Football Game Preview: Kearney Bearcats vs. Papillion-LaVista South Titans

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Previous 3 Games

10/04/24 - Away	31-14 W
09/20/19 - Home	22-6 W
09/14/18 - Away	35-7 W

Kearney is a perfect 3-0 against Papillion-LaVista South since September of 2018 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Friday. The Bearcats will look to defend their home field against the Titans at 7:00 p.m.

Kearney is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Nebraska's top teams: Lincoln East, who was ranked 22nd at the time (Kearney was ranked 17th). The Bearcats took a 17-10 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Spartans on Friday. The matchup was a 3-3 toss-up at halftime, but the Bearcats couldn't quite close it out.

Meanwhile, Papillion-LaVista South had already won two in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 41 points) and they went ahead and made it three on Friday. They breezed past the Panthers to the tune of 49-0. The Titans pushed the score to 46-0 by the end of the third, a deficit the Panthers had no chance of recovering from.

Kearney better keep an eye on Chester Mendoza. He was instrumental in Papillion-LaVista South's win, rushing for 107 yards and three TDs, while also picking up 30 receiving yards.

Papillion-LaVista South's run defense was locked in: Norfolk could only muster 1.4 yards per carry. While five picked up at least one total tackle, Mendoza stood above the rest. He rushed for 107 yards and three scores, and also picked up 30 receiving yards. Papillion-LaVista South didn't have any issues in that department, having averaged six.

Kearney's defeat dropped their record down to 3-2. As for Papillion-LaVista South, their win bumped their record up to 4-1.

Kearney strolled past Papillion-LaVista South in their previous matchup back in October of 2024 by a score of 31-14. Do the Bearcats have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Titans turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.