Class C-1 and Class C-2 Football Championship Previews

You will statistically prepared for both the ClassC-2 and C-1 State Championships when you finish ingesting this information.

Tuesday’s curtain raiser will feature an unbeaten Norfolk Catholic team (12-0) seeking a third consecutive C-2 title and currently riding a 38 game winning streak. Providing the opposition will be Wahoo Neumann, a squad Catholic defeated 28-21 to open the 2024 season.

Norfolk Catholic is coached by my Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2020 brother Jeff Bellar, who has amassed 418 career wins during his storied coaching career. Nobody has more.

One key to a Bishop Neumann victory will be the availability of the great Conor Booth, who exited the Cavaliers semifinal win over Battle Creek early in the second half and never returned.

The hard charging senior, currently ranked number five in the US with 2,905 yards rushing, is reputed to have suffered a high ankle sprain.

I sure hope that is not the case.

The Class C-1 championship game matches a rugged, unbeaten Wahoo team versus an upstart Central City team whom I’ve said week in and week out, is one of C-1’s most dangerous football teams. The Bison can put points on the board like video game numbers, yet hound you on defense with interceptions and caused fumbles.

Now to the Good Stuff.

Class C-2 Final

Tuesday, November 26th, Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, 10:15 AM Kickoff

Norfolk Catholic (12-0) vs. Wahoo Neumann (11-1)

Norfolk Catholic (12-0)

28 Wahoo Neumann….21 - 48 Oakland-Craig…….21

36 Boone Central………..7 - 19 Battle Creek…………14

62 North Bend…………..13 - 34 Hartington CC…….10

52 Arlington……………...19 - 33 Ord…………………..…8

43 Ponca………………..….16 - 41 Raymond Central…14

49 West-Beemer………...12 - 35 Kearney Catholic….13

Head Coach-Jeff Bellar - Assistants-Tim Kassemeier, Todd Pospisil, Jason Konicek, Jordan Bellar and Travis Fisher.

Norfolk Catholic Statistical Leaders;

Passing: #4 Callen Marshall (Jr)-110 of 158 for 1,462 yds, 21 TDs/2 INTs.

Rushing: #3 Trevin Sukup (Sr)-1,133 yds-117 carries, 17 TDs, #5 Max Hammond (Sr)-638 yds, 78 carries/8 TDs.

Receiving: #2 Hayden Kelly (Sr)-36 catches for 550 yds/9 TDs, #5 Max Hammond-36 catches for 425 yds/6 TDs

Tackles: #44 Ollie Daniel -105 tackles (36 solos/69 assists, 1 sack, 1 FR), #73 Shaun Clinch (Sr)-96 tackles (34 solos/62 assists, 5 sacks, 1 FR), Gage Yosten (Jr)-90 tackles (33 solos/57 assists, 1 sack, 2 INTs), #8 Aiden Corr (Sr)-89 tackles (31 solos/58 assists, 1 sack, 1 INT), #65 Sam Johnson (Sr)-89 tackles (27 solos/62 assists, 1 sack), #69 Tyson Risinger (Sr)-89 tackles (26 solos/63 assists, 2 sacks), #2 Hayden Kelly-7 INTs., #7 Nathan Timmerman (Jr)-6 INTs.

*Norfolk Catholic has 19 Team INTs

Wahoo Neumann (11-1)

21 *Norfolk Catholic…....28 - 50 Conestoga……………0

40 Yutan……………………...0 - 55 Lincoln Lutheran….24

40 West Point-Beemer…..6 - 46 Raymond Central…27

73 Hastings St. Cecilia…...7 - 49 Lincoln Lutheran…..7

70 Palmyra…………………...0 - 24 Hartington CC……..21

53 Malcolm…………………...7 - 6 Battle Creek…………...0

Head Coach-Jordan Roberts - Assistants-Matt Miller, Cole Schadel Seth Wineman, Jordan Kavan .

Wahoo Neumann Statistical Leaders;

Passing: #7 Jacob Rezac (Sr)-37 of 84 for 637 yds with 12 TDs and 5 INTs.

Rushing: #23 Conor Booth (Sr)-2,906 yds-251 carries and 49 TDs, #0 Beau Fujan (Jr)-216-33/3 TDs.

