Prepzone Weekly Pigskin Preview 2016

VOLUME 1 • 2016

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 

CLASS A 

84 Grand Island Senior High School 

102 Kearney Senior High School 

108 Lincoln East High School 

110 Lincoln High School 

114 Lincoln Northeast High School 

116 Lincoln North Star High School 

118 Lincoln Pius X High School 

120 Lincoln Southeast High School 

124 Lincoln Southwest High School 

CLASS B 

28 Aurora High School 

32 Beatrice High School 

54 Crete High School 

88 Hastings Senior High School 

98 Holdrege High School 

105 Lexington High School 

128 McCook High School 

140 Norris High School 

142 Northwest High School 

166 Seward High School 

194 Waverly High School 

200 York High School 

CLASS C1 

12 Adams Central High School 

22 Aquinas Catholic High School 

37 Boone Central-Newman Grove High Schools 

38 Broken Bow High School 

- Chase County High School* 

52 Cozad High School 

58 David City High School 

70 

81 

82 

101 

106 

134 

- 

- 

144 

162 

172 

Fairbury High School 

Gothenburg High School 

Grand Island Central Catholic High School 

Kearney Catholic High School 

Lincoln Christian High School 

Milford-Dorchester High Schools 

Minden High School* 

O’Neill High School* 

Ord High School 

Raymond Central High School 

Southern High School 

CLASS C2 

26 Arcadia-Loup City High Schools 

44 Centennial High School 

46 Central City High School 

49 Centura High School 

56 Cross County High School 

62 Doniphan-Trumpbull High School 

71 Fillmore Central High School 

72 Freeman High School 

78 Gibbon High School 

90 Hastings St. Cecilia High School 

100 Humboldt-Table Rock-Steinauer High School 

112 Lincoln Lutheran High School 

127 Malcolm High School 

164 Sandy Creek High School 

168 Shelby-Rising City High School 

174 Southern Valley High School 

178 St. Paul High School 

184 Sutton High School 

190 Twin River High School 

196 Wilber-Clatonia High School 

198 Wood River High School 

CLASS D1 

14 Ainsworth High School 

16 Alma High School 

18 Amherst High School 

34 Bertrand High School 

- Boyd County High School* 

41 Burwell High School 

42 Cambridge High School 

50 Chambers-Wheeler Central-Ewing High Schools 

51 Clearwater-Orchard High School 

60 Diller-Odel Secondary School 

64 East Butler High School 

66 Elgin-Pope John High School 

67 Elm Creek High School 

- Franklin High School* 

92 Heartland Community High School 

94 High Plains Community High School 

103 Kenesaw High School 

130 McCool Junction High School 

131 Medicine Valley High School 

136 Nebraska Christian High School 

- Nebraska Lutheran High School* 

138 Neligh-Oakdale High School 

148 Overton High School 

156 Perkins County High School 

160 Ravenna High School 

171 South Loup High School 

175 Southwest High School 

182 Superior High School 

185 Thayer Central High School 

186 Tri County High School 

195 West Holt High School 

CLASS D2 

20 

21 

24 

30 

36 

40 

48 

- 

68 

69 

74 

76 

80 

97 

104 

126 

132 

- 

146 

150 

152 

154 

158 

170 

176 

180 

181 

188 

192 

Anselmo-Merna High School 

Ansley-Litchfield High Schools 

Arapahoe High School 

Axtell High School 

Blue Hill High School 

Bruning-Davenport-Shickley High Schools 

Central Valley High School 

Elba High School* 

Eustis-Farnam High School 

Exeter-Milligan High School 

Friend High School 

Fullerton High School 

Giltner High School 

Hitchcock County High School 

Lawrence-Nelson High School 

Loomis High School 

Meridian High School 

North Central High School* 

Osceola High School 

Palmer High School 

Parkview Christian High School 

Pawnee City High School 

Pleasanton High School 

Shelton High School 

St. Mary’s High School 

Stuart High School 

Sumner-Eddyville-Miller High School 

Twin Loup High School 

Waunita-Palisade High School 

*SCHOOL DID NOT SUBMIT TEAM INFORMATION 

4 2016 Prepzone Weekly Pigskin Preview 

www.1011now.com/prepzoneweeklypigskinpreview 5

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6 2016 Prepzone Weekly Pigskin Preview www.1011now.com/prepzoneweeklypigskinpreview 7

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2016 COVER ATHLETES 

DYLAN 

REYNOLDS 

Broken Bow High School 

• Wide receiver and safety 

• Holds Class C1 record for longest 

kick return touchdown 

• College Plans: Hopes to play football 

and study pre-med 

• Goals for 2016 season: Help the team 

get back to the playoffs. 

DILLON 

RUELAS 

Waverly High School 

• Quarterback 

• Threw for a school record 2,086 passing 

yards in 2015 

• College Plans: Play football and major in 

criminal justice 

• Goals for 2016 season: Win a state 

championship. 

A note from our Sports Director. 

You’ve seen the highlights; you’ve heard the interviews. Now, 1011 is providing high school football 

coverage like never before - in magazine form. Welcome to the first edition of the 1011 PrepZone 

Weekly Pigskin Preview - a 200-plus-page magazine that highlights the teams, athletes, and 

communities that make prep football special across Nebraska. 

1011 has a longstanding commitment to provide the best high school football coverage in the area. 

This magazine is our latest effort to spotlight the hard-working student-athletes that entertain fans 

GARRETT 

LEACH 

Sutton High School 

• Running back and defensive end 

• Rushed for 2,250 yards during 2015 

season 

• College Plans: Play football and major 

in psychology 

• Goals for 2016 season: Get to the state 

championship. 

RUDY 

STOFER 

Kearney High School 

• Offensive guard and defensive tackle 

• Recorded 62 tackles during 2015 

season 

• College Plans: Play football 

• Goals for 2016 season: Win a state 

championship. 

each Friday during the fall. Both 1011 and NBC Nebraska have collaborated together and previewed 

more than 100 high school football teams from Waverly to Lexington, regardless of size or class. 

The objective of this publication is to recognize the efforts and achievements of the student-athletes 

at the high school level. We thank the coaches and parents for the countless hours they devote to 

making these memories possible for the kids. 

On behalf of 1011 and NBC Nebraska, we offer special thanks to our advertisers, whose support 

makes this publication possible. 

RHETT 

HARMS 

Crete High School 

• Quarterback, free safety, and long 

snapper 

• 2015 Honors: Honorable Mention 

All-State, First Team All-District 

• College Plans: Play football at the United 

States Air Force Academy 

• Goals for 2016 season: Make the playoffs 

and have the #1 defense in Class B. 

CHRIS 

WALKER 

Lincoln East High School 

• Offensive and defensive lineman 

• 2015 Honors: All-State and All-City 

performer 

• College Plans: Undecided. Gaining 

interest from multiple Division-I 

programs 

• Goals for 2016 season: “Do the best 

we can.” 

BROCK 

WORDEKEMPER 

Lincoln Pius X High School 

• Running back and safety 

• All-City performer rushed for 981 yards 

and 9 TD in 2015 

• College Plans: Undecided 

• Goals for 2016 season: Win a district 

championship. 

AUSTIN 

ALLEN 

Aurora High School 

• Tight End 

• First Team All-State selection had 541 

receiving yards and 7 TD in 2015 

• College Plans: Committed to play 

football at the University of Nebraska 

• Goals for 2016 season: Win a 

championship! 

As the high school season nears, we encourage viewers to tune into “Sports Overtime” for highlights 

each Friday on 1011, while NBC Nebraska offers the “5th Quarter.” Together, we provide the state’s 

only 30-minute high school sports show, PrepZone Weekly, which airs Thursday at 6:30pm on 

MeTV (KSNB-2). 

It is with great excitement that we present the inaugural 1011 PrepZone Weekly Pigskin Preview. We hope 

you enjoy the magazine, and the upcoming high school football season! 

Kevin Sjuts, 1011 Sports Director 

PUBLISHER - 1011 News 

DESIGN - Bronson Gierhan 

CONTENT - Shelby Hamilton 

EDITORIAL - 1011 & NBC Nebraska Sports Teams 

To advertise in the 2017 edition of the 1011 Prepzone Weekly Pigskin Preview, contact sales@1011now.com 

All Rights Reserved 2016. For comments call or write 1011 Television - 840 N. 40th - Lincoln, NE 68503 - Phone: 402-467-4321 - www.1011now.com/prepzoneweeklypigskinpreview 


ADAMS CENTRALPATRIOTS 

By: Ed Littler 

In high school football, it’s hard to 

make headlines in the offseason, 

but the Adams Central Patriots did 

just that. Just weeks after school 

dismissed, the Patriots decided to 

leave their longtime home - the Lou 

Platte Conference. 

Adams Central’s conference 

departure came after Lou Platte 

members voted to remove fellow 

football stalwart Kearney Catholic. 

Now, the fellas from southwest 

Hastings belong to the Central 10 

conference, featuring nearby teams 

like Holdrege, York and Aurora. This 

also means Adams Central will be 

making the inevitable jump to Class 

B in football, but that won’t happen 

until 2018. 

However, third-year coach 

Shawn Mulligan will tell you 

prognosticating what is to come 

for AC football is for the media to 

worry about. He, on the other hand, 

is focused on the 2016 season ahead 

of him. 

Last season, the Patriots went 4-5, 

which marked a slight improvement 

from their 3-6 mark in 2014. The 

four wins came in bunches too, 

considering AC lost its first four 

games, only to win its next four 

before dropping the season finale to 

McCook. 

Winning four of its final five games 

has supporters of the team dreaming 

big in 2016. The Patriots will attempt 

to keep their winning ways without 

2015 star quarterback Breckon Reed. 

Reed shined last year, throwing for 

1,793 yards and 17 touchdowns. 

The hole at QB will be the toughest 

to fill for coach Mulligan as there 

isn’t another QB on the roster who 

has taken a snap in a varsity game. 

The good news in the backfield, 

though, is the return of running back 

Mark Zeckser, who ran for 1,015 

yards in 2015. Mulligan says he’s 

expecting big things yet again in 

2016. 

As for who the new quarterback 

will be throwing to, expect to see a 

lot of Cole Spady in 2016. He pulled 

in 51 passes for 882 yards and 11 

touchdowns a year ago. 

Defensively, Mulligan says 

linebacker Max Winkler and 

defensive lineman Zach Wioskowski 

will be team leaders. The two 

combined for 86 tackles in just nine 

games of work last season, and it’s 

the return of key leaders like these 

that has Mulligan believing in the 

return of great football at Adams 

Central. 

“Adams Central’s outlook for the 

2016 season is very bright,” coach 

2016 SCHEDULE 

8/26 Kearney Catholic 

9/2 @ Milford-Dorchester 

9/9 Cozad 

9/16 @ Minden 

9/23 @ Ord 

9/30 Grand Island Central Catholic 

10/7 Boone Central/Newman Grove 

10/14 @ Columbus Lakeview 

10/21 Columbus Scotus 

Mulligan said. “We return a number 

of talented skill position players on 

the offensive side of the ball. We are 

very balanced run/pass and have 

big play potential from a number of 

athletes on the field. Defensively, our 

linebackers and secondary will be 

strong with great experience.” 

The Patriots open the season at home 

against fellow Lou Platte castaway 

Kearney Catholic. Following 

the week one battle, they face a 

manageable schedule until October 

7th. That’s a date many AC players 

have circled. The Patriots host 

traditional power Boone Central/ 

Newman Grove in week seven, 

which could define the season. 

COVERING CENTRAL NEBRASKA BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE 

WEEKNIGHTS AT 6 & 10 PM 

CATHERINE SILVER • SPENCER SCHUBERT • JUSTIN BIEGEL • BRANDON RECTOR 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Shawn Mulligan 

Career Record: 7-11 

Assistant 2015 Record: Coaches: 4-5 

Class: Playoff C-1 Appearances: 20 

Team Class: Name: C1 Patriots 

Team Name: Patriots 



AINSWORTHBULLDOGS 

By: Adam Krueger 

This year Ainsworth will be 

aiming for its first playoff 

appearance in 24 years. The 

Bulldogs have made the 

postseason just twice in school 

history, with the last berth 

coming in 1992. The team will 

welcome a new coach to the fold 

in 2016. Jake Nelson takes the 

reigns of an Ainsworth program 

that went 2-7 last season. That’s 

not the only major change for the 

Bulldogs this year. Ainsworth 

will be making the move from 

eleven man to eight man football. 

Nelson’s squad will play in Class 

D1 this season after playing in 

Class C2 last year. 

“Making the transition from 11 

man to 8 man, while learning new 

terminology of a new head coach 

will be the biggest challenge,” 

Nelson said. 

Five starters return from last 

season’s offense. The Bulldogs 

will try to improve in the scoring 

category where they averaged 

just 13 points per game a year 

ago. Nelson’s new offense will 

feature an I-formation attack. 

Under center, Ainsworth starting 

quarterback Payton Allen returns. 

As a sophomore last season, Allen 

threw for five touchdowns and 

641 yards. The six-foot Allen also 

ran for 165 yards in 2015. Joining 

the junior in the backfield will 

be Jacob Fernau. The senior led 

the Bulldogs in rushing last year 

going for 670 yards on the ground 

with six touchdowns. Junior Ty 

Richardson could also see some 

snaps at running back this season. 

Ainsworth will also have the 

benefit of having its leading 

receiver back from a year ago. 

Riggin Temple racked up nearly 

200 receiving yards in 2015 to go 

along with three touchdowns. 

Meanwhile, Bronc Temple should 

earn some reps at receiver, after 

five catches last season. 

Up front, the Bulldogs have a pair 

of returning starters that should 

pave the way. Jacce Beck brings a 

225-pound frame to the table and 

Blake Schipporeit also tips the 

scales around 200 pounds. 

On defense, six starters return 

from last season. The Bulldogs 

will use a 3-3 formation and 

try to lower its scoring defense. 

Ainsworth allowed an average 

of 31 points per game in 2015. 

The Bulldogs will, however, 

need to replace its top four 

leading tacklers from a year ago. 

Defensive back Payton Allen 

collected the most stops of any 


8/26 Ravenna 

9/2 @ South Loup 

9/9 @ Hemingford 

9/23 Clearwater/Orchard 

9/30 @ CWCE 

10/7 Boyd County 

10/14 @ Burwell 

10/20 West Holt 

returning player with 36 tackles 

from last season. He’ll be joined in 

the secondary by Riggin Temple, 

who picked off three passes 

in 2015. Junior Caeleb Irwin is 

expected to lock down one of the 

linebacker spots. On the defensive 

line Jacce Beck, Blake Schipporeit, 

and Jacob Fernau all have starting 

experience. 

The Bulldogs open their season 

August 26 against Ravenna. 

Ainsworth will likely be tested as 

well against teams like West Holt, 

Hemingford and Burwell. 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Jake Nelson 


2015 Record: 2-7 

Playoff Appearances: 2 

Class: D1 

Team Name: Bulldogs 

BRANDON RECTOR • BRAD ANDERSON • KEN SIEMEK • TRAVIS KLANECKY 


ALMACARDINALS 


The Alma football team enters the 

2016 season extremely motivated. 

A 6-2 regular season mark landed 

the Cardinals in the playoffs a year 

ago, but a 28-16 first round loss 

to Crawford spoiled an otherwise 

great year for coach Isaac Frecks in 

his 10th year at the helm. 

One of the two losses was quite 

a blow to the Cardinals - a 

whopping 47-6 loss to traditional 

power Kenesaw. The fellas in red 

rebounded, though, with plenty of 

impressive wins, including a 60-24 

victory over Loomis. The following 

week, Alma scored a season-high 

74 points in a convincing win over 

Eustis-Farnam. 

The 2016 season is a mixed bag of 

good and bad news. The good news 

is the team returns seven starters 

on both the offensive and defensive 

side of the ball. The bad news - the 

Cardinals have just 14 players on 

their roster. 

Nonetheless, returning starters are 

returning starters, and Frecks plans 

to put them to work in what will 

be his 11th season leading Alma. 

He says he’s most pleased that his 

two main offensive weapons will be 

back in 2016. 

Quarterback Chase Konert 

and running back Eric Kovarik 

are expected to continue their 

dominance over opposing defenses 

in the 8-man game. One fun stat is 

that each standout recorded exactly 

85 carries in 2015. 

Kovarik took home the bragging 

rights in the stats column, rushing 

for 656 yards and 12 touchdowns 

last season. Konert wasn’t far 

behind, toting the rock for 583 yards 

and six scores of his own. 

Alma will need to replace some of 

their offensive firepower though, 

as Ashton Hammond graduated 

from the 2015 squad. Hammond 

ran for 356 yards, tallying eight 

touchdowns on 86 carries. 

Hammond might be more missed 

on the defensive end, however, as 

he led the team with 188 tackles. 

All-in-all, coach Frecks is upbeat 

about his prospects with the 2016 

season right around the corner. 

“We return seven starters on both 

sides of the ball,” Frecks said. 

“Our district (D1-9) will be very 

competitive, and we look forward 

to competing for the district 

championship and should be 

competitive in every game we play.” 

As with any season, Frecks said 

this year’s bunch will be leaning on 


8/26 Dundy County-Stratton 

9/2 @ Northern Valley KS (Almena KS) 

9/9 Franklin 

9/23 @ Medicine Valley 

9/30 Cambridge 

10/7 @ Bertrand 

10/14 @ Elm Creek 

10/20 Southwest 

seniors. 

“We still need to have great 

leadership from our senior class if 

we want to reach our team goals,” 

Frecks said. 

Among the current 14-player 

roster, there are six seniors for the 

Cardinals. 

A quick glance at the 2016 schedule 

proves the upcoming slate will be 

no cakewalk for the guys in red. 

Contests against Cambridge, Elm 

Creek and Dundy County figure 

to be the most challenging for the 

Cardinals. 

Alma will face familiar opponents 

in Bertrand and Northern Valley 

(KS), along with a few new schools, 

giving Cardinals fans much to look 

forward to this fall. 

WEDNESDAYS AT 7 PM 

COVERING CENTRAL NEBRASKA 

BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Shawn Isaac Frecks Mulligan 

Career Record: 7-11 41-47 

Assistant Coaches: Brian Strand, 

Class: Jesus Felix, C-1 Chris Mahalek 

Team Class: Name: D1 Patriots 

Team Name: Cardinals 



AMHERSTBRONCOS 

By: Spencer Schubert 

The 2015 season for the Amherst 

football team was shaping up to 

be their dream year. A program 

with no state championships 

ran the table in the regular 

season and entered the Class 

D1 playoffs as the team to beat, 

earning the No. 1 seed on their 

half of the bracket. 

Unfortunately for the Broncos, 

they ran into a team they know 

all too well. 

After combining to outscore 

their opponents 430-84 in the 

regular season, Amherst had no 

signs of slowing down after a 

playoff-opening 65-8 win over 

Sutherland. That was followed 

by a win over Ansley-Litchfield, 

which set up a rematch with a 

Burwell team that only lost by 

13 to Amherst in the regular 

season finale. 

The four-seed Longhorns went 

on to upset Amherst in the Class 

D1 Quarterfinals 64-41, sending 

the Broncos to an earlier than 

expected offseason. 

The 10-1 season in 2015 is still 

considered one of the best years 

on record for head coach Ron 

Evans, who has compiled a 

140-86 record during his time 

at the school. However, if the 

players from Amherst hope to 

get back on top of the mountain 

in 2016, they’ll have to do it 

with an entirely new cast of skill 

players. 

Graduation this past spring has 

proved to be more of a somber 

time for Coach Evans, who has 

been given the task to replace 

his starting quarterback and 

running back. He will also be 

replacing two starting receivers 

and two starting guards. You 

can also tack on a starter at nose 

guard, linebacker and two holes 

to fill at defensive back. 

On the other side of the coin, 

the Broncos will feature only 

four seniors in 2016, with center 

Dane Bogard and WR/DB 

Trevor Adelung entering as the 

only two-year starters on the 

team. 

The quarterback battle in the 

fall has been whittled to two 

prospects—juniors Grant 

Bergstrom and Trace Baasch. 

They’ll be taking the reins of a 

pretty potent offense as well, 

which averaged 428 yards of 

offense per game - 288 of those 

coming through the air. 

As the 2016 season nears, Coach 

Evans says his focus will be on 


8/26 Bertrand 

9/2 @ Perkins County 

9/16 Burwell 

9/23 Overton 



10/14 Ravenna 

10/20 @ Cambridge 

keeping his team healthy, while 

building depth in the process. 

