No pity for the kitties

Four seconds remain. Five titles await. Mustangs are clinging on with a 21 to 14 advantage. One play for Millard West to tie or head home as runner-ups. A deep pass to the endzone lands short in the hands of a Wildcat receiver who is then stripped and tackled inside the five. MN brings home another trophy, number five for the Mustang faithful.

Two months prior to the November night in Memorial Stadium, the Wildcats took it to their district rival MN, handing them a 42-7 defeat. In order to get revenge in the Class A Championship, the Mustangs felt the need to reverse their fortunes.

“We felt really confident going into the championship. Week two was a learning experience. We knew we didn’t have less talent. The team has got a lot better each day,” Petito said.

The first three quarters saw the Mustangs roll out to a 21 point lead and in prime position to claim their fifth title. However, West would not go down without a fight.

“We were feeling really good at that point. We knew we could not let up at any point, though, because West is very talented,” senior quarterback Ethan Morrison said.

West battled back, capitalizing on a couple of Mustang mistakes. With six minutes remaining, the Wildcats had rallied it down to just a touchdown deficit. With just four ticks of the clock, Millard West had possession deep in MN territory trailing only seven.

“Make the play. Not a lot is going through your head at that point. I didn’t think they would score. I trust my guys. We have a great secondary. We have athletes that have proven they could get the job done,” senior fullback Jake Matthew said.

On the final play, Millard West threw a heave to the endzone, but it landed just short to a Wildcat receiver who would then be tackled by junior defensive back Dylan Price to secure the trophy.

“It was such a relief cause we had a lot of pressure there. It was huge to get revenge over West,” Price said.

The win meant not only capturing the crown, but also knocking off previously-undefeated district rival Millard West. These factors led to an ideal environment in Lincoln.

“You could see the raw emotion on the players. The fans on our side, you could hear applauding and erupting. You just can’t simulate that kind of experience,” Petito said.

For the graduating senior class, they will go out with two championships. After beginning their high school careers with an undefeated season in 2012, they will once again go out on top.

“It’s the best way to go out. It’s something we wanted to do after our freshman year. It makes it really special to be apart of this program and finish like this,” Morrison said.

When all is said and done, MN might be in the midst of one of the most dominating stretches in Nebraska high school football history. Since 2003, the Mustangs have won five state titles, in addition to a span of five consecutive appearances in the state finals.

“In the last fifteen years we have won five state championships. Petito knows how to get the job done. I think you have to call it a dynasty,” Matthew said.