Terry Douglass, Central Nebraska Today
GRAND ISLAND — Grand Island Central Catholic earned its first berth in the state playoffs since 2020 after completing an 8-1 regular season with a 49-15 home victory over St. Paul Friday night at Memorial Stadium.
The Crusaders, who are rated No. 8 in Class C-2 by the Omaha World-Herald, raced to a 28-0 lead in the first quarter. Jack Alberts started the scoring with a 14-yard touchdown run, Connor Haney caught a 21-yard scoring pass from Grayson Sack and then hauled in a 50-yard TD pass from Jackson Gangwish before Sack’s 3-yard TD run.
Thomas Schneider scored on a 9-yard run early in the second quarter before Alberts scored on a run from 18 yards out, giving GICC a 42-0 halftime lead. Haney capped the scoring for GICC with a 71-yard TD reception from Sack with 3:27 left in the third quarter.
Haney finished with four receptions for 157 yards and three TDs for GICC. Sack was 4 of 6 passing for 138 yards with two TDs and also rushed for 55 yards and a score, while Alberts finished with 100 yards rushing on 11 carries and Schneider had 51 yards rushing on seven attempts.
Sack became GICC’s all-time leader in both passing yards and passing TDs. The senior three-year starter entered the contest with 4,933 career passing yards and 46 TDs.
GICC’s defense was dominant, limiting the Wildcats to 82 yards of total offense. Mason Vasquez recorded an interception and Owen Price had a fumble recovery for the Crusaders.
St. Paul (2-7) was led by Mason Majerus, who rushed 20 times for 88 yards. The Wildcats scored a pair of fourth-quarter TDs as Zandyn Weller hauled in a 26-yard TD pass from Alex Meinecke and Brennen Shreve caught a 20-yard TD pass from Max Meyer.