Evans also admitted that, while 

overall experience might be 

lacking, he’s expecting this 

year’s bunch to be even faster 

than the team that went 10-1 in 

2015. 

The Broncos kick off the 2016 

season at home against Bertrand 

on Friday, August 26th. For 

those wondering when Amherst 

will get their shot at revenge 

against Burwell—that battle 

on the gridiron is another 

home game for the Broncos on 

September 16th. 

Affordable • Accredited 

Online 

Education 

1-800-CHADRON | csc.edu/online 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Shawn Ron Evans Mulligan 


Assistant Coaches: Eric Rippen, 

Class: Joe Radke, C-1 Colin Pfeiffer 


Team Name: Broncos 

YOUR DAILY HUSKER COVERAGE 


KEN SIEMEK • BRIDGET FARGEN • OWEN JENSEN • KEVIN SJUTS 



ANSELMO-MERNACOYOTES 

ANSLEY-LITCHFIELDSPARTANS 

By: Laura Beranek 

For the past several seasons, Anselmo- 

Merna dominated the Class D2 landscape 

behind multi-faceted and consistent 

offenses. The Coyotes have advanced to the 

playoffs for 16 straight seasons, including 

a runner-up finish in 2014. Last year, 

A-M was eliminated in the third round 

to eventual state runner-up Chambers/ 

Wheeler Central. 

The Coyotes will have several roles to fill, 

including a quarterback position up for 

grabs. Former QB and all-around athlete 

Troy Gilligan was a huge part of the A-M 

offense. Gilligan racked up nearly 1,500 allpurpose 

yards in his senior campaign. 

Former Husker lineman Matt McGinn is 

entering his fourth season as the team’s 

head coach and expects several younger 

players to step up into their roles. 

“When you have a young team, your focus 

needs to be on effort, attitude, teamwork, 

preparation, and having fun,” said McGinn. 

“If a team focuses on these building blocks, 

they will have a lot of success.” 

Anselmo-Merna returns eight letter 

winners, including senior Keenan Stupka, 

a four-year starter who will likely lead 

the team’s run game. As a junior, Stupka 

accounted for nearly 1,000 yards on the 

ground off 172 carries for 14 touchdowns. 

He also added 249 receiving yards and six 

TD receptions. 

In 2015, the Coyotes averaged 277.8 rushing 

yards per game, ran effectively for an 

average of more than seven touchdowns 

per contest. Coach McGinn expects younger 

players, including Cameron Downey, 

Cameron Gibson, and Lucas Miller to step 

into the unfilled offensive roles. 

The Coyotes will rely on senior Joel 

Mundorf on the other side of the ball as a 

two-year starter at cornerback. Mundorf 

returns from a season where he averaged 

nine tackles a game. Junior Chase Miller 

(6’0, 220) will add some much-needed 

size and experience on the line. McGinn 

anticipates Senior Lane West (5’8, 200) to 

play a large role in the trenches as well. 

Anselmo-Merna’s Week 7 matchup at 

Sandhills/Thedford will once again be one 

of the most highly anticipated in D2. The 

Knights return a strong core of players from 

last season’s team that beat the Coyotes 

30-14 in Week 5. Sandhills/Thedford will 

remain a district rival this season in D2-9. 

Anselmo-Merna will also have to face 

powerhouse programs Brady and Maxwell 

on the redistricted slate. The final D2-9 

team, Stapleton, is coming off a winless 


8/26 @ Ansley-Litchfield 

9/2 @ Twin Loup 

9/9 Mullen 

9/16 Central Valley 

9/23 @ Stapleton 

9/30 Brady 

10/6 @ Sandhills/Thedford 

10/20 Maxwell 

2015 season. 

It may be a tougher road to the postseason 

in order for the Coyotes to continue their 

playoff streak, but Coach McGinn says he 

likes what he sees so far from the young 

team. “They’ve shown a lot of energy and 

willingness to accept hard work,” said 

McGinn. 

By: Austin Miller 

Ansley-Litchfield will have plenty of 

new faces in 2016, including a new coach. 

Kurt Kulhanek will lead the Spartans 

into the upcoming season, and he’ll be 

working with an inexperienced roster. 

Kulhanek has starters returning at only 

four positions. 

Of the returners, Brady Rohde is the 

only starter at the playmaker position 

returning. The 6-foot-2-inch, 205-pound 

senior will line up at tight end for the 

Spartans. Joining him along the line is 

senior Jose Ambriz. 

While the Spartans lost a lot of production 

from last season, their line will be filled 

with juniors and seniors once again. 

Having an older line could be beneficial 

for quarterback Chris Paitz. The 

sophomore will line up under center for 

the Spartans this season. 

Coach Kulhanek says he plans to run an 

I-formation offense for Paitz and will rely 

on a pair of running backs in junior Seth 

Racicky and sophomore John Zimmer. He 

expects them to be the workhorses for this 

Spartan offense. 

The Spartans’ gritty style could translate 

over to defense as well. Kulhanek plans 

to implement an aggressive, ball-hawking 

approach. 

The Spartans will have a tough match 

up to begin the season at home when 

they host Anselmo-Merna. A-M finished 

9-2 last season and lost in the state 

quarterfinals. 

Another road game against Sandhills/ 

Thedford could be troublesome for 

the Spartans. Last season, Sandhills/ 

Thedford finished 10-2 before bowing out 

in the state semifinals. 

The rest of the Spartan schedule includes 

six teams that had three or fewer wins last 

season, but those won’t be guaranteed 

wins—especially with the number of 

players on this Spartan roster. 

If there is one glaring weakness on 

this season’s roster, it’s depth. Coach 

Kulhanek says with so few players on this 

year’s squad, the team will have plenty 

playing on both sides of the ball. 

Coach Kulhanek says keeping the injury 

bug at bay will be crucial if the Spartans 

are going to have success this season. 

Despite the small roster, Coach Kulhanek 

says the thing he likes most about this 

team is the hard work they are putting 


8/26 Axtell Anselmo-Merna 

9/9 9/2 Blue @ Stapleton Hill 

9/16 9/9 Sumner-Eddyville-Miller 

Loomis 

9/23 9/16 Wauneta-Palisade 

@ Sandhills/Thedford 

9/30 Loomis Central Valley 

10/7 Wallace @ Twin Loup 

10/14 Hitchcock @ Sumner-Eddyville-Miller 

County 

10/21 10/20 Eustis-Farnam 

Pleasanton 

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in on the field and in the gym. That heart 

and determination could be beneficial 

when games get tight down the stretch. 

800.935.1537 

Fax 308.935.1524 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Shawn Matt McGinn Mulligan 


Assistant 2015 Record: Coaches: 9-2 



Team Name: Coyotes 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Kurt Kulhanek 

Assistant Coaches: Pete 

Cunningham, Cannon Blauvelt 

Class: D2 

Team Name: Spartans 






AQUINAS CATHOLICMONARCHS 


Aquinas Catholic hopes to continue 

its dominance in the 2010’s. The 

Monarchs have been the kings 

of Class C2, winning the state 

championship in four of the last five 

seasons. Ron Mimick’s squad will 

now make the move up to Class C1 

in 2016. 

“We can be a good team again if 

we avoid injuries and develop the 

depth,” said Mimick. 

One of the winningest coaches in the 

state, Mimick is about to begin his 

27th season at the helm at Aquinas. 

During that span, he has racked up 

225 wins at the school. 

On offense, Aquinas returns five 

starters, including leading rusher, 

Lane Napier. Napier went for more 

than 1,100 yards on the ground last 

year en route to team MVP honors. 

The senior will be expected to 

contribute on both sides of the ball 

for the Monarchs. 

This season, the team will need 

someone to fill the void left by last 

season’s other 1,000 yard rusher 

Noah Pelan. Pelan put up 1,054 

rushing yards in 2015 and 1,441 

yards total. 

“Our initial strength will be our run 

quickness,” Mimick said. “We hope 

to have a good running attack with 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Shawn Ron Mimick Mulligan 


Assistant Coaches: Coach: Tony Smith 


Team Class: Name: C1 Patriots 

Team Name: Monarchs 

an ability to throw.” 

Aquinas will also have to replace 

its quarterback Spencer Maguire. 

Maguire threw for 529 yards a year 

ago, while adding 265 on the ground. 

The Monarchs will likely turn to 

junior Gavin Rech, who is 6 feet 1 

inch tall. 

Along the offensive line, Aquinas 

will have the benefit of three 

returning starters. Junior Kyle Ruth 

brings important experience at the 

center position and a solid 6-foot- 

2-inch, 215-pound frame to the 

mix. Brandon Svoboda and Nate 

Uhrmacher will also be crucial along 

the offensive line. Senior Mitchell 

Kment could see action at tight end 

in his final year at the school. Grant 

Romshek, Anthony Buresh and 

Jake Kadlec could all see significant 

playing time along the line as well. 

Mimick’s wing-T offense will try 

to replicate a unit that averaged 48 

points per game in the regular season 

in 2015. 

On defense, the Monarchs were even 

more dominant as Aquinas allowed 

an average of just four points per 

game last year in the regular season. 

The 2015 champs also had an 

amazing five shut outs during their 

title run; however, the Monarchs 

only return three starters on that 

side of the ball. Aquinas lost all-state 

players Mitch White, Matt Kindler 

and Conner Kranda. 

Leading tackler from last year, Lane 

Napier, will be a key piece anchoring 

one of the linebacker positions. 

Senior Will Reiter will be relied upon 

to occupy another linebacker spot for 

Aquinas. Reiter is also expected to 

contribute on offense at the tight end 

position. 


8/26 @ Raymond Central 

9/2 Pierce 

9/10 @ Grand Island Central Catholic 


9/24 Bishop Neumann 

9/30 @ David City 

10/7 @ North Bend Central 

10/14 Wahoo 

starter on defense, and the senior 

cornerback has plenty of experience 

as a two year letter winner. Jack 

Witter will try to make the most of 

his last year with the Monarchs at 

the defensive tackle position. Miles 

Eggleston, Matt Nadrchal and Kyle 

Petree could all see time at linebacker 

this season. 

The 2016 slate should have a handful 

of tough tasks for Aquinas, including 

last year’s state champion in Class 

C1 Columbus Scotus in Week 4. 

The Monarchs could also have their 

hands full with Bishop Neumann 

in Week 5 and Wahoo in Week 8. 

Fortunately for Mimick’s squad, all 

of those contests come at home. 

“If we develop great attitude and 

work habits we could play into 

November,” said Mimick. 

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ARAPAHOEWARRIORS 


Football is a game of attrition, but 

last season few teams around the 

state were hit as hard by the injury 

bug as Arapahoe High School. 

According to first-year Head Coach 

Dustin Kronhofman, by the time 

the playoffs arrived, his eight-man 

football team ony had 14 players 

available for its final game of the 

year. 

After five years as an assistant coach, 

Kronofman has taken over the reigns 

of this Arapahoe program. 

Last season, the Warriors started 

the year off with a bang, beating 

Alma at home, 34-22. However, 

Arapahoe would lose its next two 

games, including a shutout against 

Perkins County. The Warriors, then, 

followed a win-one, lose-one pattern 

to finish the regular season 4-4. 

Arapahoe qualified for the playoffs, 

where the Warriors were eliminated 

in the first round by Ansley- 

Litchfield. 

This season, Arapahoe is hoping to 

have a bounce back year, hopefully 

with fewer injuries. 

The Warriors are losing five seniors 

from last year’s team, many of whom 

were significant contributors all four 

years of their high school careers. 

to the underclassmen, if the Warriors 

are going to rebound from last 

season. According to Kronhofman, 

his team needs to get stronger this 

offseason if they’re going to be 

competitive this season, but he said 

this team’s workmanlike mentality 

might be its biggest strength. 

Before the season begins, the 

Warriors are hoping to find a kicker. 

According to Kronhofman, it’s been 

several years since Arapahoe had 

a kicker that could get the ball into 

the endzone on kick-offs. Having the 

opposing team start from the 15 yard 

line would be huge for a defense that 

gave up nearly 35 points a game last 

season. 

This season nearly the entire 

Warriors’ schedule is filled with 

teams they have yet to face. This 

year’s schedule will be tough out of 

the gate with three of their first four 

games on the road, which include an 

early week two bye. 

Blue Hill could once again be the 

toughest opponent the Warriors face. 

Last season the Bobcats beat the 

Warriors 65-12 and return the bulk of 

their roster from last season. 

Coach Kronhofman expects to see 

Blue Hill atop of Class D throughout 

the year. 


8/26 Axtell @ Axtell 

9/9 Blue @ Blue Hill Hill 

9/16 Sumner-Eddyville-Miller 

9/23 @ Wauneta-Palisade 

9/30 Loomis 

10/7 Wallace 

10/14 @ Hitchcock County County 

10/21 10/20 Eustis-Farnam 

Gentry Anderson at Quarterback. 

Two-time state wrestling qualifier 

Borbert Gardner will line up under 

center for the Warriors. 

At running back, Jordan Martin 

is expected to have a good year. 

According to Kronhofman, the senior 

had a great off-season and is focused 

on becoming an integral part of the 

offense. 

Martin’s back-up Noah Koller is 

healthy once again and could be a 

big-time contributor for the Warriors. 

Freshman Cooper Schutz could also 

see significant playing time by the 

end of the season. 

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519 Nebraska Ave • Arapahoe, NE • 308-962-7740 

Rehab locations in Arapahoe, 658 Pine Street, 308-962-5402 & Cambridge, 1305 Hwy 6/34, 308-697-4718 

Coach Kronhofman said it will be up 

This year’s squad will be lead by 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Shawn Dustin Kronhofman Mulligan 


Assistant Coaches: Coach: John Strand 



Team Name: Warriors 




By: Justin Biegel 

ARCADIA-LOUP CITYREBELS 

The Rebels of Arcadia-Loup City 

will look to build on a spectacular 

2015 campaign, which ended 

with a 7-2 record. 

Head coach Mike Scott enters 

his third season at the helm and 

will heavily rely on his defense 

to pick up where it left off last 

season. Of the Rebels nine games, 

the defense pitched four scoreless 

contests - including back-to-back 

weeks against Ainsworth and 

Ravenna in September. 

Things quickly turned around 

in the latter half of the season, 

averaging 35 points per contest in 

the final five weeks. 

The Rebels will have a tough 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Mike Scott 


Assistant Coaches: Jason Phelps, 

Jason Obermiller, Josh Asche 

Class: C2 

Team Name: Rebels 

road ahead if they want to win 

their first ever state title at the 

Class C level. Coach Scott and 

his coaching staff bring a lot of 

experience to the table that could 

prove helpful come playoff time. 

Scott is 41-34 overall in his career 


8/26 North Platte St. Patrick’s 

9/2 @ Valentine 

9/9 Sandy Creek 

9/16 @ Cross County 

9/23 St. Paul 

9/30 @ Centura 

10/7 Twin River 

10/14 @ Central City 

10/21 Fillmore Central 

as a head coach, and 13-5 in his 

first two seasons at Arcadia-Loup 

City. 

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AURORAHUSKIES 

By: TJ Eck 

Aurora is dealing with perhaps 

its biggest loss of the year 

before the season even begins. 

Senior tight end and Nebraska 

Football commit Austin Allen 

suffered a tear in his meniscus 

while playing basketball over 

the summer and is expected 

to miss most of the season. “I 

feel terrible for his situation 

and wish the best for his long 

term health,” head coach Kyle 

Peterson said. There is still a 

chance Allen could return for the 

end of the season and help the 

Huskies make a playoff run just 

one year after finishing as the 

Class B state runner-up. 

Even with Allen, a 6’8 230-pound 

athlete, on the sideline, Peterson 

says the Huskies will not change 

much philosophically. A position 

to keep an eye on is quarterback 

where seniors Hunter Holliday 

(6’1” 175) and Carter Thompson 

(5’8” 150) are battling for the job. 

Peterson describes Holliday as 

a physical runner with a strong 

arm while Thompson excels at 

running the option offense and 

is accurate in the short passing 

game. Whoever wins the QB 

job will have the opportunity 

to hand the ball off to senior 

running back Preston Dibbern 

who rushed for more than 1,700 

yards last season. Senior Dalton 

Peters (6’0” 260) anchors the 

offensive line. “He plays the 

game with great instincts and 

has an excellent motor,” Peterson 

said of Peters. 

Six starters return for the defense 

that allowed just 16.2 points 

per game during the regular 

season in 2015. The defensive 

line is led by Peters and senior 

Aaron Marlatt (6’0” 250), who 

led the team in tackles for loss 

before suffering an injury in the 

sixth game of last season. Senior 

Jared Glinn (5’11” 185) is the 

leader amongst the linebackers 

after finishing second on the 

team in tackles in 2015. Safeties 

Thompson and Holliday return 

with starting experience in the 

secondary. 

The loss of Allen to injury takes 

one of Aurora’s best players 

off the field but, the Huskies 

still return a talented and 

experienced group. Peterson’s 

squad is led by a 15-man senior 

class, all of whom will see 


8/26 @ McCook 

9/2 Sidney 

9/9 @ Waverly 

9/16 Scottsbluff 

9/23 @ Gering 

9/30 Crete 

10/7 @ York 

10/14 Northwest 

10/21 @ Seward 

the field. “We return a good 

core of kids on both sides of 

the ball,” Peterson said. For 

Allen, he hopes to lace up the 

cleats for at least part of the 

season, something that might 

depend on how far the rest of 

the Huskies can take the team 

this year. “I expect great things 

out of my teammates,” Allen 

said. “Our weight room theme 

is ‘uncommon’ and I think we 

are going to be very uncommon 

this year and cause havoc this 

season.” 

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TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Kyle Peterson 


Assistant Coach: Tim Elge 

Class: B 

Team Name: Huskies 



AXTELLWILDCATS 


The Axtell Wildcats have lost quite 

a bit from a team that went 4-5 last 

season. Head coach William Wagner 

is replacing nearly every skill 

position from last season, including 

Trey Taubenheim, who will be 

suiting up for Hastings College this 

year. 

However, with all that experience 

gone and with so many roles to fill, 

Wagner does have some talent to 

work with. 

Last season, Axtell went 4-4 before 

losing in the first round of the 

playoffs to Elgin/Pope John. 

Of the returning starters from last 

year, most came from the offensive 

and defensive line, highlighted by 

Austin Skaggs. 

Wagner expects Skaggs to be a name 

the state will soon recognize. The 

6’4” 280-pound linemen has already 

garnered interest from UCLA and 

is expected to be even stronger 

and faster this season after getting 

another year to recover from a 

ruptured appendix that happened 

at the beginning of his freshman 

season. 

The most important position on the 

field is still up for grabs heading 

into the summer. Wagner says the 

quarterback position hasn’t been 

settled yet and that there are several 

freshmen and juniors fighting for 

the starting nod. 

However, the running back position 

could be explosive this season if 

Braiden Gomez has the kind of 

season Wagner expects. The speedy 

back is already setting track records 

for the Wildcats and will be relied 

on as the workhorse back if healthy. 

Coach Wagner says the junior could 

put up a 1,000 yard season on the 

ground. 

Defensively, Axtell is sticking with 

its 3-3 defense that relies on the 

combination of Skaggs and Hunter 

Stratman. The Wildcats typically 

place Skaggs at defensive tackle 

with Stratman directly behind at 

linebacker. The system, Wagner 

believes, allows Stratman to play 

free and make big hits. 

Stratman has spent the last two 

seasons as a back-up, but could 

be the best player on the team. 

Stratman is a jack-of-all-trades 

player, who has filled in as fullback, 

linebacker and center. 

Coach Wagner calls him the key to 

their offense. 

Axtell will open its season 

with back-to-back home games 


8/26 Arapahoe 

9/2 Loomis 

9/9 @ Pleasanton 

9/16 @ BDS 

9/23 Blue Hill 

9/30 @ Shelton 

10/14 Lawrence-Nelson 

10/21 @ Giltner 

against Arapahoe and Loomis. 

They will then go on the road 

to face Pleasanton and Bruning- 

Davenport/Shickley. 

If this season is going to be a 

successful one, the Wildcats will 

need their underclassmen to learn 

quickly. 

“The biggest weakness that we have 

is whether this group is going to 

establish their own identity on and 

off the field,” Wagner said. “This is a 

group of younger athletes that have 

always had small numbers, but the 

saying goes ‘quality over quantity.’” 

