SPRINGFIELD, NE- The Nebraska City Pioneers football team not only eyed to mount a comeback against Platteview on the road with 1:18 left in the game, but attempted it without its best offensive weapon—senior Braden Thompson.

The Pioneers came into the game on Friday with a perfect 3-0 mark, having scored 40+ points per game under first year head coach Kaleb Walker.

The Platteview Trojans walked onto their home turf with a 2-1 record. Their only loss came last week against Auburn 35-20, after the trojans held a 20-14 lead at the half.

Both teams came out of the locker rooms looking to strike first, but the first touchdown would come forty seconds into the second quarter.

Nebraska City senior quarterback MJ Nelson escaped the pocket and managed to get by one defender. Nelson ran up the right sideline, showcasing his track speed, all the way in for a 41-yard touchdown.

Platteview's junior quarterback Jared Kuhl "one-upped" Nelson with a 55-yard scramble on the ensuing drive that put the Trojans up 10-7.

That would inevitably be the halftime score and remained the score until the start of the fourth quarter. Both teams played field position in the second half.

That is, until the start of the fourth quarter. Kuhl called his own number again. This time, from just four yards out, but it increased the Trojans lead to ten, 17-7. Another score from junior Ethan Golda two minutes later put the score at 24-7.

The Pioneers began the comeback trail. With under six minutes left in the game, Nelson hit fellow senior Francisco Rodriguez with an 18-yard strike to bring it back to a ten point deficit.

Platteview junior Cael Wichman brought the home crowd to their feet with a 29-yard scamper a few minutes later to put the Trojans up 31-14.

With under two minutes left in the game, Nebraska City's offense moved with urgency. MJ Nelson lofted a pass to the left sideline to senior wideout Braden Thompson.

The pass landed just out of Thompson's reach, but Thompson remained on the turf. Thompson would be carted off the field with an apparent lower body injury, although nothing officially.

Nebraska City rallied on the series, and would score with a 53-yard bomb to junior Bayler Poston from Nelson. The two point conversion brought the Pioneers back within single digits, but the deficit was too much.

Platteview won 31-22 at home, and increased to 3-1 on the early season.

Nebraska City fell to 3-1 as well, but the bigger question looming is the status on Thompson.