No. 1 Omaha Westside close to perfection in 56-0 win over Kearney

This Omaha Westside Offense left me in a daze Friday night in Kearney. Incredible, just incredible.

FOSTER FIELD/UNK, KEARNEY, NE

I have seen over a thousand Nebraska high school football games in my lifetime and I cannot recall witnessing a more efficient, dominating and spirited half of football than Omaha Westside played, laying 56 points and pitching a shutout against 6-0 Kearney High Friday night.

All I can say is I’ll bet UNK head football coach Ryan Held is glad his team doesn’t have Omaha Westside on his 2023 Loper football schedule.

Yeah, they were that good. Like 35 plays-520 yards-8 Touchdowns in 24 minutes GOOD.

Meanwhile, the potent Westside Warriors defense was completely shutting down a good Kearney Bearcat to the tune of THIRTY ONE yards in that first half of play.

Westside’s opening half of football was so dominating that Head Coach Paul Lamongi, one of the very best in the business, sat his entire first team offense AND defense for the entire 2nd half.

Legendary Kearney High coach Brandon Cool followed suit, and the entire 2nd half was essentially a battle of the Westside and Kearney JVs.

The Westside offense struck quickly and often in the Warriors near perfect opening half.

It took just five plays into the game before super quarterback Anthony Rezac sliced through the Kearney defense for a sparkling 62 yard touchdown gallop. Rezac’s run was a thing of beauty as he displayed some beautiful 400 meter-like strides that saw him pull away from Kearney defenders on his long scoring journey.

One of Kearney’s two bright spots occurred on the PAT attempt following Anthony’s touchdown run. The Bearcats fine WR/DB Zander Reuling knifed through to block William Bauerly’s PAT boot.

It took just two minutes, three seconds after that for Westside to turn the quick, elusive Jahmez Ross loose. It took just three carries (and 60 yards) for the Warrior’s senior running back to introduce himself to the Foster Field folks and Kearney high defense.

Ross took the ball from Rezac on a 1st and 10 from the Westside 40 yard line and scooted for 29 yards, then 28 yards to the Kearney 3, then into the endzone on a pitch left that saw No.6 go in standing up.

A minute nine after the Ross touchdown, Anthony Rezac hit the great Christian Jones in stride for a gorgeous 64 yard scoring strike. Bauerly booted the PAT and it was 21-zip with over half the first quarter left.

It wasn’t long after the Jones pass reception TD that Rezac spotted 6-4, 210 pound tight end Trevor Spady for a 10 yard scoring pass.

Suddenly it was 28-0 Westside with 1:22 left.

Then came Kearney’s other bright spot of the game. Zander Reuling pulled off a highlight reel 70 yard kick return right down the Westside sideline, evading and breaking tackles all the way to the Warrior red zone.

The jubilance was short lived in K-Town though when All-State defender and Notre Dame pledge Teddy Rezac picked off a Griffin Novacek the very next play.

Novacek, who is enjoying an outstanding rookie season at quarterback for the ‘Cats, was pressured all evening, managing only 2 of 8 passing for 16 yards at one point in the first half.

It took Westside just a minute five seconds into the 2nd quarter to score, sending Jahmez across the goaline from 5 yards out.

The Warriors next tally was set up when defensive lineman Jonquel Osler pounded on a loose ball at Kearney 11 yard line.

Beau Ryan bowled in a few plays later from 4 yards out to make it 42-0 at the 8:28 mark of the 2nd quarter.

A minute and a half later, Jahmez Ross took a handoff from Rezac, bolted through yet another nice gap provided by the outstanding Warriors O-Line, and sprinted 60 yards for the touchdown. Bauerly’s 5th consecutive PAT boot made it 49-0 with 6:50 still showing on the Ron and Carol Cope Stadium scoreboard clock.

Anthony Rezac would add his third scoring strike of the half with 2:18 left before the break, nailing a wide open Christian Jones, this time for a 30 yard touchdown.

Eight possessions, Eight Touchdowns.

The Warriors would actually have one last scoring opportunity after multiple All-State selection Caleb Benning was roughed up out-of-bounds after a punt return.

There would be one untimed down with the clock reading triple zeros before halftime, but Paul Lamomgi elected to have Anthony Rezac mercifully take a knee instead of trying to tack on touchdown number nine of the half.

There was no scoring in the second half with reserves playing during the running clock session. Unofficially, Westside had 560 total yards, 520 coming in the opening half. Anthony Rezac was an amazing 13 of 14 through the air for 239 yards and 3 TDs. He also rushed 4 times for 76 yards with that 62 yard TD in there.

Jahmez Ross exploded for 185 yards on 14 totes with three touchdowns. Christian Jones led all receivers with 95 yards on 2 catches, both for touchdowns. Caleb had 3 receptions for 53 yards.

On defense, Westside has monsters like Beau Ryan, Christian Jones, Teddy Rezac, Caleb Benning, Jonny Hurtado and RJ Eckhardt that just bring the punishing wood and flow to the ball like hungry, starved piranhas.

And those O-Linemen like big #78 Broc Regner, #65 Owen James and #62 Jackson Wing to name a few, are just incredible, especially tonight when they made blocking look like a highlight reel on most plays.

Yes Ladies and Gentlemen, this current Omaha Westside football team is as good as I’ve seen in many years. My only regret is not seeing these men play live before Friday night.

……………………………..........1…….2…….3…….4……….Final

Omaha Westside (7-0)….28…..28…….0……0………..56

Kearney (6-1)....................0…....0……..0……0…....…..0

1st Qtr.………………………………………………………OW - K

OW- Anthony Rezac 62 run - PAT-kick blocked…6-0 - (9:44)

OW- Jahmez Ross 3 run - PAT-Anthony Rezac run…14-0 - (7:41)

OW- Christian Jones 64 pass from A. Rezac - PAT-William Bauerly kick…21-0 - (6:32)

OW- Trevor Spady 10 pass from A. Rezac - PAT-Bauerly kick…28-0 - (1:22)

2nd Qtr

OW- Jahmez Ross 5 run - PAT-Bauerly kick…35-0 - (10:55)

OW- Beau Ryan 4 run - PAT-Bauerly kick…42-0 - (8:28)

OW- Jahmez Ross 60 run - PAT-Bauerly kick…49-0 - (6:50)

OW- Christian Jones 31 pass from A. Rezac - PAT-Bauerly kick…56-0 - (2:18)