Boys Town still unbeaten after 25-12 win over Syracuse
BOYS TOWN — Kevin Kush beamed and said, “We’re all about second chances here at Boys Town. We got a second chance tonight, and now we’re doing something for the first time in school history.”
Boys Town (12-0) just didn’t give many chances in a 25-12 victory against Syracuse before some 1,800 fans Saturday night in a Class C-1 state football semifinal.
“We gave up a touchdown early to Norfolk Catholic after a fumble and came back and held on, and that’s just what happened tonight with a good Syracuse team,” Kush said.
Boys Town quarterback Isiah Gandy, a cross country runner two years ago, threw for 153 yards and a touchdown and ran for another to lead Boys Town into next Saturday’s championship game against defending champion Pierce at Memorial Stadium.
Syracuse (11-1) scored on a 14-yard run by quarterback Adam Vogt five plays after Boys Town lost a fumble at the Cowboys’ 34-yard line.
Boys Town tied the game on a 70-yard pass play from Gandy to Erskin Williams. Williams broke three tackles 10 yards downfield, and outran the Syracuse defense the rest of the way.
The Cowboys scored on their next possession after a 23-yard pass from Gandy to Derrick Brooks and a 36-yard run by Kevin Barrett. Boys Town tacked on two more touchdowns, including a quarterback sneak by Gandy and a 1-yard plunge by Barrett.
Meanwhile, Syracuse was slowed by the increasing pressure of 263-pound Stashaun Louis and 300-pound Sandi Stanback at defensive tackle, and defensive ends Kevin and Shaquil Barrett, at 210 and 250 pounds, respectively.
Add to the Rockets’ problems a severely sprained ankle that put season-leading rusher Jake Welter on the bench for most of the rest of the game, and Boys Town was in control.
Syracuse, which averaged almost 400 yards and 40 points a game this year, picked up just five first downs until the fourth quarter, with Boys Town already ahead 25-6.
“We couldn’t come up with an answer for their front guys,” said Syracuse coach Dick Nordhues. “We couldn’t single-block those guys, and our double-teams didn’t work all that well and left their linebackers open to rush us hard.
“They were the better team, and we thought we had a team that could do it all. When we lost Welter we lost some speed, but I’m not sure that would have been enough against their defense tonight.”
Boys Town sacked Vogt seven times for 41 yards. The Cowboys held Syracuse to just 71 yards rushing.
Still, Syracuse rattled the Cowboys when Dylan Bartling scooped up a Boys Town fumble and returned the ball 44 yards to set up a 23-yard touchdown pass from Vogt to Nick Reed with 2:36 left.
Syracuse recovered an onside kick and was throwing for the end zone again when Jamiel Jones got his second interception of the game. After Bartling blocked a Boys Town punt, Syracuse tried to score again before a sack ended the threat.
“You saw how they never quit and how they were still coming after it at the end,” Kush said. “You can’t say enough about our defense and you can’t say enough about how they kept us in the game.
“Obviously, their running back (Welter) makes their offense go, and when we stopped that, well, even Bo Pelini will tell you, make a team throw and you’ve got an edge. And even then, you saw how Syracuse was throwing to the end zone the last five minutes of the game. Whew.”
Boys Town (12-0) had never advanced to the state championship game. The school’s last unbeaten team was in 1965 under famed coach Skip Palrang.
“We’re going to enjoy this,” Kush said. “Have some fun and enjoy playing in Memorial Stadium. A lot of our kids have never had the chance to do something like that ever in their lives.”
Reach Ken Hambleton at 473-7313 or khambleton@journalstar.com.
Boys Town (12-0) just didn’t give many chances in a 25-12 victory against Syracuse before some 1,800 fans Saturday night in a Class C-1 state football semifinal.
“We gave up a touchdown early to Norfolk Catholic after a fumble and came back and held on, and that’s just what happened tonight with a good Syracuse team,” Kush said.
Boys Town quarterback Isiah Gandy, a cross country runner two years ago, threw for 153 yards and a touchdown and ran for another to lead Boys Town into next Saturday’s championship game against defending champion Pierce at Memorial Stadium.
Syracuse (11-1) scored on a 14-yard run by quarterback Adam Vogt five plays after Boys Town lost a fumble at the Cowboys’ 34-yard line.
Boys Town tied the game on a 70-yard pass play from Gandy to Erskin Williams. Williams broke three tackles 10 yards downfield, and outran the Syracuse defense the rest of the way.
The Cowboys scored on their next possession after a 23-yard pass from Gandy to Derrick Brooks and a 36-yard run by Kevin Barrett. Boys Town tacked on two more touchdowns, including a quarterback sneak by Gandy and a 1-yard plunge by Barrett.
Meanwhile, Syracuse was slowed by the increasing pressure of 263-pound Stashaun Louis and 300-pound Sandi Stanback at defensive tackle, and defensive ends Kevin and Shaquil Barrett, at 210 and 250 pounds, respectively.
Add to the Rockets’ problems a severely sprained ankle that put season-leading rusher Jake Welter on the bench for most of the rest of the game, and Boys Town was in control.
Syracuse, which averaged almost 400 yards and 40 points a game this year, picked up just five first downs until the fourth quarter, with Boys Town already ahead 25-6.
“We couldn’t come up with an answer for their front guys,” said Syracuse coach Dick Nordhues. “We couldn’t single-block those guys, and our double-teams didn’t work all that well and left their linebackers open to rush us hard.
“They were the better team, and we thought we had a team that could do it all. When we lost Welter we lost some speed, but I’m not sure that would have been enough against their defense tonight.”
Boys Town sacked Vogt seven times for 41 yards. The Cowboys held Syracuse to just 71 yards rushing.
Still, Syracuse rattled the Cowboys when Dylan Bartling scooped up a Boys Town fumble and returned the ball 44 yards to set up a 23-yard touchdown pass from Vogt to Nick Reed with 2:36 left.
Syracuse recovered an onside kick and was throwing for the end zone again when Jamiel Jones got his second interception of the game. After Bartling blocked a Boys Town punt, Syracuse tried to score again before a sack ended the threat.
“You saw how they never quit and how they were still coming after it at the end,” Kush said. “You can’t say enough about our defense and you can’t say enough about how they kept us in the game.
“Obviously, their running back (Welter) makes their offense go, and when we stopped that, well, even Bo Pelini will tell you, make a team throw and you’ve got an edge. And even then, you saw how Syracuse was throwing to the end zone the last five minutes of the game. Whew.”
Boys Town (12-0) had never advanced to the state championship game. The school’s last unbeaten team was in 1965 under famed coach Skip Palrang.
“We’re going to enjoy this,” Kush said. “Have some fun and enjoy playing in Memorial Stadium. A lot of our kids have never had the chance to do something like that ever in their lives.”
Reach Ken Hambleton at 473-7313 or khambleton@journalstar.com.
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