DUNNING — Axtell’s run in the Class D-2 state playoffs came to an end Friday night with a 76-26 road loss against defending champion Sandhills/Thedford.
The Wildcats (5-5), who entered the game riding a five-game winning streak, took an 8-6 lead with seven minutes left in the first quarter on Elijah Bergstrom’s 1-yard touchdown run, followed by a two-point conversion run by Jake Halvorsen. However, the No. 2-rated (Omaha World-Herald) Knights (10-0) took control from there and led 52-20 at halftime.
Halvorsen rushed for 107 yards and three TDs, scoring on runs of 19, 13 and 12 yards. The senior quarterback also completed 7 of 16 pass attempts for 104 yards, but was intercepted twice.
Bergstrom added 81 yards rushing on 21 attempts, finishing his career as the school’s all-time leading rusher, while also establishing a program record for rushing yards in a season. Axtell had 313 yards of total offense, including 209 yards rushing on 50 attempts.
However, the Wildcats couldn’t keep pace with Sandhills/Thedford’s high-powered attack. The Knights, who entered the contest averaging 64 points per game, piled up 559 yards of total offense and averaged 12.2 yards per snap.
Kyle Cox was the lynchpin for the Knights, rushing 17 times for 246 yards and six TDs. The senior quarterback also completed 11 of 16 passes for 243 yards and two TDs, finding Carson Cooksley through the air six times for 137 yards as Sandhills/Thedford extended its winning streak to 19 games and advanced to face Riverside in the D-2 quarterfinals.
Sandhills/Thedford 76, Axtell 26
Axtell (5-5)…………………………..8 12 6 0—26
Sandhills/Thedford (10-0)…….20 32 16 8—76
First Quarter
S/T—Kyle Cox 54 run (pass failed), 11:44.
A—Elijah Bergstrom 1 run (Jake Halvorsen run), 7:00.
S/T—Maurice Robinson 41 run (pass failed), 5:57.
S/T—Cox 1 run (Robinson pass from Cox), :54.
Second Quarter
A—Halvorsen 19 run (run failed), 10:18.
S/T—Cox 65 run (Robinson pass from Cox), 10:05.
S/T—Cox 2 run (1 pass from 5), 6:00.
S/T—Robinson 6 run (Tyson Hickman pass from 5), 2:02.
A—Halvorsen 13 run (run failed), 1:00.
S/T—Cox 2 run (Robinson pass from Cox), :32.
Third Quarter
A—Halvorsen 12 run (pass failed), 8:26.
S/T—Cox 7 run (Carson Cooksley pass from Cox), 7:25.
S/T—Cooksley 41 pass from Cox (Robinson pass from Cox), 4:49.
Fourth Quarter
S/T—Aydyn Hall 3 pass from Cox (Robinson pass from Cox), 7:38.