Despite all that, Wagner calls this 

group a charismatic bunch and is 

excited for the start of the 8-man 

season in August. 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Shawn William Mulligan Wagner 


Assistant Playoff Appearances: Coaches: 13 

Class: 2015 Record: C-1 4-5 


Team Name: Wildcats 


BEATRICEORANGEMEN 

By: Kevin Sjuts 

Kevin Meyer has more than 

two decades of head coaching 

experience, but this fall, he will be 

leading the Beatrice Orangemen for 

the first time. Meyer was promoted 

to head coach in March after Bob 

Sexton announced his resignation. 

Sexton, the school’s all-time 

winningest coach, stepped aside 

from coaching for personal reasons. 

Meyer served under Sexton in 2015 

as Beatrice’s defensive coordinator. 

Prior to his arrival, the veteran 

coach made various stops across 

the region. Meyer spent time at 

Newman Grove, Doniphan, and 

Fremont before venturing out-ofstate 

to coach in Colorado, Iowa, 

and Missouri. Meyer’s diverse 

experience should help in replacing 

Sexton. 

Sexton raised expectations to new 

heights during his 13 seasons 

on the sidelines. He guided 

the Orangemen to 11 playoff 

appearances, including the 

school’s only berth in the Class 

B championship in 2008. Meyer 

hopes to maintain a high standard 

at Beatrice, which is possible with a 

talented team returning in 2016. 

The Orangemen boast one of the 

most talented players in the state 

in Cameron Jurgens. The 6-foot, 

3-inch, 235-pound Husker recruit 

is entering his junior season. 

Jurgens is a two-way starter for the 

Orangemen playing both tight end 

and linebacker. 

“Cameron is a difference maker on 

both sides of the football,” Meyer 

said. “(He) will be a major factor 

with our success this season.” 

Jurgens is also a state track-andfield 

champion, in addition to 

starting on the Beatrice basketball 

team. “Cameron has a tremendous 

work ethic,” Meyer said. 

Jurgens is one of seven returning 

starters on both offense and 

defense. Beatrice brings back 

nearly all of its receiving options, 

including Dalton Hartig and Dillon 

Buss. The duo combined for 58 

catches and seven touchdowns last 

fall. The receiving corps should 

also be bolstered by senior Tyler 

Boller. 

Who will be throwing the ball 

to Beatrice’s wideouts remains a 

mystery. Meyer says the starting 

QB job is open with Cooper Blum 

and Trevor Schmale vying for the 

job. Blum received all-conference 

honors on defense last year, 

while Schmale was the starting 

quarterback on the Beatrice junior 


8/26 @ Ralston 

9/1 Nebraska City 

9/9 @ Elkhorn 

9/16 Omaha Gross Catholic 

9/23 @ Omaha Roncalli Catholic 

9/30 South Sioux City 

10/7 Waverly 

10/14 @ Crete 

10/21 Norris 

varsity team. 

Defensively, Beatrice has several 

skilled players beyond Jurgens. 

Jacob Pinkerton and Tucker 

Bassinger both enter their senior 

seasons, while classmate Cooper 

Blum plans to move from safety 

to outside linebacker. In five 

of Beatrice’s 10 games last fall, 

the Orangemen allowed two 

touchdowns or fewer. Meyer’s 

defense was particularly good 

against the pass, yielding less than 

130 yards through the air per game. 

While the head coach may be new, 

Beatrice’s experienced personnel 

should put the Orangemen in 

position for a seventh consecutive 

playoff berth. 

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TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Shawn Kevin Meyer Mulligan 


Assistant Coaches: Coach: Travis 

Class: Schuster C-1 

Team Class: Name: B Patriots 

Team Name: Orangemen 

308 Court St Beatrice, NE 402.228.3684 


BERTRANDVIKINGS 

Team Phelps 

www.PhelpsMemorial.com 

By: Justin Biegel 

The Bertrand Vikings look to make 

a statement with a third consecutive 

playoff appearance in 2016. After a 

5-3 finish to the regular season last 

year, head coach Steve Colfack and 

the Vikings cruised past the Brady 

Eagles in the first round of D1 state 

playoffs before ultimately falling 

to the Renegades of Chambers- 

Wheeler Central, 54-18. 

But that mission will come with a 

challenge as the Vikings will have to 

fill the void of five defensive starters 

who also played significant minutes 

on offense. 

Luckily, Bertrand will have some 

insurance with the return of 10 letter 

winners and four offensive starters 

- including seniors Creighton 

Peterson and Grant Dahlgren along 

the front line and junior tight end 

Wyatt Wilken. 

expected to take a majority of the 

snaps at that position. 

On the defensive side, Dahlgren and 

Wilken will return as the starting 

linebackers, giving Bertrand some 

much needed assistance at the 

second level. Peterson is the lone 

returner on defense which will see 

many new faces come the fall. 

The Vikings are on the road backto-back 

weeks to open the season 

- first against Amherst on Aug. 26, 

followed by Elm Creek on Sept. 2 

before returning to Bertrand for the 

home opener against South Loup on 

Sept. 9. 

After a bye week on Sept. 16, the 

Vikings are back on the road at 

Cambridge on Sept. 23 and close 

out the month at home on Sept. 30 


8/26 @ Amherst 


9/9 South Loup 


9/30 Overton 

10/7 Alma 

10/14 @ Southwest 

10/20 Medicine Valley 

against Overton. 

October opens with a home game 

against Alma on 7th, followed by 

a road contest at Southwest on the 

14th before wrapping up the season 

at home against Medicine Valley on 

the 20th. 

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While senior quarterback Cooper 

Grabenstein returns under center, 

don’t be surprised if Colfack goes 

with sophomore Tyler Callahan for 

a couple of series. Callahan made 

two appearances for the Vikings in 

2015 and threw for 180 yards in both 

contests. 

With the departure of running back 

Tyrell Younger, sophomore Jordan 

Holen - a shifty back standing at 

just 5-feet 9-inches, 175 pounds - is 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Steve Colfack 


Assistant Coaches: Mark 

Dethlers, Craig Newcoms, Bill Ford 

Class: D1 

Team Name: Vikings 


BLUE HILLBOBCATS 

BOONE CENTRAL-NEWMAN GROVECARDINALS 


By: TJ Eck 

Usually a coaching change means 

a team will go through some 

growing pains, but it couldn’t 

have been more opposite for the 

Blue Hill football team in 2015. 

The departure of former coach 

Scott Porter to Cambridge left the 

Bobcat football program in the 

hands of longtime assistant coach 

Jon Coffey, who led the fellas in 

black and blue to an 8-3 record 

last season. 

The campaign also marked the 

second-straight year Blue Hill had 

fielded a team for 8-man football 

instead of 11-man. It appears that 

will be the way of the future for 

the Bobcats who drop down to 

Class D2 for the upcoming season 

after making the jump down to 

Class D1 back in 2014. 

With that in mind, the rest of 

Class D2 should be on high 

alert. Blue Hill saw its season 

end a year ago to Burwell in a 

narrow 43-40 loss. For those that 

remember, Burwell went on to 

reach the state championship 

game in Class D1, proving Blue 

Hill’s worth in the class. 

The end of last season should 

have the Bobcats with big dreams 

in 2016, considering Blue Hill 

reeled off seven-straight wins 

including a playoff win before 

nearly knocking off the Class D1 

runner-up. 

The 2016 Bobcats will feature 

plenty of experience as well, 

including the return of 18 letter 

winners and seven starters. 

The big hole to fill will be at 

quarterback, a position where 

recently-departed Jacob Van 

Boening threw for 650 yards and 

14 touchdowns. Van Boening 

was an extremely accurate passer 

completing 63-percent of his 

attempts. 

In line to replace him is a list of 

three according to the roster - 

sophomore JC Himmelberg, junior 

John Rouse or senior Kody Mars. 

None of the potential suitors have 

any varsity playing experience, 

so it’s likely to be the biggest 

question mark for coach Coffey 

and his staff in 2016. 

Whoever steps in as signal caller 

will also need to replace the 

team’s leading rusher from 2015 - 

also Van Boening - who racked up 

218 yards and 11 touchdowns on 

just 57 carries. 

Considering all of these numbers, 

and the lack of varsity experience, 

Coffey and his staff have plenty 

of work with player development. 


8/26 @ Meridian 

9/2 @ Franklin 

9/9 Arapahoe 

9/16 Pleasanton 

9/23 @ Axtell 

9/30 @ Lawrence-Nelson 

10/7 Giltner 

10/20 Shelton 

The Bobcats do, however, have 

a talented young core that could 

carry Blue Hill deep into the 

playoffs. 

On their schedule are four teams 

they easily defeated last season 

- Franklin, Arapahoe, Axtell and 

Shelton. Oct. 7 marks what many 

consider Blue Hill’s first real test, 

as the Bobcats take on Giltner. 

Coach Coffey and company are 

back on the gridiron Aug. 26 

when they take on Meridian. 

Success. Just one word is all 

that you need to define the 

history of the Boone Central/ 

Newman Grove co-op. Since 

the program’s start in 2012, 

the Cardinals have advanced 

to the postseason each year 

while amassing 11 playoff wins 

and capturing a Class C1 state 

title in 2014. BC/NG looks 

to continue its winning ways 

in 2016 as the Cardinals will 

break in new lineups on both 

sides of the ball. 

Just two players return with 

starting experience in junior 

Dylan Gentrup and senior 

Dalton Wagner. A versatile 

player, Gentrup is expected to 

see time on offense at both the 

quarterback and running back 

positions. He rushed for 487 

yards and six touchdowns in 

2015 while throwing two TD 

passes in limited duty under 

center. Wagner, the Cardinals’ 

fullback, is coming off a junior 

season in which he carried the 

ball 23 times for 126 yards and 

two TDs. BC/NG will have a 

new group of pass-catchers 

this season after the squad’s 

top five leading receivers 

graduated. The 2016 Cardinals 

have big shoes to fill on an 

offense that averaged over 40 

points per game last season. 

BC/NG will rely heavily 

on the play of Gentrup and 

Wagner on defense as well; 

they are the only returning 

starters on that side of the 

ball. Wagner looks to repeat 

as the Cardinals’ leading 

tackler and he has the ability 

to make plays behind the line 

of scrimmage after registering 

eight tackles for loss and two 

sacks in 2015. Despite not 

recording an interception last 

season, Gentrup led the team 

with eight pass breakups 

and will be the leader of the 

secondary in 2016. 

Mark Hudson is entering his 

second season as BC/NG’s 

head coach, but he brings 

experience to the program with 

an 80-42 career record on the 

sideline. For the first time in 

the co-op’s short history, BC/ 

NG was eliminated in the first 

round of the state playoffs in 

2015. The Cardinals will look 

to get back to the postseason 


8/26 @ Pierce 

9/2 Wayne 

9/9 O’Neill 

9/15 @ Norfolk Catholic 


9/30 Ord 

10/7 @ Adams Central 



and beyond in 2016, but in 

order to do so, a new group of 

players will have to step up 

and fill nine positions on both 


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TEAM FACTS 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Jon Coffey 


Assistant Coaches: Tim Streff, 

Riley Aimes, Jake Bachman, 

Jeremy Mayer, Tyler Auten, Parker 

Trumbl 

Class: D2 

Team Name: Bobcats 

402-756-2887 

542 W GAGE ST, BLUE HILL, NE 

Head Coach: Mark Hudson 


Assistant Coaches: Eric Albers, 

Dan Zoucha, Braxton Staack, 

Michael Volker, Cory Thome, 

Nolan Vandenberg 

Class: C1 


GO 

CARDINALS! 


BROKEN BOWINDIANS 

By: Keith Albertson 

Broken Bow head coach Mike 

Garner seems to find success at 

Broken Bow High School year after 

year. The head coach has a .654 

winning percentage (117-62), and 

this fall, he enters his 20th season 

at the school. Garner will likely 

add to his impressive resume this 

season, despite losing eight All- 

District performers. 

“We do have a good nucleus 

of returning starters, but we 

are going to have to have some 

younger kids ready to play,” 

Garner said. 

They need to get ready quickly, 

too. It doesn’t take long before the 

Indians are tested in the upcoming 

season. Week two, Class C1 

powerhouse Chase County comes 

to town, fresh off a 7-2 season. 

One key returner Broken Bow 

is planning to lean on is senior 

linebacker Tristan Sawyer- 

Kociemba. Despite missing three 

games due to an injury last year, 

he still finished among the team 

leaders in tackles, something 

Garner credits to Sawyer- 

Kociemba’s work ethic. “Tristan 

has used the weight room to 

turn himself into a good football 

player,” Garner said. 

Wide receiver Dylan Reynolds is 

also hoping to make a big impact 

for his team. Reynolds, a threetime 

football letterman, showed off 

his speed in the spring by placing 

in four track events at the State 

Meet. He brought that talent to the 

gridiron last season, returning a 

kickoff and punt for touchdowns 

in the same game. Reynolds has 

already received offers to play 

football for North Dakota, North 

Dakota State and Wyoming. 

What makes Reynolds even more 

dangerous is the other talented 

receiver lined up alongside him. 

Hunter Smith adds a dangerous 

element to the receiving corps with 

a pair of touchdown receptions 

last season. Smith also adds 

versatility as a defensive back and 

place kicker, where he made 32 of 

36 PAT attempts. Garner says he’s 

most excited about Smith’s ability 

on offense. 

“We are going to rely on Hunter 

to give us another receiving threat 

opposite Dylan Reynolds,” Garner 

said. “So, Hunter could have a big 

season.” 

Perhaps the most intriguing 

position to keep your eye on in 

2016 is the offense line. Broken 

Bow returns six seniors to the 

front, which the team aims to use 

as a strong base for the offense. 

The Indians will need to fill the 


8/26 Ord 

9/2 Chase County 

9/9 @ Chadron 


9/23 Minden 

9/30 @ Gothenburg 

10/7 @ Ogallala 

10/14 Cozad 

10/21 @ Kearney Catholic 

gaps left by last year’s graduates 

if they hope to avoid missing the 

playoffs for just the fourth time 

since 2002. 

Other notable returners include: 

Wyatt Barta (Sr., OL/DE, 6’5’’, 215) 

Andrew Miller (Sr., RB/DB, 5’8’’, 

160) 

Kevin Linn (Jr., TE/LB, 6’3’’, 190) 

Derek Drake (Sr., OL/DL, 6’0’’, 

190) 

Tycen Marten (Jr., RB/DB, 5’10’’, 

170) 

GATEWAY MOTORS 

GOOD LUCK TO ALL AREA SCHOOLS AND ATHLETES! 

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OWNER 

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145 SOUTH 9TH STREET • BROKEN BOW, NE • 308.872.3374 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Mike Garner 


Assistant Coach: Luke Coufal 

Class: C1 

Team Name: Indians 


BRUNING-DAVENPORT-SHICKLEYEAGLES 

BURWELLLONGHORNS 


Bruning-Davenport-Shickley had a 

dream season in 2015. The Eagles 

went undefeated, going 13-0 with 

an average margin of victory of 33 

points. That being said, the Eagles 

know that repeating as Class D1 

champions will be extremely 

difficult. BDS loses 5 starters on 

both offense and defense from the 

most successful team in program 

history. 

Riley Tegtmeier, the 2015 

PrepZone Weekly Football Player 

of the Year, graduated leaving 

the BDS coaching staff seeking 

a new quarterback. Tegtmeier’s 

likely replacement will be Kale 

Kleinschmidt, who was a stalwart 

running back during last year’s 

title run. Kleinschmidt rushed 

for 1,331 yards and scored 32 

touchdowns. BDS must also 

replace Ben Elznic, an All-State 

linebacker/tight end who had a 

championship-sealing touchdown 

catch in the Class D1 title game. 

“We have lost a lot of great players 

over the last two years,” co-head 

coach Mark Rotter said. “We will 

be very inexperienced.” 

With Kleinschmidt’s move to 

quarterback, John Christensen 

likely takes over as BDS’ top 

running back. Christensen, a 

TEAM FACTS 

6-foot, 210-pound sophomore, saw 

significant action during his first 

year competing at the high school 

level. The Eagles offense may not 

have the firepower of Tegtmeier 

and company, but the 2016 unit 

should still be able to put up 

impressive numbers. BDS scored 

30 or more points eight times last 

season. 

BDS’ strength may be on defense 

in 2016. The Eagles return two of 

their top tacklers from a season 

ago. Holden Stengel and Noel 

Gines combined for 147 stops last 

year. Both Stengel and Gines are 

linemen that are two-way starters. 

The Eagles’ title defense requires 

BDS to navigate through District 

1 in Class D2. The group includes 

perennial 8-man power Falls City 

Sacred Heart, who is considered 

the district favorite. The Eagles 

and Irish are scheduled to meet 

on October 7th. “We have a very 

tough schedule,” Rotter said. BDS 

will compete in D2 after winning 

a state title in D1 last fall. Both are 

8-man classes. 

Though BDS will be 

inexperienced, the Eagles will not 

be lacking in talent. Several upand-coming 

players will move 

into larger roles, such as Josh 


8/26 Osceola 

9/9 @ Tri County 

9/16 Axtell 

9/23 Pawnee City 

9/30 @ Sterling 

10/7 Falls City Sacred Heart 

10/14 @ Meridian 


Hinrichs, Caden Norder, and Jacob 

Schwartzendruber. The Eagles 

are excited to watch these players 

develop and help BDS attempt to 

qualify for the playoffs for the 16th 

straight season. 

“We have a lot of hard work to 

do,” Rotter said. 

(402) 627-7865 • 223 N MARKET ST 

SHICKLEY, NE 


Last season, Burwell was one win 

away from claiming its first state 

championship. The Longhorns 

reached the Class D1 title game, 

but lost to BDS at Memorial 

Stadium. This year, if the 

Longhorns are to break through 

and bring a title home, head 

coach Luke Gideon will need his 

underclassmen to step up. 

Burwell began last season 

winning its first seven games 

in dominating fashion. The 

Longhorns started that streak 

by beating North Central, 46-14. 

They also had a five-game stretch 

in which the defense gave up six 

points or less. Two of those games 

were shutouts. 

In the postseason, the Longhorns 

beat Boyd County, 58-26, and 

won a nail-biter against Blue 

Hill 43-40. In the following 

round, the Longhorns avenged 

their lone loss of the regular 

season beating then-undefeated 

Amherst, 64-41, on the road. In 

the state semifinals, Burwell 

made quick work of Clearwater/ 

Orchard before losing to eventual 

champion BDS 44-30 in a highlyentertaining 

state final. 

This season, ten players return 

from that state runner-up team. 

TEAM FACTS 

Coach Gideon said he has a few 

key playmakers returning. Among 

those is three-year starter Tyler 

Gideon, who had 42 receptions 

for 755 yards last season. Coach 

Gideon thinks Tyler is the best 

tight end in Class D1. 

Alongside Gideon, two other 

seniors that will be relied on 

heavily on both sides of the ball 

are Chase Hoffschneider and Tori 

Huffman. Hoffschneider will start 

opposite of Tyler Gideon at tightend 

and defensive-end. Huffman 

will start as the teams running 

back and linebacker. 

The Longhorn offense will run a 

spread once again this year. Last 

season the team average 45 points 

a game, while rushing for 196 

yards per game and passing for 

178 yards per game. 

Defensively, the Longhorns hope 

to repeat last year’s dominance 

on that side of the ball, where 

Burwell allowed 19 points per 

game. Coach Gideon said his 

defense will look to mix it up this 

season, switching from a 3-4 to a 

4-4 depending on the situation. 

According to Coach Gideon, 

this season’s schedule will give 

them no favors. The Longhorns 


8/26 @ Elgin Public/Pope John 

9/9 Palmer 


9/23 CWCE 

9/30 @ West Holt 


10/14 Ainsworth 

10/21 @ Boyd County 

will open the season at Elgin/ 

Pope John followed by an early 

bye in week two. Three of the 

Longhorns’ last seven games 

will be rematches from the 2015 

playoffs. The game most fans 

have circled could be a week four 

matchup against Amherst on the 

road. 

