Football · Preview · Class C1
No. 7 Lincoln Christian vs. No. 10 Minden: the lower seed brings the better scoring margin
No. 7 Lincoln Christian (7-2) hosts No. 10 Minden (8-1) in the Class C1 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.
No. 7 Lincoln Christian (7-2) hosts No. 10 Minden (8-1) in the first round of the Class C1 playoffs.
The game is Friday, Oct. 30, at 7:00 PM CT. Host: Lincoln Christian. Current Game Center and source links →
The matchup at a glance
Lincoln Christian finished 0.1111 points ahead of Minden in NSAA's point averages. Lincoln Christian scored 31.9 and allowed 17.1 points a game; Minden scored 29.1 and allowed 9.0. Lincoln Christian's opponents went a combined 35-46, and Minden's went 26-55.
| Lincoln Christian | Minden | |
|---|---|---|
| Seed | No. 7 | No. 10 |
| Record (NSAA) | 7-2 | 8-1 |
| NSAA point average | 42.1111 | 42.0000 |
| Coaches poll (Oct. 18) | No. 10 | Receiving votes |
| Points scored / game | 31.9 | 29.1 |
| Points allowed / game | 17.1 | 9.0 |
| Average margin | +14.8 | +20.1 |
| vs. playoff teams | 2-2 | 2-1 |
| vs. winning teams | 2-2 | 1-1 |
| One-score games | 2-2 | 3-1 |
| Opponents' combined record | 35-46 | 26-55 |
| Last 3 games | W 66-18, W 30-13, W 43-14 | W 37-3, W 35-0, W 42-14 |
| Streak | Won 3 | Won 4 |
How Lincoln Christian got here
Lincoln Christian finished the regular season 7-2, scoring 287 points and allowing 154. Both losses came against teams with winning records: at Lincoln Lutheran (5-4), 28-26; at Syracuse (7-2), 21-14. Its best win by opponent was a 22-21 win over Wahoo (7-2), a playoff team. Against teams that made this year's playoff field, it went 2-2. It comes in on a 3-game winning streak, capped by a 43-14 win at Milford (2-7) in Week 9.
How Minden got here
Minden finished the regular season 8-1, scoring 262 points and allowing 81. Its only loss came against a team with a winning record: Adams Central (8-1), 10-7. Its best win by opponent was a 26-20 win over Alliance (5-4), a playoff team. Against teams that made this year's playoff field, it went 2-1. It comes in on a 4-game winning streak, capped by a 42-14 win over Lexington (2-7) in Week 9.
By the numbers
Shared opponent
They played one of the same opponent. Lincoln Christian went 1-0 in those games and Minden went 1-0. Different weeks and sites, so it's a rough guide.
| Opponent | Lincoln Christian | Minden |
|---|---|---|
| Milford | W 43-14 | W 52-10 |
Players to watch
Season totals from MaxPreps game reports through Week 9. Not every game has a report, so treat these as minimums.
Lincoln Christian
- C. Torell (QB): 316 passing yards, 21 of 43, 3 TD, 2 INT; also 499 rushing yards
- B. Shanle: 646 rushing yards (6.2 per carry), 7 TD
- C. Peterson: 517 rushing yards (13.3 per carry), 5 TD
- C. Hiatt: 97 tackles, 10 for loss
- I. Whitson: 5 sacks
- C. Lichti: 4 interceptions
MaxPreps game reports cover 8 of its 9 games.
Minden
- P. Hatch (QB): 649 passing yards, 45 of 97, 10 TD, 4 INT; also 1,169 rushing yards
- L. Verbeck: 633 rushing yards (6.1 per carry), 7 TD
- T. Schmidt: 10 catches, 225 yards, 4 TD
- K. Heath: 77 tackles, 13 for loss
- C. Smith: 8 sacks
- T. Schmidt: 3 interceptions
MaxPreps game reports cover 9 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 Minden slow Lincoln Christian's offense? Lincoln Christian averaged 31.9 points; Minden allowed 9.0. Lincoln Christian scored 30 or more in 4 of 9 games.
- Minden's answer. It scored 29.1 a game, and Lincoln Christian's defense allowed 17.1. In its losses, though, Minden averaged 7.0.
- Tested against playoff teams. Lincoln Christian went 2-2 against this year's playoff field; Minden went 2-1.
- If it's close late. In one-score games (8 points or fewer), Lincoln Christian was 2-2 and Minden was 3-1.
- P. Hatch and the ball. Minden's quarterback threw 4 interceptions in 97 reported attempts; Lincoln Christian's C. Lichti has 4 picks.
- Stopping P. Hatch. Minden's top rusher has 1,169 reported yards and 9 touchdowns. Lincoln Christian allowed 17.1 points a game.
What's next
The winner plays the winner of No. 2 Boys Town vs. No. 15 Alliance in the quarterfinals Friday, Nov. 6. Higher seeds host through the semifinals. The Class C1 state final is Tue., Nov. 24, 2:45 p.m., Memorial Stadium, Lincoln.
Game center: kickoff, live score and bracket path → · Full Class C1 bracket →
Verified state finals schedule → · Class bracket →
Lincoln Christian team center → · Minden 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.