This one stings, Coach Jamie Opfer said.
The Seward football team entered Nov. 15’s Class B semifinal game 11-0 and as the No. 2 seed. The Jays hosted Omaha Skutt Catholic, the three seed and 10-1 on the season.
The game was back and forth for the first half, with Seward leading 21-19 at intermission. The tide turned in the locker room, however, and Skutt pulled away in the second half to win 42-21, ending Seward’s season.
“At the end of any season, there is this feeling of sadness and disappointment and regret that you were not able to accomplish your ultimate goal of playing for a championship,” Opfer said. “This season was a special one where we all felt like we had what it took as a team to win a championship, but we fell short in our ultimate goal.”
Skutt drew first blood, scoring on a one-yard run with 7:18 to play in the first quarter. The Jays answered with a 51-yard pass from Tresten Hass to Jack Vyhnalek with 6:11 to go. Ayden Siebert’s kick put Seward in front 7-6.
Seward extended its lead on another Hass to Vyhnalek connection, this one for 19 yards and six points. Siebert’s PAT made the score 14-6 with 11:54 to play in the first half.
Skutt scored on a 7-yard run and missed the two-point conversion to leave the margin at 14-12. Seward responded with a 34-yard pass from Hass to Daylon Salyer with 1:13 to go before halftime. Siebert made the PAT for a 21-12 lead.
Skutt scored on a four-yard pass with nine seconds left in the quarter and made the point after to put the score at 21-19.
The second half was all Skutt. The Skyhawks intercepted Hass’s first pass of the third quarter and didn’t look back. They scored on passes of 20, one and 11 yards in the second half to pull away for the win.
Hass finished the game completing 29 of 46 passes for 310 yards. Vyhnalek caught 10 for 146 yards and two touchdowns.
On defense, Sam Sagehorn recorded five solo tackles, one assist and intercepted a pass. Caden Schadwinkel added three solo tackles and five assists, and Kayson Salyer notched four solo stops and three assists.
Opfer said Seward made a change to its offensive strategy coming in, choosing to stick with an empty formation all game.
“Skutt’s defensive front is the strength of their team and in our empty formation, we knew that there would be some matchups that we could take advantage of and felt that it was our best chance to move the ball with efficiency,” he said.
It worked early, but the Jays couldn’t keep it going. Opfer said they could have made some changes to slow down Skutt’s rush, but the Bluejay offense was “close to hitting some big plays and just were not able to protect long enough to get to those passes.”
Injuries played a role in the decision, with depth limited at key positions, he said.
The difference in the game was turnovers and an inability to get stops, Opfer said.
“We made too many mistakes against a good team,” he said.
Overall, however, he was proud of the team and its 11-1 season, the first undefeated regular season since 1998. He appreciated the team’s sacrifice, discipline and consistency, characteristics the seniors represented every day.
The class includes Daylon Salyer, Lathan Janousek, Devon Perry, Hayden Burhoop, Ed Knott, Henry Lewis, Kolton Loos, Max Briggs, Caden Schadwinkel, Dalton Mobley and Cooper Fern.
“It was truly a special group that will be remembered because of their work ethic and character,” Opfer said.
