#2 Class 2A Nemaha Central 35    #2 Class 3A Holton 28

It was another epic battle of Big 7 leaders to start the season in a game that featured four lead changes and one tie with Nemaha Central avenging last second field goal losses the past two years to beat Holton 35-28 in the 2022 season opener. The Thunder only trailed twice by a single point and rode the back of senior Cooper Hajek (6'2, 220), who ran for 201 yards on 25 carries and scored four touchdowns. More than half those yards were after contact as Hajek followed his big offensive line continuously running through and dragging Holton defenders downfield all night.

Both teams certainly had missed opportunities, but for Holton, it was a costly interception thrown on their second offensive play of the game after getting the ball at the Thunder 26-yard-line following a botched punt snap by NC. Holton then tried a fake punt on their second possession but failed and gave the Thunder a short 36 yard field in which they Brayden Uphaus immediately found Gavin Cain fora 26-yard TD pass to make it 13-0 with 3:12 left in the first quarter.

The Wildcats got on the board when Garyson Booth broke a 92 yard touchdown run then in the second quarter Jayden Fletcher ran in a score from seven yards out and Holton took the 14-13 lead.  Nemaha Central fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Holton drove the ball  drove inside the Nemaha 10-yard-line before halftime but came away without any points.  Then getting a third straight possession, the Wildcats went three-and-out upon receiving the second half kickoff.

Both teams scored a pair of touchdowns in the third period, but Holton still led 28-27 entering the final frame as Nemaha missed their second extra point of the contest. Yet, the Thunder got a score and a stop in the fourth quarter as NC punched three straight drives in the endzone and were not stopped in the second half except when they ran out the clock on the final drive when they converted a pair of third downs following a Holton punt and ran the final 4:44 off the clock. 

Nemaha Central totaled 395 yards as Uphaus was 10-14 throwing for 126 yards and Cain had 93 of those receiving yards on five receptions as well as catching a coupon two-point-conversions. One of those was following the final touchdown of the night to give Nemaha the 35-28 lead with just under 10 minutes remaining. Uphaus ran for 67 yards on 11 carries and the Thunder certainly won the battle in trenches on both sides of the football to improve to 1-0 in their first win against Holton since 2018. NC will host Royal Valley (0-1) next week as they look to claim their first Big 7 League title since 2017. 

Holton also battled several cramping issues in the second half as starting backs Fletcher and Booth struggled to stay on both sides of the field. Booth finished with 124 yards on just five carries and Fletcher had 110 yards on 16 totes, but just four touches for 27 yards in the second half. The Wildcats ran for all 373 of their total yards as Caleb Hernandez had 53 yards and Jace Boswell added 14 runs for 44 and both seniors scored a second half touchdown.

It was the eighth straight game in this series decided by 14 or less and four of the last five have come down to a single possession. Holton will host Sabetha (1-0) in week two.