Class D-1 State Title Game Preview: Stanton v. EMF

When it comes to checking boxes this postseason EMF Football musta gone through a whole set of pencils.

Remember, last season the Bobcats were eliminated in the first round of the postseason, so it sorta made sense one of their biggest team goals for 2023 was to win a playoff game. Which they did.

Four wins ago.

Having roared to a 7-1 mark in the regular season, the lone loss coming in triple overtime, the Bobcats wasted no time in checking that first box, blitzing Pender 40-14. From there nature took its course, EMF rolling up wins over Shelby-Rising City (26-0), previously unbeaten North Platte St. Pat’s (44-28) and, in last week’s semifinal round, previously unbeaten Crofton (44-28). Check, check, check, check.

“Winning four playoff games has been great. We have let them know since the beginning that if they play how we know they can, they are a team capable of making it to Lincoln, and it has been great to see them come together and do just that!,” says EMF co-head coach Kory Kahlandt, who shares that coaching title with longtime pro Jim Pfeiffer. “We preach about getting better each day, each practice, each game and that ‘we didn’t come this far just to come this far’. In the playoffs, we are doing just that and playing our best football at the right time.

“Against Crofton we talked about being aggressive on offense and defensive and that if we just maintain our blocks and complete our assignment we could get yards. We didn’t want to make the game bigger than it was, still treating like just a football game and to having fun with it.”

Didn’t hurt that Breckan Schluter rushed for 348 yards and six touchdowns that night.

Monday’s Class D-1 title game kicks off two days of state championship football, with kickoff between Stanton (12-0) and EMF (11-1) set for 10:15 a.m.

Coach Kahlandt sees his team’s aggressive, physical and fearless play as the anchors to his team’s success this season. It is an EMF defense filled with relentless playmakers - 81 total tackles for loss this season, including 15 by junior Jacob Klooz, 13 by senior Spencer Eberspacher, 11 by Schluter and 10 by junior Zach Spohn - and the Bobcats have also done great work in controlling the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.

All of which is nice. But they didn’t do it against 12-0 Stanton, the season-long No. 1 ranked team in D-1 and also the bracket’s No. 1 seed. There is work yet to be done, and Coach Kahlandt’s troops are ready to get after it all while trying to soak in all the pageantry that goes with championship week.

“Stanton is a very well-coached team that plays fast and has a great run game with a complimentary play action passing game. They have good athletes at all levels who move with intent, and we will need to limit their big plays by playing sound defense along with tackling well,” he says. “On offense, we will need to limit turnovers and penalties, continue to pick up blitzes, and maintain our blocks. We also need to enjoy this opportunity and have fun playing the greatest game in the world.”

* Stanton comes into Monday’s game fresh from a hard-fought 48-36 win over previously unbeaten Sandy Creek. It is the closest any team has played the Mustangs this season.

“I’ve been extremely impressed with our team’s focus, consistency, and preparation throughout the playoffs,” says Stanton head coach David Stoddard. “Sandy Creek has a great team, and we knew that we would have to play a four-quarter game to have a chance to come out on top. They have great athletes and Coach (Andrew) Kuta and his staff do a great job there. The atmosphere was amazing, I can’t thank our families and community enough for their continued support.

“I can’t say enough about or players, as they have gone above and beyond in their preparation, and they kept persevering last Friday in a very tough football game.”

Stanton is playing in its first state final since its 2004 Class C-2 state runner-up finish, and just its second all-time. It is a youthful team - like, really youthful - led by talented senior Mitchell Hupp, a two-way terror who has 22 receptions for 741 yards (33 ypc!) and 15 TDs, adding team highs six sacks and four tackles for loss on defense.

In the backfield the Mustangs feature the Gold Dust Twins, junior QB Barrett Wilke and junior running back Becker Pohlman, who has been at the center of all this Stanton success. Wilke, who doubles as a 58-foot shot putter, has rushed for 1,890 yards and 30 TDs and passed for another 1,157 yards and 21 TDs, with just three picks. Pohlman has rushed for 1,697 yards and 32 TDs, averaging 11.7 yards per carry. Wilke averages 11.4 per carry. You get the idea.

And if you want to mix it up junior lineman Garrett Hansen is right there in the middle of things. Good to have guys like that.

“We feel our strengths continue to be tied in with the values of our program,” says Coach Stoddard. “We want to prepare the right way, be the most physical team every time we step on the field and always play with great assignment, alignment, technique, and effort. Our goal is to continue to get better each day as a player, student, family/community member. We want to win each day.”

Especially Monday, I’d imagine.

And to do that Coach Stoddard figures it will take everything the Mustangs have got.

“EMF is a very well coached football team that has a powerful run game. They are physical up front on both lines and their second and third level defenders match their style of play,” says Coach Stoddard. “We have to be able to limit big plays, take care of the football, and play each down to the whistle. It is also a must that we play a complete four-quarter game if we want to win.”

* Stanton has been in one state final before this, EMF has never made Lincoln as a merged program though Exeter-Milligan did string those three straight state finals together back in 2012 to 2014. Either way, it’s still a fresh set of downs for both programs and they are thrilled to be playing in the last game of the season.

“It is a tremendous honor to coach in the Class D1 State Championship game,” says Coach Stoddard. “I really have to thank my coaching staff Matthew Peter, Greg Wegner, Adam Dover, Gunnar Davidson, and Andrew Erbst. We have so many shared responsibilities and I’m grateful for all they do. The buzz around the community and school has been great all year. Our parent, community, and school support is unbelievable.

“Stanton is a great community and we have been truly blessed to have so much support.”

The folks from Stanton are also all geeked up for Monday’s game, with one more box to check.

“Our team is very excited to be playing in Lincoln, of course with the mentality that we are not done yet, something we heard a few players saying immediately after the Crofton game,” says Coach Kahlandt. “Our communities are also enthused with our playoff run and have always given us great support.”