Class D-1 (Eight-Man) Football Championship Game Preview.

Is this Cross County Offensive Line coached by Matt Carroll (front row/L) the best in Class D-1? Many have tagged this group as such this season.

Class D-1 (Eight-Man) Football Championship Game Preview.

*Monday, November 22nd, Memorial Stadium/UNL, 10:15 AM

Cross County (11-1) vs. Howells-Dodge (12-0)

*Cross County coaching staff: Head Coach: Hayden DeLano, Asst: Matt Carroll, Mitch Boshart, Todd Connelly, Quinn Peterson, Joe O’Brien, Lincoln Kelly, Grand Hollinger.

*Howells-Dodge staff: Head Coach: Mike Spiers, Asst: Luke Dobbins, Wes Pokorny, Mark Ernst, Nathan Bazada.

*Last Year’s Playoffs-Cross County lost to Burwell 37-36 in the D-1 semifinals. Howells-Dodge was defeated by Burwell 50-14 in the D-1 Second Round

Team Statistics;

*Rushing Yards: Cross County - 357.0, Howells-Dodge 296.6

*Passing Yards: Cross County - 50.1 Howells-Dodge 42.1

*Total Yards: Cross County -407.0, Howells-Dodge-338.7

Individual Statistics;

*Cross County*:

*Passing: #5 Shayden Lundstrom 23 of 41 (56%) for 457 yards/7 TDs, 0 INTs.

*Rushing: #34 Carter Seim-1,613-145 11.1)/32 TDs, #11 Haiden Hild 1,201-133 (9.1)/24 TDs, Shayden Lundstrom 622-59 (10.5) 10 TDs.

*Receiving: #22 Cory Hollinger 19 catches for 354 yards/8 TDs, Haiden Hild 5 for 154 with 1 TD.

*Tackles: #22 Cory Hollinger 80 Total (59 solos, 21 assists, 2 sacks, 2 Blocked Kicks 2 FR), #23 Damon Mickey-77 (52 solos/25 assists, 1 sack), #55 Alex Noyd-69 (49 solos/20 assists, 2 INTs), Shayden Lundstrom 61 (46 solos, 15 assists, 3 INTs, 3 Fumble recoveries)

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*Howells-Dodge*:

*Passing: #17 Gavin Nelson 22-42 (52.1%) for 416 yards/12 TDs/5 INTs.

*Rushing: #22 Levi Belina-1,884-200 (9.1)/33 TDs, #1 Lane Belina 539-70 (7.7)/8 TDs, #3 Lance Brester-475-65 (7.3) 8 TDs.

*Receiving: #32 RJ Bayer 8 for 165/3 TDs, #3 Lance Brester 9 for 163 yards/7 TDs.

*Tackles: #28 Jestin Bayer-116 Total (30 solos/86 assists with 5 TFL, 2 FR), #22 Levi Belina 68 (15 solos/53 assists, 2 FR), #3 Lance Brester 66 (32 solos, 34 assists, 1 INT, 1 FR).

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Team Records:

Cross County (11-1)

86 Blue Hill 8

42 Clarkson-Leigh 22

53 Thayer Central 14

38 Howells-Dodge 40

61 Nebraska Christian 7

63 Shelby-Rising City 6

67 East Butler 0

72 Humphrey/LHF 24

*Playoffs

45 Clarkson-Leigh 12

67 Weeping Water 36

58 Nebraska City Lourdes 51

58 Hitchcock County 20

Howells-Dodge

Cross County points scored-650 - 221 Opponents points scored

(Cross County 54.2 ppg - Opponents 18.4 ppg)

Howells-Dodge (12-0)

58 East Butler 0

46 Shelby-Rising City 13

40 Cross County 38

46 Wisner-Pilger 26

60 Madison 0

44 Stanton 8

50 West Point GACC 12

30 Clarkson-Leigh 0

*Playoffs

56 Elmwood-Murdock 32

54 Laurel-Concord-Coleridge 20

44 Dundy County/Stratton 18

56 Burwell 18

Cross County

Howells-Dodge points scored - 584 185 Opponents points scored

(Howells-Dodge 48.7 ppg - Opponents 15.4 ppg)

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…….A year ago, I thought it would be a Cross County/Dundy County/Stratton D-1 Final, but Burwell had other things to say about that. But, I had been keeping a very close watch on Dundy for three years and thought they would be ready to take the D-1 crown. They did just that.

After the Burwell loss a year ago, Cross County head coach Hayden DeLano told me his team would be back and get to Lincoln in 2021 and here they are. What I didn’t know at the time was that my good friend Mike Spiers had a team that matured quickly from 2020 to 2021 and the Jaguars 12-0 record reflected that.

These two teams did meet during the 2021 regular season after Cross County beat Howells-Dodge 28-0 two years ago. Howells-Dodge won this year’s meeting 40-38 in a game that Cross County star Carter Seim missed due to an injury.

Now, the tables may have turned as far as huge injuries are concerned with the status of Howells-Dodge three-time All-State, 1000 Yard Rusher, Levi Belina up in the air right now.

Belina went down on the Jaguars 3rd drive of the game in the victory over Burwell. At the time, the Howells-Dodge runner had already rushed for 139 yards and 2 TDs on just 5 carries. Lance Brester picked up the slack following Levi’s injury, ending the night with 162 yards on 26 carries and a pair of touchdowns.

Coach Mike Spiers troops have looked mighty impressive in the postseason, mowing over a dangerous Elmwood-Murdock team, another dangerous team in Laurel-Concord-Coleridge, then huge conquests over defending D-1 championDundy County/Stratton and the pounding of Burwell, which nobody saw coming.

This Cross County team though, seems ready for the challenge that lies ahead next Monday morning. The Cougars O-Line might very well be the finest in Class D-1, opening holes for a team that averages 357 yards rushing per game. Another really outstanding statistic on defense that stands out like a sore thumb is the individual tackling skills of the Cougars.

As a team, Cross County may have the surest individual tackers in D-1. Case in point is two time All-Stater Cory Hollinger, who has been moved from defensive end to nose guard on defense. Holling has 80 tackles thus far in 2021. Out of those 80 stops, FIFTY NINE are solo tackles. Incredible Same deal all the way down the line with Damon Mickey, D-Lineman Alex Noyd (just a sophomore) and Shayden Lundstrom.

These boys can wrap up!

The main question surrounding this one will be the availability of Levi Belina for the Jaguars. For the sake of seeing a top notch D-1 Championship game, I hope Belina can play and if I know Hayden DeLano, he would want the same thing.