Coaches are always wary of rematches, especially when you open the playoffs against a team you defeated just one week earlier.
St. Edward Coach Jereme Jones was pleased that his squad took care of business Friday, blasting Wheeler Central 50-14 in St. Edward and advancing to the Nebraska Six-Man Football state playoff semi-finals for the second consecutive year.
“I am very proud of my guys. This was the best we’ve played defensively all season,” Jones praised. “We had a rough week with illness and I’m glad the guys were able to overcome it. We had a lot of players under the weather.”
The Beavers might not have been 100 percent, but on a crisp October night, they were plenty good enough to improve their 2009 season record to 7-2 with the impressive victory.
Ramone Brown provided the early fireworks, returning the opening kickoff for a touchdown for the fourth time in nine games.
It was the St. Edward defense that set the tone of the contest, however.
Beaver defenders limited Wheeler Central to just one first-half touchdown and Landon Hemmer made the biggest play of the first two quarters, returning an interception 44 yards for a score in the final two minutes and increasing St. Edward’s advantage to 24-6 at intermission.
“Landon’s interception return for a touchdown late in the first half was the key to the game,” noted Jones. “We then came out focused and fired up in the second half and got the offense rolling.” St. Edward will now play at Greeley/Wolbach Thursday at 7:00 p.m. in a rematch of the 2008 six-man championship contest. The winner will earn a return trip to Kearney for the ‘09 title game.
Greeley/Wolbach nipped the Beavers 53-52 in a regular-season thriller Oct. 9.
Complete Details in Print & Online Editions of Albion News.
