Nebraska Class B state title game: No. 1 Bison take on No. 2 Skutt

Thursday, November 17, 2005
Connie Jo Discoe/McCook Daily Gazette McCook High School senior defensive end Paul Farrell (50) makes a tackle on a Beatrice ball-carrier last weekend at Weiland Field. McCook defeated Beatrice 24-17 in the Class B semifinals and play Omaha Skutt at 7 p.m. Saturday in the championship game.

The McCook-Omaha Skutt meeting Saturday in the Nebraska Class B state championship football game is one of those dream No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchups.

Both teams enter Saturday's 7 p.m. prime time battle with 12-0 records.

McCook has been ranked No. 1 since the preseason. The Skyhawks finished right behind the Bison at No. 2 in the final regular season polls.

The Skyhawks' defense is No. 1 in Class B, followed by McCook at No. 2.

"They wouldn't be 12-0 and in this position if they weren't a good football team," said McCook head football coach Jeff Gross, who wil be matching wits with Skutt coach Matt Turman, who played quarterback at the University of Nebraska from 1994-96 and in his fourth season leading the Skyhawks.

"McCook, Beatrice, Lincoln Pius and Skutt are all kind of a spitting image," Gross said. "There's not much difference between Skutt and us. If there's a difference, it's that Skutt has the size and we have the speed.

"We need to do everything fundamentally correct. There is no tomorrow. We have to pull out all thre stops."

The challenge for the Bison defense will be stopping the Skutt running game, which like McCook features a pair of backs with more than 1,000 yards -- 200-pound fullback Ryan Patera (1,212) and 195-pound tailback Casey Carbullido (1,045). Patera has scored 19 touchdowns and Carbullido 10.

Quarterback Brandon Krause has passed for 1,027 yards and 13 TDs (with 8 interceptions) and has rushed for 398 yards.

Alex Anderson leads the Skyhawks with 30 catches for 379 yards and 6 TDs. Robert Lakovic has 21 catches and Nick Zahm 12.

"We need to stop their impressive running game and they also have the ability to throw," Gross said. "With No. 22 (Anderson) they spread it around. If you don't hit their fullback No. 42 low, he's going to run right over you. Their tailback (Carbullido) is not small either. We need to be sure-handed tacklers."

Skutt's defense allows 15 fewer yards a game than the Bison defense, said Gross.

Anderson, at free safety, leads the Skyhawks in tackles with 130 and interceptions with 5. Patera has 106 tackles.

"Their front six is as good as you will see," Gross said. "They like to blitz their linebackers. We have to be disciplined, stay low and block until the whistle blows. We have to give our backs a crease.

"Our scheme is designed on running the football and marching the ball down the field. We always rely on big plays. The strength of their defense is not to give up big plays.

"It's November playoff football in Nebraska. Teams need to run the ball well and stop the run at this stage of the game."

The Bison feature a pair of 1,000-yard rushers in Craig Fritz (1,282) and Tony Purvis (1,107). Ryan Bedore (705 yards) and Sam Frazier (341) have been key contributors in the playoffs in the running game for the Bison.

Purvis has also passed for 771 yards.

Fritz has scored 20 TDs and Purvis 16.

McCook will rely heavily on the kickoff, place-kicking and punting talents of junior Josh Cherry.

Cherry has 48 touchbacks and a 39-yard punting average. He has made 41-of-43 extra point kicks and 10-of-14 field goals.

Cherry has kicked a school-record 52-yard field goal this season and a 49-yarder.

"Special teams have been huge," Gross said. "We fully expect to play well on special teams without a doubt."

The Bison, winners of 50 of their last 51 games and 56 of their last 58, won the 2002 state title game 39-14 over Ralston and the 2003 title game 21-0 over Omaha Roncalli.

McCook lost to Waverly 14-7 in the 1980 state championship.

Bison stats

Rushing

Craig Fritz 194-1282

Tony Purvis 138-1107

Ryan Bedore 130-705

Sam Frazier 60-341

Passing

Purvis 35-72-4-771

Cherry 1-1-0-45

Receiving

Craig Fritz 7-212

John Swanhorst 7-163

Joel Arterburn 5-147

Josh Cherry 6-133

Micah Kamla 5-100

Brandon Kotschwar 2-26

Sam Frazier 1-19

Ryan Bedore 1-5

Scoring

Fritz 122 points

Purvis 100

Josh Cherry 83

Bedore 30

Sam Frazier 24

Jon Swanhorst 12

Mason Pohl 6

Brendan Liess 6

Joel Arterburn 6

Micah Kamla 6

Austin Barenberg 6

Defense 2

David Cappel 1

Kicking

Cherry 48-of-74 kickoffs have been touchbacks, 58.16 kickoff avg., 38.86 punting avg., 41-of-43 PATs, 10-of-14 field goals (longest school-record 52 yards, also good at 49, missed at 57).

