Even though Millard North knew what was coming, there seemed no way to stop Lincoln Southwest's two-headed monster of Rylan Cotton and Jeff Seybold.

Cotton ran for 159 yards and two touchdowns. Seybold ran 136 yards and a TD, and caught a 26-yard scoring pass from Cotton to help Lincoln Southwest upend No. 9 Millard North 32-21 Friday in the first round of the Class A state playoffs at Seacrest Field.

"Nothing we didn't expect," said Millard North coach Fred Petito. "They are good football players and they made plays even though we didn't see anything we didn't expect."

Southwest (6-4) will play rival and second-ranked Lincoln Southeast next Friday at Seacrest Field in the second round.

"This was huge, but playing Southeast will be even bigger," Cotton said. "Winning in the playoffs is special, and I'm glad we get a chance to play Southeast now."

The Silver Hawks didn't dither. They scored on a 10-play, 74-yard opening drive as Cotton and Seybold split the carries. Cotton scored on a 2-yard dive.

Millard North (5-5) answered with a 10-play, 73-yard scoring drive that Jacob Bergmeier capped with a 5-yard run to tie the game.

That didn't last long, as Vino Brown returned the ensuing kickoff 84 yards for a touchdown and Southwest scored on its next three possessions before the end of the half to take a 32-14 halftime lead.

Cotton scored on a 70-yard quarterback draw, then Seybold ducked one tackler, stiff-armed another, juked two more and dragged another into the end zone on a 24-yard touchdown run.

Millard North ground out a long touchdown drive, but Southwest struck again after taking the kickoff with 19 seconds left at its 37-yard line.

Cotton hit Brown on a 37-yard pass, then, with time running out, hit Seybold on a 26-yard touchdown pass that Seybold willed into the end zone from the 2.

"Our line keeps getting better and better," Cotton said. Southwest ground out 316 yards rushing, including bad punt snaps that cost 45 yards, and 76 passing, compared with 287 rushing yards for Millard North.

Southwest coach Mark King said the key is teams must tackle Seybold and Cotton.

"That sounds like an understatement, but to 'tackle' those guys means wrapping up and securing them to the ground," King said. "We finally have an offensive line together for the last three weeks and they are getting a lot better, too."

King praised the play of tackles Spencer Mullins and Matt Robertson, guards Robert Krapfl and Brennan Johnson and center Zach Martin. "We've been through a lot of linemen this year but we have had kids step up and help get us this far," King said.

Reach Ken Hambleton at 473-7313 or khambleton@journalstar.com.

Highlights: Lincoln Southwest vs. Millard North