LINCOLN, Nebraska, Nov. 25 — The No. 38 Millard South [Omaha, NE] Patriots have dominated Nebraska's prep football ranks in 2025, but they've still got one more game to go in defense of their 2024 state championship.
The Patriots won the title last year with a 27-10 win over the Omaha [NE] Westside Warriors in the championship game to cap a 12-1 season. They enter this year's title game with an 11-1 record and a chance to match last year's record albeit in quite different fashion.
Last year Millard South lost its season opener, 39-25, to the Basha [Chandler, AZ] Bears, an Arizona powerhouse that is competing for a state title in Arizona this season with their next game scheduled for Saturday evening in the AIA's Open Division semifinals. This edition of the Patriots actually beat an out-of-state power in the season opener on August 29, throttling the Arbor View [Las Vegas, NV] Aggies, 49-7.
Then in September, it was announced that Millard South would have to forfeit the game for playing an ineligible player. While it didn't keep the Patriots from winning out and advancing to the state championship game, it did prevent this team from possibly finishing 13-0. It also ended a 12-game win streak that would currently stand at 24 games.
The good news for the Patriots is that it hasn't otherwise affected them on the field, and they've spent several weeks in the composite rankings due to their Top 25 position in the Massey Ratings. They are currently ranked No. 19 on that list, and the game with Arbor View still stands as a point of comparison to determine Millard South's relative strength to other teams on the national scene. The Aggies will play the No. 7/SN No. 9 Bishop Gorman [Las Vegas, NV] Gaels for Nevada's NIAA Open Division state championship.
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|| SECOND QUARTER ||
And this first half couldn't end fast enough for the Titans who have only 4 total yards at the half. Fortunately, they'll have a running clock in the second half to limit the damage from here out.
HALFTIME — Millard South 49, Papillion-LaVista South 0
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Thomalla gets his seventh touchdown pass of the first half, and after making his first 99 PATs of the season, Fajardo has a PAT blocked for his second failed attempt of the game.
2ND QTR — Millard South 49, Papillion-LaVista South 0
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Everything that can go wrong for Papillion-LaVista South is going wrong. This time it's a blocked punt for a safety, and Millard South adds two points. They'll get the ball, too, with a chance to hang half a hundred on the Titans in the first half.
2ND QTR — Millard South 43, Papillion-LaVista South 0
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It's Thomalla to Jackson again from 39 yards out. Thomalla has thrown six first-half touchdowns with three going to Zech and two to Jackson. Meanwhile, the Titans have negative 2 yards of offense to this point. We are in position for this game to move to a running clock in the second half.
2ND QTR — Millard South 41, Papillion-LaVista South 0
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Thomalla finds Amarion Jackson for yet another touchdown, and Fajardo gets that 100th PAT this time.
2ND QTR – Millard South 34, Papillion-LaVista South 0
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If you're wondering about the running clock rule in Nebraska, it would start in the second half at any point a team is up by at least 35 points. So, that missed extra point could save the Titans for now, if the Patriots score again and choose to kick the PAT.
END OF 1ST QTR — Millard South 27, Papillion-LaVista South 0
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|| FIRST QUARTER ||
And that's the end of the first quarter.
END OF 1ST QTR — Millard South 27, Papillion-LaVista South 0
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Thomalla finds Isaac Jensen on a 6-yard scoring toss. Dave Fajardo misses his first PAT of the season after going 99-for-99, including the first extra points in this game.
1ST QTR — Millard South 27, Papillion-LaVista South 0
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Millard South gets the ball back, and takes 36 seconds to go 71 yards in three plays. Zech has his third touchdown of the game on a 41-yard reception, and he already has 112 receiving yards in the first quarter.
1ST QTR —Millard South 21, Papillion-LaVista South 0
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And just like that, it's Thomalla to Zech again this time from 39 yards out. The Titans are trying to take away the deep throws by playing a zone and keeping receivers underneath, but they've lost track of Zech twice. And they've paid the price.
1ST QTR — Millard South 14, Papillion-LaVista South 0
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After a quick drive by Papillion-LaVista South, Millard South takes over and goes 9 plays and 75 yards for the opening score. It's a 32-yard strike by Jett Thomalla to fellow senior Owen Zech.
1ST QTR — Millard South 7, Papillion-LaVista South 0
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They're under way in Lincoln, Nebraska!
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Coming soon!
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