David Cappel 1-of-1 PATs, 2 kickoffs (46.0 avg).

Darren Berry 2 punts (27.5 average).

Defense

Tackles

Mason Pohl 119

Garrett Rippen 83

Brandon Kotschwar 73

Cherry 73

Brock Hubert 69

Frazier 61

Paul Farrell 60

Purvis 60

Fritz 51

Arterburn 51

Lucas Kotschwar 34

Bedore 30

Nate Berry 20

Josh Mullen 19

JD Stone 19

Kamla 14

Jon Bryant 14

Dan Schaffert 13

Interceptions

Cherry 6

Purvis 3

Rippen 2

Liess 1

Arterburn 1

NEBRASKA CLASS B

STATE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

NO. 2 OMAHA SKUTT (12-0)

vs. NO. 1 McCOOK (12-0)

Memorial Stadium, Lincoln

Saturday, Nov. 19

Game time: 7 p.m. CT

Radio: KICX 96.1-FM McCook

Pre-game show: 5 p.m. CT

Play-By-Play: Rich Barnett

Analyst: Mitch Lyster

TV: NETV (Nebraska PBS).

STARTING LINEUPS

McCOOK OFFENSE

WR (9) Micah Kamla 5-10 170 sr.

TE (25) Brandon Kotschwar 6-3 205 sr.

TE (88) Jon Swanhorst 6-4 195 jr.

T (65) Brock Hubert 6-3 210 jr.

G (61) Lucas Kotschwar 6-0 195 jr.

C (53) Eric Ramsay 6-0 230 sr.

G (50) Paul Farrell 6-1 205 sr.

T (76) Sam Sis 6-2 235 jr.

FB (34) Craig Fritz 6-0 175 jr.

TB (15) Ryan Bedore 5-11 170 sr.

QB (5) Tony Purvis 6-1 170 sr.

McCOOK DEFENSE

DE (50) Paul Farrell 6-1 205 sr.

DT (65) Brock Hubert 6-3 210 jr.

DT (61) Lucas Kotschwar 6-0 195 jr.

DE (25) Brandon Kotschwar 6-3 205 sr.

ILB (30) Mason Pohl 5-10 170 sr.

ILB (45) Sam Frazier 6-2 200 so.

or (34) Craig Fritz 6-0 175 jr.

OLB (7) Joel Arterburn 6-0 165 sr.

OLB (21) Garrett Rippen 6-0 170 sr.

CB (5) Tony Purvis 6-1 170 sr.

CB (15) Ryan Bedore 5-11 170 sr.

FS (2) Josh Cherry 6-1 170 jr.

Nickel (80) Jon Bryant 6-0 165 jr.

McCOOK SPECIAL TEAMS

K/P (2) Josh Cherry 6-1 170 jr.

Holder (7) Joel Arterburn 6-0 165 sr.

Short snapper (26) Josh Mullen 6-1 180 jr.

or (34) Craig Fritz 6-0 175 jr.

Long snapper (65) Brock Hubert 6-3 210 jr.

KR (34) Craig Fritz 6-0 175 jr.

KR (5) Tony Purvis 6-1 170 sr.

KR (21) Garrett Rippen 6-0 170 sr.

OMAHA SKUTT OFFENSE

X (14) Joe Elliott 160 sr.

Z (22) Alex Anderson 190 sr.

TE (82) Nick Zahm 230 sr.

LT (51) Brendon Boetel 215 sr.

LG (65) Kyle Miller 245 sr.

C (73) Wayland Latham 265 sr.

RG (54) Andy McNiel 225 sr.

RT (68) Keegan Krause 205 sr.

QB (10) Brandon Krause 170 sr.

FB (42) Ryan Patera 200 sr.

TB (30) Casey Carbullido 195 jr.

OMAHA SKUTT DEFENSE

LE (54) Andy McNiel 225 sr.

LT (73) Wayland Latham 265 sr.

RT (65) Kyle Miller 245 sr.

RE (68) Keegan Krause 205 sr.

LOLB (2) John Dooley 200 jr.

ILB (1) Eric Brulette 200 jr.

ILB (42) Ryan Peterson 200 sr.

ROLB (25) Robert Lackovic 180 sr.

LCB (19) Steve Marsicek 155 jr.

RCB (14) Joe Elliott 160 sr.

FS (22) Alex Anderson 190 sr.

OMAHA SKUTT SPECIAL TEAMS

K (35) Bryan Finochiaro 170 jr.

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