Two dominant signal callers in Grant Matson and Will Anderson are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Lincoln Northeast Rockets will look to defend their home field on Thursday against the Bellevue West Thunderbirds at 7:00 p.m. Bellevue West took a loss in their last contest and will be looking to turn the tables on Lincoln Northeast, who comes in off a win.
If Lincoln Northeast beats Bellevue West with 63 points on Thursday, it's going to be the team's new lucky number: they've won their past two matchups with that exact score. The Rockets took their game on Friday with ease, bagging a 63-21 win over South Sioux City. The Rockets might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won five contests by 42 points or more this season.
Kamari Quarells-Rupert
| 10/17/25 @ South Sioux City | 90 |
| 09/05/25 vs Bryan | 51 |
| 10/09/25 vs Buena Vista | 38 |
| 09/25/25 vs Omaha North | 36 |
| 09/19/25 vs North Platte | 35 |
Kamari Quarells-Rupert and Kaleb Poulsen were among the main playmakers for Lincoln Northeast as the former picked up 90 receiving yards and three scores and the latter rushed for 74 yards and one touchdown. Those 90 receiving yards gave Quarells-Rupert a new career-high. Dequan Dixon was in the mix too, providing Lincoln Northeast with one TD.
Lincoln Northeast's run defense was locked in: South Sioux City could only muster 2.8 yards per carry. The team can thank Jevon Grier for the heroic effort on defense: he. Lincoln Northeast didn't have any issues in that department, having averaged 11.5.
Special teams played a big role in the game for Lincoln Northeast, adding 21 points to the final score. The biggest highlight from special teams (and perhaps the team as a whole) came courtesy of Tyrin Buckley, who ran a kickoff back for a touchdown. Another bright spot was a punt return touchdown from Zayne Scully.
Meanwhile, Bellevue West unfortunately witnessed the end of their three-game winning streak on Thursday. They came up short against Omaha North, falling 41-20. The Thunderbirds were in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 27-7.
The victory made it two in a row for Lincoln Northeast and bumps their season record up to 6-2. Those wins came thanks in part to their defensive effort, having only surrendered a grand total of 21 points in those games. As for Bellevue West, their defeat was their first in the district, dropping their district record down to 3-1 and their overall record down to 4-4.
Lincoln Northeast was dealt a bruising 50-0 loss at the hands of Bellevue West in their previous matchup back in October of 2024. Will the Rockets have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
