Nebraska HS Football: Top Performers (Playoff Edition)
– NSAA State Quarterfinal Pairings

The Top Performer
Kyle Cox | Sandhills/Thedford | QB – Cox completed 11 of 16 passes for 247 yards and a pair of scores while adding 245 rushing yards and six touchdowns in a 72-26 win over Axtell. Cox has accounted for 3,086 yards from scrimmage and 59 touchdowns this season for the defending Class D-2 state champions.

Class A

Top-ranked Omaha Westside rolled to a 48-0 victory over playoff debutant Omaha Westside. Sophomore running back Tay Tay Jenkins sped his way to 297 rushing yards and five touchdowns. Jenkins has 1,480 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns this season for the two-time defending state champions while going for more than 240 yards in two of his last three games.

In a 59-19 win over Papillion-La Vista South, Millard South junior quarterback Jett Thomalla completed 29 of 37 passes for 379 yards and four touchdowns. Junior wide receiver Amarion Jackson caught eight passes for 142 yards and a score in the victory. Thomalla threw touchdown passes for four different receivers, including elite level juniors DaShawn Prince and Isaac Jensen.

Kearney was able to get a first round victory over Millard West, 21-7. Kearney.senior wide receiver Zaire LeGrone-Miller reeled in a 39-yard touchdown strike from quarterback Griffin Novacek and also returned an interception for a touchdown for the Bearcats, who took home their first playoff win since 2020.

Mikey Gow accounted for 329 yards and threw for a touchdown in a 35-16 win over Lincoln North Star to advance to the quarterfinals for the ninth time in 12 seasons. Junior Jaron Cannon rushed for 168 yards and four touchdowns to pace the Vikings. Connor O’Neill caught five passes for 174 yards while intercepting two passes for the Vikings.

Class B

Omaha Skutt stormed to a 42-7 victory over York. The defending Class B runner-up got another stellar performance from quarterback Dylan Van Dyke. Van Dyke, making a strong case for Elite 33 honors, completed 14 of 16 passes for 231 yards and a pair of touchdowns in just over two quarters of action. Joseph Kolega caught six passes for 149 yards and two touchdowns for the Skyhawks to continue his torrid season.

Bennington continued to rebound from the first loss since the previous Presidential administration with a 41-7 win over Grand Island Northwest. Kyler Lauridsen, who reported an offer from Nebraska-Kearney last week, recorded eight tackles, two interceptions, and 1.5 tackles for loss.

Elkhorn North avenged a rival defeat to Elkhorn, 35-14. Ethan Beachy threw for a pair of touchdown and ran for two more for the Wolves, while emerging junior wide receiver Alex Uchtman hauled in two touchdown strikes in the victory.

Scottsbluff, as it appears, may have been underrated by this website all season long. Quarterback Nate Kelley ran for 261 yards and six touchdowns while running back Desmonde Smith added 215 yards and a pair of scores. Junior quarterback Michael Knudsen threw for 340 yards and three touchdowns in a losing effort and will be a prospect to monitor as a potential FBS level recruit this spring.

Gretna East sophomore quarterback Chase Grow completed 14 of 19 passes for 274 yards and three touchdowns in a 44-7 road win over Gering to clai the. The Griffins led the state in travel for the first round, going Quentin Malone rushed for 124 yards and touchdown, while Seth Kraegel caught four passes for 136 yards and a touchdown for the Griffins.

McCook pulled a slight road upset at Hastings, 34-21. Tristan Campbell rushed for 236 yards and four touchdowns in the victory. McCook was able to avenge a regular season defeat to the Tigers on October 4.

Class C-1

Ashland-Greenwood turned away Milford 39-16 to open the C-1 playoffs. Derek Tonjes threw for 212 yards and three scores to three different receivers, while Cael Smith paced the Bluejays with 118 yards and three rushing touchdowns.

Alex Doty accounted for 207 yards and two touchdowns as Sidney downed Omaha Roncalli, 30-7. Landon Riddle caught seven passes for 134 yards and also returned a punt for a touchdown for the Red Raiders.

