Bennington outlasts Aurora 55-44 in a Game for The Ages.

Pictured her is the incredible Bennington offensive line and RB Dylan Mostek. Front row, #24 Mostek. Top Row (L-R) #65 Jameson Krayneski, #70 All-Stater Jake Stier, #61 Cody Harris, #55 (the lightweight!) Nate Schaefer, #64 Carter Lerch. *(photo shot by Tony Chapman)

AURORA, NE.

Bennington’s sensational Dylan Mostek rushed for 357 yards and 5 touchdowns on 39 grueling carries to lead the Badgers to a wild 55-44 win over Aurora Friday night. It is the 2nd straight week Mostek has put up video game-like stats, having sprinted for 355 yard and 5 scores a week ago against Grand Island Northwest.

The Badger offensive line of Carter Lerch, Nate Schaefer, Cody Harris, Jake Stier and Jameson Krayneski continuously opened the spaces for Mostek, who gained a gazillion yards after contact, but Bennington needed all of Mostek’s numbers to turn back a determined Aurora squad on this perfect night for football.

Aurora set the tone for a night of the unexpected on the opening kickoff. Huskie head coach Kyle Peterson, a fearless Master of Trickery, pulled off a successful onside kick to begin the fireworks. A Badger player momentarily had the ball, but the Huskies ended up with possession at the Bennington 47 yard line.

It took 8 plays and some powerhouse running by two-time All-Stater Mack Owens to reach the end zone. Owens ripped off crunching runs of 12 and 11 yards before crashing in from 5 yards out with 8:29 left in the first quarter.

Of course Peterson went for the double PAT and converted it when quarterback Trey Knust hit powerful Carlos Collazo with the two point pass.

Make a note here of Carlo Collazo being involved in this game big time because Mack Owens pretty much disappeared from the Aurora backfield for the rest of the first half. He played defense, but it was Collazo who filled the void and came out a shining star in the end.

The onside kick and subsequent Huskie opening drive touchdown/2 point conversion did not sit well with Kam Lenhart and the Bennington forces. The Badger offense went to work, the Bennington “D” stiffened, and the remainder of the 1st quarter was all Blue and White.

It took just 2 minutes, 29 seconds for Bennington to answer the Aurora score. Junior quarterback Trey Bird, who is now Thee field general for the Badgers, found speedy, sure-handed Cayden Bluhm for a 29 yard touchdown. Junior classmate Vaughn Anderson booted the PAT and just like that, the Badgers were within 8-7.

Trey Bird actually took over the quarterbacking reins last week after bad luck stricken Seth Wempen suffered another serious injury that will keep the original starting QB out until late October.

It was the same Seth Wempen who was projected to be the starter a year ago when he tore an ACL in a pre-season scrimmage and missed all of 2020. Ironically, it was Trey Bird’s older brother Kaden who assumed the quarterbacking duties in 2020 and ended up throwing for 2,401 yards (24 TDs) and rushing for 1,014 with another 14 TDs before it was all said and done.

It was after the Bird-to-Bluhm TD strike that Dylan Mostek ignited the jets. First, it was an electrifying 53 yard touchdown run for the lightning quick senior, then 3 minutes later it was the remarkable Mostek weaving in and out of Aurora traffic and breaking tackles on a brilliant 56 yard touchdown dash.

Before the hometown Huskies knew it, they were down 21-8 on Homecoming night after one stanza.

Both defenses really stiffened in the 2nd go-around until the 5:04 mark. That’s when Aurora’s Carlos Collazo pulled off a highlight reel 17 yard scoring scamper. The 200 pound junior zig zagged his way through the Bennington traffic before breaking free to the promised land, scoring standing up.

The Bennington lead was cut to 21-14 after the Collazo score, but that reading lasted less than two minutes. Trey Bird then found a wide open and I mean WIDE open Mitchell Anderson for a sparkling 50 yard touchdown.

After the Bennington defense forced Aurora into a punting situation, the Badgers took over at their own 42 with just 2:02 left in the half.

Five plays and 1:55 later, Trey Bird scooted in for a 5 yard touchdown, Anderson booted the PAT and the Badgers had a commanding, choke-hold 35-14 lead with :07.4 seconds left until halftime.

OR, was it choke-hold lead?

You have to know Aurora football to know the Huskies are never out of big plays, even with just a few ticks on that Memorial Field clock in any situation.

You guessed it. Koby Nachtigal had been piling up return yards all first half and all it took was those 7 seconds for the junior speedster to return the ensuing kickoff 93 yards for the score.

Aurora converted the double PAT and Bennington's lead was cut to 35-22 at the half. Would that shocking kick return touchdown right before halftme affect the Badgers coming out for the 2nd half?

I think it did.

Aurora took the 3rd quarter kickoff and promptly marched 11 plays, culminating with a 5 yard Mack Owens touchdown run, his first carry since early in the contest. The Huskies again converted the double PAT and suddenly Kyle Peterson’s boys were down just 35-30.

Both defenses did stiffen after that, but Aurora, who had been outgained in the first half by Bennington’s Dylan Mostek himself (190 to 112), were now back in the thick of it. That’s Aurora football. Always has been.

