Coming off their heartbreaking loss to the Central Eagles, Prep traveled to Fremont for their first game outside of Omaha since their defeat in St. Louis to De Smet Jesuit . The Junior Jays entered 0-2 in district play and were desperate for a district win before playing top-ranked powerhouse Omaha Westside.
Despite the sense of urgency, the Junior Jays were overpowered by Fremont’s tenacious rushing attack, resulting in a 28-14 defeat that pushed Prep to 0-3 in district play.
Fremont’s ground game ran right for 299 yards straight through the heart of the Junior Jay defense. Tiger quarterback Ayden Bohaboj led the charge, rushing 21 times for 156 yards and two touchdowns, all career highs. Bohaboj also threw a touchdown to wide receiver Noah Sagehorn on his lone completion. Tiger running backs Brooks Eyler and DaVarius Bell added to the attack with 90 and 60 yards, respectively, with Eyler finding the endzone as well.
The Tiger’s rushing only improved as the Prep defense got worn down. After allowing no rushes over 25 yards in the first three quarters, the Junior Jays allowed 42 and 37-yard rushing touchdowns in the final quarter. The Tiger’s rushing attack salted away the clock, ending any hope of a comeback from the Junior Jays.
After showing hope against Central, the Prep offense regressed, only scoring 14 points against Fremont. Quarterback Tony Coniglio continued to struggle to push the ball downfield. He only had two completions over 20 yards, one of which was a screen pass touchdown to running back Angelo Walker. While Coniglio found the endzone on a quarterback sneak, his rushing was much more contained against the Tigers after last week’s four-touchdown outburst.
The rushing attack was ineffective as well. After rushing for 142 yards last week, running back Jacob Ruby was stifled by the Tigers’ defensive line. After rushing for eight touchdowns in the first four games, Ruby and Walker have been unable to score from the ground in the past three affairs, all of which have been losses.
This loss comes at the worst possible time for the Junior Jays. They fall to 0-3 in district play and face #1 Omaha Westside next week in their final district matchup. The Warriors boast an offense of 45 points per game and a defense holding opponents to 9 points per game. They’ve outscored #3 Elkhorn South and Fremont 108 to 9 in their last two outings. Running back Tay Tay Jenkins is fresh off a remarkable 259-yard performance, scoring three touchdowns as well.
For the first time this season, the Junior Jays are outside the playoff picture. The Junior Jays sit at 18th in the NSAA points standings. The top 16 qualify for the playoffs. With Westside on the horizon, the Junior Jays may need to pull off a monster upset to keep their playoff hopes alive.