Central City won its first playoff game since 2007 with a 49-14 rout of Fort Callhoun. Parker Zikmund threw for five scores, while Wyatt Dent accounted for three (two rushing, one receiving). Turner Hanke caught three touchdowns and an interception for the Bison in the victory.

In Chadron’s 42-18 win over Lincoln Christian, Quinn Bailey rumbled for 311 yards and five touchdowns. Bailey has 2,495 rushing yards and 31 touchdowns this season with 77 rushing touchdowns to his credit over an illustrious career.

Class C-2

Wahoo Neumann won its ninth straight game with a 49-7 triumph over Lincoln Lutheran. Nebraska commit Conor Booth rushed for 200 yards and three touchdowns for the Cavaliers. Booth has 2,614 rushing yards and 47 touchdowns this season and is quickly approaching 6,000 career rushing yards.

Wyatt Jelinek accounted for 297 yards and three touchdowns (two rushing, one passing) in a 21-19 win over Boone Central. Tavion Johnson caught a touchdown pass for the Mustangs.

Beau Rohrich rushed for 273 yards and three touchdowns in a 41-30 win over Doniphan-Trumbull. Quarterback Madden Brabec added 168 rushing yards and had a hand in three total touchdowns (two rushing, one passing) in the win for the Eagles.

Class D-1

Ethan Shaw accounted for 274 yards and six touchdowns in a 76-12 victory over Sandhills Valley. Shaw threw for three touchdown and added three more on the ground, while freshman Wyatt Livgren rushed for three touchdowns. Connor Rempe caught all three touchdown passes from Shaw as the Cougars won comfortably.

In Summerland’s 46-0 victory over South Loup, quarterback Michael Koenig accounted for five touchdowns (four passing, one rushing) to lead the victors. Sam Cheatum reeled in four passes for 140 yards and three touchdowns to pace the Bobcats on offense.

Sophomore Carter Eickmeier rushed for 200 yards and two touchdowns as Shelby-Rising City defeated Arapahoe, 30-22. Greyson Koller intercepted three passes and recorded 15 tackles in a losing effort for Arapahoe.

In a bit of an upset, Karter Lingenfelter ran for 181 yards and four touchdowns as Plainview defeated previously unbeaten West Point GACC, 42-20.

Jaxon Knisley rushed for 171 yards and five touchdowns as North Platte St. Patrick’s defeated Bridgeport, 55-8. Knisley also hit Logan Dodson and a halfback pass for a touchdown for the Irish.

Class D-2

Zaden Wolf accounted for five touchdowns (three rushing, two passing) as Central Valley downed O’Neill St. Mary’s, 72-26. Grady Kelly and Luke Shoemaker tacked on a pair of rushing touchdowns each as the Cougars rushed for 463 yards in the victory.

Hunter Luther rushed for 233 yards and six touchdown as Howells-Dodge powered it way past Bancroft-Rosalie, 54-22. Luther, just a junior, has 1,636 rushing yards and 27 touchdowns this season after scoring 27 touchdowns as a sophomore in 2023.

Class D-6

Hay Springs defeated Sioux County 72-36 to get off to a hot playoff start after making a run to the state final last season. Dylan Raymer ran for 141 yards and four touchdowns on six carries, while quarterback Dylan Young threw for four touchdowns for four different receivers to include Raymer in the win.

Gage Ely rushed for 238 yards and five touchdowns as Red Cloud stormed past Potter-Dix, 82-28. Red Cloud will now look to advance to the playoff semifinals for the first time in program history.

Teghan Rosebaugh ran for 141 yards and four touchdowns as Diller-Odell raced past Leyton, 54-26. Quarterback Braydin Wendland threw for three touchdowns for the Griffins.

Silver Lake won its second game in school history and first since 2003 with a 47-26 win over Ansley/Litchfield. Jaxon Tembensel rushed for 280 yards and four touchdowns to lead the charge for the Mustangs.