Columbus Wins in Fremont, Just Barely

In the 96th Edition of the F&C Cup, Liam Blaser rushed for 144 yards and three touchdowns as Columbus claimed a 28-21 road win at Fremont in the Nebraska HS Football Game of the Week to kick off the 2022 high school football season.

Blaser’s third touchdown run with 1:53 remaining won it for the Discoverers. Fremont quarterback Hudson Cunnings, who had more than 380 total yards in the loss, tried to lead a comeback late that fell literally just short.

With :13 remaining and the ball at the 18-yard line, Fremont ran a hook and ladder which was stopped short after an 8-yard gain. After a timeout, Cunnings dove for the pylon on the final play, which was ruled short.

After first half deadlock of 14-14, Fremont scored on an 11-yard Cunnings touchdown on the first drive of the third quarter, set up on another big play in the passing game with Jackson Cyza. Junior Carter Fedde ignited the Discoverers by making a huge defensive stop and then blocking a punt, which Columbus covered at the 1-yard line. Liam Blaser plunged in from 2 yards out to tie up the score for Columbus, his second touchdown run of the night with 5:10 left in the third quarter.

Cunnings was a major difference in the first half, rushing for over 130 yards and a touchdown from 60 yards out. In the first quarter, the Tigers tied it up at seven when Cunnings hit Cyza on a 50-yard touchdown strike.

Columbus used Liam Blaser as the main focal point of the offense in the first half. Junior quarterback Braylon Vancura effectively moved the ball in the air for the Discoverers in the first half and was a perfect 5-for-5 before being picked off by Cyza in the red zone late in the second quarter. Tanner Esch opened the scoring on 24-yard run in the first quarter and paced Columbus with 77 yards and a touchdown on nine carries while also connecting on all four of his extra points.

Cunnings finished the night with 218 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns and added another 170 yards through the air. Cyza led Fremont with 130 receiving yards on four grabs, including a touchdown.

Fremont still leads the all-time series with a 49-43-2 record. The Tigers (0-1) will host No. 9 Papillion-LaVista South in Week 1, while Columbus (1-0) will take on Norfolk.

Columbus 28, Fremont 21
COL – 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 – 28
FRE – 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 – 21

COL – Tanner Esch 24 run (Esch kick)
FRE – Jackson Cyza 58 pass from Hudson Cunnings (Nathan Jones kick)
COL – Liam Blaser 9 run (Esch kick)
FRE – Cunnings 60 run (Jones kick)
FRE – Cunnings 11 run (Jones kick)
COL – Blaser 2 run (Esch kick)
COL – Blaser 1 run (Esch kick)

No. 9 Papillion-LaVista South 35, North Platte 21

Devyn Jones rushed for three touchdowns to lead No. 9 Papillion-LaVista South 35-21 season opening victory over North Platte on Friday, August 19.

Clinging to a 28-21 lead in the fourth quarter facing a pivotal fourth down, North Platte was stuffed on Papio South’s 24-yard line to turn the ball over on downs. Jones iced the game with a 2-yard run with 3:49 left in the game for the Titans.

Brock Roblee and Kolten Tilford both added touchdown runs in a losing effort for the Bulldogs.

No. 3 Bellevue West 28, No. 7 Creighton Prep 21

Elite level junior quarterback Daniel Kaelin’s 8-yard touchdown pass to Gio Contreras with under a minute remaining gave No. 3 Bellevue West a 28-21 victory over No. 7 Creighton Prep in Week 0. Kaelin threw for 269 yards and four touchdowns in the victory.

Trailing 7-0 in the second quarter, Kaelin went to work. His 50-yard strike and following point after to Dae’Vonn Hall tied the score before he found Isaiah McMorris on a 30-yard strike to take the lead. Minutes later, the Thunderbirds extended their lead to 21-7 after Kaelin hit Kyrell Jordan on his third touchdown pass of the first half.

Creighton Prep responded in the third quarter. A touchdown run by junior quarterback Dean Donaldson cut a 14-point deficit in half before the Junior Jays tied the score at 21 after an Ezra Vedral second touchdown run. North Dakota State commit Marty Brown rushed for 178 yards and a touchdown to lead Creighton Prep, who faces top-ranked Omaha Westside in Week 1.