North Star doomed by Millard South's special teams

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BY KEN HAMBLETON / Lincoln Journal Star

Millard South found that little extra special something in special teams and pulled away for a 35-20 victory over Lincoln North Star Thursday night before 1,480 fans at Seacrest Field. North Star showed plenty of big-play ability, scoring on touchdown passes of 81 yards and 40 yards from Jake Iverson to Tyler Bullock and a 61-yard touchdown pass from Iverson to Jordan Shoecraft.

But Millard South called the Navigators’ big hands with a strong running game and two big special teams plays that turned the game in the Patriots’ favor.

North Star closed to 21-20 when Iverson, who passed for 235 yards, hit Bullock on a crossing route from the Millard South 40-yard line. The Gators missed the extra point.

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Lincoln North Star's Jake Iverson looks to gain yardage before being taken down by Millard South's Kyle Wheeler Thursday at Seacrest Field. Millard South won 35-20. (Dior Azcuy)

Lincoln North Star's Jake Iverson looks to gain yardage before being taken down by Millard South's Kyle Wheeler Thursday at Seacrest Field. Millard South won 35-20. (Dior Azcuy)

Millard South then answered quickly when Beau Kildow raced to his left, then cut to his right and pulled away for an 89-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

The Patriots tacked on another score when Kildow broke through the line on a 57-yard run to set up a 1-yard touchdown plunge by fullback Kyle Wheeler with 7:01 left in the game.

“We get right into the thick of things with our touchdown, and they score on the long kickoff return and there went the momentum,” North Star coach Mark Waller said. “We had another special teams breakdown earlier in the game that put us into a hole.”

North Star fumbled a punt return early in the second quarter, and Millard South recovered at the Navigators’ 24-yard line. Patriot senior quarterback Matt Martin, who threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to cap a 12-play scoring drive earlier in the second quarter, found Scott Ridpath on a pass over the middle for a 24-yard touchdown to give the Patriots a 14-0 lead with 6:22 left in the first half.

“That was a big special teams play, and it showed we worked hard on special teams because that’s easily one-third of every game we play,” Millard South coach Andy Means said. “Then, when we got the kickoff return, it seemed like it was the perfect answer to North Star getting right back into the game.”

Means, a former Husker defensive back whose father Dr. Arden Means died last week, said he counted on his assistant coaches to prepare his team in all phases of the game while he was away at his father’s funeral.

“They did a great job, and I can’t thank them and the players enough for putting in the time and effort on kickoff returns, punt coverage and extra points,” he said.

Millard South limited North Star to one extra-point play in three attempts.

The Patriots were dominant in the offensive line and rolled up 277 yards rushing. The key was 117 yards from Kildow, a junior.

“We’ve got to improve in the line and get a running game of our own,” Waller said. “We’ve got some great big-play potential, and I was glad to see that work so well.”

North Star faces Lincoln High next Friday at Seacrest Field.

Reach Ken Hambleton at 473-7313 or at khambleton@journalstar.com.