With the first few weeks of school crossed off the calendar, it was only so long before Creighton Prep football got back to the field. Fans were buzzing with excitement, players were geared up, and morale was high for the season opener.
However, that soon came crumbling down.
Looking for redemption after last year’s playoff loss, Creighton Prep football faced a crushing 48-7 defeat against De Smet Jesuit (Missouri) in the inaugural Jesuit Classic.
After both teams stalled out their opening drives, the Spartans shifted into high-gear and started what would end as 5 consecutive touchdown drives in the first half. Spartan quarterback Dillon Duff was impeccable, going 13-14 and tallying 282 yards and 4 touchdowns in the first half alone. His favorite target, Nathan Hatcher, ended with a game-high 9 catches for 187 yards and 2 touchdowns, including a 61-yard bomb. The Junior Jay defense could not contain the Spartan’s relentless attack.
The other side of the ball did not fare much better for the Junior Jays. The first half saw the Junior Jay offense muster only 25 yards and a single first down. Quarterback Tony Coniglio ended with 14 attempts for only 48 yards, including a pick-six to Spartan linebacker Quincy Byas. The running game faltered, accumulating just 21 rushing yards at less than one yard per attempt
The Junior Jays went into the locker room down an insurmountable 48-0.
The second half saw more success from the Junior Jay defense. While the offense continued to struggle, they got on the board with a late 66-yard touchdown pass from Elijah Cannon to Jackson Wurgler.
Head Coach Tim Johnk acknowledged De Smet’s outstanding performance, stating, “We’re not going to play a better football team. There are good teams in Omaha, but they’re not this”.
There aren’t many positives to take from this game. Aside from the 66-yard touchdown to Wurgler, the offense was ineffective. The defense, while good in the second half, was torn up by Duff in the first half.
The Junior Jays have much to analyze, both for their upcoming game against Burke and for their rematch with De Smet on August 30, 2025. De Smet comes to Omaha next year for the 2nd Jesuit Classic.
Following such a tough loss, football coaches often resort to various rituals, from extensively studying mistakes to even burying the film (literally). Regardless of their approach, the Junior Jays have significant improvements to make before facing their Nebraskan opponents.
THIS WEEK: vs Burke (@Phelps Field)
