Hail Varsity was on the scene in Beatrice on Friday night to see Plattsmouth go on the road to take on Beatrice. Plattsmouth took the win 35-20 in a game that was closer than the score indicated. The two teams played a back and forth game but big plays and Plattsmouth star running back Christian Meneses were the difference. After the loss Beatrice drops to 5-3 on the season after winning its first five games. No. 2 Plattsmouth is now 7-0 on the season.
Here are my five thoughts on the game.
Spirited competition
With how hotly contested this game got you would think these two schools were bitter rivals. There was a lot of talking back and forth between the teams. A little extra shoving was allowed on a few plays that Beatrice’s sideline didn’t care for. There were unsportsmanlike conduct penalties on both teams at the end of the game. It was building all game and the refs had a tough time controlling things.
Meneses is big time
The star running back from Plattsmouth is one of the top running backs in the state regardless of class. He proved that once again on Friday night with a monster performance. Meneses rushed 37 times for 257 yards and four touchdowns. His patient-yet-tough running style is so effective on a weekly basis. His vision and ability to get skinny in the hole to pick up extra yards is fun to watch.
3-yard TD for Christian Meneses. Lot of him carrying the ball on that drive. Blocked PAT though and @PlattsmouthFB leads 13-7 with 1:28 left in the 1Q. #nebpreps pic.twitter.com/3QI12viGDW
— Greg Smith (@GregSmithHV) October 16, 2021
Plattsmouth offensive line identity
It’s pretty clear that Plattsmouth takes pride in being a physical football team. The offensive line gets a lot of credit in that program and coach Bob Dzuris knows they are the perfect complement to Christian Meneses’ style of running. His eye-popping stats wouldn’t be possible without the line paving the way. The Blue Devils line is one of the better ones I’ve seen all season long.
Post game interview with @PlattsmouthFB coach Bob Dzuris (@DzurisBob) after his team’s 35-20 win over Beatrice. #nebpreps pic.twitter.com/aRlvPnSowD
— Greg Smith (@GregSmithHV) October 16, 2021
Down but not out
Even though this was the third straight loss for the Orangemen I came away impressed with their team. It’s easy to see why the team started off the season 5-0 and was one of the pleasant surprises of Class B. Quarterback Austin Burroughs was a gamer, running for a team-high 72 yards on ten carries. That included a throwback touchdown run on a bootleg from the Power I formation.
Austin Burroughs with a 4-yard TD run on the old school power I bootleg. PAT no good at @PlattsmouthFB still leads 26-20 over @OrangeGridiron with 8:10 left in the game. #nebpreps pic.twitter.com/LEYMTKiSTL
— Greg Smith (@GregSmithHV) October 16, 2021
Other standouts for Beatrice included senior Elliot Jurgens and junior Nebraska baseball commit Tucker Timmerman. It’ll be curious to see if Beatrice can find its winning way from early this season as the playoffs approach.
Timely big plays
There were several big plays in this game that swung momentum. The opening drive of the game for Plattsmouth featured an errant snap on fourth down that gave Beatrice good field position. Beatrice had a chance down 26-20 in the fourth quarter but threw a costly interception. Plattsmouth promptly capitalized on that with a touchdown that sealed the game. Just when you thought one team would seize momentum in this game in the second half another big play would happen. This game had a bit of everything including a fake punt.
@OrangeGridiron tried a fake punt but @PlattsmouthFB saw it coming. Still 20-14 with 2:28 left in the 3Q. #nebpreps pic.twitter.com/KmTrtbkMku
— Greg Smith (@GregSmithHV) October 16, 2021
Greg is the Recruiting Analyst for Hail Varsity and has covered Husker athletics since 2013. He has always had a passion for sports while growing up in the Chicago area. As he got older and had to hang up his cleats and sneakers, he realized his passion for sports went beyond just watching and attending games. He has covered many events from the Rose Bowl to championship boxing matches. If he’s not talking sports, he’s hovering over his grill. He is married to an amazing woman, Kim, and they have a dog that barks when Greg yells at the TV during games.
