The Gretna East Griffins will head out on the road to challenge the Elkhorn North Wolves at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Gretna East knows how to get points on the board -- the squad has finished with 31 points or more in their past five contests -- so hopefully Elkhorn North likes a good challenge.
On Friday, Gretna East humbled Ralston with a 37-10 victory. The game was pretty much decided by the half, when the score had already reached 37-2.
Connor Sams
| 10/10/25 @ Ralston | 169 |
| 10/02/25 vs Platteview | 328 |
| 09/26/25 @ Plattsmouth | 221 |
| 09/18/25 vs Standing Bear | 107 |
| 09/12/25 vs Elkhorn | 110 |
| 09/05/25 @ Bennington | 120 |
Gretna East can attribute much of their success to Connor Sams, who rushed for 169 yards and three TDs while picking up 8.9 yards per carry, and Chase Grow, who rushed for 71 yards and one score on only six carries. Sams' rushing production has been exceptional as that marked his sixth straight game with at least 107 rushing yards.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Gretna East was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 258 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 258 rushing yards in three consecutive matchups.
Meanwhile, Elkhorn North faced Skutt Catholic in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Friday. The Wolves took a 28-19 hit to the loss column at the hands of the SkyHawks. The contest marked the Wolves' lowest-scoring game so far this season.
Despite the defeat, Elkhorn North saw an underclassman step up: sophomore Drew Meyer picked up 98 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Even if they lost, Elkhorn North's defense still kept up the pressure with three sacks. The team can thank three different players for their defensive prowess: Grant Sutko, Barry Fries, and Ben Hanson, who each picked up one sack apiece. Another thorn in Skutt Catholic's side was Sutko, who picked up a sack and made eight total tackles (3.5 for loss).
Having lost for the first time this season, Elkhorn North fell to 6-1. As for Gretna East, their record now sits at an identical 6-1.
Gretna East came up short against Elkhorn North in their previous matchup back in October of 2024, falling 31-27. Thankfully for the Griffins, Jett Tingelhoff (who rushed for 119 yards and a pair of scores) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
