FOOTBALL: Millard South Flexes Muscle in 4th Quarter to Defeat Lincoln East

The Lincoln East football team celebrates a touchdown scored by quarterback Jeter Worthley (far right) in the second quarter against Millard South on Thursday night at Seacrest Field. (Jeff Motz/KFOR Sports)

LINCOLN–(KFOR Sept. 28)–Like a lightning flash in the Nebraska sky, Thursday night’s high school football game between Class A No. 2 Millard South and No. 9 Lincoln East changed instantly, as the Patriots suddenly struck back and took control in the final nine minutes of the game.

Millard South rallied back to score 28 unanswered points to break away from a tight ball game to earn a 45-21 victory over the Spartans at Seacrest Field, in a game heard on KFOR.

The Patriots (6-0) found themselves down 21-17 with 11:48 remaining in the game, after East quarterback Jeter Worthley found wide-receiver Landen Lingenfelter on a 15-yard touchdown pass to give the Spartans the lead. Millard South put together a quick drive that resulted in quarterback Jett Thomalla throwing a 28-yard touchdown pass to 6-6 wide-receiver Isaac Jensen to put the Patriots ahead 24-21 with 8:48 to go.

East (4-2) managed to go three-and-out on their next series and Millard South quickly responded with Thomalla connecting with sophomore wide-receiver Amarion Jackson for a 61-yard touchdown pass to extend the lead to 31-21. Following another three-and-out from the Spartans, Jackson grabbed, fumbled and recovered the punt and broke for 68-yards to score to make it 38-21 Millard South.

Two plays into East’s next drive, Dylan Kuhl picked off a Worthley pass to return it 58-yards for a touchdown with 4:51 left to seal the victory for Millard South.

The rally came after the Patriots had been plagued most of the game with penalties. That aided the Spartans on some earlier scoring drives.

After Kuhl caught an 11-yard touchdown pass late the first quarter to get Millard South on the scoreboard, East responded in the second quarter when Worthley scored on 4th and goal from the Patriot 1-yard line to tie the game with 6:43 left. Millard South took a 10-7 lead into the locker room, as Nathan Thompson booted a 24-yard field goal with time running out in the half.

East took their first lead of the game at 14-10 with 6:32 left in the third quarter when Worthley was scrambling and found Lingenfelter on a 30-yard touchdown pass. The Patriots later responded with running back Gabe Prucha scoring on a 1-yard run.

Click the link below to hear the podcast of Thursday night’s game.

Football: Millard South at Lincoln East 9-28-23