Football · Preview · Class A
No. 6 Omaha North vs. No. 11 Kearney: Class A first-round breakdown
No. 6 Omaha North (8-1) hosts No. 11 Kearney (6-3) in the Class A 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.
The Class A playoffs start with No. 11 Kearney (6-3) traveling to No. 6 Omaha North (8-1).
The game is Friday, Oct. 30, at 7:00 PM CT. Reported site: Kinnick Stadium. Current Game Center and source links →
The matchup at a glance
Omaha North finished 1.7777 points ahead of Kearney in NSAA's point averages. Omaha North scored 37.3 and allowed 14.8 points a game; Kearney scored 25.0 and allowed 17.8. Omaha North's opponents went a combined 27-45, and Kearney's went 39-42.
| Omaha North | Kearney | |
|---|---|---|
| Seed | No. 6 | No. 11 |
| Record (NSAA) | 8-1 | 6-3 |
| NSAA point average | 42.4444 | 40.6667 |
| Coaches poll (Oct. 18) | No. 5 | No. 10 |
| Points scored / game | 37.3 | 25.0 |
| Points allowed / game | 14.8 | 17.8 |
| Average margin | +22.6 | +7.2 |
| vs. playoff teams | 0-1 | 2-3 |
| vs. winning teams | 0-1 | 3-3 |
| One-score games | 2-1 | 1-1 |
| Opponents' combined record | 27-45 | 39-42 |
| Last 3 games | W 27-7, W 41-16, W 41-14 | W 10-3, L 13-35, W 45-3 |
| Streak | Won 4 | Won 1 |
How Omaha North got here
Omaha North finished the regular season 8-1, scoring 336 points and allowing 133. Its only loss came against a team with a winning record: at Millard South (8-1), 49-47. Its best win by opponent was a 41-16 win over Lincoln Southeast (4-5). Against teams that made this year's playoff field, it went 0-1. It comes in on a 4-game winning streak, capped by a 41-14 win at Omaha Westview (3-6) in Week 9.
How Kearney got here
Kearney finished the regular season 6-3, scoring 225 points and allowing 160. All three losses came against teams with winning records: at Elkhorn South (6-3), 38-14; Bennington (8-1), 27-23; Creighton Prep (5-4), 35-13. Its best win by opponent was a 38-23 win over Lincoln Southwest (6-3), a playoff team. Against teams that made this year's playoff field, it went 2-3. In Week 9 it had a 45-3 win at Grand Island (1-8).
By the numbers
Shared opponent
They played one of the same opponent. Omaha North went 1-0 in those games and Kearney went 1-0. Different weeks and sites, so it's a rough guide.
| Opponent | Omaha North | Kearney |
|---|---|---|
| Lincoln East | W 34-28 | W 20-10 |
Players to watch
Season totals from MaxPreps game reports through Week 9. Not every game has a report, so treat these as minimums.
Omaha North
- D. Yancy (QB): 1,082 passing yards, 68 of 109, 14 TD, 2 INT; also 337 rushing yards
- M. Valencia: 665 rushing yards (7.7 per carry), 8 TD
- T. Porter: 658 rushing yards (9.7 per carry), 11 TD
- C. Kinman: 12 catches, 273 yards, 5 TD
- M. Riley: 52 tackles, 15.5 for loss
- R. Kellogg Jr.: 4.5 sacks
MaxPreps game reports cover 8 of its 9 games.
Kearney
- K. Kohler (QB): 908 passing yards, 76 of 124, 6 TD, 1 INT
- C. Miller: 356 rushing yards (4.3 per carry), 3 TD
- C. Cope: 18 catches, 302 yards, 2 TD
- J. Hagemann: 83 tackles, 3 for loss
- S. Lungrin: 4 sacks
- J. Cunningham: 2 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 Kearney slow Omaha North's offense? Omaha North averaged 37.3 points; Kearney allowed 17.8. Omaha North scored 30 or more in 7 of 9 games.
- Kearney's answer. It scored 25.0 a game, and Omaha North's defense allowed 14.8. In its losses, though, Kearney averaged 16.7.
- Tested against playoff teams. Omaha North went 0-1 against this year's playoff field; Kearney went 2-3.
- If it's close late. In one-score games (8 points or fewer), Omaha North was 2-1 and Kearney was 1-1.
- D. Yancy and the ball. Omaha North's quarterback threw 2 interceptions in 109 reported attempts; Kearney's J. Cunningham has 2 picks.
- Stopping M. Valencia. Omaha North's top rusher has 665 reported yards and 8 touchdowns. Kearney allowed 17.8 points a game.
What's next
The winner plays the winner of No. 3 Millard North vs. No. 14 Creighton Prep in the quarterfinals Friday, Nov. 6. Higher seeds host through the semifinals. The Class A state final is Mon., Nov. 23, 7:15 p.m., Memorial Stadium, Lincoln.
Game center: kickoff, live score and bracket path → · Full Class A bracket →
Verified state finals schedule → · Class bracket →
Omaha North team center → · Kearney 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.