Adams Central knocks off pre-season #1, defending C-1 Champion Aurora

Adams Central QB Evan Johnson (L) and Wide Receiver Leif Spady proved to be a lethal pass/catch combination in the Patriots 24-8 win over defending C-1 champion Aurora Friday night. *(Many thanks to Sports Writer extraordinaire Tony Chapman for snapping this photo)

Hastings NE.

Man, Woman and Child, did Adams Central head coach Shawn Mulligan have his Patriots ready to play tonight.

While Patriots offense was riding the golden arm of 4 year starting quarterback Evan Johnson, that swarming A/C defense was coming up with timely plays every time they needed them. The end result, a sweet 24-8 win over the defending Class C-1 Huskies.

Yes, the mighty 2018 Aurora juggernaut did lose a ton of talent to graduation, namely one Baylor Scheierman, who torched opposing defenses for nearly 4000 yards passing a year ago, but the Huskies still returned a big, strong offensive and defensive line plus ace RB Caleb Moural.

And you know Aurora is Aurora, and when that bunch wears the Class C-1 label, it’s a bunch easier to reload for a program that has known nothing but Class B throughout it’s nearly 100 year history of competing in high school sports.

You kind of had the feeling it just might be the Patriots night when Aurora let the opening kick-off roll and roll, hoping it would go out of bounds. Well, it didn’t.

Instead, A/C’s Macrae Huyser pounced on the live ball and put the Patriots in business at the Huskies 25 with the game only 8 seconds old.

No, Adams Central did not capitalize on the opportunity when Tyler Slechta’s 25 yard field goal attempt went wide right, but no worries, the Patriot “D” snuffed out the ensuing Aurora drive after a couple of Huskie 1st downs and the stage was set for a text book, tone setting 80 yard drive by Evan Johnson, Leif Spady and the boys.

You should have seen that 13 play, 80 yard drive folks. It reminded me of those old Florida State teams that would just nickle and dime you to death with those short flare passes to the flat and those wicked, little look-in throws across the middle. They just killed ya, remember?

Well, on this night, there were no Florida State Seminoles around, but Evan Johnson and Leif Spady put on a show that would have made ole’ Bobby Bowden smile.

After misfiring on a pass early in that 2nd quarter drive, Johnson connected with Spady for a 6 yard gain, then an 8 yarder, followed by a 7 yard advance and yet another 7 yard gain to Spady.

Sandwiched in between another completion to Leif Spady (2 yards), were bullseyes to Slechta (9 yards) and Micah Gengenbach (10 yards), before the A/C sharpshooter capped of the drive with an 11 yard scoring to Tyler Slechta.

Eight straight completions by Johnson, five to Leif Spady, put the Adams Central on top 7-0 with the 2nd stanza only 1:01 seconds old. And……..the Patriots never looked back.

On the very next possession, Johnson once again found Tyler Slechta, the 6-1, 170 pound junior, with a splendid 32 yard touchdown toss.

Less than 4 minutes later, Shawn Mulligan decided to pull a little trickery in the backfield which resulted in a 20 yard touchdown pass from two-time 1000 yard rusher Gabe Conant to an “all by his lonesome” Micah Gengenbach.

At that point in time, with 4:59 left in the half, many wondered if this game might get out of hand at 21-0 Adams Central, but a proud Aurora team went back to a bread and butter Caleb Moural, power running game and the Huskies nearly put one on the board before halftime.

But enter that stingy Patriot defense.

After Aurora had driven all the way down Patriot field from its own 20 yard line to the A/C 10, quarterback Trevor Dvorak decided to keep it himself and followed his blockers for an apparent touchdown, but guess who…...Tyler Slechta stripped the ball out of Dvorak’s grip at the goal line which resulted in a fumble recovery and a touchback for the Patriots.

And so went the night for Kyle Peterson’s Huskies.

Slechta added a 22 yard field goal with 4:53 left in a sluggish 3rd quarter. That put the Patriots up 24-0 at the time.

Aurora did manage to score with 1:53 remaining in the 3rd after Leif Spady had the ball taken out of his hands following a 9 yard pass reception at the A/C 30. Eighty seconds later, Caleb Moural swept around his right side and dived for the pylon, putting it in for the Huskies only TD of the night from 13 yards away.

Dvorak nailed big Nate Boerkircher with a double extra point pass and the 3rd stanza ended with Adams Central up 24-8.

Another full 12 minute quarter remained in the game, plenty of time for an Aurora comeback, but the Patriot defense answered the call every time the Huskies mounted a charge.

Evan Johnson ended the evening by completing 22 of 35 passes for 224 yards, and a pair of touchdowns. In the receiving department, Tyler Slechta led the way with 7 catches for 98 yards and 2 TDs, while Leif Spady caught 9 Evan Johnson aerials, good for 90 yards.

Micah Gengenbach had 4 catches for 42 yards and a score and running back/1000 yard man Gabe Conant paced the ground attack with a well earned 105 yards on 18 carries.

On defense, Adams Central was led by rugged 6-0, 175 pound junior Slade Smith, who logged 15 tackles, 11 of which were solo stops. Big #69 Max Granstrom (6-3, 215) added 8 tackles (2 TFL) along with Eli O’Dey and Hunter Collins and sophomore Oaklyn Smith both chipped with 7 stops apiece in the A/C win.

Hard running Aurora back Caleb Moural led all rushers with 153 yards on 27 carries and a TD. New QB Trevor Dvorak completed an unofficial 10 of 23 tosses or 90 yards on the night.

Adams Central (1-0) will travel to Milford next Friday night, while Aurora will open their 2019 home season with 1-0 Kearney Catholic, who blasted Broken Bow 56-7 Friday night.

……………………………..1……..2……..3……..4……….F

Aurora (0-1).....................0…….0……...7.….…0…........8

Adams Central (1-0)...... 0…….21….....3….….0….…..24

2nd Qtr…………………………………………………………………………Aur-A/C

AC..Tyler Slechta 17 pass from Evan Johnson..PAT-Slechta kick….........0….7..(11:49)

AC..Slechta 32 pass from Johnson..…………....PAT-Slechta kick....….....0...14 ..(8:31)

AC..Micah Gengenbach 20 pass from Gabe Conant.PAT-Slechta kick.....0...21...(4:59)

3rd Qtr

AC..Tyler Slechta.22 Field Goal…………………………………………….....0...24..(4:53)

AUR..Caleb Moural 13 run……..............PAT-Dvorak pass to Boerkircher..8...24.(1:53)