Syracuse shuts out Neumann in C-1

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BY KEN HAMBLETON / Lincoln Journal Star

SYRACUSE — Unbeaten and fourth-ranked Syracuse really mixed things up on offense in the second half and stopped Bishop Neumann 12-0 in the quarterfinals of the Class C-1 football playoffs Monday before some 1,000 cold, wet fans.

“Not quite the complicated changes you might expect,” said Syracuse coach Rick Nordhues. “In the first half we ran to the left. In the second half, we handed off to Jake Welter on the left but had him cut back to the right.”

The change was dramatic.

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Bishop Neumann quarterback Dylan McGill looks for a receiver while Syracuse's Wade Meyer closes in. (Eric Gregory)

Bishop Neumann quarterback Dylan McGill looks for a receiver while Syracuse's Wade Meyer closes in. (Eric Gregory)

Welter, who ran for 240 yards on 33 carries, scored twice in the second half to lead the Rockets into the semifinals against Boys Town on Saturday.

“I just had to run behind the blockers,” Welter said. “They were really firing off the line. You could see in their eyes, they wanted to smash somebody straight ahead and that’s the way I ran.” Welter had 155 yards in the second half.

He scored on a six-play drive that was as simple as they come.

Welter off right tackle, breaking tackles for a 17-yard gain. Welter   off right tackle, breaking tackles for 24 more yards. Welter up the middle for five. Welter sweep right for 5. Welter up the middle for 2 and, finally, Welter through the middle for a 9-yard touchdown.

“I think we were there and he just broke tackles,” said Neumann coach Tim Turman. “That team has a lot of athleticism and Welter really showed it. And when it came to smash-mouth football, they were ready to let our guys have it every play.”

Syracuse locked up the victory, when Nick Reed intercepted a Neumann pass and returned it 30 yards to the Cavaliers’ 2-yard line, from where Welter scored with 6:05 left in the game.

“This was as much our defense as it was our offense,” Welter said. “I didn’t play much defense tonight, but from what I could see, we played as good on defense as we have all season.”

Syracuse posted its fifth shutout of the season as the Rocket defense stiffened in the first half for a pair of impressive stands. The Rockets stopped Neumann at the Syracuse 7 — on an interception by Mike Campbell — and at the 5, where the Cavs ended up missing a 24-yard field goal.

“If we get in there for one score, I think the pressure is on Syracuse,” Turman said. “But they showed that athleticism and made great plays against us right when they needed to.”

In the second half, the Syracuse defense, led by linebacker Thomas Volkmer, limited Neumann to just three first downs and 46 yards rushing.

“The defensive line and Volkmer is really a pretty good combination for defense,” said Adam Vogt, a junior who plays defensive back and quarterback. “I think they were really upset we beat them earlier this year and they came out fired up against us. But the two times they get inside our 10 and get nothing really fired our guys up.”

Nordhues said the impressive play of defensive ends Dylan Bartling, Wade Meyer and Jon Draeger helped slow down the Neumann offense.

“They really drove on us in the first quarter and first part of the second quarter and we pinched in our defensive ends and played defense as intense as we ever have,” he said. “There’s a lot of heart in our defense. That can get you a lot.”

Reach Ken Hambleton at 473-7313 or khambleton@journalstar.com.