Football · Preview · Class D6
No. 4 Diller-Odell vs. No. 13 Sterling: a rematch of Diller-Odell's 22-6 win on Oct. 9
No. 4 Diller-Odell (7-1) hosts No. 13 Sterling (5-3) in the Class D6 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.
Diller-Odell and Sterling have already seen each other this season: on Oct. 9, Diller-Odell won 22-6. Now they meet again with the season on the line.
The game is Friday, Oct. 30, at 7:00 PM CT. Reported site: Diller. Current Game Center and source links →
The matchup at a glance
Diller-Odell finished 3.5000 points ahead of Sterling in NSAA's point averages. Diller-Odell scored 35.3 and allowed 9.1 points a game; Sterling scored 32.9 and allowed 26.0. Diller-Odell's opponents went a combined 32-32, and Sterling's went 33-31.
| Diller-Odell | Sterling | |
|---|---|---|
| Seed | No. 4 | No. 13 |
| Record (NSAA) | 7-1 | 5-3 |
| NSAA point average | 43.7500 | 40.2500 |
| Coaches poll (Oct. 18) | No. 10 | Not ranked |
| Points scored / game | 35.3 | 32.9 |
| Points allowed / game | 9.1 | 26.0 |
| Average margin | +26.1 | +6.9 |
| vs. playoff teams | 3-1 | 1-3 |
| vs. winning teams | 4-1 | 1-3 |
| One-score games | — | 1-0 |
| Opponents' combined record | 32-32 | 33-31 |
| Last 3 games | W 40-0, W 22-6, W 25-6 | L 6-22, W 49-0, W 38-34 |
| Streak | Won 6 | Won 2 |
How Diller-Odell got here
Diller-Odell finished the regular season 7-1, scoring 247 points and allowing 64. Its only loss came against a team with a winning record: Red Cloud (7-1), 18-6. Against teams that made this year's playoff field, it went 3-1. It comes in on a 6-game winning streak, capped by a 25-6 win over Lewiston (6-2) in Week 9. Its record also includes one 1-0 result (forfeit), left out of the scoring numbers. The defense posted two shutouts.
How Sterling got here
Sterling finished the regular season 5-3, scoring 230 points and allowing 182. All three losses came against teams with winning records: Riverside (7-1), 60-15; at Meridian (5-3), 40-20; Diller-Odell (7-1), 22-6. Against teams that made this year's playoff field, it went 1-3. In Week 9 it had a 38-34 win at Lewiston (6-2). NSAA lists Sterling at 5-3. Our score data doesn't have its Sept. 5 at Parkview Christian result yet, so the per-game numbers here cover 7 games.
By the numbers
Shared opponents
They played three of the same opponents. Diller-Odell went 3-0 in those games and Sterling went 2-1. Different weeks and sites, so it's a rough guide.
| Opponent | Diller-Odell | Sterling |
|---|---|---|
| Lewiston * | W 25-6 | W 38-34 |
| Meridian * | W 40-0 | L 20-40 |
| Pawnee City | W 49-0 | W 49-0 |
Players to watch
Season totals from MaxPreps game reports through Week 9. Not every game has a report, so treat these as minimums.
Diller-Odell
- L. Penner (QB): 807 passing yards, 36 of 77, 11 TD, 5 INT
- P. Humphreys: 777 rushing yards (7.1 per carry), 14 TD
- J. Behrends: 7 catches, 205 yards, 2 TD
- P. Humphreys: 86 tackles, 13 for loss
- C. Heidemann: 5 sacks
- J. Behrends: 3 interceptions
MaxPreps game reports cover 7 of its 8 games.
Sterling
- R. Bredthauer: 780 rushing yards (8.4 per carry), 10 TD
- R. Bredthauer: 45 tackles
- B. Kaster: 4 sacks
MaxPreps game reports cover 6 of its 7 games.
Historical program and playoff-series claims are withheld pending school-identity verification. Current-season reporting above is unaffected.
Keys to the game
- Can Sterling slow Diller-Odell's offense? Diller-Odell averaged 35.3 points; Sterling allowed 26.0. Diller-Odell scored 30 or more in 4 of 7 games.
- Sterling's answer. It scored 32.9 a game, and Diller-Odell's defense allowed 9.1. In its losses, though, Sterling averaged 13.7.
- Tested against playoff teams. Diller-Odell went 3-1 against this year's playoff field; Sterling went 1-3.
- If it's close late. Diller-Odell hasn't played a one-score game (8 points or fewer) this season. Sterling is 1-0 in them.
- L. Penner and the ball. Diller-Odell's quarterback threw 5 interceptions in 77 reported attempts.
- Stopping R. Bredthauer. Sterling's top rusher has 780 reported yards and 10 touchdowns. Diller-Odell allowed 9.1 points a game.
What's next
The winner plays the winner of No. 5 Red Cloud vs. No. 12 Hay Springs in the quarterfinals Friday, Nov. 6. In D6, hosting after the first round follows NSAA's alternating rule: a team that was the visitor in its previous game hosts a team that was home; otherwise the higher point average hosts. The Class D6 state final is Fri., Nov. 20, 7 p.m., Cope Stadium, Kearney.
Game center: kickoff, live score and bracket path → · Full Class D6 bracket →
Verified state finals schedule → · Class bracket →
Diller-Odell team center → · Sterling 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.