Friday Night Preview and playoff scores

Friday Night Preview and playoff scores
(MGN Online/Ed Clemente)
October 22nd, 2021 | Chris Cottrell

High school football postseason play started on Thursday for teams in D1 and D2 plus you’ve got the final regular season Friday for everyone else around the region. The end is near for many while the beginning of the second season awaits others.

Let’s start with the action from Thursday in Class D2 with the round of 32.

  • Leyton 47, Hyannis 12
  • Sandhills/Thedford 60, Lawrence-Nelson 20
  • Mullen 58, Loomis 12
  • Blue Hill 28, Garden County 8

With half the bracket eliminated the remaining 16 teams have been re-seeded for the rest of the playoffs. Leyton is now the #9 seed and they’ll travel to play at #8 Osceola next Friday. Sandhills/Thedford is now the #1 seed, they’ll host Mead while #6 Mullen will take on Ansley-Litchfield.

For the full NSAA D2 bracket you can CLICK HERE.

Now we get to a much more limited Friday Night Preview. Along with D2 you had D1 playoffs yesterday so that cuts down on the amount of teams still with games today or tonight.

Scottsbluff at Gering (7 pm kickoff, 6:30 pregame on KNEB.tv, ALLO 15, Mobius 1500, STRIV, 106.9 The Trail, KHYYfm.com)

This will be our only game of the night on the RRN-Scottsbluff as the Scottsbluff Bearcats are looking to wrap up a district title and a home playoff game all in one shot as they play crosstown at the Gering Bulldogs. Opposite records for both these teams with Scottsbluff at 6-2 and Gering at 2-6.

Entering today Scottsbluff is sitting in 7th in Class B power points. They’ve won five straight games and they’re coming off a 21-14 home win over McCook. We know a win tonight give them the district but what about playoff posibilities for the Cats?

Scottsbluff coach Jud Hall talks best case scenario with a win tonight

For Gering this year there have been a few near misses that could have had them in position to really be thinking playoffs heading into week 9. You had late loss at home to Lexington a few weeks ago where the Minutemen got a four down stand late to win the game. And then last week’s crusher as they lost in double overtime at home to Mitchell 28-26.

Gering coach Danny O’Boyle on fighting through the adversity of close losses

This series has been as one sided as it could get for over a decade now. Scottsbluff has won 11 straight games over Gering and the average score in those games has been 43-8 in those 11 matchups. Gering’s last win over the Bearcats came back in 2009.

Last year, in a winless campaign, Gering’s best effort of the season came in this game to close out their season, they lost at Bearcat Stadium by the final of 30-22.

If there’s any recent trend that would give Gering some belief heading into tonight it’s two fold; 1) Gering is a better football team this year than they have been in a long time, and 2) McCook. Two weeks ago the Bulldogs led the Bison 3-0 on the road at halftime and then last week Scottsbluff was even at half with McCook 14-14 before they went on to pitch a second half shutout and get the touchdown win.

Coach Hall on Gering being an improved team this year

As for the action on the field tonight Gering is going to have to avoid turnovers. Last week they gave it away five times in the second half including four interceptions in the loss to Mitchell. Gering will need to find success running the ball and shortening the game.

Coach O’Boyle with some thoughts on trying to deal with the Scottsbluff defense

And of course how do they slow down a Scottsbluff offense that’s averaging over 300 yards per game rushing? It won’t be easy. Cats running back Sebastien Boyle is already one of the top backs in the state as a sophomore.

The voice of the Bulldogs, Jeff Kelley, joins in the booth for tonight’s game and we’re looking forward to Scottsbluff vs. Gering on the Rural Radio Network.

Other area games

  • Mitchell (5-3) at Sidney (2-6)…The Tigers still have some playoff hopes alive heading into tonight but it won’t be easy. First they have to win at Sidney. On top of that they’ll need to get help from multiple other teams across the state and over in Wyoming also. Mitchell enters tonight at 20th in C1 power points.
  • Ogallala (5-3) at Chadron (8-0)…For Chadron they have no worries about making it to the postseason. They’re in. All that’s left to be decided is their seed and will be finish off a undefeated regular season. The Cards are currently 5th in power points and they’ll lock up a first round home game with a win tonight.
  • Gordon-Rushville (5-3) at Chase County (3-5)…The Mustangs are another team headed to the playoffs next week, they enter tonight at #12 in C2 power points.
  • Alliance (0-8) at McCook (3-5)…The Bison need to win tonight to have a shot at the playoffs.
  • Bridgeport (1-7) at Hershey (0-8)…It’ll be the final 11-man game for a couple of years tonight for the Bulldogs as they try to close with a road win.
  • Crawford (3-4) at Minatare (1-6)
  • Banner County (0-7) at Sioux County (3-4)
  • Hay Springs (5-2) at Cody-Kilgore (7-0)
  • Creek Valley (3-4) at Potter-Dix (7-0)

For those four 6-man games listed above there are teams looking to get into the playoffs. 16 teams qualify in D6 and right now Potter-Dix is #1 in power points with Cody-Kilgore at #2. Hay Springs is currently 11th while Sioux County is just outside the line needed at #17.

Wyoming games

  • Burns at Torrington (Mitchell could use a win from Burns tonight)
  • Moorcroft at Pine Bluffs
  • Wright at Southeast
  • Wheatland at Newcastle
  • Greybull at Lingle-Ft. Laramie
  • Midweat at Guernsey-Sunrise
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