HASTINGS, Neb. - Chadron's undefeated high school football season ended in a 35-19 loss to Adams Central in the second round of the Nebraska Class C-1 playoffs Wednesday in Hastings.

But the Cardinals didn't go quietly.

Trailing 28-7 early in the fourth quarter, Chadron rallied with a pair of quick touchdowns off the arm of junior quarterback Jonn McLain, who first tossed a 36-yard touchdown pass to Allan Osborn.

Bill Margrave's point-after kick missed, but Chadron recovered the ensuing on-side kick, then struck again when McLain found Travis Reeves from 35 yards out.

The point-after conversion attempt failed, but Adams Central's Kevin Lennemann grabbed Chadron's next on-side attempt, found an opening and raced 50 yards to paydirt to clinch the win for the Patriots.

The ground game proved to be pivotal on both sides of the ball for Chadron.

The Cardinals couldn't get their own run established, and couldn't dampen Adams Central's attack.

The Patriots ground out 214 yards on 45 carries. Lennemann led the way with 136 yards on 27 trips. The senior tailback also scored on runs of eight and four yards, and also caught touchdown passes of 26 and 16 yards from quarterback Justin Drudik.

"We knew for us to be successful, we had to stop that running game," Chadron coach Mike Lecher told the Grand Island Independent. "We didn't get that done."

Chadron was limited to just six net yards on 24 carries. Cody Roes scored Chadron's lone rushing touchdown on a one-yard plunge in the second quarter.

McLain completed 24-of-36 passes, including his first 12 attempts, for 246 yards with one interception to lead the Cardinals. Osborn caught six passes for 99 yards, and Reeves pulled in six for 81 yards.

"We had to throw a little more today than we thought we would," Lecher said. "Jonn did an excellent job with that and the receivers got open. We just really couldn't get an established run game going today. The defense for Adams Central played excellent today."

The Patriots are 9-1 with their only setback a 7-0 loss to cross-town C-1 rival, top-ranked St. Cecelia of Hastings on Oct. 18. Adams Central advances to the third-round of the C-1 playoffs on Saturday. Chadron, which downed Central City 17-14 in the opening round of the playoffs last week, ends the season at 9-1.