Atwood helps Northwest upset No. 3 Elkhorn to advance

Stu Pospisil Omaha World Herald

ELKHORN — Redemption, yes. Upset, maybe not.

With a 41-yard field goal, the same distance that he missed at game’s end last week, Peyton Atwood booted Northwest past favored Elkhorn 24-21 in the Class B first round.

“I knew I needed redemption,” Atwood said.

While the Vikings were eighth in this week’s Class B rankings, they were the 13th seed in the playoffs with a 4-5 record. Playing the third-ranked and fourth-seeded Antlers, whose only losses were to undefeateds Bennington and Omaha Gross.

Northwest, meanwhile, had lost to its four Class B opponents by five, two, seven and three points. Its fifth loss was to Class C-1 No. 1 Aurora 43-13 to open the season.

“I think the resiliency has hardened our dudes a little bit,” Vikings coach Kevin Stein said.

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Offense has been no problem for his team. Northwest came in leading Class B in total offense at 406 yards a game.

“That’s the best offense in the state,” Antlers coach Dan Feickert said. “I wasn’t blind to that fact, then I opened the paper this morning and I looked again and I’m like, Whoa, they’re No. 1. The No. 1 offense in the state was the 13 seed. It just happens.

“When we looked at the games they played they lost to some really good people. We didn’t overlook this team. We said all week this is the best team we’re going to play right now. We prepared well, and you know what, just credit to them. They had a good scheme, their kids bought into it defensively.

“Shoot, they move the ball all the way down the field, make a 41-yard field goal. You have to tip your hat.”

Northwest never trailed in the game that was scoreless at halftime, but never had a two-score lead. Elkhorn tied it at 14-14, forced a punt and then went for a fourth-and-1 at its 24. Cooper Garrett and Owen Harb, among others, stopped KJ Schenck cold.

Austin Payne, Class B’s leading passer who was 16 of 25 for 190 yards, capped the short-field drive with a 5-yard touchdown run with 1:34 left. And it was just getting good.

Elkhorn tied it with 55 seconds left. Covered 65 yards in 39 seconds. Schenck picked up 35 yards with a fourth-and-3 trap play and his 13-yarder took it to the Vikings 10. A holding penalty set the ball back to the 24, but Cooper Fedde hauled in lefty Connor Hunt’s pass over a defender in the end zone with 55 seconds left.

“I just told the kids I know we’re disappointed about the outcome, but I’m going to remember that drive and how they had resiliency. Shoot, everybody thought the game was over,” Feickert said. “But you went down and you scored and you made, again, the No. 1 offense in the state nickel and dime all the way down the field to make a 41 yard field goal. So as crazy as it sounds, I feel OK with how we competed towards the end of the game.”

On the winning drive, Payne was 4 of 4 on short routes and carried three times for 22 yards to reach the 24. Easily within Atwood’s range.

Had Stein considered going conservative on the road, playing for overtime?

“Absolutely no way,” he said. “There was no way we were going to overtime with these cats. You know, spread offense at the 10-yard line versus power. So we were like, hey, get it to the 40 yard line. Just get it to the 40 and we’re going to kick it no matter

“And, of course, then we get to what, the 34. And Peyton nailed it.”

Northwest (5-5); 0; 0; 14; 10-24

Elkhorn (7-3); 0; 0; 7; 14-21

NW: Tyler Douglass 1 run (Peyton Atwood kick)

E: Connor Hunt 1 run (Cole Houck kick)

NW: Tegan Lemkau 83 pass from Austin Payne (Atwood kick)

E: Cooper Fedde 7 pass from Hunt (Houck kick)

NW: Payne 5 run (Atwood kick)

E: Houck 24 pass from from Hunt (Houck kick)

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