This week, I went west to York to check out the York Dukes taking on rival Seward in the second round of the playoffs. This game was a rematch of a matchup between the two teams last month that York won, 42-40. This game did not disappoint as York won on a field goal with under a minute left on the clock.
York will now go on to face Scottsbluff in a tough road test for a chance to go back to Lincoln for the Class B title game.
What an atmosphere
Friday night in York was what high school football is all about. It was jam-packed and was the first time I can really remember seeing a standing room only crowd as fans from nearby communities also came to check out the action. I was told on the sidelines that extra bleachers were brought in for the visitor side and that still wasn’t enough to hold everyone. Hats off to both sides for creating a memorable atmosphere.
Heart of a champion
It wasn’t just Nebraska commit Garrett Snodgrass who was banged up in this game but helped gut out a win for York. Running back Jacob Diaz was also dealing with nagging injuries throughout the game but played well. Lineman Douglas Lazo had an ankle injury that kept him shuffling in and out of the game. There were other players with bumps and bruises but the Dukes pushed through to get a win. Wide receiver Brady Danielson was a star on Friday night, making big plays all over the field as well.
Seward will be back
This was a tough way to end the season for the Bluejays but we will hear from them again next season. They do have to replace quarterback Joseph Krause, which will be tricky, but they will return a lot of talent. Gabe Knisley, Josh Sagehorn, Ben Myers and Davon Brees are just a few of the standouts who will be back next season. I’ll look forward to seeing them play next year.
Late in the game, senior wide receiver and defensive back Reece Foreman was injured and had to be carted off the field. There has been no update given yet on Freeman but he did give a thumbs up when leaving the field.
Snodgrass is a warrior
The last few weeks the Nebraska linebacker commit has been dealing with ankle issues that have made him limited on the field. After the very first play on offense Friday night, he limped off the field. He was able to come back into the game, rotating in at quarterback especially in passing situations. It will be tough to expect Snodgrass to be close to 100 percent when the Dukes face off against Scottsbluff next week.
Thomas Ivey gets redemption
When York tied the game at 20 with 11:52 left in the game, sophomore kicker Thomas Ivey had an unfortunate miss on the extra point when it banged off the upright. It’s always cool to see kickers get a shot to be the hero and he did just that when he drilled a 32-yard field goal to give put the Dukes ahead for good, 23-20.
Thomas Ivey kicks a 32 yard FG to give @YHS_Dukes the peas 23-20 with 22 seconds left in the game. #NebPreps pic.twitter.com/MepqT2MAWX
— Greg Smith (@GregSmithHV) November 3, 2018
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.
