Class A, B Final Top Tens

Class A

1. Millard North (13-0)

2. Omaha North (10-3)

3. Millard South (9-3)

4. Lincoln Southeast (9-2)

5. Millard West (7-4)

6. Omaha Burke (7-4)

7. Creighton Prep (8-4)

8. Omaha Westside (7-3)

9. Omaha Central (6-5)

10. Kearney (8-2)

Bob Sez: Playoff champion Millard North earns the top spot after edging No. 2 Omaha North, 17-14, in one of the most thrilling Class A championship finishes in memory. This makes four state playoff titles for Millard North since 2002 while it marked Omaha North's first-ever state finals appearance. Millard South lost twice to Millard North by a total of five points, including a 38-35 heartbreaker in the semifinals. 2011 champion Lincoln Southeast lost by three, 33-30, to eventual runner-up Omaha North in the quarterfinals. Omaha Burke reached the quarterfinals before falling to eventual champion Millard North, 35-23, while Creighton Prep reached the semifinals before losing by 21 to Omaha North. No. 8 Omaha Westside lost its playoff opener to Burke while Central beat Kearney, 20-18, in the first round before being sidelined by Prep, 28-14.

Metro football ruled Class A in 2012 with many of the usual suspects (champion Millard North, Millard South, Millard West) in the mix, as well as Lincoln's best, 2011 champ Lincoln Southeast. What made the season especially fun was the rise of Omaha North and the reemergence of longtime power Prep.

Class B

1. Omaha Gross (12-1)

2. Norris (10-3)

3. Omaha Skutt (9-2)

4. Aurora (9-3)

5. Beatrice (10-1)

6. Elkhorn (8-4)

7. Gretna (9-2)

8. York (6-5)

9. Scottsbluff (9-1)

10. Ralston (6-4)

Bob Sez: Omaha Gross was ranked No. 3 before winning its first-ever playoff title while Norris rose to No. 2 from No. 5 by making the final game for the first time since winning it all in 1979. Skutt had the bad luck of catching Gross when the Cougars were at the height of their powers, losing to them twice in its final three games, including the quarterfinals, 9-6. Aurora beat Beatrice head-up in the quarterfinals, 27-19, before losing to eventual runner-up Norris in the semifinals. Elkhorn probably deserves better than No. 6 after reaching the semis and playing eventual champ Gross within a touchdown but I am not smart enough to figure out how to do it. Same for No. 7 Gretna, which might have been the pre-playoff favorite before getting beaten by Norris 28-7 in the quarterfinals. Five losses or no five losses, York beat Scottsbluff on its home field by three touchdowns, so it moves ahead of the Bearcats, while Ralston remains at No. 10.

To me this was the most mystifying class of all for 2012 and it was fitting that two relative newbies like Gross and Norris would make the finals; good for both them. Aurora finishes No. 4 in the state despite losing a regular season game 54-0 and No. 8 York became the first No. 16 seed to beat a No. 1 (Scottsbluff). When I say this is my favorite playoff season of all time, these are some of the main reasons...