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Tigers and Vikings and Class B, “Oh My!”

Tony ChapmanBy
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THE ISLAND — If we learned anything on Friday night at Grand Island Northwest, it wasn’t that we know who is going to win Class B in a few weeks.

But, we think we have it figured out what it’s going to take to win Class B after seeing Hastings bounce back from a loss to Aurora with a 30-19 win over Grand Island Northwest at Viking Field.

It’s going to take discipline, togetherness, taking care of the football, execution and you are going to have to string that together for four straight football games. And, quite frankly, that seems to be a tough ask for anyone in Class B at this point.

But, someone is going to do it and we can’t wait to watch it.

JARRETT’S NIGHT: Hastings quarterback scored two fourth quarter rushing touchdowns and threw for two more in the Tigers 30-19 win over Northwest. (nebpreps photo / Dante Boelhower)

So on Friday for Hastings it was a simple recipe — we think winning Class B will be executing the simple stuff. They turned Northwest over a season-high five times and Jarrett Synek caused fits for the Viking defense, his two fourth quarter touchdown runs sealing the deal.

Synek — who threw for 262 yards and a pair of scores — sealed it on a scramble run for a touchdown and then, later, on a zone read with 2:15 left. He finished with 89 yards on 15 carries, but heading to the fourth quarter he had nine carries for 17 yards.

“We opened up running it pretty well and then they got some shots on us,” Hastings head coach Charlie Shoemaker said. “But, it opened up the passing game and then at the end we won it with the running game.”

That’s a pretty fair assessment. It was also big, Shoemaker said, to get some dudes healthy. Especially his center Justin Musgrave.

“A lot of it was getting healthy,” Shoemaker said. “We got our center back, who had been out for four week which was just huge. He’s a stabilizing force in our line, he keeps everything organized. Just seemed to be a little bit more organized.

“And, when you have seven or eight days to put in the game plan, your scout team is a little more ready. It all came together tonight.”

Now, it’s on to this loaded Class B bracket. Time to be disciplined and string some wins together.

BIG HOLE: Waverly running back Evan Canoyer (4) runs through a big hole on Friday night in the Vikings 24-0 win over Norris. (nebpreps photo / Taylor Siebert)

Waverly Blanks Norris

The other Class B game that had a big effect on the playoff bracket was Waverly’s “upset” (lol) of Norris. The 24-0 win gave the Vikings the district title.

That’s three shut out’s in the last five games for the Waverly defense.

So, if we are counting at home it looks like we have Bennington, Hastings, Elkhorn, Waverly, Norris, Aurora, Skutt and McCook as the top-8 seeds (please don’t hold us to that order) and then Plattsmouth and Northwest in behind.

They all have figured out a way to beat each other. They all know that winning the state title is not impossible. Now, it’s a matter of getting together with the guys in the locker room, locking arms, and getting it figured out.

It will be a story we are ready to share.

Oh, yeah. Don’t forget…

8-Man Playoff Recap: Nebraska Christian advances past Hemingford

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