Before the game, Westside head coach Brett Froendt said his team would not win if it committed 18 penalties and three turnovers, like it had in it’s first matchup against Creighton Prep during the regular season. While the Warriors only turned the ball over once, they were flagged 15 times. Even with the 15 penalties, Westside came out with a 48-36 victory over Creighton Prep in the quarterfinals of the state playoffs.

On a perfect night for football, with two packed student sections, the Warriors went three -and-out on their first possession before the Warrior defense forced a Junior Jay’s quarterback Easton Stick fumble at the Creighton Prep 15 yard line. Four plays later, Westside senior Christian Hagan made a 20-yard field goal, putting the Warriors up 3-0.

Creighton Prep went three-and-out on their next four possessions. During the Prep three-and-outs, the Warriors scored their first touchdown when Hagan, who was 17-21 for 282 yards and two touchdowns through the air, connected with senior Drew Fitzmorris for a 42-yard touchdown pass with 3:12 left in the first quarter. Hagan followed up the touchdown pass with a 23-yard field goal to put the Warriors up 13-0.

Westside scored again on a one-yard carry by senior Lane Yates with 9:03 left in the first half, putting the Warriors up 20-0.

Creighton Prep got on the board just before half when Stick, who finished the night 24-48 passing for 297 yards and two touchdowns along with -2 yards rushing for two touchdowns, carried the ball one yard for a score, putting the Warriors up 20-7 at halftime.

The Junior Jays cut the Warriors lead to seven on their first possession of the second half when Creighton Prep running Micah Rensch ran the ball for a two-yard score with 7:14 left in the third quarter.

The Warriors responded on the ensuing drive on a 28-yard touchdown run by Yates, who finished the night with 18 carries for 165 yards and two scores. Westside scored once more in the third quarter on a 32-yard touchdown pass from Hagan to senior Matt Connelly, which was followed by a successful two-point conversion, putting the Warriors up 35-14, the score of the game going into the fourth quarter.

Westside’s lead grew again on the first drive of the fourth quarter, when Hagan made his third field goal of the night, a 29-yard kick with 7:35 left in the game.

Creighton Prep responded to keep themselves in the game when Stick completed a 53-yard pass to Junior Jays tight end Alex Duncan, who caught one other pass on the night to finish with 62 yards and a touchdown. Creighton Prep completed the two-point conversion.

On the ensuing kickoff, the Junior Jays recovered an onside kick. But, the Warrior defense stopped Creighton Prep on a fourth and 15 with 5:39 left in the game.

But, Westside gave the Junior Jays another shot when Yates fumbled the ball at the Westside 33 yard line.

Three plays later, Stick completed a 10-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver RJ Urzendowski, who caught 16 passes for 133 yards and a touchdown. After Creighton Prep succeeded on another two-point conversion, the Warriors led 38-30 with 4:41 left in the game.

On the kickoff, Yates bounced back from his fumble with a 70-yard kickoff return to the Junior Jays 23 yard line, making the Westside student section erupt. The Warriors were forced to settle for a field goal, giving them and 11 point lead with under three minutes left.

Head coach Brett Froendt said he loved Yates’ effort on the kickoff return, which gave the Warriors momentum when Prep appeared to have it all, following a fumble.

“You know, we didn’t say a thing to him [after the fumble],” Froendt said. “He knew he made a mistake and you just give him the ball again, because that’s what you do with seniors. You do it with proven guys, and he’s a proven guy, so he stepped up and made a huge play. Hats off to him.”

The Junior Jays responded as Stick led them on an 80-yard touchdown drive, which was capped off by a nine-yard carry by the quarterback. Creighton Prep failed on the two-point conversion, leaving the Warriors up five.

The Junior Jays got a chance to stop the Warriors and get the ball back with a minute and a half remaining in the game on a Westside third and five with 1:16 left in the game.  But the Warriors thought otherwise and all but ended the game when Hagan connected with senior Jamaal Conway-Smith, who finished the game with six receptions for 120 yards and a score, for a 73-yard touchdown, putting the Warriors up 48-38, the final score of the game.

The Junior Jays had one more drive, which ended on an incomplete pass on fourth and 25.

The theme of the game was Creighton Prep finding ways to claw back into a game in which the Warriors were up big.

“They got momentum and we couldn’t get it back, and then every time we got a little bit back on a score, we’d make another stupid mistake,” Froendt said. “But you’ve got to give them a lot of credit. They kept making plays when they had to. We’ve just got to play smarter and I guess not coach so stupid — one of the two.”

Despite the mistakes and Creighton Prep making it a close game near the end, Froendt said the win was the best of the year for Westside.

“It means we’re moving on to the semifinals, so we’re pretty excited,” Froendt said.

In the semifinal matchup, the Warriors will be facing No. 1 seed Millard West, who has only lost this season, like the Warriors. The winner of the game will move on to the state championship game at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln.

Westside Wired will have a preview of the game on Friday morning, so make sure to check back later this week to find out what to expect from both teams, what to wear and what the weather will be like.

Game notes

Zane Williams, the 9-year-old son of Westside assistant coach Brett Williams, was the teams honorary captain for the game, and was with the team for the coin toss.