Receiving: #1 Isaiah Nagle (Sr)-9 catches for 169 yds and 3 TDs, #22 Alex Berry (Jr)-10 for 101/2 TDs.

Tackles: #18 Jack Van Slyke (Sr)-144 tackles (50 solos, 94 assists, 1 INT), #5 Jerred Cernik (Sr) 77 tackles (25 solos/52 assists,4 sacks, 1 FR, 1 Blocked Punt),#79 Andrew Meduna (Sr)-72 tackles (35 solos/37 assists, 2.5 sacks, 1 INT, 1 FR), #11 Quentin Schutt (Sr)-71 tackles (40 solos/31 assists, 1 Blocked Punt).

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Class C-1 Final

Tuesday, November 26th, Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, 2:30 PM Kickoff

Wahoo (12-0) vs. Central City (11-1)

Wahoo (12-0)

62 Nebraska City…………….0 - 63 Logan View/SS….………..6

28 Ashland-Greenwood…..14 - 57 Fort Calhoun…….……….7

66 Aurora……………………...24 - 54 Omaha Concordia.……..8

36 Omaha Gross……………..0 - 56 Douglas County West ….0

50 Douglas County West….0 - 53 Boys Town………………...14

55 Elkhorn Mt Michael…….0 -53 Auburn………………………..7

Head Coach-Chad Fox - Assistants-Matthew Jayson Iverson, Clete Vrbka, Erik Emerson, Brandon Zetocka, Heath Haberman, Alex Shada, Eric Gottschalk and Dylan Ege, .

Wahoo Individual Statistical Leaders;

Passing: #4 Jase Kaminski (Sr)-81 of 124 for 1,447 yds, 17 TDs/1 INT.

Rushing:-#32 Kip Brigham (Jr)-1,900 yds-134 carries, 34 TDs, #22 Noah Bordovsky (Sr)-762 yds-93 carries/17 TDs.

Receiving: Kip Brigham-19 catches for 473 yds/7 TDs, #7 Kaden Christien (Jr)-15 catches for 233 yds/3 TDs, 19 catches for 473 yds/7 TDs,

Tackles: #31 Harrison Krueger (Jr)-92 tackles (36 solos/754 assists, sacks, 2 INTs, 1 blocked kick), #6 Braylon Iverson (Sr) -84 tackles (30 solos/54 assists, 1 sack,2 INTs),

*Wahoo has 15 Team INTs and 9 Team fumbles recovered.

*Kip Brigham has returned 7 punts for 210 yards (36 yd/ave) with 2 punt return TDs (back-to-back/Aurora game) and returned 9 kickoffs for 335 yards (37 yd/ave) with 1 kick return TD.

Central City (11-1)

48 Ord…………………..20 - 55 Milford……………………7

55 Cozad (3 OTs) ……56 - 36 Broken Bow…………….19

41 Minden……………….0 - 53 Auroa………….. ………..28

55 Nebraska City………0 - 49 Fort Calhoun…………..14

39 Adams Central…….22 -19 Columbus Lakeview….7

52 Lincoln Lutheran….50 -29 Sidney……………………12

Head Coach: Troy Huebert - Assistants-Darin Garfield, Josh Hood, Randy Huebert, Jeff Jensen, Noah Luebbe, Andrew Stolpe, Kordell Hamer, Jacob Zess.

Central City Individual Statistical Leaders;

Passing- #70 Parker Zikmund (Jr)-184 of 296 for 2,545 yards/36 TDs/9 INTs.

Rushing: #20 Corbin Kyes (Jr)-1,998 yards on 273 carries with 28 TDs.

Receiving: #13 Wyatt Dent (Jr)-74 for 1,001 yards and 13 TDs, #18 Truman Ryan (Sr)-18 for 310 yards and 8 TDs,

Tackles: #44 Connor Erickson (Jr)-76 tackles (52 solos, 24 assists, 2 sacks), #3 Jacob Brazee (Jr) 75 tackles (63 solos/12 assists, 1 FR), #19 Colter Lueders (Sr)-62 tackles (50 solos/12 assists, 2.5 sacks, 1 INT, 1 blk. kick).

*Central City has 28 Team QB sacks (#51 Damien Malachias-6, #23 Turner Hanks-5).

*Central City has 18 Team INTs (#18 Truman Ryan-6, #21 Jakob Ruhl-5).