ELKHORN – It was an emphatic battle between the Storm and Bearcats on Friday night, as Elkhorn South continued their winning ways against Kearney and ended the Bearcats season with a back-and-forth 35-20 victory. Click here to listen to the broadcast.
Kearney was seeded #13 entering the game sitting at 4-5 on the year. In part to an incredibly tough regular season schedule featuring four Division One power point rated teams and two Division Two power point rated teams, the Bearcats sneaked into the playoffs looking to create chaos as they did in last year’s postseason.
Elkhorn South had been a favorite nearly all season – their only misstep coming against eventual #1 seed Millard South in Week 2. The Storm were state runner-up in 2020 and were angling to continue that success into the 2021 postseason.
The Storm and Bearcats had met just two weeks prior at Kearney’s Ron and Carol Cope Stadium. Elkhorn South churned out first downs and chunk running plays to down Kearney 21-7 in the previous matchup. Click here to view the Oct. 15 recap.
Looking to change the previous outcome, Kearney began the contest with the football as Elkhorn South deferred to the second half. The Bearcats started their possession at their own 22 yard line, slowly showing the style of play they would generate on the brisk October evening. Short runs by Parker Wise and quick passes from quarterback Riley Miller opened up a conversion throw to receiver Kaden Miller. Kaden would corral the catch, convert for a first down, but would crumble to the turf after the play holding his knee. With the Bearcats in shock, watching their leading receiver and one of Class A’s most lethal deep threats hit the turf, Miller was aided off the field.
Continuing the drive, the next series of plays for Kearney went: 8 yard run, holding penalty against Kearney, and a sack forced by Storm defensive end Maverick Noonan on second down. After a 7 yard gain to get back within striking distance on third down and long, Kaden Miller trotted back onto the field to aid his offense in converting. Miller Time connected, on a 40 yard bomb down the Storm sideline that shocked the Storm crowd and set Kearney into a frenzy. Now first and ten inside the Elkhorn South red zone, a mishap on the ensuing play would force an interception by senior Blake Daly, and give Elkhorn South their first possession of the game.
Elkhorn South would use their branded style of football; spread formations with off-tackle runs and quarterback counter plays to plod down the field. Kearney’s defense surrendered 9 plays, but forced the Storm to punt back to Kearney.
The Bearcats took the punt at their own 21 yard line and began another series of deep passing attacks. On the second play of the drive, Miller Time found another deep “go” route – 43 yards on the completion. After a successful run of 6 yards, a neutral gain, and an incomplete pass, Kearney faced a fourth down and four yards to go inside of the Elkhorn South 28 yard line. Kearney trotted the offense back out and sent Miller down the sideline once again. Riley laid a high-arcing moonshot along the Storm sideline for Kaden into the endzone, in which Miller Time found its first score of the game. Kearney led 7-0 with 1:03 left to play in the first quarter.
Not to be outdone, the Storm offense awoke to create an 11 play, 79 yard touchdown drive capped off by a two yard plunge by junior Cole Ballard. The drive included big gains off of jet sweeps from reserve Dylan Warren, a new wrinkle that Elkhorn South added in their gameplan from the last matchup. Tie game into the second quarter; 7-7 with 6:53 remaining in the first half.
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Kearney was forced into a three-and-out on the ensuing possession, forcing a punt and giving Elkhorn South a chance to take their first lead. It only took the Storm two plays: a 5 yard run, followed by a false start, then a 49 yard touchdown toss from quarterback Will Skradis to senior receiver Chase Anderson. The PAT was blocked, however, and the Storm led 13-7 with 4:45 left in the second.
Kearney would have a back-and-forth drive on the next possession. After the kickoff went for a touchback, Kearney proceeded to go only backwards for a loss of a yard and then a sack. Needing a big play, the Bearcats dialed up a nifty play-action fake quarterback draw and running back seam route to let senior Rian Green escape into the open field with plenty of room to work. Green gathered the football and ran into the open field, converting the first down and staying in bounds fighting for extra yardage as he was finally downed after a 50 yard completion. Now inside Elkhorn South territory, Kearney went back to the run for an 11 yard gain, and after a short gain and incomplete pass found Parker Wise on a screen route to sneak into the endzone on a 23 yard touchdown reception. A missed PAT led to another tie game, 13-13 with 1:49 remaining in the second quarter.
Elkhorn South found their rhythm again however, and Kearney was unable to slow the passing game of the Storm. Elkhorn South had a big run on first down to move near midfield, and converted again on a pass from Skradis. An incomplete pass, followed by a sack by senior Cash Roseberry, and another incomplete pass the Storm faced fourth down and 19 yards to go. From the 32 yard line of Kearney, head coach Guy Rosenburg elected to keep his offense on the field with time ticking away under 10 seconds. Skradis dropped back and unloaded a deep post route to senior Carson Crouch who ran underneath the toss into the endzone for a score. 21-13 end of the first half, Storm leading.
The second half started with Elkhorn South finding their groove early again. A slow death march to the endzone, Elkhorn South went 12 plays for a 77 yard scoring drive and took a two score lead 28-13 with 6:16 left in the third quarter.
Kearney had their work cut out for them. The Bearcats got tricky as well. After five plays resulted in a 4th down near midfield, the punt unit entered the field and showed a regular formation. Senior Tanner Johnson had other plans. Johnson took the snap, surveyed the room in front of him, and found 16 yards into Elkhorn South territory on the fake to convert the first down. Kearney then took the next 5 plays to score, one being a diving attempt at a score from Kaden Miller. Outreaching for the football in front of him, Miller corralled the football and was downed at the one yard line. Two plays later, cousin Riley reached over the goal line for the score. 28-20 Storm led, 1:06 to play in the third.
Elkhorn South would play keep-a-way the rest of the contest. Although going three-and-out on their next possession, the Storm defense pinned their ears back and went looking for big plays against Kearney’s offense. The Bearcats had a first down completion on third down and two from their own 24 yard line, but then were forced backwards on a sack, followed by an incompletion, and another sack. Johnson was forced to punt, and Elkhorn South then took possession of the ball looking to stronghold the game.
Inside of Kearney territory, Elkhorn South only went 7 plays before punting, never gaining more than 5 yards on a play in the drive. A sack by the Bearcats forced a third and long, then the Storm punted after an incompletion.
A few last gasps for Kearney as the time started to tick away in the fourth quarter. The Bearcats went seven plays, starting with four straight runs including first downs by Parker Wise and a gashing 24 yard rumble by Riley Miller. The Bearcats would throw three straight incompletions, however, and would turn the ball over on downs.
The next play, the game was put out of reach by the Storm as Skradis faked the inside handoff and found room through the teeth of the Bearcat defense for a 49 yard touchdown run to seal the win at 35-20. 2:48 remained in the contest.
Kearney would fumble on their next possession despite being granted an excellent field position opportunity after a big kickoff return by Zander Reuling into Elkhorn South territory and followed by an unsportsmanlike conduct on the Elkhorn South sideline. The Storm would kneel out the rest of the time and move on to the quarterfinals of the NSAA Class A Playoffs, winning 35-20.
Kearney had significant contributions from Riley Miller in the passing game, finishing with 258 passing yards and a score along with a 23 yards rushing and a score on the ground. Parker Wise added 38 yards on the ground and 25 yards receiving with a score. Rian Green had 50 yards receiving and 12 yards rushing. Kaden Miller finished with 164 yards receiving with a score on eight catches.
The Bearcats end their season at 4-6 overall, their 11th straight season finishing in the postseason.
