ALBION — Wayne played one of its most complete games of the 2021 season Friday, but came up short in a 42-35 loss to Boone Central/Newman Grove in the first round of the Class C-1 playoffs.
Boone Central scored quickly, but Wayne answered later in the first period on a one-yard quarterback sneak by Tanner Walling to tie the score at 7-7.
In the second period, Wayne again answered a Cardinal score with one of their own as Walling hit Daniel Judd for a nine-yard touchdown pass to make it 14-14 midway through the period. Wayne took the lead after an interception by Gavin Redden led to a one-yard scramble by Walling. Yair Alcantara’s point-after kick went wide, making it 20-14.
Boone Central scored late in the first half to take a 21-20 lead into intermission, but Wayne’s defense played solid and set up the offense for another score, as Walling hit Alex Phelps on a fourth-down pass play for a 38-yard score to make it 28-21 going to the fourth.
Boone Central tied the game early in the fourth quarter, then scored on a 20-yard touchdown pass to take the lead for good at 35-28. A pick-six for a touchdown made it a two-score game, and Wayne added a final touchdown on a Walling-to-Alcantara pass from eight yards out with :35.
The Blue Devils ended the season with a 5-5 record, playing six playoff teams during the course of the season. All six of those teams — Ashland-Greenwood, Pierce, Battle Creek, Boone Central and Columbus Lakeview in Class C-1 and Norfolk Catholic in Class C-2 — won in the first round of their respective playoff games Friday night.
Class C-1 first-round results (Seed in parenthesis)
No. 1 Ashland-Greenwood def. No. 16 Adams Central, 23-12
No. 9 Pierce def. No. 8 Broken Bow, 27-14
No. 12 Battle Creek def. No. 5 Chadron, 28-20
No. 4 Columbus Scotus def. No. 13 Fort Calhoun, 35-16
No. 3 Boone Central/Newman Grove def. No. 14 Wayne, 42-35
No. 11 Columbus Lakeview def. No. 6 Milford, 42-20
No. 10 Wahoo def. No. 7 Auburn, 24-13
No. 2 Kearney Catholic def. No. 15 Boys Town, 26-0
Class C-1 Quarterfinals Friday, Nov. 5
Ashland-Greenwood at Pierce
Columbus Scotus at Battle Creek
Columbus Lakeview at Boone Central
Kearney Catholic at Wahoo
