Gazette area resuming strong finals tradition

For the first time since McCook’s 2007 Class B title classic with Crete shown here, a Gazette-area football team will play in Nebraska’s football finals on Friday.

Gazette file photo

McCOOK, Neb. — Nebraska’s high school football playoffs debuted in 1975, and five years never passed without one Gazette-area team playing for the title through 2007.

There was the unforgettable 2003 when three teams — McCook, Cambridge and Chase County — all reached state football finals.

The Bison finished a back-to-back Class B domination with their 21-0 blanking of Omaha Roncalli.

They routed Ralston, 39-14, for the 2002 state title.

Cambridge conquered Crofton, 22-14, giving the Trojans their sixth state championship in 16 years dating back to 1987.

Chase County nearly made it a 3-0 area sweep, but lost an 8-7 thriller against Wahoo Neumann.

Those three schools combined for five more finals appearances during those next four seasons including all three losing tough finales in 2005.

Yet following McCook’s 14-7 overtime defeat against Crete in 2007, no area team reached the state finals for 12 consecutive seasons...

Until the otherwise dreaded 2020.

The Dundy County-Stratton Tigers (11-0) are playing their historic first state title game as a school against Burwell (12-0) at 5 p.m. on Friday in Burwell.

More details can be seen on Page 10.

The Tigers try to continue a great tradition which still features McCook, Chase County and Arapahoe owning three of Nebraska’s longest streaks for consecutive playoff seasons.

Other titles go back to 1982, when Republican Valley won a Class C-1 championship with hits 25-14 victory over Gibbon.