Co-Head Coaches: Mark Rotter, 

Chris Ardissono 


Assistant Coach: Scott Shipley 

Class: D2 

Team Name: Eagles 

Head Coach: Luke Gideon 


Assistant Coaches: Mike Max, 

Will Gideon 

Class: D1 

Team Name: Longhorns 


CAMBRIDGETROJANS 


Cambridge football hasn’t 

experienced a winning season 

over the past four years. For the 

first time in school history, the 

Trojans will compete in eightman, 

moving down to Class D1 

from C2. Last season under first 

year head coach Scott Porter, the 

Trojans started the season with 

back-to-back wins over Southern 

Valley (12-6) and Ravenna (42-16), 

but finished with only three total. 

Porter believes it will be an easy 

transition for the team’s runheavy 

offense, behind a large and 

mobile line. Juniors Wyatte Fiene 

(6’0, 200), Seth Borland (6’5, 270), 

Seth Andrews (6’4, 230) and Drew 

Holtze (6’0, 200) are returning 

varsity linemen with the biggest 

size advantage in their district. 

Senior Konner Banzhaf and junior 

Taten Benson will be the primary 

ball carriers, along with Caden 

Houghtelling. 

Houghtelling, a 6-foot, 5-inch 

junior will return as a three-year 

varsity starter at the quarterback 

position. A strong, experienced 

line and three less defenders to 

account for may be the perfect 

equation for the dynamic 

Houghtelling. As a sophomore in 

C2, he was responsible for more 

than 1,200 all-purpose yards, 

throwing for five touchdowns and 

running for three more. 

Senior Tyler Witte will add 

experienced depth at the wide 

receiver position, returning 

as Houghtelling’s primary 

target. Witte tallied fourteen 

receptions for 256 yards and two 

touchdowns. 

“If the boys are willing to buy 

into the new system and also 

put in the work that’s required 

this summer, we could have a 

successful season,” said Coach 

Porter. 

Prior to coming to Cambridge, 

Porter spent a decade at Blue Hill 

High School and several seasons 

at eight-man Silver Creek. The 

2016-17 season will be his sixth 

involved with an eight-man 

football program. 

The Trojans open the season 

with a tall test playing host to 

one of the best teams in D1, 

Perkins County. The Plainsmen 

completed the 2015 regular season 

undefeated before a last second 

loss to Clearwater/Orchard in the 

second round of playoffs. 

“It definitely will be a good gauge 

of where we’re at after week one,” 

Porter said, “I tell the boys if you 

want to be the best you have to 


8/26 Perkins County 

9/2 @ Decatur Community KS 

9/16 @ Dundy County-Stratton 

9/23 Bertrand 

9/30 @ Alma 


10/14 Medicine Valley 

10/20 Amherst 

play the best.” 

If that proves true, Cambridge 

must be striving for the top. The 

Trojans are scheduled to play 

just two teams who ended last 

season less than .500 in Medicine 

Valley and Decatur Community 

(Kansas). 

Other players and newcomers 

Coach Porter believes will play a 

role include: 

Trayce Doyle (OL/DL) 

Matt Pearson (RB/DB) 

Avery Johnson (OL/DL) 

Dawson Horwart (WR/DB) 

Skylar Ryan (WR/DB) 

Cole Burke (RB/LB) 

Drew Sprinkle (OL/LB) 

Lucas TenBensel (OL/LB) 

624 Patterson St • Cambridge, NE • 308-697-3400 


BRANDON RECTOR • BRAD ANDERSON 

KEN SIEMEK • TRAVIS KLANECKY 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Scott Porter 


Assistant Coaches: Les Painter, 

Jason Benson, Jimmy Blex, 

Bronson Soucie, Lance Shifflet 

Class: D1 

Team Name: Trojans 


CENTENNIALBRONCOS 

By: Ryan Mix 

After barely missing out on the 

playoffs last fall, the Centennial 

Broncos could be poised for a 

return to the postseason in 2016. 

Centennial returns eight starters 

on offense and six on defense from 

last year’s team that finished 5-4. 

The Broncos will look to build 

off their strong defense last fall 

that allowed just under 12 points 

per game. Seniors Trevor Dey 

and Andrew Cast are two-year 

starters who will lead the Broncos 

secondary, while Ryan Schlueter 

and Noah Utter will provide a 

formidable force at linebacker. 

While Centennial was undefeated 

at home last season, the Broncos 

were just 1-4 on the road. Three 

of Centennial’s four road losses 

were decided by two touchdowns 

or less, including a 14-0 loss at Tri 

County in the final game of the 

regular season. 

Entering his sixth season as Head 

Coach at Centennial with a career 

record of 30-24, Head Coach Evan 

Klanecky sees great potential in 

this year’s squad. “The team’s 

work ethic is what I like the most 

about this group,” Klanecky said. 

“This is the hardest working team 

at practice and in the weight room 

that I have had in my six years at 

the school.” 

After reaching the playoffs for five 

consecutive seasons from 2009- 

2013, Centennial is in the midst of 

a rare two-year drought from the 

postseason, something they hope 

to turn around this fall. 

Competing in the C2-5 district, 

Centennial will have another 

challenging schedule, facing 

two teams who reached the C2 

quarterfinals last year (Sutton 

and Yutan), while also going up 

against challenging opponents 

in Central City, St. Paul, and 

Malcolm. 

When asked what Centennial’s 

toughest challenge for this fall will 

be, Klanecky said, “To stay healthy 

and to develop consistent varsity 

players. We also need to see our 

backups develop to provide better 

depth.” 

Returning last year’s starting 

backfield, two wide receivers, and 

three linemen, the Broncos have 

plenty of veterans on offense that 

could provide some firepower this 

fall. Senior Ryan Schlueter has 

been a very reliable running back 


8/26 Central City 

9/2 @ Yutan 

9/9 Palmyra 

9/16 @ Malcolm 


9/30 @ St. Paul 

10/7 @ Shelby-Rising City 

10/14 Cross County 

10/21 @ Sutton 

for the Broncos the past two years, 

rushing for 1,645 yards and 15 

touchdowns the last two seasons 

combined. 

Sophomore QB Wyatt Ehlers 

and sophomore WR Jackson 

Hirschfield figure to be a strong 

connection for the next few 

seasons. Hirschfield showed 

promise as a freshman last season, 

hauling in 25 receptions for 177 

yards at the varsity level. 

“We have a great young 

group, just not as much varsity 

experience,” Klanecky said. With 

a talented young group, this fall, 

and the seasons to come could be 

very successful for the Broncos. 

Your Hometown Bank Since 1882 


TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Evan Klanecky 


Assistant Coaches: Craig 

Barjenbruch, Phil Payne, Josh 

Warren 

Class: C2 


729 D Street • Utica, NE • 402.534.3500 


CENTRAL CITYBISON 


Central City had a breakout season in 

2015. The Bison won nine games and 

advanced past the first round of the 

playoffs for the first time since 1989. Now, 

Central City is looking to go even deeper 

into the post-season, but must do so with 

several new players. 

“Our experience level isn’t the same as a 

year ago,” Central City head coach Troy 

Huebert said, “we have guys that have 

really developed in our program and will 

be ready to step in and contribute.” 

While the Bison lose one of the top 

offensive players in Class C1 in Mitch 

Carlson, it returns one of the dominant 

defenders. Jordan Paup, a 6-foot, 3-inch, 

240-pound lineman, was an All-State 

selection as a junior. He led Central City 

in tackles, sacks, and tackles for loss last 

season. 

“Jordan is a very explosive player,” 

Huebert said. “Jordan has all the physical 

tools, and as he continues to learn the 

mental aspect of the game, he can be 

pretty special.” Paup often draws doubleteams 

and excels in both run-stopping 

and pass-rush situations. With opponents 

focusing on the Bison defensive line, other 

players within the defense are given more 

freedom. 

Among those who benefit from the Central 

City personnel is senior Vincent Ohlman. 

The 6-foot, 2-inch defensive back had a 

team-best six interceptions last year and 

earned All-District honors. “Vincent is 

a very gifted athlete,” Huebert said, “he 

is a very good cover guy.” Huebert says 

Ohlman’s speed and leaping ability make 

him one of the best playmakers on the 

team. Beyond Ohlman, the Bison have a 

talented and veteran secondary. Safety 

Dale Jones has been starting since his 

freshman season. 

With starters back at eight positions, 

Central City will likely start the season 

inside the Class C2 ratings. The Bison 

program continues to surge under 

Huebert, who’s entering his fourth 

season as head coach. Huebert installed 

a spread offense when he took over, and 

has developed it into one of the most 

successful passing attacks in Central 

Nebraska. 

The Bison averaged 36 points per game 

last season, thanks in large part to the 

play of quarterback Mitch Carlson. The 

senior QB finished his record-setting career 

with nearly 6,000 passing yards and 71 

touchdowns. Replacing Carlson will be 

a tall task for Central City. Will Wagner, 

who played wide receiver last season, 

figures to be in contention for the starting 

quarterback job. Another option is Jones, 

who may become a two-way starter. 

Central City drops to Class C2 this fall, 


8/26 @ Centennial 

9/2 @ Logan View 

9/9 Battle Creek 

9/16 Hastings St. Cecilia 



10/7 @ Sutton 

10/14 Arcadia-Loup City 

10/21 @ St. Paul 

but will not see a decrease in competition. 

The Bison schedule is littered with 

challenging opponents. Central City 

will play perennial powers Battle Creek 

and Hastings St. Cecilia in back-to-back 

weeks. The Bison also have an October 

7th showdown with state title contender 

Sutton. 

1002 G ST • CENTRAL CITY, NE • 308-946-9817 

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TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Troy Huebert 


Assistant Coach: Reuban 

Burbach 

Class: C2 

Team Name: Bison 

Wishing the Bison best of luck this year! 


CENTRAL VALLEYCOUGARS 

CENTURACENTURIONS 



Central Valley will try to improve 

upon a 2-6 campaign from 2015. 

Jesse Rother enters his third season 

as the Cougars’ head coach. This 

year Rother’s team will make the 

move from D1 to D2. The eight 

man squad from Greeley returns 

a total of just four starters, two on 

offense and two on defense. 

“We graduated eight seniors last 

year so getting everyone on the 

same page will be tough,” said 

Rother. 

On the offensive side, Central 

Valley will have the benefit of a 

returning starter at quarterback. 

Senior Connor Wood brings two 

years of starting experience under 

center. Wood leads an I-formation 

attack that had plenty of balance a 

year ago. The Cougars averaged 

around 150 yards a game on the 

ground last year and nearly that 

many through the air. However, 

putting up more points will be a 

big priority for Central Valley as 

the Cougars only averaged 18 per 

contest a year ago. 

Also returning in the offensive 

back field is Jordan Manhold. The 

senior running back has a couple 

years of starting experience. 

Manhold’s 180 pound frame will 

be tough for opponents to bring 

down. A couple of juniors are also 

expected to compete for carries. 

Jeremy Ondracek and Colton 

Gydesen could challenge Manhold 

for playing time. 

Along the offensive line, Central 

Valley has a pair of 200 pounders 

with starting experience. Junior 

Nathan Boss and Senior Evan 

Beck both have a year playing 

experience under their belts. 

On the defensive side of the ball, 

the Cougars will try to improve 

upon a unit that gave up 30 points 

per game a year ago. Central 

Valley’s rush and pass defense 

will need equal improvement as 

both gave up around 200 yards per 

contest in 2015. 

Up front, Jordan Manhold will be a 

key cog in the Cougars’ 3-4 scheme. 

The defensive lineman has two 

years of playing experience at the 

position. At the end spot, a pair of 

seniors could step up to contribute. 

Cade Grossart and Grant Young are 

expected to compete for starting 

jobs. 

In the defensive backfield, Central 

Valley will rely heavily on the 

experience of Connor Wood. 

The senior has seen plenty of 


8/26 @ Fullerton 

9/2 Stuart 

9/16 @ Anselmo-Merna 



10/7 Nebraska Lutheran 

10/14 @ Twin Loup 


football in his two years of starting 

experience. 

The Cougars’ schedule in Class D2 

could be quite daunting in 2016. 

Six of Central Valley’s eight regular 

season opponents have made the 

state playoffs each of the past two 

seasons. The good news for the 

Cougars is that both of the teams 

they beat a year ago are back on the 

schedule. 

Overall, Rother likes the effort he’s 

seen from his team heading into 

the season. 

“We are not the biggest or fastest 

team,” Coach Rother said, “but 

they play hard and always work 

hard.” 

Cairo hasn’t exactly been a football 

town in central Nebraska, but if 

coach Larry Baker accomplishes 

what he did last season this 

year, then you might want to get 

familiar with the Centurions. 

Baker enters his third year at the 

helm of a Centura football team 

that is hungry for growth, and 

it’s exactly what he’s given them. 

In 2014, the team earned just one 

victory on the year. Last season, 

the win total jumped to four. 

Another three-game jump would 

likely mean playoff football in 

Cairo. 

The only catch - Baker will 

have to keep the team trending 

upward with most of his offensive 

production from 2015 gone. 

Travis Holcumb rushed for 1,288 

yards on the ground and tallied 

six touchdowns. Hunter Caspersen 

held down the QB slot, completing 

38 passes for 501 yards. The 

talented duo has graduated, 

leaving a pair of holes in key 

positions. 

Fortunately, not all is lost on the 

Centurion’s 2016 roster, as one of 

their most dynamic playmakers 

is back in the huddle this season. 

Running back Jose Guzman 

rushed for 621 yards and three 

touchdowns in 2015. He tacked on 

402 yards receiving as well and 

two receiving touchdowns. 

When scanning the 2016 roster, 

it appears Baker is looking at 

moving the versatile Guzman to 

quarterback in an attempt to fill 

depth concerns, and no one can 

blame him when there isn’t another 

player on the roster who threw 

more than two passes in 2015. 

Guzman’s ability at quarterback 

could be bolstered by the return 

of running back Jaden Meyers 

and lineman Heath Hostetler after 

both missed all of last season 

with injuries, which coach Baker 

says should help with his team’s 

strengths. 

“We have some team speed and 

some size up front,” Baker said. “If 

the focus is there and a legitimate 

willingness to grind, this could be 

a good season for us. If we are not 

willing to do those things, we will 

be average.” 

The Centurions will look to build 

off of their four wins last season, 

but also to avenge some significant 

losses. For example, they lost to 

Twin River 40-0. Arcadia-Loup City 

also had their number, trouncing 

them 42-0. 

The Centurions do catch a break 

with not having to play Gibbon 


8/25 Kimball 

9/2 @ Wood River 

9/9 Bayard 

9/16 @ Hershey 



10/7 @ St. Paul 

10/14 Shelby-Rising City 

10/21 @ Twin River 

again in 2016. The Buffaloes won 

the 2015 contest 64-0. 

All in all, Baker says the team’s 

biggest challenge will be simply 

staying healthy throughout the 

season - a season that will start on 

Aug. 26 against Kimball. 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Jess Rother 


Assistant Coaches: Jason 

McIntyre, Steve Kreweld 

Class: D2 

Team Name: Cougars 608 Howard Ave, St Paul, NE 68873 

308-754-4611 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Larry Baker 


Assistant Coaches: Cory Bohling, 

Scott Korinek, Roger Wooden 

Class: C2 

Team Name: Centurions 





CHAMBERS-WHEELER CENTRAL-EWINGRENEGADES 

CLEARWATER-ORCHARDCYCLONES 

By: TJ Eck 

By: TJ Eck 

Chambers/Wheeler Central/ 

Ewing will play its first season as a 

co-op in 2016. Chambers/Wheeler 

Central (CWC) put together one of 

the best seasons in Class D2 a year 

ago. The Renegades won their 

first 12 games of the season before 

losing to Humphrey St. Francis in 

the D2 State Title Game. CWCE 

will move up to compete in Class 

D1. 

“I think out biggest challenge will 

be coming together as a team,” 

said Head Coach Tom Thramer. 

“Team chemistry is huge for 

success and we need to develop 

that as soon as possible.” 

Five starters return for an offense 

that averaged 395 yards and 55 

points per game a year ago. CWCE 

must replace quarterback Brenden 

Pelster, one of the best players in 

Class D2, who accounted for 2,983 

total yards and 39 touchdowns 

in 2015. “We will need to find 

leaders for this year’s team,” said 

Thramer. Junior Carter Croxen 

is expected to assume the role 

under center in 2016. He threw 

four touchdown passes in limited 

duty last season. The Renegades 

return an experienced backfield 

led by junior all-state running back 

Daniel Libolt (1,556 total yards, 

26 TDs) and senior fullback Nick 

Haburchak (511 total yards, 9 

TDs). Senior Bryce Summers will 

also be in the mix for carries. 

Croxen takes over the offense 

after attempting just 16 passes last 

season but he has an experienced 

group of wide receivers with 

whom to work. The Renegades 

return their two leading pass 

catchers among wideouts in 

seniors Zane Patrick (25 rec, 482 

yds, 8 TDs) and Connor Croxen 

(21 rec, 436 yds, 7 TDs). CWCE 

will look to replace two starters on 

the offensive line. Junior Logan 

Pelster is the only returning starter 

up front. Senior Patrick Tomjack 

and junior Travis Halsey will look 

to help solidify the line. 

Defensively, CWCE brings back 

five starters from 2015. Libolt 

will be looked at to lead the unit 

in 2016. The junior linebacker 

is coming off a season in which 

he recorded 130 tackles and 

tied for the team lead with five 

interceptions. The Renegades 

should once again have a strong 

secondary led by Patrick and 

Connor Croxen. Both players 

picked off five passes last season. 

Junior Ethan Naughtin will also 

be expected to contribute. Much 

like the offensive side of the 

ball, CWCE looks to replace two 

starters on the defensive line. 

Tomjack returns as the unit’s lone 


8/26 Niobrara/Verdigre 

9/2 Pender 

9/9 @ Elgin Public/Pope John 


9/30 Ainsworth 

10/7 West Holt 


10/20 @ Clearwater/Orchard 

starter after recording 71 tackles 

and three sacks in 2015. 

2016 is a new year with new 

challenges for the Renegades. 

Moving to Class D1 will test 

CWCE in its first year as a co-op, 

but the squad has the advantage 

of opening the season with backto-back 

home games. However, 

the schedule features three road 

games against teams that made it 

to the quarterfinals of the D1 State 

Playoffs a year ago (EPPJ, Burwell, 

Clearwater/Orchard). 

“I don’t think there is a team on 

our schedule that we can take 

lightly,” said Thramer. “I believe 

we play good teams all eight 

weeks of the season.” 

Clearwater/Orchard enters 2016 

coming off the most successful 

season in program history. 

The Cyclones advanced to the 

semifinal round of the Class D1 

playoffs in 2015 before falling to 

Burwell. C/O’s starting lineup 

will have a new look this season 

after the graduation of a large 

senior class, but the Cyclones 

return an experienced group of 

players. 

“We will be a very young in 2016 

after graduating nine seniors 

from last year’s team,” said 

Head Coach Jeff Shabram, who 

enters his 15th season at the 

helm. “However, the kids on this 

year’s team played a lot last year 

in some crucial situations and 

hopefully that experience can 

pay off this year,” said Shabram. 

Junior running back, Creston 

Bertschinger will be the main 

man in the Cyclones’ backfield. 

He is coming off an all-district 

performance in which he carried 

the ball 70 times for 391 yards 

and four touchdowns last season. 

“(Creston) made a lot of big 

plays last year,” said Shabram. 

Bertschinger will look to 

take pressure off sophomore 

quarterback Blake Hoke who is 

entering his first season as the 

starter. Senior Travis Kerkman 

(6’3” 185) leads the way for the 

offensive line where he will be 

joined by a duo of sophomores 

made up of likely Ryan Wilhelm, 

Zach King, or Tommie Peed. 

There are opportunities for 

young players to make an impact 

on the outside. Bertschinger 

(14 rec, 158 yds, 2 TDs) is 

Clearwater/Orchard’s leader 

among returning pass catchers. 

C/O’s top six tacklers from 2015 

graduated, opening the door 

for younger players to make an 

impact in 2016. Bertschinger (60 

tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1 INT) patrols 

the secondary and will look to 

build on a strong performance 

last season. Sophomore Chris 

Kester (32 tackles) also returns 

with starting experience at 

the defensive back position. 

Kerkman (43 tackles) leads the 

way along the defensive front 

where he is joined by junior 

Dominic Bolling (10 tackles, 0.5 

sacks). The linebacker position 

could be an area of strength for 

the Cyclones. Sophomores Jacob 

Long (38 tackles, 1 sack) and 

Clay Thiele (19 tackles, 1.5 sacks) 

will look to lead a young group 


9/2 @ St. Mary’s 

9/9 Neligh-Oakdale 

9/16 Elgin Public/Pope John 

9/23 @ Ainsworth 

9/30 Boyd County 


10/14 @ West Holt 

10/20 CWCE 

of players. 

