Class B State Finals Preview: Bennington v. Gross Catholic

Oh, there were others but for some time now it just seemed like destiny that Bennington and Gross Catholic would meet for the Class B state football championship.

By now you are aware of the divergent paths taken by both programs leading to them next week’s final championship game. Bennington came into the season the defending state champion with some mighty holes to fill, including basically an entirely new offensive line, while Gross Catholic’s pot had been simmering the past couple of years, boiling over with a spotless string of victories.

As for me, I hedged my preseason bets on both teams, feeling all along Gross Catholic was a top-five team but not having them, um, nerve to rank the Cougars that way. Bennington? Knew that was a really deep program, as deep as any in any class allowing for school size, so there were players available, it was just a matter of time for it all to come together. That time came sooner than later, and Bennington has been ranked Class No. 1 for most of the season.

Gross Catholic worked its way steadily into the No. 2 position in the ratings and has been there for most of the season. No. 1 v. No. 2 in the final seemed a real good bet when the playoffs began, despite all those worthy challengers.

So, with that we get our No. 1 seed Bennington (12-0) facing our No. 2, Gross Catholic (12-0), next Tuesday at 7:15 p.m.

"Our guys have done a great job throughout the playoffs of playing together. We have faced adversity in every single game and they haven't wavered from it," says Bennington head coach Kameron Lenhart. "Our senior group has done a great job keeping everyone engaged in the process and showing the younger players what it takes to make this run. I have been impressed with our guys' unselfish play mentality. This group is the best I've seen when it comes to playing for each other."

Bennington has remained big and bad, patching up that line just fine, allowing senior QB Trey Bird to continue to flourish, so far this season passing for 2,207 yards and 31 touchdowns to just three INTs, and also rushing for 320 yards and four TDs. That dual threat ability could play a major factor next Tuesday, just sayin’.

There was talk in the off-season about how senior receiver Isaac Conner was ready for the bright lights and that sure proved true, as he has 60 receptions for 1,012 yards and 13 TDs, while fellow senior Jonathan Williams proved to be an awfully good No. 2 option, catching 43 passes for 567 yards and nine touchdowns.

Replacing a 3,000-yard rusher is sort of a chore but Bennington is doing just fine, riding the production of senior Nick Colvert, who has gained 1,626 yards and scored 20 touchdowns. He is also a big factor in the Bennington pass game, catching 17 balls for 218 yards and five TDs.

Bennington’s defense is fast and aggressive, led by sophomore Kyle Lauridsen - yep, the wrestling star - who is one of the toughest 145-pound players you’re going to find, leading the Badgers with 95 tackles to date. Turning in another outstanding season in the BHS secondary is senior Gunnar Lym, who is second on the team in tackles (87), adding two interceptions.

"Omaha Gross is a really good football team. They are big up front and get after the D-line. Their group of seniors has been playing together for so long that they just understand each other tendencies," says Coach Lenhart. "They do a great job at attacking you first with the run, making you fill the box, but once you do that then they are able to go over the top with their speed. They do a great job at creating big plays.

"Defensively, they fly to the ball and make offenses make mistakes. They don't play outside themselves, they what they do and do it very well."

Bennington also won the Class B state title in 1989.

* For each of the past three seasons Gross Catholic’s Jake Garcia has been a thousand-yard rusher, never better in this his senior season, piling up 1,850 yards and 25 TDs, adding 11 catches for 111 yards and two TDs. Everybody knows it’s coming but few teams have been able to slow the kid down.

A big, and I mean big, reason for that is the play of the Gross Catholic line, which features senior all-stater Sal Nacarelli and senior all-state candidate Carson Almgren, a pair of 270-pounders who are the gold standard for offensive line duos in this class. Maybe any class.

Junior QB Colby Duncan has been reliable all season long, capable of the big play when asked, passing for 1,574 yards and 18 TDs, rushing for five more scores. His leading receiver is junior Westin Miller-Ayivi, who has 20 receptions for 457 yards and four TDs, with senior Drake Jackson adding 18 catches for 381 yards and a team-best six scores.

Gross Catholic’s ace in the hole on both sides of the ball? Senior Owen Brennan, who is the middle of seemingly every big play. Wait and see.

Brennan’s 70 tacles are second on the team with junior Hank Nobisch the team leader with 87 stops, and junior Ethan Le third with 68 tackles.

Gross Catholic will be out to win its second state title in school history, including its 2012 Class B championship.

@HuskerlandBob Sez: Gross Catholic has been averaging 45 points per game and is a natural crowd favorite in this one, given its underdog standing. Bennington’s defense is allowing about 10 points per game, and will need to hold up against a very strong rushing attack...Bennington 21, Gross Catholic 14.