Breaking down the Class C-1 final
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By the Lincoln Journal Star
No. 1 The experience factor isn’t as big as it might seem: Pierce is the defending champion but the Bluejays returned just three starters. Boys Town is in its first playoff title game, but QB Isiah Gandy was a starter on the Cowboys’ state championship basketball team. “This is probably the most challenging year of my career, but because of the team coming around, it’s also the most rewarding,” said Pierce coach Mark Brahmer. “We lost just about everyone from last year and we had some injuries. Eric (Koehlmoos) missed about five games with a hamstring injury. He’s not full speed and he still hits like a brick. In the semifinals, he had four ‘Bobby Boucher’ (from the movie ‘Water Boy’) hits. That’s what we call layout hits and we give them a bottle of water.”
No. 2 Battle of the quarterbacks: Gandy is the Boys Town field general, and has thrown for 1,133 yards. Tony Lauters spearheads the Pierce attack, and has thrown for 578 yards and run for 860. “Tony was our spark plug last year. When Eric got hurt, he stepped up and has played well for us,” Brahmer said. For the Cowboys, Gandy made a quick study at QB after running cross country as a sophomore. “He has a natural throwing motion and is even-keeled,” said Boys Town coach Kevin Kush. “The kids see that he’s steady and has command of the huddle. And he throws a pretty high percentage, around 63 percent on the year.”
No. 3 Fundamentals will be a key: Both coaches emphasized eliminating mistakes like penalties and turnovers. “They are so physical on defense. Koehlmoos is an impact player, but I think he does more damage at free safety than carrying the ball,” Kush said. “If he’s lost anything (from the injury), I sure don’t notice it.” Brahmer said Boys Town also presents problems. “They’re scary-good. They look kind of mean, they look tough and they’re well-coached.”
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Q&A with â€-
Isiah Gandy, Boys Town
Gandy is the Cowboys’ quarterback and has thrown for 1,133 yards. A three-year starter in basketball, he played on the 2006 state championship team. As starter in football the past two years, he ran cross country as a sophomore.
Q: Why did you switch from cross country to football?
A: “I decided that it would help me out in the long run, with my strength. I asked Coach (Kevin) Kush if there was a spot for me and he suggested quarterback. I played Pop Warner football at home in West Palm Beach, Fla.”
Q: What was the hardest part for you that first season of football?
A: “It was a lot to remember all the plays. That’s up to the quarterback. I’m trying to carry the team and be a leader on the team and I’m getting used to it now. I’ve been team captain on basketball team for three years, so it’s not a problem now.”
Q: What are some of the things you would credit for the Cowboys’ undefeated season?
A: “It all came from practice. We had an early game with (Bishop) Neumann and it was a good matchup. I think that showed us where we were and how we fit together with unity. That game set the tone for us. It all starts with practice this week. Pierce is a real good team.”
Q: As a quarterback, are you particularly thankful for the big offensive line you have?
A: “They’ve been there all year with their work ethic in weight room. They work together and work real hard in practice. It’s paid off so much. My job is to stay calm under pressure and control the team and they give me the chance to do that.”
Q: Does having so many options on offense — running backs Kevin Barrett and Kevin Humphrey and receivers Erskin Williams and Rashaun Jones -- make your choice difficult?
A: “It’s easy, especially handing the ball off. I just let those guys and the offensive line take care of things. It is fun throwing to Erskin and watching him break tackles. Coach talks to me all the time about carrying out my fakes. But it’s hard to not watch.”
Q: Do you tuck the ball in and run very often?
A: “I try my best not to run that much. I’m supposed to throw it away or slide when I’m trying to run. If I have the chance to run, I will. But that’s why I have running backs.”
Q: What is your favorite sport?
A: “Basketball. I’ve played basketball all my life. When I was little, I really loved basketball. But I do like football. I haven’t decided which college I want to go to, but I want to play sports.”
— Ryly Jane Hambleton
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