Athlete of the Week: Wahoo’s Joey Kelly

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — An undefeated Ashland-Greenwood played host to the back-to-back Class C state champion Wahoo Warriors in Channel 8’s Game of the Week on Friday.

Wahoo led for the entire contest, until Ashland-Greenwood star Grayson Nolan scored in the final minutes to tie the game. After a clutch stop from the Ashland-Greenwood’s defense, the Blue Jays marched the ball down the field and into the redzone. With less than 10 seconds left and an undefeated season on the line, Ashland-Greenwood elected for the field goal, but came up shy by hitting the crossbar, and sending the game to overtime.

Warriors starting quarterback Brody Milliken exited the game with an injury late in the contest, putting the ball in the hands of sophomore Braylon Pacas in overtime. It took all but four plays for Pacas to find his big wide receiver Joey Kelly in the endzone, which would later be considered the game-winning score.

“It was just surreal, you know,” Kelly said. “Looking in the bleachers, just seeing everyone coming down. I knew it wasn’t finished – I knew we had to get back (and) get a defensive stop before the game was over. But just that catch — I knew it was everything for my team. And I knew this game meant so much to the team and even to the town.”

Kelly finished the contest logging 70 yards and three receptions, which all came in the last four minutes.

Wahoo will host its regular season finale on Friday against a 0-8 Raymond Central.