Bennington had to answer entering the 4th and money quarter and the great Dylan Mostek and the Badger offensive line took care of that just 25 seconds deep into the 4th stanza.

It was another tackle-breaking, incredible balancing act, highlight reel touchdown run for Dylan Mostek, this one covering 48 yards in the blink of an eye. You will remember that Mr. Mostek reeled off a :10.87 hundred meters on the red Omaha Burke track just a few months back.

Bennington now had a little breathing room with their 42-30 lead, but Aurora’s special teams applied yet another shocker just two minutes later when 150 pound junior Carson Staehr fielded a Badger punt at his own 28 yard line.

Staehr nearly stepped out of bounds, then danced and waltzed his way 72 yards for a punt return touchdown, leaving a host of empty-handed Bennington would-be tacklers in his wake.

The Huskies had once again answered with special teams play and Bennington’s lead was now 42-38 with 9:34 left in the contest and there wasn’t ONE person in that entire stadium that figured the scoring was complete for the night.

They were spot on because Bennington answered right back with a four minute drive, culminating with a Dylan Mostek 3 yard touchdown blast.

Now it’s Bennington 48-38. Were the Huskies FINALLY finished? Nope.

It was junior quarterback Trey Knust’s turn to display his running talents. And that he did, with runs of 4, 5, 12 and 15 yards that put Aurora on the Bennington 19 yard line with 3:42 left in the game.

Once again, it was Carlos Collazo’s turn to shine, this time on a perfectly executed screen pass that carried the junior sensation 19 yards for a touchdown. Awesome blocking and great blocking reads by Collazo resulted in the 19 yard scoring drive which pulled the Huskies within 48-44 with 3:30 left.

You know the script by now.

Bennington’s ensuing possession began at their own 34. A fatigued Mostek forged ahead for gains of 4, then 7 yards, then Huskie-Back-Breaker happened…….a dazzling 54 yard touchdown run on Dylan Mostek’s 39th carry of the game. And that Bennington offensive front never looked better on Mostek’s 5th touchdown journey of the evening.

Bennington had finally put away the never-say-never Huskies, but it looked otherwise as Aurora marched all the way to the Badgers EIGHT yard line before finally being stopped.

The Game for the Ages was finally in the books.

Offensively, it was Dylan Mostek leading the way for Bennington with those 357 rushing yards and 5 TDs. Unofficially, I had Trey Bird completing 15 0f 21 passes for 196 yards and a pair of TD passes to Cayden Bluhm.

Bluhm ended the game with 8 receptions for 88 yards. Mitchell Anderson had the 50 yard TD reception and tough captain Nick Colvert 3 catches for 40 yards

For Aurora, it was All-State Mack Owens leading the balanced ground attack with 82 yards and 2 TDs on 12 carries. Quarterback Trey Knust followed with 75 yards on 11 totes, and the hard running Carlos Collazo added 63 more yards on 12 tries.

Trey Knust completed his night by connecting on 15 of his 26 passes, good for 153 yards and a touchdown. EIGHT different Huskies receivers had catches in the contest.

Bennington's brutal 2021 schedule continues when Norris and Omaha Skutt visit the Badgers the next two Fridays. Aurora will take the brutal 332 mile trip to Scottsbluff next Friday to visit the Bearcats before returning home the following week to entertain Omaha Gross.

………………………..1…….2…….3…….4……..Final

Bennington (2-0).....21…...14…….0……..20………..55

Aurora (0-2)..............8…...14…….8……...14………..44

1st Quarter………………………………………...……………………………………......................B..A

Aur-Carlo Collazo 4 run…………………………….PAT-Knust pass to Owens..(8:29)...0 - 8

Ben-Cayden Bluhm 29 pass from Trey Bird...PAT-V. Anderson kick…….(6:02)....7...8

Ben-Dylan Mostek 53 run………………………...PAT-Anderson kick…………(4:08)...14..8

Ben-Dylan Mostek 56 run………………………...PAT-Anderson kick…………(1:09)....21..8

2nd Quarter

Aur-Carlo Collazo 17 run……………………………PAT-kick failed……...……....(5:04)....21-14

Ben-Mitchell Anderson 50 pass from Bird…..PAT-Anderson kick…………(3:30)....28-14

Ben-Trey Bird 5 run………………………………….PAT-Anderson kick………....(:07.4)...35-14

Aur-Koby Nachtigal 93 kick return…………….PAT-?????????.....................(0:00)...35-22

3rd Quarter

Aur-Mack Owens 5 run…………………………….PAT-?????????.....................(8:09)...35-30

4th Quarter

Ben-Dylan Mostek 48 run………………………...PAT-Anderson kick………....(11:35)...42-30

Aur-Carson Staehr 72 punt return……………..PAT-Knust pass to Carlson.(9:34)....42-38

Ben-Dylan Mostek 3 run…………………………..PAT-kick failed………………..(5:30)....48-38

Aur-Carlos Callazo 19 pass from Knust……...PAT-Pass failed……..………..(3:30)....48-44

Ben-Dylan Mostek 54 run………………………...PAT-Anderson kick………....(1:45).....55-44