Coaches on Bryan Soukup's Blair High School football staff believed the Bears hadn't beaten the Elkhorn Antlers since 1995.
The head coach couldn't confirm it with 100 percent certainty immediately after Friday's road game, but he did know one thing for sure.
“It's been a long time.”
With 21 fourth-quarter points, Class B No. 8 BHS beat No. 7 Elkhorn, 28-21. The win ended nearly three decades without a victory against a fellow longtime member of the Eastern Midlands Conference.
“All of our guys got heart,” junior Brock Templar said. “Seniors have been here for four years, and we haven't really gotten an outstanding win like that. They wanted it so bad.”
So, the Bears earned it late.
After two touchdown passes from quarterback Bode Soukup to Crayton Macholan, Elkhorn pulled within 14-13 with a 67-yard touchdown reception by Peyton Turman — who finished with three overall — in the fourth quarter.
“Even when we got beat deep, we didn't hang our heads,” Templar said. “We got right back to it. Next play.”
As confirmation, Blair responded to the over-the-top score with a 68-yard touchdown drive that took 6:34 on the ground. Templar — who finished with 176 rushing yards, according to an Omaha World-Herald report — carried the ball every play, finishing off the response with an 8-yard touchdown run.
Sixty-four seconds later, the Bears added to their 21-13 lead when linebacker Blaise Baughman picked up what was ruled a backward pass by officials and returned it 15 yards for another TD.
“Bo Meier, actually, blocked it and I was like, 'Well, I don't think that ball went forward,'” the sophomore said. “I bet it was still live and I sprinted as hard as I could. I scooped and scored.”
Turman scored for the Antlers again with 59 seconds left, but Macholan fell on the onside kick attempt as Blair picked up a noteworthy road win to improve to 4-3.
“That was our mentality coming into this game,” Templar said. “We knew some bad things were going to happen, but we just had to persevere and get through it.”
The Bears did and next face 2-5 Omaha Westview on Friday at Krantz Field. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
No. 8 BLAIR 28, No. 7 ELKHORN 21
BHS (4-3) 0 7 0 21 — 28
EHS (2-5) 0 7 0 14 — 21
Scoring Summary
Second Quarter
B: Crayton Macholan 2-yard pass from Bode Soukup, Blaise Baughman PAT
E: Peyton Turman 28-yard pass from Kayd Matthews, Kellen Ruch PAT
Fourth Quarter
B: Macholan 28-yard pass from Soukup, Baughman PAT
E: Turman 67-yard pass from Matthews, PAT failed
B: Brock Templar 8-yard run, Baughman PAT
B: Baughman 15-yard fumble return, Baughman PAT
E: Turman 64-yard pass from Matthews, No. 5 2-point conversion
