Osceola High Plains was able to hold off Burwell today to claim the Class D1 state football championship. The game was played at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln in front of an official attendance number of 1,602. The Longhorns scored first on a 29 yard touchdown run by Jase Williams but Osceola-High Plains outscored Burwell 40-6 the rest of the 1st half to take a 40-14 halftime lead. Burwell would fight back though in the 2nd half. After Barak Birch connected with Mason Plock on a 27 yard touchdown pass in the third quarter, Caleb Busch would score on touchdown runs of 59 and 23 yards in the fourth quarter to make the score 40-34. Then, with 2:43 remaining in the 4th, Burwell’s Cash Gurney intercepted OHP quarterback Carter Boden to give the Longhorns the ball at the Stormdogs’ 30 yard line. With a chance to tie and take the lead, Burwell’s Jase Williams had the ball stripped away as he was reaching out trying to pick up a first down on 4th and 3. Osceola High Plains recovered the fumble at their own 12 yard line and was able to run out the clock to claim the Class D1 Championship. It was Burwell’s fifth lost fumble of the game. For Burwell, Barak Birch was 8 of 15 passing for 91 yards and a touchdown and Jase Williams finished with 24 carries for 156 yards rushing. OHP was led by Dylan Soule who finished with 145 yards on 23 carries and scored 3 touchdowns.
