Fall ravages across the nation, as the leaves fall, as do hopes for a Class A High School championship. All but 16 teams kept their season alive to see November 1st. The single-elimination bracket is mirrored from collegiate and professional playoffs. One loss and the season is over. Four is the magic number, a number that eludes all but one team. 

Let’s start to look at the lower seeds, #16 Pius X squeaked their way into the seasonal playoffs with a record of 4-5. They won their last game against Omaha North, which secured them a spot in the playoffs as the last seed. Millard West stood in their way during the opening round. They held on during the first quarter, but the game started to slip away. Pius X is eliminated from the playoffs by Millard West, 34-0. 

#15 Omaha North also narrowly squeezed into the finals with a record of 4-5. They’ve had a decent season but lost to Lincoln Southeast 35-10 and ended their run for a 2020 ring.

#14 Papillion La-Vista South also ran into the playoffs with a 4-5 record facing the titan that is Millard South. The teams went up against each other at the early game at Buell Stadium. Millard South took the win on their home turf 42-21 and sent La-Vista South back. 

#13 Lincoln Southeast came into the playoffs with a winning record of 5-4 on the season which ended them up against the unstoppable force of Bellevue West. 42-0 final and Bellevue West stands tall at one of the only two teams that are 10-0.

#12 Millard North somehow made it into the playoffs after the very disappointing season. Their quarterback was injured early on and was out most of the season. This forced them to run the ball on most plays. I went to two of their games during the season and it was very frustrating watching them run a triple option on a 3rd and long.

#11 Lincoln Southwest went up against #6 Grand Island on the 1st and the results are predictable, 35-14 Grand Island wins to move onto the quarterfinals on a season not many were thinking about seeing from them this year.

The top 10 is where we really get into the contenders for this season. #10 Prep went up against #7 Westside in the matchup of the week. Westside and Prep rivalry raged on the field on Friday and Westside won 23-13. They face Lincoln Southeast on November 8th. 

The 8th and 9th seeds Kearney and Elkhorn South faced out in another interesting matchup for the championship. A very close game until the very end 23-7, Elkhorn South moves on to play the best team in the state, Millard West, this Friday.

#4 Bellevue West, #5 Burke, #1 Millard West and #3 Millard South are my favorites to win the championship. Bellevue West and Millard West are the only two teams in the state that have an undefeated record and both have the top quarterbacks in the state. If they make it that far, Millard West and Bellevue West will face off in the Semi-Finals. On the other side of the bracket, I believe we will see a Lincoln Southeast vs. Millard South matchup for a spot in the championship.

We will see as the weather chills, who will be in line to win it all in the best class in the state of Nebraska.