Clearwater/Orchard returns 

just five total starters from both 

sides of the ball. However, the 

players who come back gained 

experience from a deep playoff 

run in 2015. The Cyclones will 

be tested during a tough regular 

season schedule. C/O must play 

Neligh-Oakdale, Burwell, West 

Holt, and CWCE; potentially 

four of the best teams in all of 

Class D1. If the Cyclones can 

tread water against those teams 

and take care of business with 

the rest of their schedule, a spot 

in the playoffs could be well 

within reach. 

TEAM FACTS 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Tom Thramer 


Assistant Coaches: Jeremy 

Sladek, Ron Petersen, Drew 

Kasselder, Randy Pelster 

Class: D1 

Team Name: Renegades 

Head Coach: Jeff Shabram 


Assistant Coach: Dan Roeber 

Class: D1 

Team Name: Cyclones 


COZADHAYMAKERS 


Cozad became a regular presence 

in the post-season over the past 

decade. However, the Haymakers 

missed out on playoffs last season, 

finishing with a 1-8 record. They 

will have a lot of work to put in to 

make it back to the C1 playoffs in 


Cozad’s young roster will look 

to improve upon an offense that 

averaged 76 receiving yards 

and 98 rushing yards per game, 

with ten touchdowns on the 

season. Head Coach Brian Cargill 

anticipates a three-way battle for 

the starting quarterback position 

vacated by Sam Cole. Cole’s 

brother, sophomore Adam Cole, 

will be in the running as well as 

junior Trestian Siemering (2015 JV 

starting QB) and senior Klint Gill. 

“What I like about (Siemering and 

Gill) is they do a very good job of 

anticipating routes and they throw 

well,” Cargill said. “(Adam) Cole is 

a good athlete and he’ll have to get 

some experience.” 

The Haymakers’ rushing and 

receiving leader returns in 

senior Matt Menagh. The 6 foot, 

160-pound running back will be 

undersized compared to many 

Class C1 defenses, but he’ll be well 

protected behind three returners 

on the offensive line. Zeke Derr 

(6’0, 200), Toby Salazar (6’1, 200), 

and Reece Peden (6’3, 225) are all 

seniors with at least two seasons of 

varsity experience. 

Senior Cam Griffis will return 

after an injury-shortened season. 

The 5-foot 10-inch running back/ 

linebacker sat in all but two 

games due to a recurring spinal 

wrestling injury. Coach Cargill 

also anticipates sophomore Dillon 

Geiser and junior Nate Smock 

gaining significant playing time on 

the offense. 

The Haymakers’ lack of size 

and experience will be the same 

story on the other side of the 

ball. However, Cozad’s defensive 

strength will lie in its linebacker 

corps. Senior Derr, an all-around 

athlete, will anchor the LBs, 

returning from a season totaling 

57 tackles. Cargill expects a nowhealthy 

Griffis to aid Menagh and 

Ben Wetovick at the linebacker 

position. 

“Our biggest concern on defense 

is our size up front,” Cargill said, 

“we have to have solid technique… 

use our speed and stay low.” 

The Haymakers hit the ground 

running in the opening week, 


8/26 @ Chase County 

9/2 Chadron 


9/16 @ Ogallala 


9/30 @ Minden 

10/7 Gothenburg 

10/14 @ Broken Bow 

10/21 Gordon-Rushville 

traveling to Chase County on the 

last Friday in August. The muchanticipated 

Dawson County rivalry 

game is slated for week seven, as 

the Gothenburg Swedes come to 

Maker Stadium. The district rivals 

met up mid-season 2015, with 

Gothenburg winning by one point 

on a fourth quarter touchdown. 

The Haymakers’ success in the 

upcoming season hinges on 

younger player development and 

maintaining a healthy corps of 

returning players with varsity 

experience. Coach Cargill says 

so far, he’s been impressed with 

the work ethic shown during the 

offseason. 

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TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Brian Cargill 


Assistant Coaches: Scott 

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Pinkelman, Jeremy Young, Trey 

Botts, Ron Bubak 

Class: C1 

Team Name: Haymakers 

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CRETECARDINALS 

By: Ryan Mix 

After seeing Chuck McGinnis and his 

traditional hoodie and khaki pants 

roam the sidelines at Crete High 

School for 16 seasons, it took some 

getting used to last fall not seeing 

Coach McGinnis lead the Cardinals. 

McGinnis stepped down before the 

2015 season to spend more time with 

his family, handing the reigns over 

to Reed Manstedt, who became the 

youngest head coach in Class B at 

26 years old. Manstedt’s first season 

finished with a 3-6 mark, but there is 

plenty of reason for optimism heading 

into year two. 

Crete returns six starters on offense 

and five on defense, led by QB/ 

DB Rhett Harms and RB/LB Ethan 

Sherman. 

Harms is a dual-threat quarterback 

who combined for nearly 1,500 yards 

of offense last fall while finding the 

endzone 16 times. Harms is regarded 

as one of the best college prospects in 

the state. The 6-foot 4-inch, 215-pound 

prospect has committed to play 

Division 1 football at Air Force, where 

he will likely play tight end. 

“Rhett is not a quarterback by trade 

but he’s the best athlete on the team 

and one of the best athletes in Class 

B,” Manstedt said. 

Harms has a very reliable running 

back to hand the ball off to in Ethan 

Sherman. Sherman enters his senior 

season after rushing for 360 yards and 

5 TDs last fall while also leading the 

Cardinals in tackles on defense. 

“Ethan has as good of blood lines of 

anyone who has gone through Crete,” 

Manstedt said. “He is just naturally a 

very good football player. He will be 

one of the best linebackers in Class B 

this year.” 

In addition to returning Harms and 

Sherman, Jonah Weyand will also 

be a key player on both sides of the 

ball. Weyand was the Cardinals third 

leading rusher in 2015 while also 

contributing as one of Crete’s top five 

tacklers as a sophomore. 

If Crete has an Achilles heel heading 

into 2016 it may be their lack of 

experience on the line, as the 

Cardinals will have to replace three 

starting offensive linemen from a year 

ago. 

“The keys to a successful season for 

us this year will be staying healthy 

and the development of our young 

offensive line,” Manstedt said. “If we 

are still healthy come the end of the 

year I think we will like where we are 

at in the playoff hunt.” 

Crete will have a challenging road to 

reach the playoffs, taking on three of 

the projected top five teams in Class 

B in Gretna, Omaha Skutt Catholic, 

and Elkhorn. The rest of the Cardinals 

schedule is no cupcake either, as there 


8/26 Seward 

9/2 @ Gretna 

9/9 Omaha Skutt Catholic 

9/16 Plattsmouth 

9/23 @ Elkhorn 

9/30 @ Aurora 

10/7 Norris 

10/14 Beatrice 

10/21 @ Waverly 

is truly no one game that should be a 

breeze. 

Although McGinnis is no longer a 

head coach, he will still help out with 

the varsity team while also leading 

the freshman squad. Manstedt will 

also have a very familiar face in Crete 

to help develop its young offensive 

line, with former Husker Ryne Reeves 

joining the Cardinals staff as the 

offensive line coach. 

“Ryne is kind of a celebrity around 

Crete,” Manstedt said. “The kids pay 

extra attention when he talks. It will 

be great to have him on staff.” 

Crete’s quest back to the postseason 

begins Aug. 26 with a home game 

against Seward. 

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Head Coach: Reed Manstedt 


Assistant Coaches: Terry Van 

Horn, Jordan Cudney, David 

Pardham, Ryne Reeves, Tony 

Jacobson, Chuck McGinnis 

Class: B 


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CROSS COUNTYCOUGARS 

By: Ryan Mix 

The field will be larger, the teams 

bigger, and the competition stronger, 

but Cross County heads into this fall 

excited as ever for a new season. 

After playing eight-man football for 

the past four seasons, the Cougars are 

bumped up to Class C2 in 2016, where 

they will now play 11-man football. 

Making the adjustment from eight-man 

to 11-man is never easy, but if there 

was ever a season for Cross County to 

make the switch, 2016’s team might be 

their most well-equipped to make the 

change. 

The Cougars return eight starters on 

offense and defense from last year’s 

team, which will help with familiarity 

starting out in fall camp. 

“We will have a lot of experience 

returning on both sides of the ball, as 

we have a big class of seniors that has 

played a lot the past three years,” said 

Head Coach Ty Twarling. 

There may not be a bevy of players in 

Class C2 receiving Division 1 interest, 

but Cross County’s Hunter Miller is 

one of them. 

The 6’4” 270 lb. lineman has drawn 

interest from Wyoming, Iowa State 

and South Dakota State among other 

schools. Miller has gained strength 

over the years and developed into a 

very reliable lineman for the Cougars. 

“Hunter will be a huge factor on both 

sides of the ball, as he will be asked 

to make a lot of plays,” Twarling said. 

“He has great size and has gained 

strength, but he must work on foot 

speed and conditioning to be able to 

have the success he wants.” 

Carrying the rock behind Miller will be 

senior Tanner Lamoree, who eclipsed 

the 1,000-yard mark last fall. Lamoree 

had 124 carries for 1,068 yards and 19 

TDs while also recording 71 tackles on 

defense. 

“Tanner will be a huge factor in our 

success,” Twarling said. “He must keep 

his focus and utilize his football ability 

to lead and make plays on offense and 

defense.” 

In a run-heavy offense, sophomore 

quarterback Grant Hollinger won’t be 

asked to throw the ball often, but he 

received valuable experience last year. 

Hollinger saw action in eight games, 

which will be beneficial for Cross 

County this fall. 

When Hollinger does put the ball in 

the air, he will have a reliable target in 

Alex Dubas. 

Dubas returns as the Cougars leading 

receiver after hauling in four TDs 

last fall. On defense, Dubas was a big 

playmaker as well, leading the team 

with six interceptions. 

“Alex is a great player for us on both 

sides of the ball due to his consistency 

and toughness,” Twarling said. 


8/26 @ Lutheran High Northeast 

9/2 St. Paul 

9/9 @ Stanton 



9/30 @ Sutton 




“We are looking at him to lead the 

secondary and make a lot of plays, 

whether it be in the run or in the pass 

game as he has great instincts.” 

Cross County has reached the playoffs 

the last two seasons but had an early 

first round exit both times. This fall, 

the Cougars will be chasing a win in 

the postseason for the first time since 

2003. 

Competing in the C2-5 district, 

Cross County will have many new 

opponents to prepare for. Centennial, 

Sutton, Fillmore Central, and Shelby 

Rising-City are the other schools in the 

Cougar’s district aiming for a title. 

Cross County will begin the 2016 

season on the road against Lutheran 

High Northeast. 

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TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Ty Twarling 


Assistant Coaches: Matt Carroll, 

Mitch Boshart, Brent Dinslage 

Class: C2 

Team Name: Cougars 

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DAVID CITYSCOUTS 


After a four year absence, David City 

will try to make a return to the state 

playoffs in 2016. The Scouts had a 

five year run from 2007-2011 in which 

they made the postseason each year. 

Led by head coach Amp Ferg, David 

City is out to improve on its 2-6 record 

from a season ago. 

The Scouts will try to increase their 

scoring production after averaging 14 

points per game in 2015. David City 

does have the benefit of returning six 

starters on that side of the ball. Senior 

Ryan Worm will get the nod once 

again at the fullback position. This 

will mark the fourth year in which 

Worm will start. 

“Ryan’s a tough kid who can control 

the line of scrimmage,” Ferg said. 

At quarterback, however, David 

City will need someone to step up 

and could turn to an underclassman. 

Sophomore Will Danielson will get a 

solid look at the starting position. 

Up front, the Scouts have a pair of 

offensive lineman who have started 

multiple years. Daniel White carries 

an impressive 6-foot, 285-pound frame 

at tackle, while junior Matt Eilers is 

expected to be an anchor at the guard 

spot. Juniors Riley Kirby, Jackson 

Hardin and Colin Vandenberg all have 

some starting experience as well on 

offense. Sophomore Colby Hopkins is 

also expected to compete for playing 

time on the line. Senior tight end 

Ross Kirby also has a year of starting 

experience under his belt. 

David City will focus more on 

controlling the football this season. 

Last year, the Scouts had a turnover 

margin of -14. 

As for the defensive side of the ball, 

stopping the run will be key for David 

City this season. The Scouts gave up 

an average of 264 rushing yards and 

38 points per game a year ago. 

“Too many times last year we put 

our defense in bad spots because we 

couldn’t stop the run,” said Ferg. 

David City returns seven starters on 

defense from the 2015 squad. Senior 

Landon Sweeney was the team’s 

second leading tackler last year and 

will be in his third year as the starting 

linebacker. Fellow linebacker Ross 

Kirby is known for being a fast and 

smart player on the Scouts’ defense. 

Ryan Worm had to experience a 

position change last year going from 

linebacker to defensive line but grew 

into the spot. Some big bodies will 

represent David City on the defensive 

line. Matt Lewis and Daniel White are 

known as the team’s big run stoppers 

while nose guard Matt Eilers is known 

for being a tough kid who makes a lot 

of plays. Doug Alvarado could also 

earn playing time on the defensive line 

as just a sophomore. 

As far as the schedule, the two 


8/26 @ Fairbury 

9/2 @ Douglas County West 

9/9 Milford-Dorchester 

9/16 @ Wayne 

9/23 Wahoo 

9/30 Aquinas Catholic 

10/7 @ Bishop Neumann 

10/13 Conestoga 

10/21 @ North Bend Central 

opponents the Scouts beat from a 

season ago are back on it in D.C. 

West and North Bend Central. 

However, David City will have an 

extremely tough stretch near the end 

of September and the start of October. 

The Scouts host Wahoo and Aquinas 

in back to back weeks, then head to 

Bishop Neumann on October 7th. 

“We have a much better schedule this 

year so we need to believe that we can 

win every game and compete week in 

and week out,” Ferg said. “I think we 

put ourselves in a position to have a 

great year on the field with the things 

we have done off the field.” 

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TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Amp Ferg 


Assistant Coaches: Cole 

Carraker, Sam Schlaytman, 

Mark Kirb, Travis Worm 

Class: C1 

Team Name: Scouts 


DILLER-ODELLGRIFFINS 


The fall sports season figures to be 

an exciting time at Diller-Odell High 

School. The Griffins have statecontending 

football and volleyball 

teams that excelled in 2015. Chris 

Schluter’s squad qualified for the 

Class D1 playoffs, while the volleyball 

team reached the state finals for the 

second time in school history. 

On the gridiron, Diller-Odell rides last 

season’s momentum into the fall. The 

Griffins won six of their last seven 

regular season games before a firstround 

postseason exit to Clarkson- 

Leigh. 

Most of the team returns for Diller- 

Odell, and several key players 

enter their senior seasons. Reese 

Hennerberg (6’3” 170 lbs) and Cory 

Engelman (5’10” 150 lbs) are veteran 

wide receivers. Each averaged more 

than 10 yards per reception in 2015. 

“I like our team’s speed and depth of 

upper classmen,” Schluter said. “We 

may not be the biggest team on the 

field, but we have a tough and very 

fast core of players.” 

Christian McCown will be Diller- 

Odell’s starting quarterback for the 

second straight season. McCown 

completed 67 of 138 passes for 856 

yards as a junior. He finished the 

season with 10 passing touchdowns. 

McCown was also among the 

Griffins’ top rushing threats. 

Diller-Odell must replace its primary 

running back from last year’s playoff 

team. Bladen Ahl was the only 

player to get over 100 carries. His 

back-up cast of Tyson Landenberger, 

Peyton Mohr, and Ryan Arnold will 

all compete for playing time in the 

backfield. Also, junior Tybor Smith 

(6’1” 190 lbs) will factor into the 

offense. Smith ranked second on the 

team with 7 rushing touchdowns last 

season. 

Schluter, who has a 23-24 career 

record, is optimistic his offense can 

operate at a high level again this 

fall. The Griffins averaged 35 points 

per game in 2015. “It is going to be 

exciting to watch them use their skill 

sets and win ball games,” Schluter 

said. 

Despite the Griffins’ talent, Schluter 

believes team chemistry will carry his 

squad this fall. Diller-Odell is coming 

off back-to-back playoff appearances 

for the first time in nearly a decade. 

“Our keys to be successful in the 2016 

season are our health and committing 

to the ultimate team concept,” 

Schluter said. “If we achieve both of 

those things, I believe we can achieve 

anything.” 

Defensively, Diller-Odell had strong 

numbers last year, allowing fewer 

than 100 passing yards per game. 


8/26 @ McCool Junction 

9/9 @ Superior 

9/16 Thayer Central 

9/23 @ Johnson-Brock 

9/30 Omaha Christian Academy 

10/7 Friend 

10/14 @ Lourdes Central Catholic 

10/20 Tri County 

The Griffins held six of their nine 

opponents to 16 points or less. Smith 

had a break-out campaign as a 

defensive end, registering 17.5 tackles 

for loss. Hennerberg, Engleman, and 

McCown are also key contributors on 

that side of the football. 

Diller-Odell has a friendly start to 

the upcoming season. Five of the 

Griffins’ first six opponents had 

a losing record last year. Week 5 

figures to be the first true test when 

Diller-Odell travels to fellow playoff 

qualifier Johnson-Brock. Schluter’s 

squad has a challenging end to the 

regular season, with games against 

Lourdes Central Catholic and Tri 

County in consecutive weeks. If the 

Griffins are able to race out to a fast 

start and build confidence early in the 

season, Diller-Odell could challenge 

for a district title and a return trip to 

the postseason. 

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TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Chris Schluter 

2015 Record: 6-3 


Class: D1 

Team Name: Griffins 

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DONIPHAN-TRUMBULLCARDINALS 

By: Ryan Mix 

A traditional contender in Class C2, 

it should be more of the same for 

Doniphan-Trumbull heading into 

this fall. 

The Cardinals return seven starters 

on offense and five on defense 

from last year’s 8-3 team. Among 

those starters are two of their 

biggest playmakers, Tate Mazour 

at quarterback, and Brad Baasch at 

linebacker. 

Mazour started all 11 games under 

center last fall for D-T, throwing 

for 910 yards and 15 TDs. On the 

ground Mazour accounted for 440 

yards and seven TDs, making him a 

difficult player for opposing players 

to contain. 

“Tate has the ability to play 

quarterback in college,” Head 

Coach Clint Head said. “He is a 

great athlete that could probably 

play either football or basketball at 

the next level.” 

While Mazour will give opposing 

coaches headaches trying to figure 

out how to defend him, Baasch is an 

absolute nightmare for those going 

up against him. 

The 6-foot 2-inch senior led the 

Cardinals with 150 total tackles last 

fall, earning All-State honorable 

mentions. 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Clint Head 


2015 Record: 8-3 


Class: C2 


“He’s a sideline to sideline player,” 

Head said. “He’s our leader on 

defense.” 

Up front, Doniphan-Trumbull 

figures to be very tough as well, 

returning four starters on the 

offensive line. The anchor of the 

O-line will be senior Trey Sterner, a 

6-foot 2-inch, 255-pound prospect. 

“Trey is one of the most dominant 

offensive lineman we have had here 

in awhile,” Head said. “He is big, 

strong, and mobile. He has a great 

motor and finishes blocks.” 

Entering his third season as head 

coach, Clint Head continues to make 

strides with his team. 

After winning the Class C2 

Championship in 2013, the 

Cardinals missed out on the playoffs 

in Head’s first season at the helm, 

but responded with an appearance 

in the quarterfinals last fall. 

With a solid core returning, the 

Cardinals could find themselves in 

the top-10 of their class. 

“This is a group with a lot of 

potential and talent,” Head said. 

“We have to keep developing depth, 

but I am extremely excited about 

this upcoming season.” 

Competing in the C2-7 district, D-T 

will have a very challenging start to 

their season, taking on Sutton and 

North Platte St. Pat’s right out of the 

gate. 

A week six battle against Hastings 

St. Cecilia projects to be Doniphan- 

Trumbull’s biggest game of the 

season, a contest that could go a 

long way in deciding who takes 

home the district crown. 


