BDS rips off four straight scores, coasts into second round of D2 playoffs

SHICKLEY, Neb. - One of the top teams in Nebraska 8-man football is through to the second round: #2 seed Bruning-Davenport/Shickley (9-0) scored touchdowns on four straight drives in the first half to vault past #15-seeded Lyons-Decatur Northeast (4-5) 42-18 on Thursday afternoon in Shickley in the first round of the 2024 Nebraska Class D2 playoffs.  

The Eagles come into this postseason as a team to beat, and came into Thursday’s game, one of the very first to kick off this year, strongly favored, but it was the Cougars, who had to travel nearly three hours for an afternoon game, who struck first. Lyons-Decatur forced BDS into a three-and-out on their first drive, and top tailback Gavin Hardeman finished off the next drive with a 31-yard touchdown run to give the road team a lead halfway through the first quarter.  

Perhaps slightly stunned after an uncharacteristic slow start, the Eagles quickly shook that off and steadily assumed total command of the contest. After scoring on their first possession, the Cougars punted on their next three and then turned it over on downs near midfield. Meanwhile, in that same stretch, BDS scored touchdowns on four consecutive drives, the first two from quarterback Levi Kamler and the final two from running back Carson Loos.  

BDS scored 26 straight points between the 3:18 mark of the first quarter and the 4:52 mark of the second and grabbed a 26-6 lead at the halftime break. Less than two minutes into the second half, that lead was extended when Lyons-Decatur fumbled and two plays later Loos was back in the end zone to make it 34-6. Brayden Gardner took over as the primary ball carrier down the stretch and turned in a strong fourth quarter, highlighted by a 21-yard run to cap off the scoring for the home team. 

A very senior-laden Cougar squad kept up their fight to the finish, scoring the final 12 points of the contest in the last game of the season for their many seniors. Hardeman, one of the top tailbacks in the division, scored his second before Masen Olsen linked up with Kaden Knaak for six in the final minute of the game.  

BDS knew it would be given a challenge by a battle-tested Lyons-Decatur team that plays in a strong district, and while the Eagles certainly got the challenge they were expected, they more than weathered the storm. For the #2 seed in the East region of the D2 bracket, job one is done, and BDS is back into the second round where they have been nearly every year for the last dozen seasons. The Eagles’ next opponent, location and time are still to be determined, and should be revealed during the day Friday after the rest of the games Thursday are completed. Regardless, Ol’ Red 99.5 will be there every step of the way as the Eagles continue their pursuit of another long postseason run.