Scoreless: Omaha Central, Creighton Prep, and Nebraska's Greatest High School Football Game

by John Dechant, Gale Sayers (Foreword)

In October 1960, Omaha Central and Creighton Prep met for what many Nebraskans consider the greatest high school football game ever played. Future NFL Hall of Famer Gale Sayers scored seventy points while leading Central’s powerful offense through its first four games. Prep’s strong defense, on the other hand, allowed only twenty points all season. Legendary coaches patrolled both sidelines, and Prep was aiming for its third straight state championship. The stage was set for a Friday-night showdown.

Fifteen thousand fans packed into Omaha’s Municipal Stadium to watch the early season championship clash. Stubborn defenses ensured parity. Back and forth the teams battled, mired around the 50-yard line, punt after punt soaring into the sky. With no overtime to settle things and the defenses holding fast, the game ended in a scoreless tie. When both teams won their remaining games, they shared the state title that year.

Scoreless  retells the details of this legendary game, the buildup to it, and the story behind the teams and their renowned coaches and players. It is the tale of one of the most remarkable football games in Nebraska high school sports history.
 

288 pages, Paperback

Published September 1, 2016

Reviews

[Deacon Tom (Feeling Better) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic Research

I really enjoyed this book. I live in Omaha and have a grandson who goes to Creighton Prep, so I was really interested.

Well written with incredible research.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being an Nebraska High School sports enthusiast, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The author writes with excitement and fervor about this classic football game. To add to this tale is the fact is that I am acquainted with most of folks mentioned in this tale. So if you appreciate superb sports writing this book is a must read.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great forward by Gale Sayers.