92

Interceptions - 19 team......Gilligan-6, Geiser-5..(7 interceptions returned for Tds)

Fumble Recoveries - 11 team.....Stupka-3

Exter-Milligan Individual stats:

Rushing: RB-Kyle Jensen (#28) - 2,246-221 (10.2/carry) 38Tds, Dustin Axline (#1) - 328-51 (6.4) 7 Tds

Passing: Sam Zeleny (#3) - 44 of 82 for 842 yds, 20 Tds - 2 Ints.

Receiving: Derek Luzum (#82) - 23-499 12 Tds

Tackles: Axline-127, Jensen-95, Jarett Maxon-83, Zeleny-69, Trevor Luzum-64, Cameron White-61

Interceptions: Zeleny-3, Derek Luzum, Jensen-2 each

Fumble Recoveries: NA

Exeter-Milligan will be trying to win another state championship after beating Hemingford 20-18 for the D-1 crown a year ago. The Timberwolves came from behind in both the St. Francis quarterfinal game and the semis match-up with Falls City Sacred Heart this season. No secret that Kyle Jensen is the focal point of this football team. The 5-9, 205 pound senior is a 2 year all-state player on defense and performs on a defense that may be the best tackling unit in 8-Man football. Head coach Dean Filipi has done a terrific job of teaching this team the basic rudiments of tackling. Perhaps the Huskers should take notes.......did I just say that? Not nice.

Don't kid yourself about Anselmo-Merna playing a weak schedule compared to the Timberwolves. Many fans made the same mistake concerning Hemingford a year ago. The Coyotes have one of the best coaching staffs in all of 8-Man football and know how to score points to the tune of nearly 64 a game. Trent Geiser and Troy Gilligan are both 2 year 1000 yard rushers but Geiser had to sit nearly all of last season with an injury. It would be difficult to find 2 players that shine on either side of the ball as brightly as Geiser and Gilligan. Monday night, it was the junior Gilligan that took matters in his own hands in the 2nd half at Maxwell, running for 4 touchdowns. Gilligan rushed for 226 yards in the game while RB Geiser added 185. Gilligan also threw 2 touchdown passes. It's been like this all season for Anselmo-Merna. And how sweet is this? Coach Matt McGinn played for Anselmo-Merna in it's only State Championship game in 1996 when the Coyotes lost to Dodge 42-34 and the great Cory Eikmeier. Anselmo-Merna had their own fine RB in John Koinzan that year.

Talk about consistencey, Exeter-Milligan hasn't missed the playoffs in 12 years and have played in the last two D-1 title games. This kind of edge is invaluable to any football team, regardless of class. This will be the 2nd consecutive year the Timberwolves will face a team from the West in those finals. A year ago E/M found themselves down to Hemingford 18-6 at the halftime break before putting together a 2nd half rally to win that baby 20-18. The thing that is impressive about this football squad is their ability to keep fighting back and coming from behind to grab these wins in big games and next Monday's doesn't get any bigger.

On the other side of the ledger, it's not like Anselmo-Merna hasn't been behind this season at some point. Although their final scores don not reflect it, the Coyotes trailed Bertrand, Elwood, Overton and Maxwell in the 1st half those respective games. Interesting note is that A/M outscored it's first 3 playoff opponents 128-19 in the 1st half to give themselves a good cushion. When things were tight at halftime against Maxwell, the Coyotes proved they could win that 2nd half and take the game. I don't recall a point in the 1st half of any contest Anselmo-Merna had this season that an opponent scored twice in a row. The Coyotes answered every single their opposition scored a touchdown.

This one shapes up to be an interesting match-up, but those wins Exeter-Milligan have over teams like Kenesaw, Falls City Sacred Heart (twice), CWC, and Humphrey St. Francis have to be a concern to Matt McGinn. However, I have a feeling McGinn and company have a nice game plan that should make for a very interesting Monday morning start to the Nebraska High School football finals. One thing can be guaranteed though, the weather will be a ton better than both of these teams experienced in their ungodly frigid semi final games.