Class B Football Playoff Semifinals Capsules

After seeing Hastings, Aurora and GI Northwest play at least once this season, I recall thinking at least two of these teams are capable of advancing as far as the Class B semifinals. Lucky guess?

Plattsmouth (8-2) @ Aurora (8-3) (Friday, November 13, 7:00 PM)

Plattsmouth (8-2)

20 Blair 7

29 Ralston 20

34 Elkhorn North 7

35 Elkhorn Mt. Michael 7

38 Crete 8

26 Norris 29

0 Waverly 35

35 Beatrice

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13 McCook 9

34 Bennington 27

Plattsmouth has Class B’s leading rusher in rugged junior Christian Meneses, who would rather run over and through you, than around you. Menesis is also a force on defense. The Blue Devils also have a Swiss Army knife type player in RB Adam Eggert, who is also a dangerous return man and can bury your offense deep in its own territory with his 41.8 punting average.

Plattsmouth’s offense has run the football 64.6% of the time up to this point in the 2020 season.

Head Coach: Bob Dzuris (9th Season-104 wins)

Last playoff appearance: 2019 (Lost to Omaha Roncalli 56-28 1st Round)

Playoff appearances since 2000 - 11, (No Championships, Runner-up-1979)

Offensive Statistical Leaders:

Passing: Jack Alexander (Sr)- 52-122-768, 10 TDs/5 INTs

Rushing: Christian Meneses (Jr) - 1,652-290, 19 TDs, Adam Eggert (Sr) - 292-56, 3 TDs

Receiving: Adam Eggert (Sr) - 14-222, 1 TD, Owen Prince (Jr) - 12-201, 5 TDs

Defensive Statistical Leaders:

Tackles: Dalton Baumgart (Sr) - 101 (35 solos, 66 assists, 8 TLF, 5 sacks, 1 FR), Cameron Aughenbaugh (Jr) - 69 (24-45-2 TFL), Brayden Zaliauskas - 49 (24-25-2 TFL, 1 INT)

Aurora (8-3)

13 North Platte 6

18 Bennington 31

36 Scottsbluff 14

35 Omaha Gross 21

37 York 21

21 McCook 7

55 Hastings 34

29 Grand Island Northwest 36

24 Seward 13

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54 Scottsbluff 3

28 Norris 21

*(Good luck finding any current Aurora stats anywhere. These are as good as I could come up with.)

Head Coach: Kyle Peterson (6th Season)

Last playoff appearance: 2019 (Lost to Adams Central 17-0 in Quarterfinals)

Playoff appearances since 2000 - 20 (State Champions-2018, 2009, 2008, Runner-Up-2015) *Last time Aurora missed the playoffs was 1994 and have qualified 33 out of the 45 years the NSAA began sponsoring playoffs, which debuted in 1975.

Offensive Statistical Leaders:

Passing: Ethan Shaw (Sr)-125-205-1,600, 16 TDs (10 games)

Rushing: Mack Owens (Jr) 945-172 (10 Games), Ethan Shaw 880-149 (9 games)

Receiving: Jameson Herzberg - 36-449, 4 TDs, Andrew Bell - 28-396, 5 TDs (9 games)

Defensive Statistical Leaders:

Tackles: Brady Collingham-90 (61-29-3 FR), Mack Owens (Jr)-86 (51-35), Bryce Barger (Jr)-65 (40-25), Breckyn Papineau-61 (35-26), Jameson Herzberg (Sr)-53 (32-21-5 INTs) (9 games)

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Elkhorn High (9-2) @ Hastings (9-1) (Friday, November 13, 7:00 PM @ Hastings College)

Elkhorn High (9-2)

18 Norris 28

48 Omaha Roncalli 27

13 Waverly 7

38 Blair 28

48 Ralston 13

48 Elkhorn Mt. Michael 0

34 Bennington 42

24 Omaha Skutt 21

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53 Omaha Gross 7

41 Waverly 16

Head Coach: Mark Wortland (41st Season - 354-96)

Last playoff appearance: 2017 (Lost to Elkhorn South 38-13 in Class B Semifinals)

Playoff appearances since 2000 - 18 (Last Championship-2011, Last Runner-Up-2014)

Offensive Statistical Leaders:

Passing: Grant Gutschow (Sr)-83-136-1,351, 12 TDs (10 games)

Rushing: Aiden Young (Sr)-1,041-173, 8 TDs (10 games)

Receiving: Gannon Gragert (Sr)-21-516, 6 TDs (10 games)

Defensive Statistical Leaders:

Tackles: N/A

Hastings (9-1)

35 Lincoln North Star 8

35 McCook 14

45 Scottsbluff 6

45 Gering 0

35 Hastings 0

38 York 20

34 Aurora 55

30 Grand Island Northwest 19

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45 Omaha Roncalli 21

45 Grand Island Northwest 42

Head Coach: Charlie Shoemaker (5th Season @ Hastings)

Last playoff appearance: 2019 (Lost to Waverly 48-14 Class B quarterfinals)

Playoff appearances since 2000 - 7 (Last Championships: Class B/1994, Class A/1993)

Offensive Statistical Leaders:

Passing: Jarrett Synek (Sr)-142-239-2,641, 31 TDs/7 INTs

Rushing: Jarrett Synek (Sr)-574-87, 11 TDs, Zane Weidner (Sr)-426-69, 4 TDs

Receiving: Carson Shoemaker (Sr)-52-909, 11 TDs, Braden Kalvelage (Sr)-23-678, 9 TDs, Gareth Jones (Sr)-28-393, 4 TDs, Austin Nauert (Sr) 31-375, 3 TDs.

Defensive Statistical Leaders:

Tackles: Blake Davis (Sr)-67 (55 solos, 12 assists, 9 TFL, 3 Sacks), Jeff Samuelson (Jr)-57 (48-9, 7 TFL, 1 FR), Zane Weidner (Sr)-51 (49-2, 4 INTs, 1 Pick 6, 1 FR), Beau Dreher (Sr)-50 (46-4, 1 INT)

Kicking Game: Breyer Menke (Sr) 38-44 PATs, 5-6 Field Goals (Longest-32),

*Extra Notes: Braden Kalvelage also averages 40.5 per punt, has a Pick 6. Lineman Landon Jacobus also has a Pick 6. This team has compiled 4,889 All-Purpose, which indicates to me they can hurt you in a variety of ways putting points on the board.