The Seward football team passed its first road test of the season with flying colors Sept. 3. The Jays played Omaha Gross Catholic in Omaha and brought home a 35-32 win.
“It was an incredible game. Two good teams battled it out,” SHS Coach Jamie Opfer said. “I’m proud of the effort and fight.”
Gross got on the scoreboard first on a three-yard run in the second quarter. Seward took the lead when Trevor Ruth scored from seven yards out and Parker Hammond made the point after. The Jays extended the lead on a Micah Hackbart interception return, a.k.a. a pick six, and Hammond PAT.
The score was 14-6 at halftime.
Seward added seven points on a 37-yard Gavin Sukup run and Hammond PAT early in the third quarter. Gross answered with a five-yard run but missed the two-point conversion.
Sukup scored again, this time from 39 yards out, with Hammond again making the PAT. Gross added another five-yard touchdown run and made the conversion to make the score at the end of the third quarter 28-20 in Seward’s favor.
The Cougars scored on runs of 48 and 52 yards but missed the conversions both times to take a 32-28 lead in the fourth quarter.
Sukup found Hackbart open for a 37-yard touchdown pass to take the lead back, and Hammond’s PAT kick made the score 35-32.
Hackbart wasn’t Sukup’s target, though, Opfer said. Tight end Nathan Pence was, but the ball went through his hands.
“The key was to keep competing,” Opfer said.
Both teams were able to run the ball, with Gross gaining 422 yards on 51 carries and Seward picking up 249 yards on 32 attempts.
Sukup led the Bluejays with 234 yards on 21 carries and added 182 through the air, completing 13 of 20 passes.
On defense, Mason Bisbee finished with three solo tackles and 15 assists, and Ruth had three solo tackles and 14 assists.
Seward (2-0) will host Crete Friday, Sept. 10, with kickoff at 7 p.m. from Bulldog Stadium on the Concordia University campus.
“They are explosive,” Opfer said of the Cardinals (1-1). “They have a talented quarterback and a fast running back and they’re big up front. We will have our hands full.”