2024 NSAA Class D-2 State Championship Game
Riverside (10-2) vs. Central Valley (11-1)

When: Monday, November 25 – 10:15 AM
Where: Memorial Stadium – University of Nebraska-Lincoln
TV/Stream: Nebraska Public Media
Radio: KZEN Central City | KQKX Norfolk | KBRY Sargent | KNLV Ord
NSAA Football Finals HQ
Live Game Stats
Last Meeting: Week 1 of 2024 – Central Valley defeated Riverside, 50-42.

Riverside Chargers (10-2)
State Championships/Runner-Up: None* (* – Riverside won four straight unsanctioned Six Man titles from 2014-2017; Cedar Rapids won D-3 in 1992 and finished as runner-up in 1993)
Head Coach: Cory Valasek
Distance to Memorial Stadium: 122.6 miles
Final NEBHSFB.com Regular Season Rank: No. 6
Offensive Average: 52.8 | Defensive Average: 25.0

Riverside
Nebraska’s Super Chargers faced a nightmare schedule and caught fire at the right time in November to get to Lincoln for the first time as a program. Riverside disposed of defending state champion Sandhills/Thedford and previously unbeaten Bruning-Davenport/Shickley in the semifinals while averaging 69 points per game in the playoffs. In its season-opening loss to Central Valley, the Chargers were able to have some success through the air in an eight-point loss. Junior quarterback Larry Diessner operates the controls of an explosive Chargers offense. Dissener has accounted for 1,833 yards and 47 touchdowns this season. Jack Molt provides firepower out of the backfield while leading the team with 1,723 yards and 24 touchdowns and also has two special teams touchdown returns. Nicholas Berger leads the Chargers in touchdown receptions on the season with 13. Trevor Carraher leads the Chargers with 822 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns on 49 catches while also leading the defense with 121 tackles. Berger leads the team with six interceptions while Diessner and Molt both swiped four passes for the Riverside defense.

Central Valley Cougars (11-1)
State Championships: None (Greeley won Class D-2 in 1980 and 1984; Wolbach won D-11 in 1979 and won D-3 in 1989, 1995, and 1996; Greeley/Wolbach finished as runner-up in Class D-1 in 2001; North Loup-Scotia won Class D-1 in 1993 and runner-up in Class D-2 in 1997)
Head Coach: Chip Bartos (Interview with KMA Radio – Shenandoah, IA)
Distance to Memorial Stadium: 144 miles
Final NEBHSFB.com Regular Season Rank: No. 2
Offensive Average: 56.3|Defensive Average: 16.3

Central Valley
During the regular season after returning 2,000-yard rusher Grady Kelly went down, the Cougars operated as normal in navigating a tricky schedule to end up in the D-2 state final. Its only blemish this season was a 40-28 decision to a Stanton team that has won 25 straight games in Class D-1. Do not fret if you are a Central Valley fan — Kelly is back in the line-up to provide an additional spark on offense as Central Valley attempts to win its first state title in program history. Quarterback Zaden Wolf has taken the offense on his back at times en route to 2,895 total yards and 52 touchdowns this season. Sophomore Luke Shoemaker stepped up for the Cougars with 1,020 rushing yards and 15 scores, while Boston Wood leads Central Valley with 449 receiving yards and seven touchdowns on 29 receptions. Taesian Soto leads the defense with 139 tackles and six tackles for loss while freshman William Pokorny chipped in with 115 tackles. Sophomore Gunnar Vanosdall leads the team with 10 sacks. Central Valley’s defense has allowed eight points or less in the last five out of six games.

Pick: Central Valley
– Another difficult one to pick since the battle in Week 1 was hotly contested. Both offenses are capable of keeping the scoreboard operators busy. Riverside’s offense has stepped up even further in the postseason and in two impressive victories against undefeated teams. Central Valley, however, has too many weapons to include Kelly. It promises to be a fantastic ballgame to kick off the Monday triple-header at Memorial Stadium. – Scott Hansen

2024 NSAA Class D-2 Playoffs

Semifinals: Central Valley 50, Humphrey Archangels 8; Riverside 50, Bruning-Davenport/Shickley (BDS) 20

Quarterfinals: Humphrey Archangels 24, Howells-Dodge 6; Central Valley 44, Wynot 6; Riverside 74, Sandhills/Thedford 50; BDS 32, Overton 25

Second Round: Humphrey Archangels 38, Twin Loup 0; Howells-Dodge 54, Bancroft-Rosalie 22; Wynot 22, Hitchcock County 14; Central Valley 72, O’Neill St. Mary’s 26; Sandhills/Thedford 76, Axtell 26; Riverside 84, Creighton 46; Overton 32, High Plains 20; BDS 56, Kenesaw 54 (2 OT)

First Round:
West: Twin Loup 36, Loomis 34; Sandhills/Thedford 68, Maxwell 12; O’Neill St. Mary’s 52, Cambridge 12;; Axtell 44, Mullen 20; Kenesaw 68, Ainsworth 52; Hitchcock County 30, Wilcox-Hildreth 28; Overton 61, Hyannis 14; Central Valley 62, Elm Creek 8
East: Humphrey Archangels 50, Elgin/Pope John 22; BDS 42, Lyons-Decatur Northeast 18; Howells-Dodge 44, Elmwood-Murdock 0; Riverside 68, Winside 16; Wynot 44, Palmer 6; Bancroft-Rosalie 64, Fullerton 54; High Plains 22, Lawrence-Nelson 20; Creighton 34, Weeping Water 18