Pius X defense totally shuts down SkyHawks
Adam Kerr spent nearly as much time in the Omaha Skutt backfield as the SkyHawk offense.
Kerr, who had five tackles for loss, spearheaded a Lincoln Pius X defense that allowed Skutt just 64 yards of total offense.
That also allowed the Thunderbolts, ranked fifth in Class B, to post a 26-0 victory against 10th-ranked Skutt on Friday before an overflow homecoming crowd.
“I started reading the linemen and figured not to just bull rush up the field,” said Kerr, a 195-pound nose guard.
And when he wasn’t sacking Skutt quarterback Christian Dudzik, he was flushing the junior back to his teammates.
Skutt had just 4 yards rushing before the final series, when the Pius X first-team defense left the field, and finished with 42 yards on 23 carries.
“They dominated us in the running game and in our passing game. I’d say that’s the best team we’ve played,” said Skutt coach Matt Turman, whose SkyHawks have also lost to No. 3 Omaha Gross and defending state champion Crete.
Things started slowly for the Thunderbolts (4-1). Skutt marched 32 yards before coming up short on a 50-yard field goal on its first possession. But the SkyHawks didn’t pick up another first down until the third quarter.
The Pius X offense was limited to just 8 total yards in the first quarter, but then things turned around. Quarterback Derek Hartman had a 20-yard run to spark a nine-play drive that Jacob Ramsay capped with a 24-yard field goal.
The Bolts increased their lead to 10-0 by halftime. Curtis Danek bulled his way for a 5-yard touchdown after Hartman once again broke free for a 22-yard run on the drive.
“A couple of big runs got our linemen confident that we could do it,” said Hartman, who finished with 73 yards rushing and 56 through the air on 6-of-12 passing.
“Our guards started realizing what their linebackers were doing and that got our running game going,” said Kerr, who also plays in the offensive line.
The Thunderbolts finished with 217 yards on the ground after a 3-yard total in the first quarter.
“It was a matter of patience. Each time the offensive line came off the field, Coach (Jim) Hansen would sit them down and talk about what was happening,” Pius X coach Tim Aylward said. “We made some subtle changes — they were spinning off blocks.
“We just kept getting more confident. It’s been hard to run the ball on them the last few years.”
It was the Thunderbolts’ first win against Skutt in the last six meetings.
Pius X got a safety in the third quarter. J.J. Jara and Sam Thiele tackled punter Ryan Hildebrandt in the end zone after the ball was snapped over his head.
After a 43-yard return by Drew Welsh on the ensuing kick, Pius X needed just four plays to score. Hartman lobbed an 11-yard pass to tight end Alex Jones for the touchdown.
“The defense was really solid. Adam Kerr has been that way all season,” Aylward said. “Nobody can block him. He’s a wrestler, so he’s quick, has good balance, is agile and understands leverage.
“We knew we had to control Dudzik to control them and we kept him from making any big plays on us.”
Reach Ryly Jane Hambleton at 473-7314 or rhambleton@journalstar.com.
Kerr, who had five tackles for loss, spearheaded a Lincoln Pius X defense that allowed Skutt just 64 yards of total offense.
That also allowed the Thunderbolts, ranked fifth in Class B, to post a 26-0 victory against 10th-ranked Skutt on Friday before an overflow homecoming crowd.
“I started reading the linemen and figured not to just bull rush up the field,” said Kerr, a 195-pound nose guard.
And when he wasn’t sacking Skutt quarterback Christian Dudzik, he was flushing the junior back to his teammates.
Skutt had just 4 yards rushing before the final series, when the Pius X first-team defense left the field, and finished with 42 yards on 23 carries.
“They dominated us in the running game and in our passing game. I’d say that’s the best team we’ve played,” said Skutt coach Matt Turman, whose SkyHawks have also lost to No. 3 Omaha Gross and defending state champion Crete.
Things started slowly for the Thunderbolts (4-1). Skutt marched 32 yards before coming up short on a 50-yard field goal on its first possession. But the SkyHawks didn’t pick up another first down until the third quarter.
The Pius X offense was limited to just 8 total yards in the first quarter, but then things turned around. Quarterback Derek Hartman had a 20-yard run to spark a nine-play drive that Jacob Ramsay capped with a 24-yard field goal.
The Bolts increased their lead to 10-0 by halftime. Curtis Danek bulled his way for a 5-yard touchdown after Hartman once again broke free for a 22-yard run on the drive.
“A couple of big runs got our linemen confident that we could do it,” said Hartman, who finished with 73 yards rushing and 56 through the air on 6-of-12 passing.
“Our guards started realizing what their linebackers were doing and that got our running game going,” said Kerr, who also plays in the offensive line.
The Thunderbolts finished with 217 yards on the ground after a 3-yard total in the first quarter.
“It was a matter of patience. Each time the offensive line came off the field, Coach (Jim) Hansen would sit them down and talk about what was happening,” Pius X coach Tim Aylward said. “We made some subtle changes — they were spinning off blocks.
“We just kept getting more confident. It’s been hard to run the ball on them the last few years.”
It was the Thunderbolts’ first win against Skutt in the last six meetings.
Pius X got a safety in the third quarter. J.J. Jara and Sam Thiele tackled punter Ryan Hildebrandt in the end zone after the ball was snapped over his head.
After a 43-yard return by Drew Welsh on the ensuing kick, Pius X needed just four plays to score. Hartman lobbed an 11-yard pass to tight end Alex Jones for the touchdown.
“The defense was really solid. Adam Kerr has been that way all season,” Aylward said. “Nobody can block him. He’s a wrestler, so he’s quick, has good balance, is agile and understands leverage.
“We knew we had to control Dudzik to control them and we kept him from making any big plays on us.”
Reach Ryly Jane Hambleton at 473-7314 or rhambleton@journalstar.com.
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