Stellar stars will collide in Tigers' D-1 title game

Dundy County-Stratton senior Keegan Krutsinger (left) and Samuel Fasso (77) will try to lead an advantage over state finals foe Burwell as they did against Tri-County Trojans during last week's Class D-1 semifinal game.

Steve Towery/McCook Gazette

BURWELL, Neb. — Nobody’s rushing higher on the Nebraska leader charts than Burwell junior Caleb Busch with his 45 touchdowns and 2,189 yards this fall.

Busch ranks No. 1 at maxpreps.com just above Cross County’s Isaac Noyd (2,146), who Burwell knocked out of playoffs last week.

Now the Dundy County-Stratton Tigers will try to cut Busch and his Longhorns down Friday evening.

West No. 1 Burwell and No. 2 DC-S tangle for the Class D-1 state title starting at 5 p.m.

The Tigers (11-0) haven’t lost since 2019 semifinals, when Busch gained 101 yards on only eight carries and scored a touchdown.

Believe it or not, 103 would tie for Busch’s second worst game in 2020. He’s reached 313 yards vs. North Central, 298 past Howells-Dodge and 220 at Ainsworth with only six carries (four TDs).

The Tigers bring Nebraska No. 9 top rusher Serbando Diaz (1,862 yards) and one of this state’s great run-pass threats in junior quarterback Quade Myers.

Myers adds 1,177 rush yards, but he also topped 1,000 passing this season in last week’s semifinal triumph at Tri-County.

He’s traveled a long ways since Myers finished four-for-14 passing in that previous visit to Burwell.

Myers has completed 65 percent of his passes (62 for 95), thrown 23 TDs and just two INTs.

Burwell has thrown 28 touchdown strikes to seven receivers, so just about anything could happen on Friday.