Class C1 State Championship - Pierce vs. Aurora

The Class C1 championship was a battle of two undefeated heavyweight teams. Pierce led by the dynamic duo of [player_tooltip player_id='217056' first='Abram' last='Scholting'] and Ben Brahmer met the tough running of [player_tooltip player_id='217059' first='Carlos' last='Collazo'] and the Aurora Huskies.   The game went back and forth in the first half with both teams exchanging touchdowns. QB [player_tooltip player_id='239034' first='Drew' last='Knust'] ran in the first score of the game. Pierce answered back with a Scholting to Brahmer touchdown connection. Each team's RB scored a touchdown with Collazo scoring for Aurora and [player_tooltip player_id='245896' first='Keenan' last='Valverde'] tying the game back up. Both teams went into the half tied 14-14 and feeling confident. However, Pierce's Ben Brahmer came out HOT in the second half, going off for two long touchdown receptions. Scores from Croghan to Colby Anderson and a [player_tooltip player_id='245896' first='Keenan' last='Valverde'] rushing touchdown in between Brahmer's TDs padded their lead. The Pierce defense was able to shut down the Aurora offense which was forced to change its tempo after falling behind. The Bluejays won the game 40-14 and captured their second state championship in three years.   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide"/>   Game MVP:   Ben Brahmer | 2023 | WR/TE | Pierce | Nebraska Commit   Talk about going out with a BANG! Nebraska commit, Ben Brahmer, saved his best for last with a huge game in the state championship. Brahmer caught all 11 of his targets for 249 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns. His 46-yard receiving touchdown in the third quarter broke the game open. Brahmer showed off his game-breaking athleticism and big play ability that made him such a heavy target for the Huskers. Ben did a great job getting open and finding the soft spots in the coverage. He was also a menace on defense as he recorded 6 tackles, 3 pass breakups, and an interception. Dominant performance!   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/NebPublicMedia/status/1595183329841741826?s=20&t=gYB78yAx9sKbGxkBWXXUOe0P03IBgyl1wYAPbNn0JtY </div></figure>   Pierce Standouts:   [player_tooltip player_id='217056' first='Abram' last='Scholting'] | 2023 | QB | 6'0" 180 lbs   Pierce QB [player_tooltip player_id='217056' first='Abram' last='Scholting'] was his usual efficient, surgical self in the championship game. Scholting finished the night completing 14 of 18 passes for 270 passing yards and 3 touchdowns. Under the bright lights and against an elite defense, Abram remained poised and had one of the more impressive games of his career. He's had games with more yards and touchdowns, but the way he was finding open receivers and maneuvering the pocket on the biggest stage was a sight to see. Abram's ball placement and ability to fit the ball into tight windows are top-tier. He has a big arm and dropped some beautiful deep balls right in the bucket to Ben Brahmer for long touchdowns. I've said for a while now, Abram is one of the most underrated prospects in this year's crop of recruits.    [player_tooltip player_id='245896' first='Keenan' last='Valverde'] | 2024 | RB | 5'7" 145 lbs   Running against this Aurora defense was going to be a tough task but the Pierce offense still found a way to be productive. Keenan did a great job rushing outside the tackles and attacking the edges. Valverde is a very explosive player that has insane twitch and shiftiness that helps him shake defenders. Despite being a smaller back, he plays bigger than his size and can run through weak arm tackles. Valverde ended his day with 84 rushing yards and 2 rushing touchdowns on 23 carries. Watch out for this guy next year!    Aurora Standouts:   [player_tooltip player_id='217059' first='Carlos' last='Collazo'] | 2023 | RB | 5'9" 200 lbs   Nagging injuries left us wondering how much of Collazo we would see on Monday, regardless Carlos still lead the game in rushing yards. Star RB [player_tooltip player_id='217059' first='Carlos' last='Collazo'] rumbles his way to 94 yards and a rushing touchdown on 20 carries. He is such a tough back to bring down with his powerful lower body and violent running. His vision and balance when he runs allow him to find holes and burst through them with nice acceleration. Collazo also flashed his receiving ability with 3 catches for 21 yards. He also made an impact on defense with 7 tackles. Carlos' toughness and grit cannot be denied.   [player_tooltip player_id='365569' first='Jack' last='Allen'] | 2023 | DL | 6'2" 250 lbs   Aurora's [player_tooltip player_id='365569' first='Jack' last='Allen'] is always in the running for meanest dude on the field. Watching him in the state championship was no different as he was constantly in the middle of the action. On defense, he racked up 9 tackles and made an impact greater than the stat sheet. Allen and the D-line made it extremely tough for the Bluejays to run downhill like they normally can. Jack does a great job crashing the line and closing up running lanes for opposing backs. He plays with violent hands and a tough mental edge. He carries that edge over to the offensive line where he loves to bring the fight to the defense and was a crucial blocker for the Husky's potent running game.   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide"/>   Make sure to follow @PrepRedzoneNE on Twitter and Instagram to stay up to date with all your Nebraska prep recruiting news.

The Class C1 championship was a battle of two undefeated heavyweight teams. Pierce led by the dynamic duo of Abram Scholting Abram Scholting 6'0" | 180 lbs | QB Pierce | 2023 State NE and Ben Brahmer met the tough running of Carlos Collazo Carlos Collazo 5'9" | 200 lbs | RB Aurora | 2023 State NE and the Aurora Huskies.