NEWTON – Early in the regular season, Osborne coach Steve Tiernan realized the Bulldogs might face a passing offense during the fall, possibly in playoff matchups versus either South Barber or Hutchinson Central Christian. Tiernan installed the two-man front defense to combat the potential opponents.
“It's a fun defense to run, a fun one to learn, and let's give it a try,” Tiernan said.
However, Osborne never ran the scheme – until the Eight-Man, Division II championship game versus Axtell and first team all-state passing quarterback Quinn Buessing.
The look proved effective in a 34-26 victory Saturday at Newton's Fischer Field. Osborne limited Buessing to 13 of 25 passing for 135 yards and two touchdowns against two interceptions.
“I was glad we got to use it,” Tiernan said.
Entering the game, Buessing carried a 39/2 TD/INT ratio in '19, and posted a 51/3 TD/INT mark last year. On a day with 25-plus mile per hour winds, Buessing posted his lowest completion percentage since a 54-8 loss to Hanover on Oct. 26, 2017.
“We mixed it up a lot,” Tiernan said. “We played some man, which wasn't very much man, as you could tell Axtell is used to playing against man, and a lot of the routes were designed to beat that.
“So we mixed it up with man, zone, we actually had a two-man front,” he added.
“For the most part, we just concentrated on that. Thank goodness with this wind. I think the wind probably helped us out a little bit. But our guys, they bought into what we were doing, and they did a very good job of running it.”
Tiernan said it probably marked the first time in his 19-year head coaching career his team worked on a defensive scheme throughout the season – and didn't know when it might be used.
“Time is precious, so you are not going to just mess around doing that,” he said.
The two INTs halted a back-and-forth contest. Osborne led 28-26 when senior Steele Wolters picked off Buessing at the Bulldog 3-yard line with 9 minutes, 17 seconds left in the game. Wolters recorded five picks this fall.
“We had a guy wide open, and just missed him, and threw an interception,” Axtell coach Eric Detweiler said.
Then, Osborne milked more than seven minutes off the clock on a 14-play, 69-yard drive. The big play came on 4th-and-4 from the Bulldog 17-yard line. Osborne elected to go for the first down, but Axtell standout junior nose guard Kolby Talbot jumped offsides.
“Just caught up in the game,” Detweiler said. “Honestly, that's probably the second time all year that I've seen him jump offsides, and he's a very smart, fundamental football (player). Just probably had a little bit too much adrenaline going.”
Osborne, which had all of its yards on the ground in the victory, scored on a 2-yard run from Wolters with 1:55 left.
“At times we had a hard time slowing them down,” Detweiler said. “And it showed. They just ground the clock out it seemed like.”
The conversion failed, and Axtell had a chance to tie. On the first play, Buessing threw a championship-sealing interception to sophomore Mason Schurr at the Bulldog 39-yard line. Osborne finished 13-0 and captured its fourth state title in school annals, and third in the eight-man ranks. Axtell finished 11-2.
Senior linebacker Evan Garman, the team's leading tackler, didn't play football last season. He recorded a pair of sacks, assisted on a tackle for loss and delivered a pass breakup. Senior Vaughn Stull had 1.5 TFLs. Tiernan was very pleased with the improvement of freshman Connor Schurr. He played fullback, tailback, linebacker, cornerback, safety and delivered a sack Saturday.
“Basically everybody has just got to do their job,” Tiernan said of the two-man look. “As far as I've got the flats, I've got deep, I've got a guy coming across the middle, and if I am to the strong side, I am blitzing. You have to be pretty disciplined. Early on, we had a few mishaps, but for the most part, they did a good job.”
Tiernan led the Bulldogs to a '13 crown on a 13-0 squad that outscored opponents by an average margin of 59-21. Then, Tiernan eventually left for Solomon. In '16, Osborne went 13-0 and won a title with Cullen Riner with an average score of 59-18.
Last year, Tiernan led Solomon to a state runner-up showing, its best season in school history. Tiernan, 174-32 in his career, returned to Osborne this season. The Bulldogs had a much improved defense and an average score of 47-13.
“We were working on a two-front all year,” Wolters said. “Because we knew we were going to play teams like South Barber and Hutch Central Christian that like to throw it around, but they didn't really run the formations that coach thought they were going to. But we have been working on it all year, and it worked out that Axtell ran those formations, so we just got to use it this game.”
Senior running back Darrien Holloway was the only player back who was a significant player on the '16 state squad.
Holloway was injured in the Round of 16 victory versus Sylvan-Lucas and posted a message to Twitter saying his career was over. His whole left foot was stepped on, and his big toe was fractured. He missed the quarterfinal win versus South Barber.
However, he worked with Dr. Aaron Geist, an Osborne alum, assistant coach and physical therapist, every day after practice. Holloway, with more than 4,300 career rushing yards, was cleared for the semifinal victory against Central Christian.
“We just did like some sound wave treatment,” Holloway said.
He was in noticeable pain Saturday, and finished with 22 carries for 137 yards and two touchdowns, including an 18-yard second quarter score that gave Osborne a 14-12 lead.
“If it was a regular season game or even playoff game, I probably would have came out of the game,” Holloway said. “But it was my last game.”
Axtell scored on a 48-yard Hail Mary pass on the final play of the first half to senior Derek Buessing for a 20-14 lead.
“We had the guy covered,” Tiernan said. “It was just a great throw, and a great catch.”
On the second play of in the third quarter, Holloway had a 49-yard scoring run, and the conversion gave the Bulldogs a 22-20 advantage. Quinn Buessing had a one-yard scoring run for a 26-22 lead. Overall, Osborne outgained Axtell, 359-251. The Eagles finished 2 of 9 on third down.
“We had two rushers, and then we had two outside linebackers,” Wolters said. “One of them was going to blitz every time, so then we were able to have a guy in the flats on both sides, and play Cover 3, so that worked out super good, because we had everything covered. Quinn is super good, though.”
Detweiler expected to see the two-man front. He estimated Axtell dropped five or six passes.
“The wind today didn't give us any help,” Detweiler said.
Wolters, who finished with 15 carries for 116 yards and three TDs, delivered an exceptional 37-yard read option touchdown down the left sideline with 4:57 remaining in the third. The fake was executed so well that Axtell tackled Holloway in the middle.
“I was reading the end,” Wolters said.
Osborne led 28-26, and held on in the fourth quarter. In addition to his key interception, Schurr delivered 21 carries for 106 yards.
Tiernan has won four titles in his career, two at Baileyville B&B and a pair at Osborne.
“Our DBs just did great tonight at the end,” Holloway said. “Towards the end picking them off, and breaking on their routes. I don't think they have seen anybody as athletic as us.”
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