Bishop Neumann withstands wind, defeats GICC 37-15 to win C2 football title

LINCOLN - One year after losing in the state title game on the Memorial Stadium field, this year Bishop Newman can say they are the best in class. The second-seeded Cavaliers (12-1) survived the wind, and fourth-seeded Grand Island Central Catholic (11-2), to win the 2025 NSAA C2 football state championship. 

"I am the man I am today because of the game of football," Bishop Neumann head coach Joe Pavlik said. "I tell our kids to play with joy - to play with joy your opponent can't match. And when they do that, to see that reaction and the joy on their face...I don't care what the score is. That makes it all worth it to me."

Heavy winds were certainly a key player in this game. The weather made it extremely hard for both teams to hold onto the ball, sustain drives, and score, especially early in the evening. GICC fumbled on the first play of the game and two plays later Neumann was in the end zone. But the Crusaders concocted an immediate answer and converted a two-point try to take an early 8-6 lead. 

That was literally all the scoring from the first half with both offenses buffeted by the persistent winds. Both teams finished the first half under 100 yards of total offense. 

Each team managed only the one scoring drive in the first half, but then, suddenly, there were three straight scoring drives to start the second half: touchdown runs by Neumann's Jack Van Slyke and Beau Fujan sandwiching a long run from GICC's Grayson Sack. Just like that, the Cavaliers had a 22-15 lead with five minutes to play in the third quarter. 

It seemed as if both teams had found a way to unlock their offenses - but in reality, only Bishop Neumann was able to sustain that offensive progress, while Grand Island Central Catholic wasn't able to score again. The Cavaliers recovered a total of four fumbles, and Van Slyke scored a total of four touchdowns while also leading all players with 13 total tackles. That was more than enough to power Bishop Neumann to a 37-15 win that brings the school its fourth ever state championship - and first since 2003. 

Many of the Cavaliers' players - Van Slyke and Fujan to name just two - were part of the squad that lost to Norfolk Catholic in Lincoln last year. But Pavlik, who completed his first season as Neumann's head coach with a state championship, offered some unique perspective as the new member of the championship-winning crew. 

"These kids have seen a lot of change. These families have seen a lot of change - six head coaches in nine years," he said. "Their resilience to change, their resilience to adversity, their acceptance and just love for one another is the reason this was possible."

"Coach brought in energy and commitment, and we just bought in. As the [senior] class and as the team, we just kept going with it," Van Slyke said. "[Last year] we learned to keep bringing that chip on your shoulder and work hard towards it. It's great. It's going to be such a good night for Wahoo."