HEBRON, Neb. - After a tense start to the contest, #10 Thayer Central (8-1) very much looked the part of one of the strongest teams in the 2025 Nebraska D1 football postseason field: the Titans dominated #23 Perkins County (5-4) 47-6 on Thursday evening to book their spot in the second round next Friday night on Halloween. 

Making a long trip from the western part of the state to Southeast Nebraska, the Plainsmen more than held their own in the first quarter, where neither team was able to score. But once the Titans managed to break through the Plainsmen defense, the floodgates opened and the home team sailed to a convincing win. 

Thayer Central scored twice in the second quarter to take a 16-0 lead into the intermission, then doubled that advantage by scoring 16 more in the third for a 32-0 lead. Owen McLaughlin then scored minutes into the fourth to make it 40-0 and trigger the running clock, making the result a virtual certainty.

Perkins County got one fourth-quarter score wiped off the board due to a penalty but did move back into striking distance and found the end zone with 4:29 left, spoiling Thayer Central's shot at a shutout. Shortly after though, an electric run of 50-plus yards from reserve sophomore Jaxon Krupicka served as the final exclamation point on the win, and when junior kicker Manuel Campos knocked in the extra point, he was greeted by a resounding ovation from his teammates and the crowd on a Thursday night in Hebron. 

Thayer Central ran for 291 yards (7 yards per carry) as a team, with four guys tallying between 50 and 75 yards on the ground - a balanced but dominant display from the Titans as a team. With the 47-6 victory, Thayer Central will now face #7 Plainview on the road next Friday night after they dispatched Alma in a very similar scoreline, 43-8, earlier Thursday afternoon. 

Perkins County (5-4). 6: 0 | 0 | 0 | 6

Thayer Central (8-1)  47: 0 | 16 | 16 | 15