8/26 Sutton 

9/2 @ North Platte St. Patrick’s 

9/9 Hershey 

9/16 @ Tekamah-Herman 

9/23 @ Sandy Creek 


10/7 @ Southern Valley 

10/14 Gibbon 


a big strength for the team last fall, 

and figures to be once again this 

year. 

In 2015 D-T only allowed 10.1 points 

per game in the regular season, and 

the Cardinals return three of their 

top five tacklers from a year ago. 

In addition to Baasch, Doniphan- 

Trumbull will lean on Carson 

Wiltfong and Tom Pfeiffer to wreak 

havoc. The two combined for 14 

tackles for loss last season. 

If Doniphan-Trumbull can get 

out to a fast start with wins over 

contenders Sutton and North Platte 

St. Patrick’s, it could be a very fun 

season for Cardinal fans in Central 

Nebraska. 

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The Cardinals stingy defense was 



EAST BUTLERTIGERS 

Last season saw a return to the 

playoffs for East Butler. The Tigers 

made the postseason for the first time 

in seven years qualifying in the D1 

field. East Butler ran the table in the 

regular season a year ago going 8-0. 

The Tigers picked up a first round 

playoff win before falling to High 

Plains in round two. Shawn Biltoft’s 

team will try to replicate that success 

in 2016 as the Concordia grad begins 

his 15th season as head coach. 

“We’re working in the offseason to 

build upon the success of last season,” 

Biltoft said, “dedication and hard 

work will be important to the overall 

development of our team.” 

The East Butler offense scored at will 

last year averaging nearly 60 points 

per game. In fact, the only time the 

Tigers were held under 50 points was 

their final game of the season, their 

only loss of the year. East Butler used 

a balanced attack last season. The 

Tigers tallied 246 yards a game on the 

ground a year ago while throwing 

for nearly 200 yards per contest. 

Biltoft’s squad returns four offensive 

starters this season. The biggest 

hole to fill on that side of the ball 

will be at quarterback. East Butler 

lost Skyler Ratkovec, who accounted 

for nearly 3,500 yards a year ago. 

Ratkovec rushed for 1,500 yards while 

throwing for another 1,982. The dual 

threat signal caller accounted for 27 

touchdowns on the ground and 28 

through the air. A pair of juniors are 

expected to battle it out to replace 

Ratkovec. Carter Stara is known for 

his quickness and being deceptive in 

the open field, while Dalton Bohac is 

expected to compete for playing time 

after an injury in 2015. 

“Our team is committed to playing 

a physical brand of football,” said 

Biltoft. 

The Tigers biggest returning weapon 

might be at tight end. East Butler 

welcomes back Trevor Havlovic. The 

junior set the school’s single season 

receiving record as a sophomore last 

year with 1,067 yards. 

“Trevor is a proven leader with the 

ability to change the outcome of a 

game,” Biltoft said. 

Also returning on offense are lineman 

Brandon Rezac, who’s known for 

being aggressive at the point of 

contact, and Jacob Janak. A strong 

junior class could earn much playing 

time on offense and includes running 

backs Zach Parker, Nick Lemke and 

Wilson Wright. Up front, a pair of 

seniors should contribute in Ross 

Novotny and Dalton Brester. 

On defense, the Tigers return 

just three starters but none more 

important than Trevor Havlovic. 


8/26 Howells-Dodge 

9/9 @ Lourdes Central Catholic 


9/23 Clarkson/Leigh 

9/30 @ Nebraska Lutheran 

10/7 @ Palmer 

10/14 High Plains Community 

10/20 Nebraska Christian 

The senior linebacker registered a 

team-high 138 tackles last year. East 

Butler will try to replace its other 

two starting linebackers from last 

season, Tyler Kocian and Shane 

Rezac. The Tigers will also need 

someone to fill the void left by Alex 

Makovica, who tallied 63 stops in 

2015. Senior Dawson Kouma and 

sophomore Corden Novotny could 

play important roles on the defensive 

line. Brandon Rezac and and Jacob 

Janak both bring starting experience 

to the table. 

The Tigers will have a tough stretch 

out of the gate. East Butler’s first 

four games of the year are against 

teams that made the playoffs last year. 

Biltoft’s team will also get a chance 

to avenge its only loss from last year 

when it takes on High Plains in week 

8. 




“Helping people to achieve and 

maintain good health” 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Shawn Biltoft 


Assistant Coaches: Doug 

Glasshoff, Marty Rtotory, Gary 

McGrath 

Class: D1 

Team Name: Tigers 

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WAYNE STATE 


ELGIN-POPE JOHNWOLFPACK 

ELM CREEKBUFFALOES 


Last season, Elgin-Pope John head 

coach Randy Eisenhauer and his 

Wolfpack faced one of the toughest 

schedules in Class D1. The 

challenging slate didn’t stop the 

Wolfpack from a successful season 

that ended in the playoffs. 

Elgin-Pope John went 9-3, reaching 

the state quarterfinals. 

This season, coach Eisenhauer will 

need to replace eight departing 

seniors, including the team’s 

starting quarterback, running 

back and two leading receivers. 

Together, they totalled 4,600 yards 

of offense and 56 touchdowns. 

Hunter Reestman appears to be 

the frontrunner to line up under 

center this season. The sophomore 

quarterback got limited action last 

season, completing both of his 

pass attempts with one going for 

a touchdown. Reestman will also 

line up as a defensive back for the 

Wolfpack. 

Running back Chad Bode will 

likely start this year and will have 

to fill the void left by Andrew 

Fangman, who ran for more than 

2,400 yards last season and scored 

39 touchdowns. 

One strength on this year’s team 

is the line play. The Wolfpack has 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Randy Eisenhauer 

2015 Record: 8-3 


Class: D1 

Team Name: Wolfpack 

three seniors and two juniors with 

significant varsity experience in 

the trenches. 

The Wolfpack will be tested with 

another challenging schedule. All 

but one opponent had a winning 

record in 2015. Some would argue 

Elgin-Pope John has the toughest 

schedule in Class D1. 

Elgin-Pope/John will open its 

season at home against Burwell, 

a team that lost in the state finals 

last year. The Wolfpack will play 

yet another state runner-up from 

last season two weeks later at 

home when they face Chambers/ 

Wheeler Central/Ewing, who 

went 12-1 in D2 last year. 

If Elgin-Pope John reaches the 

playoffs, the Wolfpack will have 


8/26 Burwell 

9/2 @ High Plains Community 

9/9 CWCE 


9/23 @ Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family 


10/7 Clarkson/Leigh 

10/13 @ Neligh-Oakdale 

an extra week to prepare for the 

opening round. Elgin-Pope John’s 

bye, strangely, is the final week of 

the regular season. The Wolfpack 

is seeking its sixth playoff 

appearance over the past seven 

years. 

409 Main Street • Neligh, NE • 402-887-5402 • 800-454-5402 

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Elm Creek has a strong corps of 

returners from last year’s playoff 

team. The Buffaloes finished 

the regular season 4-4 before 

exiting after the first round of the 

postseason, but they are excited 

to return to the gridiron. The 

Buffaloes’ recent playoff streak 

has allowed the 10-player senior 

class to experience post-season 

football in each year of their 

prep careers. In fact, Elm Creek 

has made the postseason every 

season since 2010. 

The offense is expected to rely on 

the same two running backs who 

carried most of the offense in 

2015. Senior Leshaun Thornabar 

returns as a three-year starter 

after finding the end zone 11 

times on the ground in his 

junior campaign. Brock Miner 

was also a major player from 

the backfield, rushing in nine 

touchdowns while leading the 

team in receptions with 28. 

“[Miner] is a very smart kid,” 

head coach Jayce Dueland said. 

“He really understands the 

game well and uses that to his 

advantage.” 

A familiar face is back under 

center in 2016 in senior Dillon 

Gillming. Passing is not the 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Jayce Dueland 


Assistant Coach: Mark Stone 

Class: D1 

Team Name: Buffaloes 

primary focus of the Buffaloes’ 

offense though; it serves as more 

of a come-from-behind tactic. 

Last season, Gillming threw 

at least 10 passes in only four 

games, all of which were losses. 

That inconsistency yielded 

inconsistent results as he passed 

for seven touchdowns but nine 

interceptions. 

Nate Bartling will likely start 

his fourth season protecting the 

quarterback on the offensive line. 

The 6-foot, 4-inch 260-pound 

senior also plays up front 

defensively, where he was fifth 

on the team in tackles last year. 

Three of the players ahead of him 

– Jeff West, Hunter Trampe and 

William Bloom – graduated in the 

spring. Dueland says he doesn’t 

worry about Bartling picking up 

some of the slack. 

“He is a great, coachable athlete,” 

Dueland said. “He is always in 

the weight room wanting to get 

better.” 

Bartling’s first opportunity to 

show his offseason improvement 

comes against Kenesaw. The 

Blue Devils, making the move 

up to Class D1 from D2, finished 

6-2 in 2015. Kenesaw poses an 

extremely tough week one test 


8/26 @ Kenesaw 

9/2 Bertrand 

9/9 @ Nebraska Christian 

9/23 Ravenna 

9/30 Amherst 

10/7 @ Overton 

10/14 Alma 


for Elm Creek, who is seeking its 

first road win in two seasons. 

Other notable returners for Elm 

Creek include Nolan Meier (Sr. 

TE/DE), Dominic Johns (Sr. 

QB/S), Grady Haberlan (Sr TE/ 

DE) and Darrin Hunt (Jr. C/DT). 

GOOD LUCK BUFFALOES! 

308- 856-4661 • 222 N Tyler Street, Elm Creek NE 


EUSTIS-FARNAMKNIGHTS 

EXETER-MILLIGANTIMBERWOLVES 


After four seasons of missing 

the post-season, Eustis-Farnam 

earned the right to dip their toes 

in the playoff pool in 2015. The 

Knights suffered a 42-point loss 

from Alma in the first round. 

Now, they’re poised to dive back 

in. 

Eustis-Farnam will compete 

in District D2-8 with the likes 

of Arapahoe (4-4 in D1 last 

season), Hitchcock County (1-7), 

Loomis (3-5), Wallace (3-5), and 

Wauneta-Palisade (6-3 in sixman). 

Aside from the guard and 

running back positions, E-F 

returns its entire offense from a 

4-5 season. Junior quarterback 

Kaleb Gibbens is a three-year 

starter, who led the Knights 

on the ground rushing for 

more than 1,000 yards and 15 

touchdowns. Gibbens (6’2, 200) 

was 31 for 74 through the air 

for seven passing touchdowns. 

Second-year head coach Bryan 

Fangmeyer says the Knights 

will continue operating the 

spread offense with senior 

Hadyn Rupe contributing at 

tight end with three years of 

varsity experience and nearly 

350 receiving yards. E-F also has 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Bryan Fangmeyer 


Assistant Coaches: Nick Hodge, 

Jeremy Walters 

Class: D2 

Team Name: Knights 

several underclassmen to keep 

an eye on. Sophomore fullback 

Christian Timm racked up 309 

rushing yards on 48 carries as a 

freshman. 

The Knights will have a few 

holes to fill on the other side of 

the ball, losing the teams’ two 

top linebackers in Gage Bellamy 

and Isaac Hueftle. Senior Austin 

Bastianos returns from a junior 

season at defensive end tallying 

112 total tackles for the Knights. 

Eustis-Farnam opens the season 

at Sumner-Eddyville-Miller, a 

team that finished 2015 with 

three wins, before hosting Brady 

in week two. The Eagles finished 

last season with a 6-3 record. E-F 

has a bye week before hosting 

another tough eight-man team in 

Maxwell. 

Coach Fangmeyer stresses 

developing his younger players 

for depth on the Knight roster, 

and hopes to finish the season 

injury-free, something that was 

an issue for E-F last year. Some 

other players Coach Fangmeyer 

expects to see significant action 

include: 

Jordan Fangmeyer (G/DE) 

Spencer Pleschcourt (C/NG) 


8/26 @ Sumner-Eddyville-Miller 

9/2 Brady 

9/16 Maxwell 

9/23 @ Loomis 

9/29 Hitchcock County 


10/14 Wallace 

10/20 @ Arapahoe 

Jake Rupe (OL/DL) 

Cloby Fasse (RB) 

Ayden Boller (G/DE) 

Colton Thompson (OL/DL) 

Shaye Collins (TE/DT) 

100 N Main St., Eustis, NE 69028 

308-486-5615 

Cozad, Eustis, Cambridge, Imperial, and Clay Center 

www.firstbankandtrustcozad.com 

Following back to back state 

championships in 2013 and 2014, 

Exeter-Milligan fell just short of a 

three-peat last year. 

The Timberwolves lost in the 

quarterfinals to Wynot. Dean Filipi’s 

team still racked up nine wins in the 

process and made the playoffs for 

the 13th consecutive season. Filipi’s 

reign at the school is approaching two 

decades as he begins his 19th season 

as the T-Wolves’ head coach. 

Exeter-Milligan will try to light up 

the scoreboard as much as it did 

last year when the Timberwolves 

put up nearly 40 points per game. 

However, that might be a tall task for 

the T-Wolves since they only return 

two starters from the 2015 offense. 

Filipi’s I-formation attack will have 

to find a replacement for quarterback 

Sam Zeleny. After racking up nearly 

250 yards a game on the ground 

last season, Exeter-Milligan will 

also need to find a reliable running 

back. The Timberwolves do return 

Trevor Luzum, who’s expected to 

start at the end position. The other 

returning offensive player is lineman 

Cameron White. The senior provides 

a big body up front standing 6-feet 

four-inches and weighing over 

200 pounds. Exeter-Milligan lost a 

handful of offensive lineman from 

last year’s unit including Johnathon 

Mounce, Spencer Papik, and Kirby 

Soukup. 

The T-Wolves will rely heavily on a 

sophomore class that features Colton 

Bossaller , Johnny Babula, Trever 

Zelenka, Spencer Pribyl and Mitchell 

Manning. 

“I like this team’s youth and work 

ethic,” said Filipi. 

On the other side of the ball, Exeter- 

Milligan also returns two starters. 

Cameron White will anchor one of 

the spots on the defensive line, while 

Trevor Luzum will lock down one 

of the linebacker positions. Filipi’s 

defense features a 4-4 look and gave 

up 185 yards a game on the ground 

a year ago. The Timberwolves 

defense allowed less than a hundred 

yards per contest through the air 

while keeping opponents under an 

average of 28 points per game. A pair 

of juniors could play pivotal roles 

for the T-Wolves on defense. Seth 

Maxson could provide some speed 

while Joey Barto could be a two-way 

contributor as well. Exeter-Milligan 

could even look to a freshman for 

some early playing time as Max 

Zeleny might contend for a starting 

spot. The T-Wolves will look to 

replace linebacker/defensive end 

Jack Dinneen and linebacker Sean 

Maxson. 

“The biggest challenge of the 2016 

season will be staying healthy,” Filipi 

said. 

The schedule should be 

challenging yet manageable for the 

Timberwolves. Filipi’s squad opens 

up the year August 26 against Giltner, 


a playoff participant from a year 

ago. Another postseason squad from 

last season awaits the next week as 

the T-Wolves travel to Lawrence- 

Nelson. Exeter-Milligan wraps up 

the regular season against Mead. 

Along with Mead, the Timberwolves’ 

district includes Parkview Christian, 

Weeping Water, and Friend. 

68 2016 Prepzone Weekly Pigskin Preview www.1011now.com/prepzoneweeklypigskinpreview 69 


TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Dean Filipi 

Assistant Coach: Jackson 

Krejci 


Class: D2 

Team Name: Timberwolves 

8/26 Giltner 


9/9 @ Pawnee City 

9/16 Meridian 

9/23 @ Friend 

9/30 Weeping Water 

10/7 @ Parkview Christian 

10/21 Mead 

Your Hometown Bank Since 1882

FAIRBURYJEFFS 

FILLMORE CENTRALPANTHERS 

By: TJ Eck 

Kameron Lenhart takes over as 

the head coach of Fairbury in 

2016, looking to return the Jeffs 

to the playoffs for the first time 

since 2010. Lenhart will have 

the advantage of working with 

an experienced group in 2016. 

Fairbury returns nine starters on 

offense and eight on defense from 

a team that went 5-4 in 2015. 

“I love the experience that a 

majority of the starters bring 

back,” said Lenhart. “Most 

of them have been starting as 

either freshmen or sophomores 

and have a great understanding 

of the offensive and defensive 

playbooks.” 

The offense is led by junior 

quarterback Adam Wasserman 

who threw for 961 yards and 

9 touchdowns last season. He 

added another 361 yards and 5 

TDs on the ground. Junior Jacob 

Johnson is the engine that makes 

the Jeffs’ offensive attack go. 

Johnson is coming off a sensational 

sophomore season in which he 

rushed for 1,503 yards and 20 TDs. 

He is also a threat to catch the ball 

out of the backfield (11 rec, 219 

yards, 3 TDs). “(Johnson) has great 

vision out of the backfield with 

a great stiff arm,” said Lenhart. 

Johnson is joined in the backfield 

by senior Damian Green (36 

att, 242 yards, 3 TDs). Fairbury 

returns its top two pass-catchers 

in junior tight end Patrick Ondrak 

(17 rec, 299 yards, 3 TDs) and 

junior Cayman DeBoer (10 rec, 

224 yards, 3 TDs). The offensive 

line could be a strong point for 

the Jeffs this season with three 

starters returning in senior Paul 

Mach (6’1” 270), and juniors Zach 

Reikofski (5’11” 190) and Zach 

Holes (5’11” 170). 

Fairbury brings back four players 

with starting experience on the 

defensive front with Mach (32 

tackles, 1.5 TFL), Reikofski (18 

tackles, 2.5 TFL), Ondrak (49 

tackles, 10 TFL) and senior Blake 

Bauer, who despite having just 

seven tackles last year, Lenhart 

describes as a “very technical 

defensive end that understands the 

defense.” Fairbury is looking for 

players to step up at the linebacker 

position but two starters return 

including Johnson, who led the 

Jeffs with 77 tackles and 10.5 TFL 

in 2015. He will pair up again with 

Green (31 tackles, 3.5 TFL) to form 

a talented duo. Senior Brent Hirsch 

(10 tackles, 2 INTs) and junior 

Dawson DeBoer (11 tackles, 1 INT) 

lead the secondary. 

With 17 combined starters 

returning on offense and defense, 

Fairbury has the experience to be 

a playoff team in 2016. “We have a 

great opportunity to make a run, if 


8/26 David City 

9/2 Syracuse 

9/9 @ Falls City 

9/16 @ Auburn 

9/23 Lincoln Christian 

9/30 @ Ashland-Greenwood 

10/7 @ Southern 

10/14 Raymond Central 


we just stay healthy,” said Lenhart. 

The new head coach has the 

advantage of opening the season 

with back-to-back home games but 

the Jeffs will become road warriors 

as they play five of their last seven 

away from home. 


2016 will be a new season with a 

new coach implementing a new 

system at Fillmore Central. The 

Panthers are hoping new results 

will follow. Fillmore Central is 

seeking its second winning season 

in six years. 

Mitchell Lockhart takes over 

the Panthers program this fall. 

Lockhart, a 2002 graduate of 

UNK, served as an assistant at 

Fillmore Central for 12 years. 

Most recently, he was the 

Panthers’ defensive coordinator 

under Ryan Komenda, who 

resigned following last season. 

“There are things I like about 

the program I want to keep,” 

Lockhart said, “But there are 

some things I want to change. 

Some times you have to reset the 

expectations to let them know 

there’s a new head coach.” 

Lockhart inherits an athletic and 

experienced team. The Panthers, 

who had 4 wins and 5 losses 

last season, return starters at 

14 different positions. Aaron 

Poppert, Corey Maloley, and 

Isaac Klar are among the veterans 

looking to carry FCHS in 2016. 

“We have several returning 

players that should help us come 

into the season strong,” Lockhart 

said, “we will need to avoid 

injury and have a few players step 

up.” 

As a team, Fillmore Central 

rushed for more than 1,700 

yards last season. The Panthers, 

however, took a committee 

approach, with 14 different 

players getting at least one 

rushing attempt. That might 

not be the case in Lockhart’s 

new system. The first-year head 

coach is looking for Josh Taylor to 

emerge at the tailback position. 

“He needs to be a weapon for us 

on offense,” Lockhart said about 

Taylor. The senior running back 

had 39 carries for 180 yards last 

season. 

