Top-ranked Westside is moving on to the NSAA semi-finals after a 49-0 win over Bellevue West. The game solidified why Westside is the best team in the state. The quarterfinal playoff was another rematch game for the Warriors, but this time Westside won by even more. It was an emotional game for the team, as the day before the game, the players and head coach Paul Limongi learned of the passing of his 84-year-old mother, Kathy Limongi. It was a poignant moment for everyone, especially for coach Limongi.
“It’s been a tough 30 hours or so when we got the news trying to deal with it, ” Limongi said. “But still understand that we had a job to do, the support from the players, and the coaches and my family really helped me. My mom was a big football mom, she always supported me my whole life and she would have been happy tonight. I knew I was doing the right thing and wanted to go out and coach hard for her and the kids responded and we played great.”
Westside’s defense recorded their sixth shutout of the season after the Warriors forced two turnovers, an interception by Teddy Rezac and a fumble recovery by Trevor Spady. Beau Ryan led the team with 10 tackles and one sack. Blake Keifer had seven tackles, Christian Jones had six and R.J. Eckhardt had five. Jonquel Osler also joined the party with a sack of his own.
“The main thing that motivates me is just playing for my teammates,” Ryan said. “That’s really the only thing I play for, I play to protect all my brothers and do it for them.”
Anthony Rezac completed 15 of 20 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns. The senior quarterback also added 49 yards and two scores on the ground. Jahmez Ross had 96 yards rushing to go with his one touchdown. The senior running back also caught a touchdown. Brody Goc had four carries for 86 yards and two touchdowns.
Jones led the team in receiving with one catch for 58 yards and a touchdown. Caleb Benning had 54 yards and Keynan Cotton had 29. Coach Limongi believes it may have been the most complete win for the Warriors this season.
“It was really good, I thought all three phases were very sound and played very hard,” Limongi said. “I thought we had to rely on some kids stepping up, we got a little banged up, a few bumps and bruises, but you know guys just played hard. When you play hard and you believe and you love each other, things kind of go your way. We are excited to keep playing and the best part about tonight is we get to come in tomorrow.”
The scoring started off slow, with the only points in the first half coming on a 11-yard Rezac rushing touchdown. In the second quarter, Ross started the scoring off with a 8-yard touchdown run. Then Jones caught a 58-yard touchdown. The first half closed with a 26-yard touchdown reception by Ross, which led to a 28-0 lead at intermission.
In the second half Rezac had his second rushing touchdown, this one from 17 yards out. In the fourth quarter Goc was the only one to score. He had a 50-yard rushing touchdown and one from four yards.
The Warriors move on to play the No. 5 seed Millard West in the semi-finals of the state playoffs on Friday, Nov.10. The game will be the first playoff game that isn’t a rematch for Westside. Coach Limongi is excited for that opportunity.
“They have got a great program over there,” Limongi said.”It’s going to be fun to play someone different, we played everybody in the playoffs before, played the same schedule as last year, so it’s going to be exciting and new to play another opponent and excited to have them come here.”
Coach Limongi will travel to his hometown of Youngstown, Ohio for the funeral of his mother on Wednesday, Nov. 8. Then he will return to Omaha for Westside’s matchup with Millard West.
