The two schools sit just 11 miles apart and each is bringing home a state championship trophy.
Nemaha Central shut out Norton 19-0 on Saturday in Salina to win the schools’ first-ever football championship.
Meanwhile, Centralia scored with under a minute to go to top Smith Center, 18-14, to win the Class 1A crown in Hays.
For Centralia it was the schools’ fourth state football title – all coming in odd numbered years (2009, 2011, 2013, 2019).
Nemaha Central 19, Norton 0
Defense was the story for the Thunder on Saturday at Salina District Stadium. Nemaha Central held Norton to 67 yards of total offense and intercepted the Blujays five times on the afternoon.
The game remained scoreless until 1:45 remaining before halftime when Nemaha Central quarterback Dylan Schultejans connected with Tyler Gerety on a 31-yard touchdown pass for a 7-0 halftime lead.
That margin remained until early in the fourth quarter when Gavin Duryea scored from 4 yards out for a 13-0 Thunder lead.
Nemaha Central capped off the scoring with a 13-yard scoring connection from Schultejans to Bryce Uphaus less than two minutes later.
Duryea rushed for a game-high 148 yards with the bulk of those coming in the second half.
Schultejans finished with 160 yards through the air and those two touchdowns.
Nemaha Central finished 11-2, while Norton finished 9-4.
Nemaha Central 19, Norton 0
Norton (9-4) 0 – 0 – 0 – 0 | 0
Nemaha Central (11-2) 0 – 7 – 0 – 12 |19
Scoring Summary:
Second Quarter:
NC – Tyler Gerety 31-yard pass from Dylan Schultejans (Bryce Uphaus kick) – 1:45 (NC 7-0)
Fourth Quarter:
NC – Gavin Duryea 4-yard run (kick failed) – 9:24 (NC 13-0)
NC – Bryce Uphaus 13-yard pass from Schultejans (run failed ) – 7:29 (NC 19-0)
Norton Nemaha Central
First Downs 4 18
Rushing attempts-yards 30-38 46-191
Passing yards 29 160
Comp – Att – INT 3-12-5 8-17-0
Plays - total yards 42-67 63-351
Punts-avg. 4-33.8 2-26.5
Fumbles-lost 2-0 2-2
Penalties-yards 4-25 6-50
Individual Stats:
RUSHING:
Norton: Kade Melvin 16-14; Luke Wahlmeier 11-17; Tucker Pfannenstiel 1-5; Gavin Sproul 1-2; Jonah Ruder 1-0
NC: Gavin Duryea 31-148; Dylan Schultejans 8-40; Tyler Gerety 4-5; Team 2-(-4); Bryce Uphaus 1-2
PASSING:
Norton: Melvin 3-11-4-29; Jonah Ruder 0-1-1-0
NC: Schultejans 8-17-0-160
RECEIVING:
Norton: Ruder 2-24; Carter Jones 1-5
NC: Gerety 4-93; Austin Ahlquist 2-36; Bryce Uphaus 2-31
Centralia 18, Smith Center 14
Kamble Haverkamp scored from 4th-and-goal from the 2-yard line with :55 seconds remaining to propel Centralia to an 18-14 victory over Smith Center.
Trailing 14-12, Centralia forced a short Redmen punt into a stiff wind for the second time in the fourth quarter, and for the second time took advantage of a short field. The Panthers began their final drive at the Smith Center 24-yard line.
Centralia converted a 4th-and-11 as Haverkamp connected with Corbin Becker inside the Redmen 10-yard line. Four plays later, Haverkamp went around the right end for the game-winning score.
Smith Center couldn’t pick up a first down in the final minute against the Centralia defense.
Smith Center led 14-6 at halftime behind two touchdown runs from quarterback Trenton Colby. The Redmen drove inside Centralia territory a couple of time sin the second half, but turned the ball over on downs.
Haverkamp rushed for 104 yards and three touchdowns to lead Centralia.
Colby rushed for a game-high 138 yards for Smith Center, while freshman Jakob Sasse added 83 yards. The Redmen played without leading rusher Jaden Atwood due to an injury.
Centralia finished 12-1 on the season and ended Smith Center’s run at a third consecutive Class 1A title. The Redmen (12-1) saw their win streak end at 22 games.
Centralia 18, Smith Center 14
Smith Center (12-1) 7 – 7 – 0 – 0 | 14
Centralia (12-1) 6 – 0 – 0 – 12 | 18
Scoring Summary:
First Quarter:
SC – Trenton Colby 21-yard run (Sergio Lambert kick) – 1:22 (SC 7-0)
Cent – Kamble Haverkamp 40-yard run (pass failed) – 0:00 (SC 7-6)
Second Quarter:
SC – Colby 13-yard run (Lambert kick) – 0:52 (SC 14-6)
Fourth Quarter:
Cent – Haverkamp 37-yard run (pass failed) – 6:45 (SC 14-12)
Cent – Haverkamp 2-yard run (run failed) – 0:55 (Cent 18-14)
Smith Center Centralia
First Downs 11 5
Rushing attempts-yards 53-256 32-112
Passing yards 1 36
Comp – Att – INT 1-4-0 3-8-0
Plays - total yards 57-257 40-148
Punts-avg. 4-32.5 5-35.6
Fumbles-lost 4-0 1-0
Penalties-yards 8-60 5-30
Individual Stats:
RUSHING:
SC: Jakob Sasse 19-83; Trenton Colby 15-138; Colton Shoemaker 12-36; Nate Hendrich 7-9
Cent: Kamble Haverkamp 23-104; Devon Feldkamp 7-7; Corbin Becker 2-1
PASSING:
SC: Colby 1-4-0-1
Cent: Haverkamp 3-7-0-36; Feldkamp 0-1-0-0
RECEIVING:
SC: Griffin Kugler 1-1
Cent: Noah Quigley 1-18; Becker 1-16; Ian Haverkamp 1-2
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