Regardless of the running back, 

Fillmore Central’s ground game 

should depend on an experienced 

offensive line. Riley Moses, 

Trevor Swartz, Daniel Andrews, 

and Isaac Klar are all returning 

starters. Klar is a hard-working, 

6-foot, 1-inch, 180-pound lineman 

that, “Has a motor that doesn’t 

quit,” according to Lockhart. 

Defensively, don’t expect many 

changes for the Panthers. 

Lockhart hopes to use a similar 

approach, which limited 

opponents to 113 passing yards 

per game last season. Senior 

defensive back Aaron Poppert led 


8/26 Johnson County Central 


9/9 Wood River 

9/16 Freeman 




10/14 Sutton 

10/21 @ Arcadia-Loup City 

the team with 91 tackles last fall. 

The Panthers hope to improve on 

their pass rush, which recorded 

only 3 sacks in 9 games. 

Fillmore Central will compete 

in Class C2 for the second 

consecutive season. However, 

the Panthers face a new slate of 

opponents. Perhaps the most 

anticipated game on the FCHS 

schedule is October 14th against 

Sutton. Lockhart says the new 

opponents, along with the 

changes in coaching staff, add to 

the unknowns of the 2016 season. 

TEAM FACTS 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Kameron Lenhart 

Assistant Coaches: Matt Edson, 

Derek Garfield, Mike Fisher, Cory 

Schweitzer 

Class: C1 

Team Name: Jeffs 

MIKE & LEE HORKY, OWNERS 

TRUSTWORTHY. LOYAL. PROGRESSIVE. 

619 5th Street Fairbury, NE 402.729.6331 

Head Coach: Mitchell Lockhart 

Assistant Coaches: Alex Moses, 

Adam Verhage, Matt Tobias 

Class: C2 

Team Name: Panthers 

220 East Nobes • York, NE • 402-362-5569 


FREEMANFALCONS 


After making the playoffs four 

straight years from 2011-2014, 

Freeman failed to reach the 

postseason last year. The Falcons 

went 1-8 under head coach Travis 

Andreasen. With six starters 

returning on offense and seven 

returning on defense, Freeman 

should make a push to return to the 

C2 playoff field in 2016. 

Jacob Grammann is one of those 

returning starters on offense but 

will be switching positions this 

season. The junior is moving from 

tight end to quarterback to lead 

the Falcons’ pro-style offense. 

Grammann is making the switch in 

part because of his high football IQ 

according to coaches. 

Freeman returns its starting 

running back Lane Cacek. The 

5-foot 11-inch, 160-pounder put up 

over 750 total yards last year as just 

a sophomore. Coach Andreasen 

calls Cacek a do-it-all player 

and could be due for a breakout 

season with all the knowledge 

he has gained over the past two 

years. When it comes to speed, 

Seth Weber is undoubtedly the 

team’s strongest weapon. The 

senior has proven to be an asset as 

a dependable slot receiver. Other 

receivers expected to step up this 

season are senior Caleb Eisenbarth 

and junior Blake Kastanek. 

Up front is where Andreasen 

admits could be Freeman’s 

weakness. “While there is a mix of 

experience and size, the offensive 

and defensive line has struggled to 

play consistently,” Andreasen said, 

“we will look to replace guys that 

graduated and will only have one 

senior in the group.” 

That senior is Gabe VanEngen. The 

three year starter is known for his 

good technique who knows how to 

use his hands and his feet. The 6’0” 

200 pounder is expected to earn the 

starting center job for the second 

year in a row. VanEngen is also a 

state qualifier in wrestling. 

“He is a quiet kid who leads by 

example,” said Andreasen. A pair 

of juniors, Colton Beebe and Jacob 

Dorn, could also see significant 

action along the offensive line. 

Switching to the defensive side, the 

secondary could be the Falcons’ 

strength. Caleb Eisenbarth’s 6’2” 

frame developed into a good 

cornerback a year ago, particularly 

in man coverage. Meanwhile, Seth 

Weber’s quickness will also be a 

key for Freeman’s defensive backs. 

At linebacker, Lane Cacek will 

be relied upon to step up at the 

position in his junior year. On the 

defensive line, Gabe VanEngen 


8/26 @ Hastings St. Cecilia 

9/2 Elmwood-Murdock 

9/9 Southern 

9/16 @ Fillmore Central 


9/30 Lincoln Lutheran 

10/7 @ Humboldt-Table Rock-Steinauer 

10/14 @ Palmyra 

10/21 Wilber-Clatonia 

should be an anchor after finishing 

third on the team in tackles in 

2015. Another big body up front 

on defense is Colton Beebe, who 

coaches say could be a star if he 

develops his technique. A pair 

of sophomores could see early 

playing time on the D-line. Tyler 

Adams, who also plays tight end, 

is coming off an injury from last 

year. Meanwhile, Austin Adams 

is known for being very strong but 

very raw. 

The schedule starts out tough for 

the Falcons. Freeman travels to 

Hastings St. Cecilia in week one. 

Another 2015 playoff team awaits 

the next week as the Falcons host 

Elmwood-Murdock. 


TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Travis Andreasen 


Assistant Coaches: Tony Jensen, 

Joe Gramann, Marshall Payer 

Class: C2 

Team Name: Falcons 

200 Levi Lane • Adams, NE • 402-988-7115 


FRIENDBULLDOGS 


The Bulldogs should have no 

trouble finding motivation for 

this season. After four playoff 

appearances from 2010-2014, Friend 

failed to make the postseason last 

year. 

Jim Pfeiffer’s team ended up with 

a 3-5 record in 2015. This year, the 

Bulldogs will drop down a class 

from D1 to D2, but the expectations 

for Friend are still high. 

“We have a group of kids who are 

willing to compete with one another 

yet still be good friends,” Pfeiffer 

said. “They are competitive and 

have a chance to be successful.” 

The Bulldogs return five starters 

on each side of the ball. On offense, 

Friend will try to continue to 

maintain a powerful run game with 

its I-formation attack that gained 

nearly 200 yards a game on the 

ground a year ago. 

At quarterback, the Bulldogs will 

try to replace one Dickinson for 

another. After losing Clay Dickinson 

to graduation, Friend will turn to 

junior Kyle Dickinson. Dickinson 

accounted for six touchdowns last 

season. 

The Bulldogs return their leading 

rusher from 2015 in Edwen Baptista. 

As a freshman, Baptista gained 548 

yards on the ground. 

Jay Lawver should also be a 

factor in the running back race 

after scoring five touchdowns 

last season. A key receiving target 

should be Logan Pfeiffer at tight 

end. Meanwhile, Friend’s offensive 

line should be anchored by Darren 

Segner, who’s just a junior. 

Senior Travis Ricenbaw should also 

see some snaps on the line after 

coming back from an injury in 2015. 

On the other side of the ball, the 

Bulldogs will try to improve its 

scoring defense after giving up 32 

points per game a season ago. 

On the defensive line, Tanner 

Smedjir will be expected to lead 

the way. The senior defensive end 

tallied 68 tackles in 2015. 

Junior Ray Sharkey should also be 

a key cog in Friend’s 3-4 style of 

defense. Sharkey brings a 245 pound 

frame to the table. Sophomore 

Slater Wells will also compete for 

a starting job on the defensive line, 

tipping the scales at 200 pounds. 

At linebacker, the Bulldogs will rely 

heavily on the Lawver duo. Senior 

Jay Lawver had 58 stops last season, 

while junior Jared Lawver tallied 64 

tackles. 





9/23 Exeter-Milligan 

9/30 @ Mead 

10/7 @ Diller-Odell 



Friend’s starting defensive backs 

should supply some solid support 

in stopping both the run and the 

pass. Kolby Haulden gained some 

good experience last year as a 

sophomore, while Edwen Baptista 

showed his athleticism at another 

defensive back spot in just his first 

year. 

“Our young kids will have to 

develop and contribute,” Pfeiffer 

said. 

Last season’s schedule proved to be 

a tough one for Friend as all of the 

Bulldogs’ five losses came against 

playoff teams. This year’s slate also 

has its share of challenges such 

as Sterling, Lawrence-Nelson and 

Diller-Odell. 

Friend opens the 2016 season 

against Pawnee City on August 26. 

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Head Coach: Jim Pfeiffer 


Assistant Coach: Jake Clouse 

Class: D2 


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FULLERTONWARRIORS 


Its not often a team that collects only 

three wins qualifies for the playoffs, 

but Fullerton found a way in 2015 

to reach the postseason. However, 

after extending the school’s playoff 

streak, the Warriors were humbled 

in the first round with a 66-0 loss 

to Creighton. The lopsided setback 

marked the Warriors’ fifth straight 

loss, which soured an otherwise 

promising start to the season. 

A drop from Class D1 to Class D2 is 

ahead for the team in 2016, which 

might instantly lead to a change 

in fortune. After all, the only team 

remaining on the schedule from 

2015 is Central Valley - a team 

Fullerton defeated 44-14. 

The class change might come at 

an ideal time for 13-year head 

coach Ryan Haughton, who will be 

sporting just one senior on the entire 

team. That lone senior is Cody 

Hambleton, who will play tight end 

and defensive line for the Warriors 

this fall. 

campaign. 

Though it may be a rebuilding 

season, Haughton sees the benefit in 

a young roster. He believes in the 

program’s long-term improvement 

and also notes a youthful roster 

often results in fun and unexpected 

gamedays. 

When looking at the 2016 schedule, 

the Warriors will start with comfort 

as they take on Central Valley at 

home, but after that, it’s off to the 

land of the unknown as it will be an 

entire slate of new opponents. 

Some of the teams featured on the 

schedule include Shelton, Osceola 

and Humphrey St. Francis to name 

a few. 

The big question entering fall 



9/2 @ Winside 

9/9 @ Shelton 

9/16 Wausa 

9/23 @ Scribner-Snyder 

9/30 Osceola 

10/7 @ Cedar Bluffs 

10/21 Humphrey St. Francis 

camp for the Warriors will be if 

the experienced coach can gather 

together the cast of inexperienced 

players and turn them into a winner 

in Class D2. Stay tuned for the 

season opener on Aug. 26 to find 

out. 

FULLERTON 308-536-3244 

GOOD LUCK WARRIORS! 



The core group of the 2016 

squad will be found in the nine 

sophomores on the pre-season 

roster, which is more than double 

the junior and senior class 

combined. The team will also be 

led by a sophomore under center, 

as TJ Dubas is listed as the team’s 

quarterback entering the 2016 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Ryan Haughton 

2015 Record: 3-6 


Class: D2 


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GIBBONBUFFALOES 


2015 was a dream season for the 

Gibbon football team, and with 

coach Mark McLaughlin at the 

helm, the dream might last a bit 

longer than opponents of the 

Buffaloes may like. 

The boys from Gibbon went 10-1 

last year, with that sole loss coming 

in the playoffs to Oakland-Craig, 

as they fell 27-7 in the Class C2 

postseason. For coach McLaughlin, 

he’s hoping the ten-win season is 

just a sign of things to come. 

Through eight seasons, McLaughlin 

has led the Buffaloes to a 38-26 

record with last season by far being 

his best. The only downfall when 

considering the 2016 season is that 

McLaughlin had 16 seniors aid him 

in that ten-win season a year ago. 

Of the seniors now departed 

from the roster, none will be 

more missed that lineman Ozzy 

Rodriguez who was simply a 

force in the trenches for Gibbon. 

Quarterback Bradyn Snell also 

dazzled, throwing for 1,641 yards 

and 27 touchdowns in 2015. His 66 

percent completion rate was the 

highest in Class C2 history. 

Looking ahead, the cupboard 

will need to be refilled in a hurry 

for coach McLaughlin, who is 

returning just two offensive and 

three defensive starters in 2016. 

Daulton Lurz returns as a leader for 

the Buffs, and tight end Wyatt Kee 

is expected to have an expanded 

role as the offense tries to find its 

new identity. Wyatt will also settle 

in at middle linebacker where he 

recorded 126 tackles last year alone, 

helping him total 250 in his career. 

While the offensive production 

might be gone via graduation, 

Gibbon will still be returning a 

solid core of 20 letter-winners in 

2016, and they’ll have to get to 

work in a hurry as several teams 

are hungry to get revenge on the 

Buffaloes for their stellar 2015 

campaign. 

A few games of note for the 

Buffaloes include visits to North 

Platte St. Pat’s, Doniphan-Trumbull 

and a showdown at Hastings St. 

Cecilia. 

McLaughlin says if his team has 

any hopes of winning some of 

those marquee games, it has to start 

up front. 

“Developing four new starters 

on the offensive line is most 

important,” said Coach 

McLaughlin. 

“We also need to have an outside 

receiving threat. We graduated the 


8/26 Hershey 

9/2 @ Minden 

9/9 @ North Platte St. Patrick’s 

9/16 St. Paul 




10/14 @ Doniphan-Trumbull 


best QB in C2 history according to 

completion percentage for a season 

and career.” 

Jaison Andrist was the backup QB 

last season, and is expected to take 

the reins of the Gibbon program. 

Coach McLaughlin says it will be 

up to Andrist and several other key 

players to set the tone early. 

“We have the kids that are 

willing to do what it takes in the 

offseason,” McLaughlin said. “They 

lift five days a week and will get 

about eight days of full pad camp 

and six to eight days of passing 

camp. They are old fashioned blue 

collar type kids.” 

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TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Mark McLaughlin 


Assistant Coaches: Jeff Montgomery, 

Steve Bristol, Jaxson Kenton, 

Matt Tacha 

Class: C2 

Team Name: Buffaloes 

888-873-6282 - nctc.net 


GILTNERHORNETS 

GOTHENBURGSWEDES 

By: TJ Eck 


Since 2007, Giltner has been one 

of the most successful 8-man 

teams in the state. The Hornets 

enter 2016 in search of their tenth 

straight playoff appearance and 

20th postseason victory during 

that span. Head coach Jeff Ashby, 

who boasts an 81-18 record at 

Giltner, leads a squad that has 

a good chance of extending the 

program’s playoff success. 

“Our team has a good deal of 

experience coming back this 

year,” said Ashby. “I believe we 

have a good chance of being a 

pretty good team if we can avoid 

injuries.” 

Junior quarterback Alex Goracke 

returns to lead the Hornets’ 

offensive attack. Goracke threw 

for 1,491 yards and added 

another 126 on the ground in 

2015 while accounting for 19 total 

touchdowns. The skill positions 

surrounding him will be manned 

by newcomers. Junior Braden 

Trosper (5’7” 165) and sophomore 

Trevor Linden (5’7” 185) are 

expected to handle the running 

back duties. Junior Josh Hinrichs 

(17 rec, 285 yds, 5 TDs) leads 

Giltner’s receiving corps. The 

Hornets are looking to replace the 

production of graduated seniors 

Christian Leichty and Brett 

Good who combined to score 31 

touchdowns last season. Senior 

and third-year starter Tucker 

Gartner (6’0” 250) returns to 

anchor Giltner’s offensive line. 

Giltner returns four starters on 

defense led by Gartner who 

registered 66 tackles last season 

from the nose tackle position. 

Joining him on the defensive line 

is senior Trevor Sok (42 tackles) 

while junior Beau Craig (6’2” 205) 

is expected to make an impact 

in 2016. Hinrichs (47 tackles, 2 

interceptions) along with fellow 

junior Rees Lyon (52 tackles) 

are back in the secondary while 

Linden will look to lead a new 

group of linebackers. 

The early portion of Giltner’s 

schedule benefits the Hornets 

with three of their first five games 

at home before a bye week. The 

two toughest games come in the 

form of a home contest versus 

Heartland (Sept. 9) and a road 

trip to Blue Hill (Oct. 7). 

Advancing deep into the playoffs 


8/26 @ Exeter-Milligan 


9/9 Heartland 

9/16 @ Osceola 


10/7 @ Blue Hill 

10/14 @ Shelton 

10/21 Axtell 

and winning a state title is 

nothing new for Giltner. The 

Hornets have two championships 

in program history (1984 and 

2012). Winning it all in 2016 could 

be tough but Giltner features 

a roster that should at least get 

back to the playoffs and have the 

opportunity to make some noise. 

“I like the cohesiveness of this 

group,” said Ashby. “Many of 

them played last year and even 

though they may not have been 

starters, I also like their work 

ethic.” Goracke and Gartner give 

the Hornets two experienced, 

impact players but the success 

of the team will likely be 

determined by the contributions 

of Giltner’s young, role players. 

It has been a long two years for 

Gothenburg. The Swedes haven’t 

made the postseason since 2013, 

which was the end of a 12-year 

playoff streak under head coach 

Craig Haake. Haake, now in his 

18th year leading the Swedes, 

cites youth and inexperience as 

the team’s biggest shortcomings 

recently. Expectations of reaching 

the playoffs remain and returning 

to the post-season is possible in 

2016. “We were young last year, 

and a lot of these guys played 

varsity ball,” Haake said. “But, 

we will still be a young team this 

year.” 

Senior quarterback Dawson 

Graham returns as an exception. 

He is set to start under center 

for the fourth consecutive 

season. Graham not only stands 

out on the gridiron, but also 

excels on the basketball court. 

Gothenburg will need to rely 

on his athleticism more after 

losing Patrick Messersmith, their 

most productive running back, 

to graduation. Haake admits 

Messersmith’s shoes will not 

be easy to fill. “We need to find 

starters and depth at running 

back and also at linebacker,” 

Haake said. 

While he is concerned about 

consistency at those positions, 

Haake won’t have to worry 

as much about special teams. 

Gothenburg returns All-State 

kicker Dominic Long, whose 

name fits his style. Long has the 

leg to kick 50-yard field goals, 

which could be very important in 

close contests. 

Tight games were a rarity for the 

Swedes last season, though. Of 

their nine games, only one was 

settled by six points or fewer, 

when they knocked off Cozad 14- 

13 at home. 

Long and Graham will be aided 

by a strong offensive line. Senior 

Patrick Peterson and junior 

Patrick Hudson return to the 

trenches with starting experience. 

That experience could prove to 

be invaluable early in the season. 

Gothenburg opens the year 

against Holdrege (8/26), Ogallala 

(9/2) and at Chase County (9/9). 

The three squads combined for a 

20-5 record, and each made the 

playoffs. Almost by necessity, 


8/26 Holdrege 

9/2 Ogallala 

9/9 @ Chase County 

9/16 @ Ord 

9/23 Chadron 

9/30 Broken Bow 

10/7 @ Cozad 


10/20 @ Minden 

the Swedes’ schedule does get 

easier as the season progresses. 

Their final three road contests 

are against Ord (3-5 in 2015) and 

Cozad (1-8), with Minden (0-9) to 

close out the regular season. 

TEAM FACTS 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Jeff Ashby 


Assistant Coaches: Matt Drew, 

Scott Dangler 

Class: D2 

Team Name: Hornets 

402.849.2400 • 216 Tonya Drive • Giltner, NE 

Head Coach: Craig Haake 


Assistant Coaches: Tom Scott, 

Justin Dowdy, KC Lathrop, Jesse 

Kinchecke, Jerry Wiggins, Ken 

Rigler 

Class: C1 

Team Name: Swedes 


GRAND ISLAND CENTRAL CATHOLICCRUSADERS 


Last season, Grand Island Central 

Catholic struggled going 3-6 in 

Class C1. Injuries played a part in 

that, but last year’s troubles gave 

plenty of players opportunities for 

game time. Now, the Crusaders 

have a depth of experience coming 

back for the 2016 season and a new 

head coach as well. 

Head Coach Bob Fuller is no 

stranger to success, going 286- 

139-1 in his high school coaching 

career. Fuller was hired in April 

and hopes to make the Crusaders a 

powerhouse in their class. 

Fuller will have plenty of senior 

leadership on this Crusader team 

as well. GICC brings back eight 

seniors who saw significant playing 

time last season and six juniors 

who will also be in position for 

serious playing time. 

Last season the Crusaders 

struggled offensively, averaging 

just over 13 points per game, which 

included a three game stretch 

where the Crusaders put up nine 

total points. This season the offense 

will use multiple sets out of the 

Veer formation in the hopes that 

they can fix those offensive woes. 

Aidan Anspauch will lead the 

way under center. The senior’s 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Bob Fuller 

Career Record: 286-139-1 

Assistant Coaches: Keith Kester, Tom Moore, 

Dave Soto, Zach Schroder, John Goering, 

Scott Brokaw, Scott Ross, 

Emanual Williams, Jarrod Puncacakar, Ethan 

Krilowaski, James Martinez 

Class: C1 

Team Name: Crusaders 

leadership will be key as his 

weapons consist mostly of 

underclassmen, like sophomore 

wide receiver, Ben Reilly and 

sophomore running back, John 

Reilly. 


