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HARTINGTON — A late punch and a last-second pick broke a 29-year drought for Cedar Catholic.
Until Friday night’s heroics, the Trojans had not tasted victory against Albion Boone Central since 1996.
The Trojans’ Breiton Whitmire powered across the goal line with 1:08 to play, and Bodie Hochstein sealed it with an interception 32 seconds later as the Trojans edged Boone Central 21-14 in Friday’s showdown of top-five Class C-2 teams at Russ Hochstein Field. The win propelled Cedar to first place in both the Omaha World Herald and Huskerland Prep Report in Class C2 football polls. “I was really proud of the way our guys kept after it,” Cedar Catholic coach Chad Cattau said. “We had some cramps late, but guys stepped up. We showed a lot of heart tonight.” Boone Central had tied the game at 14 on a 1-yard plunge by Kade Hudson with 10:22 left. Whitmire answered immediately with a kickoff return to the Cedar Catholic 44, and the Trojans went to work. Whitmire, Brady Hochstein and Micah Cattau churned out yards behind a surging line before Whitmire finished the drive for the go-ahead score. “I just got the final touch,” Whitmire said. “Our line did all the work. I took the ball and ran. They were a great team — we just outlasted them.” “I felt like our conditioning made the difference,” he added. “A lot of us play both ways, and you could feel our line taking over.” “You could tell they were getting a little tired,” Brady Hochstein said. “We didn’t want to lose. We got together and went on a drive. The line was great. Everyone was great.” The Cardinals had one more chance. Hudson completed a couple of passes on the ensuing possession before Bodie Hochstein stepped in front of a throw for the clinching interception with 32 seconds remaining. Boone Central struck first, with Hudson finding Kaden Miller on a 6-yard touchdown pass after connections to Brogan Benes set up the drive. Cedar Catholic answered at the horn before halftime, with Hunter Bensen returning a blocked field goal for a touchdown to lead 7-6 at the break.
Whitmire extended the lead early in the third quarter with an 18-yard run to make it 14-6. Hudson’s fourth-quarter score and conversion pulled Boone Central even before the Trojans’ decisive march.
“We had some lapses defending the pass,” Coach Cattau said. “But in the second half, the kids really came through and performed like we wanted them to.” Whitmire agreed: “We needed to work on our pass defense, and we did a lot better after halftime.”
Up next: Boone Central hosts Norfolk Catholic in Albion on Friday. Cedar Catholic travels to Wayne; the Blue Devils fell to Omaha Roncalli 20-2 in Week 1.
Boone Central 0 6 0 8 — 14 Cedar Catholic 7 7 0 7 — 21 Cedar Boone Central Pass 3-7-38 20-39-219 Rush 42-188 15-39 Ttl yds 226 256 3rd Down Conv 6-14 2-8 TOs 1 1
PASSING
Cedar - Grady Haberer, 3-7-38. BC - K Hudson, 20-31-219.
RUSHING
Cedar - Breiton Whitmire, 15-81; Booker Hochstein, 11-49; Keaton Keiser, 3-23; Hunter Bensen, 6-18; Micah Cattau, 3-9; Grady Haberer, 4-8. BC - B. Benes, 8-50; K. Hudson, 7- -11.
RECEIVING
Cedar - Micah Cattau, 1-20; Booker Hochstein, 1-14; Cooper Hochstein, 1-5. BC - W. Robertson, 5-88; K. Miller, 8-75; J. Miller, 2-21; B. Benes, 3-18; C. Andreasen, 2-17.
TACKLES
Cedar - Easton Hochstein, 9; Brady Hochstein, 8; Micah Cattau, 6; Breiton Whitmire, 5; Bodie Hochstein, 5; Hunter Bensen, 5; Mason Baller, 4; Sam Wiebelhaus, 4; Will Steffen, 3; Booker Hochstein, 3; Hunter Kuchta, 3; Jared Rutar, 2; Teyton Dendinger, 1; Quinn Hochstein, 1. BC - D. Dozler, 11; B. Benes, 9; C. Andreasen, 9; K. Miller, 6; W. Roberts, 5; J. Miller, 5; C. Spangler, 5.
