| Game | Why This One? | @HuskerlandBob Sez |
|---|---|---|
20. Eustis-Farnam (4-2) at Wilcox-Hildreth (4-1). | Lots of strange stuff going on in the six-man top ten. Didn't really see this one coming but regardless who wins the shakeup will continue. | You can't always compare scores (yes you can) so this might not make numerical sense but...Wilcox-Hildreth 46, Eustis-Farnam 34. |
19. Sandhills Valley (3-2) at Sioux County (5-0). | In between the snow banks we have Sioux County, which is the team we thought we'd see last season, and Sandhills Valley which is gaining steam in a big way. | A Sandhills Valley win won't be an upset but I'm going with the Sowbelly Canyon bunch...Sioux County 40, Sandhills Valley 28. |
18. Kearney Catholic (5-1) at Cozad (4-2). | Stars won in a physical way against Sutton - very impressive - while Cozad, like the late, great George Carlin once said, seems to have gotten its stuff together. | When you go on vacation you take a smaller version of your stuff. Or to Cozad for that matter...Kearney Catholic 28, Cozad 21. |
17. Columbus Lakeview (3-3) at Columbus Scotus (5-1). | Lakeview has lost three in a row and Scotus barely survived previously unbeaten Bishop Neumann but I can assure you the game will be played with great, um, vigor. | And vigor, of course, is just another word for, um, enthusiasm...Scotus 33, Lakeview 27. |
16. Hastings (5-1) at Seward (3-3). | Week after week Hastings has proven the doubters wrong - this team is for real. Seward maybe not have gotten that memo, however. | Seward will be the best team Hastings has played in a month, so call it an upset...Seward 20, Hastings 16. |
15. Laurel-Concord-Coleridge (4-1) at Lutheran High Northeast (3-2). | Lutheran High's losses are to No. 1 Howells-Dodge and No. 2 Wakefield and the Eagles have smoked everybody else. Laurel-C-C is enjoying its best season in a long time. | That enjoyment might take a night off on Friday, however...Lutheran High 44, Laurel-C-C 28. |
14. Southern (4-1) at Elmwood-Murdock (4-1). | Both these teams are winning big yet are backup singers to the group on center stage. Winner goes to 5-1 and that's when you have a chance for your own solo career. | For a frame of reference, Southern has never won a playoff game and lost its last six postseason games by an average of 36 points. Which is what makes this so much fun...Southern 29, Elmwood-Murdock 28. |
13. Lincoln Southwest (4-2) at Kearney (4-2). | Kearney has proven it can hang with the big boys, Southwest will be out to prove the same thing here. | My guess is Kearney puts aside the Millard West loss and wins...Kearney 37, Lincoln Southwest 21. |
12. Omaha Gross (3-3) at Norris (4-2). | This is mostly about pointing out what a sensational passing attack Gross has put together. Now, about stopping that Norris running game... | BTW, on the night Omaha Gross its 2012 state title my family and I left for Cancun. Can't wait for Gross to win it again...Norris 29, Omaha Gross 18. |
11. Centennial (3-3) at Shelby-Rising City (6-0). | Centennial's got that whole box of chocolates thing going but that win over NBC last Friday could serve as a launching pad for another extended postseason stay. | On the advice of former Centennial superstar Scott Simonson you can call it an upset...Centennial 36, Shelby-Rising City 30. |
10. Riverside (4-1) at Plainview (5-0). | We enjoyed our visit with Nate Christensen and Plainview has been impressive to date. Riverside's won four in a row but hasn't seen a team like this. | At least that's what Harrison Lingenfelter told me...Plainview 39, Riverside 26. |
9. Aquinas (5-1) at North Bend Central (5-1). | Speaking of NBC here is a chance to get back on the horse, big time. | To quote the great George Strait, Tigers will be looking for eight when they pull that brake but the reports I get on the judge are not good...Aquinas 24, NBC 9. |
8. Valentine (4-2) at Gothenburg (5-1). | G-Men have lost only to unbeaten Adams Central, the only game in which they've allowed more than six points. | I guess if you're Valentine you're out to score at least seven...Gothenburg 19, Valentine 7. |
7. Hitchcock County (4-1) at Dundy County-Stratton (5-0). | Consider this the hors d'oeuvre before Dundy sees Cambridge next week. While I love what its accomplished this season Hitchcock's as big a mystery to me as they are you, I haven't heard from them all season long. | Can't imagine Dundy will lose its focus before next week's big game...right?...Dundy County 55, Hitchcock County 24. |
6. Omaha Westside (5-1) at Elkhorn South (4-2). | Both these outstanding teams are waiting on the doorstep to the Class A banquet room. Winner gets to pull up a chair. | Heard from my old buddy Jack Paradis the other day, sorta made my day...Elkhorn South 26, Omaha Westside 24. |
5. Arcadia/Loup City (4-1) at Burwell (4-1). | Like last year ALC stumbled early then is coming on strong. Last year the Rebels played the eventual state runners-up to within nine points. | Which seems about right...Burwell 21, ALC 12. |
4. Bishop Neumann (5-1) at Wahoo (6-0). | Me too, I would have liked this to be a battle of unbeatens but this is still as real a rivalry as there is in the state. There's a message in there somewhere. | All I know is Randy Shada was a big deal back at Anselmo-Merna. That's all I know...Wahoo 27, Bishop Neumann 11. |
3. Archbishop Bergan (6-0) at Oakland-Craig (6-0). | Oakland-Craig has played zero teams with winning records but has three shuouts, and one near shutout, to its credit. Bergan has beaten one team with a winning record. | Mix in unbeaten BRLD and these next two weeks are going to be a blast in C2-2 district play. Fire up the barby...Oakland-Craig 28, Archbishop Bergan 14. |
2. Omaha Skutt (6-0) at Waverly (6-0). | Skutt has been the cat's pajamas in Class B since the off-season. (Summer weight pajamas, I'd assume.) Waverly is better than it was last year as a state runner-up. | Pretty sure last year's state semifinal has been mentioned at Waverly a time or two since...you have to mix in the occasional upset call, right?...right?...Waverly 15, Omaha Skutt 13. |
1. Millard West (6-0) at Grand Island (6-0). | Millard West has three wins over rated teams (Burke, Millard South, Kearney) and that killer defense. Except Grand Island has shut out its last three opponents. | It's late in the afternoon and I've misplaced my Monster Mutant Super Soda. The great Terry Douglass has me believing GI won't get a first down but I say it's closer than that...way closer...Millard West 39, Grand Island 34. |
