CLASS D-6: Big Second Quarter Propels Garden County To First Title
By Tony Chapman – For the Nebraska School Activities Association
Sometimes in football, especially six-man football, it’s the weird play that can turn the tide.
So it went for Garden County as they opened the floodgates on Southwest in the second quarter of the Class D-6 State Championship game on Friday night at Ron and Carol Cope Stadium at Nebraska-Kearney.
After the first quarter was a punting duel, it appeared the Roughriders had made the first big play of the game forcing a Garden County fumble. But, the Eagles’ Kyan Kramer picked the ball up and flipped it to Javis Underwood who was behind a scrum and went 42 yards for a touchdown.
It was the first score of a 33-point second quarter for the Eagles and put them on their way to a hard fought 41-22 win over Southwest for their first state championship in school history.
“Just a heads up play,” Garden County coach Chad Dormann said, soaking wet after a water bucket postgame bath. “That’s six-man. We have had that happen to us; I have been on the other side of those plays. That kind of got us going.”
The Eagles second quarter included touchdown drives on all six possessions and only of them took over a minute. Garden County had scoring drives of 50, 37, 55, 41 and 15 yards but needed only 12 plays total. Wilsie Lobner had three touchdowns and two interceptions in the decisive 10 minutes.
“We needed some big plays,” Dormann added. “We had problems moving the ball in the first quarter. They have a heck of a defense; they were more physical than us early. We just got going, when we started blocking the right guys we were tough to stop.”
Southwest cut the lead to 13-6 on Houston Billeter’s 3-yard pass to Deric Kelley, but then Garden County scored three times in the final 4:20 of the second quarter to take control.
First, back-up quarterback Carver Corfield – filling in for Kole Fornander who was injured in the first quarter – threw a 37-yard touchdown to Lane Brenneman. Then Lobner, who finished with 105 yards on 17 carries, scored on runs of 41 and 7 yards.
“We played three really good quarters,” Southwest coach Christian Arterburn said. “Kyan just makes a huge play for them off a busted play. They are just so explosive. They got to the edge on us and we couldn’t stop them. But, I thought we got to halftime and came back out swinging and fighting.”
Indeed, what looked like it might be a running clock game at the break was quickly silenced when Billieter led a 10-play, 50-yard drive to open the third quarter that ended with his 2-yard touchdown pass to Jacob Gutierrez-Barber.
Then, with Southwest driving early in the fourth quarter, Garden County’s defense finally gave them some breathing room as Jase Robertson intercepted Billeter and returned it 61 yards for a touchdown.
“I was nervous,” Dormann admitted. “They were playing great defense, we couldn’t move the ball in the second half. And (Billeter) is such a dang good quarterback. We tried to make him throw on the run. The interceptions were huge in the game.
“That (touchdown) was a big part of the game. Anything can happen in six-man, they score and get an onside kick and you never know what would happen.”
A historic season ended 11-1 for Southwest, which won its first playoff game since 2006. Billeter threw for 257 yards on 28-of-52 passing and three touchdowns. Kelley had 11 receptions for 87 yards. Arterburn was left to praise a group of six seniors that left a legacy on the Roughrider program.
“Those guys were first graders when I got (to Southwest),” Arterburn said. “So I have a soft spot in my heart for them. You watch them grow up and they have turned into just a remarkable group of young men.”
Dormann was left nearly speechless at his school’s first state football championship and an undefeated season.
“Just proud of these guys. So happy for them,” the coach said. “We had a great fan base here. It really hasn’t hit me yet. I give all the credit to our guys; it’s easy to coach good players. We just try to line them up in the right spot.”
Tony Chapman is a freelance writer based in Grand Island. He has written for multiple Nebraska daily and weekly newspapers. His weekly Harvest Sports Newsletter covers a wide variety of Nebraska prep sports.