Football · Preview · Class D2
No. 1 Shelby-Rising City vs. No. 16 Fullerton: a rematch of Shelby-Rising City's 42-6 win on Aug. 28
No. 1 Shelby-Rising City (9-0) hosts No. 16 Fullerton (5-4) in the Class D2 first round Fri., Oct. 30. Stats, charts, players to watch, history and keys to the game.
Publication check, Oct. 28: Current NSAA seeds, records and point averages checked; kickoff and host details synchronized with the verified site schedule. Season statistics and chart reporting remain the dated Week9 draft snapshot, not a new full-season audit.
Seeds, records and point averages: NSAA's official bracket, Oct. 24, 2026. Scores: NSAA finals. Player stats: MaxPreps game reports through Week 9. Coaches poll: Hurrdat Sports, Oct. 18.
Shelby-Rising City and Fullerton have already seen each other this season: on Aug. 28, Shelby-Rising City won 42-6. Now they meet again with the season on the line.
The game is Friday, Oct. 30, at 7:00 PM CT. Host: Shelby-Rising City. Current Game Center and source links →
The matchup at a glance
Shelby-Rising City finished 7.3334 points ahead of Fullerton in NSAA's point averages. Shelby-Rising City scored 48.0 and allowed 19.6 points a game; Fullerton scored 36.9 and allowed 27.3. Shelby-Rising City's opponents went a combined 41-40, and Fullerton's went 41-40.
| Shelby-Rising City | Fullerton | |
|---|---|---|
| Seed | No. 1 | No. 16 |
| Record (NSAA) | 9-0 | 5-4 |
| NSAA point average | 45.7778 | 38.4444 |
| Coaches poll (Oct. 18) | No. 2 | Not ranked |
| Points scored / game | 48.0 | 36.9 |
| Points allowed / game | 19.6 | 27.3 |
| Average margin | +28.4 | +9.6 |
| vs. playoff teams | 5-0 | 0-4 |
| vs. winning teams | 5-0 | 0-4 |
| One-score games | 1-0 | — |
| Opponents' combined record | 41-40 | 41-40 |
| Last 3 games | W 40-22, W 48-14, W 30-27 | W 48-14, W 78-26, W 34-8 |
| Streak | Won 9 | Won 4 |
How Shelby-Rising City got here
Shelby-Rising City went through the regular season 9-0 and outscored opponents 432-176. Its closest game was a 30-27 win at Aquinas Catholic (6-3). Its best win by opponent was a 44-20 win over Neligh-Oakdale (7-2), a playoff team. Against teams that made this year's playoff field, it went 5-0. It comes in on a 9-game winning streak, capped by a 30-27 win at Aquinas Catholic (6-3) in Week 9.
How Fullerton got here
Fullerton finished the regular season 5-4, scoring 332 points and allowing 246. All four losses came against teams with winning records: at Shelby-Rising City (9-0), 42-6; at Lawrence-Nelson (9-0), 62-22; Aquinas Catholic (6-3), 39-20; at BDS (6-3), 27-6. Its best win by opponent was a 48-14 win at Superior (4-5). Against teams that made this year's playoff field, it went 0-4. It comes in on a 4-game winning streak, capped by a 34-8 win at Kenesaw (2-7) in Week 9.
By the numbers
Shared opponents
They played two of the same opponents. Shelby-Rising City went 2-0 in those games and Fullerton went 1-1. Different weeks and sites, so it's a rough guide.
| Opponent | Shelby-Rising City | Fullerton |
|---|---|---|
| Aquinas Catholic * | W 30-27 | L 20-39 |
| Humphrey-Lindsay | W 62-16 | W 44-0 |
Players to watch
Season totals from MaxPreps game reports through Week 9. Not every game has a report, so treat these as minimums.
Shelby-Rising City
- C. Eickmeier: 1,702 rushing yards (9.4 per carry), 35 TD
- J. Vrbka: 422 rushing yards (9.6 per carry), 5 TD
- J. Vrbka: 76 tackles, 11 for loss
- D. Micek: 5 sacks
- L. Donner: 3 interceptions
MaxPreps game reports cover 8 of its 9 games.
Fullerton
- C. Dubas (QB): 430 passing yards, 42 of 63, 5 TD, 1 INT; also 907 rushing yards
- I. Supik: 332 rushing yards (6.0 per carry), 4 TD
- K. Horn: 22 catches, 211 yards, 2 TD
- L. Glup: 83 tackles, 1 for loss
- I. Supik: 3 interceptions
MaxPreps game reports cover 8 of its 9 games.
Historical program and playoff-series claims are withheld pending school-identity verification. Current-season reporting above is unaffected.
Keys to the game
- Can Fullerton slow Shelby-Rising City's offense? Shelby-Rising City averaged 48.0 points; Fullerton allowed 27.3. Shelby-Rising City scored 30 or more in 9 of 9 games.
- Fullerton's answer. It scored 36.9 a game, and Shelby-Rising City's defense allowed 19.6. In its losses, though, Fullerton averaged 13.5.
- Tested against playoff teams. Shelby-Rising City went 5-0 against this year's playoff field; Fullerton went 0-4.
- If it's close late. Fullerton hasn't played a one-score game (8 points or fewer) this season. Shelby-Rising City is 1-0 in them.
- C. Dubas and the ball. Fullerton's quarterback threw 1 interception in 63 reported attempts; Shelby-Rising City's L. Donner has 3 picks.
- Stopping C. Eickmeier. Shelby-Rising City's top rusher has 1,702 reported yards and 35 touchdowns. Fullerton allowed 27.3 points a game.
What's next
The winner plays the winner of No. 8 Hemingford vs. No. 9 Aquinas Catholic in the quarterfinals Friday, Nov. 6. Higher seeds host through the semifinals. The Class D2 state final is Monday, Nov. 23 at 10:15 a.m. Central at Memorial Stadium, Lincoln.
Game center: kickoff, live score and bracket path → · Full Class D2 bracket →
Verified state finals schedule → · Class bracket →
Shelby-Rising City team center → · Fullerton team center →
Nebraska football scores and schedules → · Football playoff tracker →
Result note: a 1–0 entry is shown as listed by NSAA. It is not treated as evidence of an on-field score or a confirmed forfeit.