Bennington is a perfect 6-0 against Elkhorn North since October of 2022 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Thursday. The Badgers are taking a road trip to take on the Wolves at 7:00 p.m. Bennington will be looking to extend their current seven-game winning streak.
Bennington is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Nebraska's top teams: Skutt Catholic, who was ranked 14th at the time (Bennington was ranked fifth). The Badgers strolled past the SkyHawks with points to spare on Friday, taking the game 31-14.
Will Gutz
| 10/17/25 vs Skutt Catholic | 142 |
| 10/09/25 @ Elkhorn | 142 |
| 10/03/25 vs Blair | 147 |
| 09/26/25 @ Gretna | 28 |
| 09/19/25 vs Northwest | 102 |
| + 3 more games |
Bennington's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Will Gutz, who rushed for 142 yards and one score. With that strong performance, Gutz is now averaging an impressive 104.6 rushing yards per game. Ty Bouaphakeo was another key passer, throwing for 141 yards and one touchdown.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Bennington was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 221 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 221 rushing yards in three consecutive games.
Special teams also played a big role in the game for Bennington, adding 13 points to the final score. The biggest highlight from special teams (and perhaps the team as a whole) came courtesy of Myles Gifford, who ran a kickoff back for a touchdown.
Despite a strong season so far, Elkhorn North has seen their luck take a bit of a downturn recently. They fell 35-23 to Gretna East on Thursday.
Bennington will have to contain Ethan Beachy as he made an impact in Elkhorn North's last game. He rushed for 169 yards and one TD while picking up 8.9 yards per carry, and also threw for 158 yards and one touchdown. Beachy really tore up the turf during one magnificent 74-yard run.
Bennington's win bumped their record up to 7-1. As for Elkhorn North, their loss dropped their record down to 6-2.
Thursday's contest will pit two of the most dominant signal callers against one another: Bouaphakeo and Beachy. Bouaphakeo just won't slow down this season and has thrown 18 touchdowns (and and only 3 picks) while averaging 162.5 passing yards per game. Beachy has been a dominant force too and has thrown 20 touchdowns while averaging 183.6 passing yards per game.
Bennington was able to grind out a solid victory over Elkhorn North in their previous matchup back in November of 2024, winning 16-7. Will the Badgers repeat their success, or do the Wolves have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
