Orangemen ride big plays to win over Pius X

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BY RYLY JANE HAMBLETON / Lincoln Journal Star

Justin Coleman may have been a bit worried as his pass fluttered toward Jim Higgins.

The Beatrice senior didn’t need to worry.

Higgins pulled in the ball and raced 70 yards for a touchdown on Beatrice’s second play from scrimmage Saturday.

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Pius X's Drew Welsh tries to chase down Beatrice quarterback Justin Coleman on Saturday. (Eric Gregory)

Pius X's Drew Welsh tries to chase down Beatrice quarterback Justin Coleman on Saturday. (Eric Gregory)

That play jump-started the second-ranked Orangemen, who counted on big plays to earn a 28-10 victory against No. 5 Lincoln Pius X on Saturday at Aldrich Field.

The win advances Beatrice to the Class B state championship game for the first time.

“The corner was stuck on an island out there. The play was that I’d either run or throw it,” Coleman said of the long pass play. “It was just me and him and Jim and Jim made a hell of a catch.

“We knew we were going to have to throw it a little bit because they have a great defense. They hit hard, they fly to the ball and they played great all year. We knew we’d have to hook up on some pass plays.”

Just 10 seconds later, Coleman stunned the Pius X crowd and team when he scooped up the ball after a Bolt lateral and raced 35 yards for another touchdown.

“Last week against Skutt, the same play happened with a bubble screen and I could tell that he threw it backward, but I dropped it and it went out of bounds and they got it,” Coleman said. “I’m glad I got another opportunity and I got it this time.”

Pius X had back-to-back mistakes to end a drive early in the second quarter. Drew Welsh took a handoff on a reverse and scampered 6 yards for an apparent touchdown, but it was negated by a holding penalty. On the next play, Logan Wrightsman jumped in front of a Derek Hartman pass at the goal line to end the drive.

Beatrice relied on another defensive stop late in the half and forced Pius X to settle for a 28-yard field goal by Jacob Ramsay.

“Our defense made some big plays. We had a big pick down on the goal line that was great recognition by our kids,” said Beatrice coach Bob Sexton. “And then holding them to three points right before half was big.”

The Beatrice offense, which was held to 115 total yards and two first downs in the first half, came alive on the first drive of the second half.

Coleman, operating out of the shotgun the entire drive, found Lucas Laflin for a 13-yard gain on third down, then converted another third down with a 16-yard pass to Garrett Bruhn. The Orangemen took a 21-3 lead when Coleman found Bruhn open for a 35-yard TD pass.

“I know Coach (Tim) Aylward was in there at halftime telling his kids that it would be critical to get a stop,” Sexton said. “And we were telling our kids it was critical to get a drive. We just came out and executed.”

Aylward said the big plays by Beatrice and the Thunderbolt turnovers were keys.

“It’s the two things you talk about all the time in a big game. It’s turnovers and big plays and we turned the ball over and they made big plays,” Aylward said. “That touchdown drive to start the second half was big as far as swinging momentum their way and that was the one thing we really didn’t need to have them do.”

Beatrice finished with more passing yards (164) than rushing yards (120), which was uncharacteristic for the Orangemen (11-1).

“It wasn’t that we didn’t expect them to pass. We just misplayed a couple of routes,” Aylward said. “They have a lot of people who can make big plays for them. It’s not just one guy.”

The Thunderbolts marched 55 yards in 10 plays, with Curtis Danek scoring on a 4-yard run with 8:37 left in the game. They were driving again when Higgins pounced on a fumble and the Orangemen ran out the clock for the win.

“We’re pretty excited. This is the first time in Beatrice history that we made it there (to the finals),” Coleman said. “Now we’re ready to see what we can do at Memorial Stadium.”

Reach Ryly Jane Hambleton at 473-7314 or rhambleton@journalstar.com.