GICC seeks improvement after 

allowing more than 30 points per 

game in 2015. Fuller will keep the 

Crusaders’ 4-3 attack, yet hopes for 

more consistent play. 

Senior Jordan Pebeck will be 

among GICC’s top defenders. The 

6-foot, 2-inch, 320-pound senior is a 

defensive end that has strong pass 

rushing ability. 

Coach Fuller wants his defense 

to focus on being aggressive and 

creating turnovers. 

The Crusaders will have to bring 

their best out of the gate this 

season. To start the year, they’ll 

travel to O’Neill for a matchup 

against the Eagles. They’ll then host 

Kearney Catholic the following 

week. 

They’ll also host the defending 

state champs in Scotus as well this 

season. 

Coach Fuller said if this team is 


8/26 @ O’Neill 






10/7 Columbus Lakeview 

10/14 Ord 

10/20 @ Boone Central/Newman Grove 

going to win ball games and return 

to the postseason, they’ll need to 

create and limit turnovers, while 

also dominating field position. 


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16_0704_002_TAB_A 


GRAND ISLAND SENIOR HIGHISLANDERS 


It will be with heavy hearts that the 

Grand Island football team enters 

the 2016 season. In late July, former 

Islander great and Husker punter 

Sam Foltz died in a single-vehicle 

crash while attending a football 

camp in Wisconsin. 

The state has mourned the loss, 

and those close to the Grand Island 

football family say they will always 

have Foltz in their hearts and on 

their minds as they play the 2016 

season. Balancing the emotions of 

the upcoming season might be the 

toughest challenge yet for 13-year 

coach Jeff Tomlin. 

On the field, the Islanders are 

expected to be a top team yet again. 

GI went 8-1 during the regular 

season last year and were primed 

for a deep playoff run. That 

unfortunately didn’t happen, as the 

Islanders were eliminated in the first 

round by Omaha North. 

The winning is expected to continue 

in 2016, however. After all, coach 

Tomlin’s 91 wins in just 13 seasons 

has more than doubled the losses 

in that same time frame. To keep 

that rate of success, the Islanders 

will have to overcome a significant 

amount of inexperience. 

“I think we will have pretty good 

overall team quickness,” Tomlin 

said. “Inexperience will be our 

biggest concern heading into the 

season as only six players return 

with any starting experience.” 

Among the positions seeking a new 

starter is quarterback. Tomlin is 

tasked with replacing Trey Kissack, 

who threw for 2,037 yards and 21 

touchdowns compared to only nine 

interceptions in 2015. Tomlin says 

it’s a wide open position battle 

heading into fall camp between 

senior Tyler Kress, junior Jaryn 

Francl and sophomore Cole Evans. 

Regardless of who emerges in GI’s 

quarterback battle, he will be behind 

a veteran line, which is always high 

currency in high school football. 

Behind the quarterback, the 

question marks continue to pile up. 

David Garcia and Gerald Dunning 

look to be the feature backs for the 

Islanders this season, but there’s one 

small issue - combined they have 

just 20 carries for 98 yards in varsity 

play. 

Coach Tomlin has always said 

he has plenty of faith in his JV 

program, and that will be put to 

the test this season given the depth 

concerns for the Islanders. Tomlin 

added that he’ll know a lot more 

about his team after they get a few 

games under their belt. 


8/26 Kearney 

9/2 @ North Platte 

9/9 Omaha Northwest 

9/16 Lincoln East 

9/23 @ Omaha North 

9/30 Millard South 

10/7 @ Lincoln Pius X 

10/14 @ Bellevue East 

10/21 Lincoln Southeast 

“We believe that if we are able to 

make it through the first half of the 

season relatively injury-free, that we 

can develop into a very solid team 

by the stretch run,” Tomlin said. 

A quick look at the schedule shows 

a familiar face for GI out of the 

gates - the Kearney Bearcats. This 

year, the season-opener will also be 

a home-opener for the Islanders. An 

added twist to the 2016 schedule 

will be a road contest on Oct. 7 with 

Lincoln Pius X who moved up to 

Class A in football. 

Road trips to North Platte, Omaha 

North and Bellevue East showcases 

some of the longer trips of the year 

for the purple and gold. 







16_0704_001_TAB_A 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Jeff Tomlin 


Assistant Coach: Russ Harvey 

Class: A 

Team Name: Islanders 

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HASTINGSTIGERS 


After coming over from Grand 

Island Central Catholic, Hastings 

High football coach Charlie 

Shoemaker knew he wasn’t going 

to turn the Tiger football team into 

a perennial power overnight. 

Hastings went 3-6 in 2015, 

but showed great signs of 

improvement by the end of the 

season. 

The three wins came against two 

winless teams and a one-win team, 

but it was a closer look into some 

of the losses on the schedule near 

the end of the year that showed 

the improvement coach Shoemaker 

was looking for. 

For instance, in the first few weeks 

of last season, a crushing 41-0 loss 

to Scottsbluff and 57-9 setback to 

Aurora had Hastings wondering 

what the rest of the year would be 

like. 

However, in the last two weeks, 

the Tigers played their best 

football. They fell by just 19 to 

a McCook team that ended the 

regular season 8-1. They then 

traveled to Lexington, and it 

wasn’t even close in a dominating 

24-7 win to end an otherwise 

frustrating 2015 campaign. 

With a good taste in their mouths 

heading into the offseason, the 

TEAM FACTS 

Hastings Team Facts 

Head Coach: Charlie Shoemaker 

2015 Record: 3-6 


Class: B 


Tigers are now preparing for 

another tough schedule, including 

a rematch with Scottsbluff to start 

the year. Hastings was able to 

avoid another showdown with 

Aurora on the 2016 slate, but a 

Week 7 matchup with McCook 

still looms at the tail-end of the 

schedule. 

Coach Shoemaker says the 

Tigers will rely heavily on three 

seniors in particular, starting with 

quarterback Vinnie Schmidt. The 

senior enters 2016 already a twoyear 

letter winner with the team, 

and Shoemaker says he’s in a spot 

to be the heart and soul of this 

year’s squad. 

“Vinnie missed the second half of 

last season due to a knee injury,” 

Shoemaker said. “He has an 

exceptional arm and very good 

mobility. We are looking for him 

to really have a breakout year this 

year. Keeping him healthy is a 

major priority for us.” 

He’ll be backed up by senior 

Blayne Dreher in the backfield, 

who will be getting back to his 

roots in 2016. 

“Blayne is our best all-around 

football player,” Shoemaker 

added. “He had to fill in at 

quarterback last season halfway 

through and did a very nice job. 

He will be back at his natural spot 

of running back and make a move 

to strong safety for us. We look for 

him to have a very good year this 

year.” 

Hastings High will also have a tall 

task for defenses, pun intended, as 

they are moving 6’5” senior Zane 

Bender to wide receiver. 

“Zane also missed the last half 

of the year last year,” Shoemaker 

said. “We are moving him to wide 


8/26 @ Scottsbluff 

9/2 Schuyler 

9/9 Gering 

9/16 @ Sidney 

9/23 @ Seward 

9/30 Alliance 

10/7 McCook 

10/14 @ Lexington 

10/21 Holdrege 

receiver, and that should create 

several match-ups in our favor. We 

look for him to have an impact for 

us on both sides of the ball. He’s a 

very good all-around athlete.” 

Shoemaker went on to say his 

team’s success on the field in 2016 

will depend on how well his guys 

do off the field over the summer. 

“Our offseason strength and 

conditioning work will put us 

in a position to be successful,” 

Shoemaker said. “We have a lot 

of new faces that will step in, and 

they will need to put the work in 

to make sure they are ready for 

varsity competition.” 

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HASTINGS ST. CECILIABLUEHAWKS 


Last season the St. Cecilia 

Bluehawks were dominant 

heading into the postseason. The 

Bluehawks finished the regular 

season 9-0, with the closest game 

being decided by 14 points. In 

the playoffs, St. Cecilia made 

it all the way to the state semifinals, 

before losing to Aquinas 

Catholic 51-7. 

This season the Bluehawks look 

to be dominant once again. Head 

Coach Carl Tesmer returns ten 

starters, including quarterback 

Grant Schmidt, who completed 

64 passes last season for 1,125 

yards and 19 touchdowns. 

In total, St. Cecilia brings back 

26 players and will be looking 

for the returning starters to 

step up. Tesmer expects strong 

leadership from the veteran 

group, especially along the line 

and at running back. 

Bluehawk fans can expect yet 

another high powered offense 

this season. St. Cecilia will 

once again run a spread with 

I-formation concepts built in. 

Last season, the team averaged 

259 yards a game on the ground 

and 101 yards through the air 

en route to scoring 43 points per 

game. 

Defensively, the Bluehawks 

look to be stout after giving 

up only 13 points per game in 

2015. St. Cecilia’s defense was 

particularly strong against the 

pass, which could be the case 

again this fall. Tesmer believes 

his defense will be one of the 

Bluehawks’ biggest strengths. 

St. Cecilia will start their season 

at home against Freeman and 

will then play a tough stretch of 

games against Wilber-Clatonia, 

Sutton and Central City. A road 

trip to Doniphan-Trumbull could 

also be a tough contest for St. 

Cecilia. 

According to Tesmer, he expects 

Sutton and Doniphan-Trumbull 

to be among the top teams in 

Class C2. 

If the Bluehawks are to repeat 

last season’s success, Tesmer 

believes it will come down 

to the development of his 

underclassmen. In addition to 


8/26 Freeman 

9/2 @ Wilber-Clatonia 

9/9 Sutton 





10/14 Southern Valley 

10/21 @ Gibbon 

winning early in the season, 

Tesmer believes his squad’s 

depth along the line will dictate 

whether 2016 will be as good, or 

even better, than last year. 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Carl Tesmer 


Assistant Coaches: Randy Ahrens, 

Seth Elley, Lauce Schmidt, Gene 

Konen, Jim Jackson, Wade Dykeman 

Class: C2 

Team Name: Bluehawks 

GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF OUR AREA SCHOOLS! 

700 W. 2ND STREET - HASTINGS 

1021 W. 14TH STREET - HASTINGS 


HEARTLANDHUSKIES 

By: TJ Eck 

Heartland will look to make 

its fourth straight appearance 

in the postseason when the 

Huskies take the field in 2016. 

Heartland went 4-4 in 2015 

before falling in the first round 

of the playoffs to East Butler. 

With an experienced group 

returning, the Huskies have 

aspirations of making it back to 

state and advancing further this 

season. 

The Huskies should see a payoff 

in 2016 from playing young 

players last year. “When you 

looked on the field at any given 

time last year, you would see 

four sophomores and one 

freshman most times,” said 

Head Coach Matt Maltsberger. 

With seven starters returning 

on offense, Heartland has 

the chance to light up the 

scoreboard again after 

averaging 43.7 points per game 

in 2015. The Huskies’ run-heavy 

attack is led by senior running 

back and three-year starter 

Austin Stuhr, who rushed 

for 1,588 yards and scored 20 

touchdowns last season. Fellow 

senior Ben Driewer (410 yards, 

5 TDs) and sophomore Kodjo 

Atikpohou (241 yards, 2 TDs) 

add depth to the backfield. 

Junior quarterback Lane 

Huebert directs the traffic for 

Heartland’s offense. He threw 

for 589 yards and seven TDs 

while adding another 520 yards 

and 11 TDs on the ground. 

Driewer (16 rec, 167 yards, 2 

TDs) and Stuhr (8 rec, 79 yards, 

2 TDs) provide Huebert with 

receiving options. Two starters 

return on the offensive line in 

senior Ethan Hall (6’0” 205) and 

junior Aaron Buller (6’1” 200). 

Junior tight end Connor Boehr 

(6’2” 180) adds another big 

blocker up front. 

The Huskies are looking for 

improvement on defense in 

2016 after allowing more than 

36 points per game last year. 

Stuhr leads Heartland from the 

linebacker position where he 

recorded a team leading 114 

tackles in 2015. He is joined on 

the second level by junior Hayes 

Oswald (62 tackles). Driewer 

(60 tackles) and Atikpohou 

(71 tackles, 2 TFL, 1 INT) add 

stability to the secondary. Boehr 

is a playmaker at the defensive 



9/9 @ Giltner 


9/23 McCool Junction 

9/30 @ Thayer Central 


10/14 Franklin 


end. He recorded 44 tackles, 

three sacks, and even picked off 

a pass last season. 

A return to the playoffs is well 

within reach for Heartland but 

for the Huskies to make some 

noise in the postseason, the 

team’s defense will have to 

catch up to its offense. “We have 

to have some young men step 

up in the leadership category,” 

said Maltsberger. “Most 

importantly, we will have to 

become a much more physical 

team.” Heartland opens the 

season August 26th at home 

against High Plains. 

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TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Matt Maltsberger 


Assistant Coaches: Greg 

Veerhusen, Clark Ribble, 

Benjamin Lindsey 

Class: D1 


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WISHING BEST OF LUCK TO ALL TEAMS THIS SEASON! 


High Plains is coming off one of the 

best seasons in program history. The 

Storm won eight games and reached 

the Class D1 quarterfinals. But the 

thrilling postseason run came to a 

disappointing end with a 40-point 

loss to Creighton. “We found out 

last season,” High Plains head coach 

Greg Wood said, “You are only as 

good as your next man up.” With 

that in mind, Wood’s objective in 

2016 is to develop better depth across 

all season. 

High Plains, which plays 8-man 

football, returns four starters on 

both offense and defense. Thomas 

Young, a multi-sport standout, plays 

quarterback for the Storm and will 

become a three-year starter this fall. 

Young’s top target, Payton Stevens, 

is back as well. 

said. Senior Josh Hogan and Tim 

Markvika, a 5-foot, 10-inch junior, 

will challenge for playing time in the 

backfield. 

Defensively, High Plains will be 

motivated after allowing 72 points in 

its season-ending loss in 2015. The 

Storm’s defensive average (29 PPG) 

was inflated due to that performance. 

Seniors Kyle and Payton Stevens 

experienced that game and hope to 

avoid any lopsided losses during 

their final year of high school 

football. Both are returning starters 

who play defensive end. Andrew 

Schuller, a 6-foot, 1-inch, 230-pound 

senior will anchor the Storm’s 

defensive line. Asked what he likes 

best about his team, head coach Greg 

Wood answered: “Their love for the 

game.” 


8/26 @ Heartland 



9/23 @ Palmer 

9/30 @ Humphrey/Lindsay HF 


10/14 @ East Butler 


power GACC, nor defending Class 

D1 champion BDS in 2016. However, 

the Storm will still be challenged 

with non-district games against 

Heartland, Elgin/Pope John, and Tri 

County. Wood expects Palmer and 

Nebraska Christian to be improved 

this season. 

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Offense shouldn’t be an issue for 

High Plains. The Young-Stevens duo 

helped the Storm average more than 

55 points per game last season. The 

tandem could result in a strategic 

shift for Greg Wood. His teams, in 

recent years, have had great success 

running the football. Now, with 

newcomers needed at tailback and 

fullback, the Storm could become 

more of a pass-oriented offense. 

High Plains threw for 146 yards 

per game last season. “We need 

some young players to step up in 

order to create some depth,” Wood 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Greg Wood 


Assistant Coaches: John Kucera 

Class: D1 

Team Name: Storm 

High Plains will not face 8-man 

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Crop • Farm Owners • Home & Auto • RV • Health 

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As the 2016 high school football 

season inches closer, no team may 

be more hungry to get back on the 

field than the Hitchcock County 

Falcons. 

After winning its season opener 

over Cheylin, Kan. 30-26, 

Hitchcock County lost its next 

seven games. The setbacks were 

lopsided, too. In losses to Perkins 

County, Alma and Medicine 

Valley, the Falcons allowed more 

than 74 points per game on 

average. 

Some of the point totals can be 

credited to the style of 8-man 

football, but coach Shane Clapper 

knows his team needs to get 

better in a hurry. 

“We have to tackle well and take 

good pursuit angles,” Clapper 

said. 

The 2015 campaign came as a 

bit of a letdown for Hitchcock 

County after going 5-4 in 2014. 

In 2016, however, Clapper is 

bringing back 11 letter winners 

from last season, and he’s hoping 

that group can form a bond that 

can get the team back on the 

winning track. 

in the process, who completed 

just over 25 percent of his passes 

on 518 attempts. All signs are 

pointing to a position change 

for Matt Rippen, who was the 

team’s running back in 2015. In 

his place, the Falcons are looking 

for Wyatt Standiford to take over. 

Standiford could be lightning in a 

bottle for this Hitchcock County 

bunch, considering he carried the 

ball 28 times, and averaged more 

than five yards per carry. 

Clapper is also hopeful linemen 

Matt Johnson and Dakota Hagen 

can lead the way up front both 

defensively and offensively. They 

could use a pick-me-up in the 

trenches, too. The Falcons know 

line play can help their struggling 

offense, which scored 20 or more 

points only four times last season. 

“We have to play all four 

quarters,” Clapper said. “Last 

year we could play well in 

streaks, but not for the whole 

game. That will be the key to 

winning games. We have to keep 

positive and move the football.” 

Despite last season’s struggles, 

the coach does not seem to be 

discouraged. 


8/26 Stapleton 

9/2 @ Atwood-Rawlins County KS 

9/9 @ Maxwell 

9/23 Wallace 

9/29 @ Eustis-Farnam 

10/7 @ Loomis 

10/14 Arapahoe 


Clapper added. “They are a good 

bunch.” 

On the schedule, the Falcons open 

at home against Stapleton on 

Aug. 26. In week two, Hitchcock 

County will travel to nearby 

Rawlins County (KS). 

Games against Maxwell, Wallace, 

Eustis-Farnam, Loomis, Arapahoe 

and Wauneta-Palisade will follow. 

Coach Clapper feels Eustis- 

Farnam and Arapahoe will be the 

“teams to beat” in Class D2. 

Coach Clapper will need to 

replace quarterback Kyle Haddix 

“I like being able to be with the 

kids in and out of practice,” 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Shane Clapper 


2015 Record: 1-7 


Class: D2 

Team Name: Falcons 



HOLDREGEDUSTERS 

In his 18th season as head coach, 

Jason Hale believes he’s got a 

district contender. Why shouldn’t 

he? The Dusters return seven 

starters on offense and defense 

from a team that finished 8-3 last 

season in Class B, which includes 

19 returning letterwinners as well. 

Hale brings plenty of experience 

and leadership back from last 

year’s team, which includes nine 

returning seniors and six juniors. 

The Dusters will have a solid 

foundation to not only compete in 

the district, but the class as well. 

Senior wide receiver Jackson 

Berney is poised for a breakout 

year. Last season, the 6-foot, 

4-inch, 200-pound receiver 

snagged 33 catches for 527 yards 

and seven touchdowns. 

Coach Hale calls him a leader in 

and out of the classroom. 

“Jackson is a very gifted multisport 

athlete,” said Hale.”He’s 

very athletic with great speed and 

jumping ability.” 

Jackson will be a key in keeping 

defenses honest as the Dusters 

will once again use a ground and 

pound aproach. Last season they 

ran the ball nearly 68 percent of 

the time. That high volume wore 

teams out down the stretch, as the 

Dusters scored three more points 

on average in the second half than 

the first half. 

The Dusters will have a new 

quarterback starting under center 

this season. Zac Hurlbert is the 

early frontrunner to start for the 

Dusters, but doesn’t have much 

experience. Last season Hurlbert 

only threw one completion on 

three passing attempts. 

Holdrege will also have a new 

starting running back in senior 

Payton Kidder. He will be looked 

upon to keep the offense moving 

and maintain its 28-points-pergame 

average. 

Kidder will also lead a defense 

that was dominant last season, 

which gave up just under 17 

points per game. Kidder will line 

up at linebacker for the Dusters. 

Last year he was a tackling 

machine, registering 125 total 

tackles, which included 13 tackles 

for a loss and one sack. 




9/9 @ Alliance 

9/16 York 

9/23 Sidney 

9/30 @ Northwest 

10/7 Lexington 

10/14 McCook 

10/21 @ Hastings 

The Dusters plan to frequently 

use a 4-3 defensive formation with 

Kiddler anchoring the unit. 

Holdrege will be tested early in 

the season starting on the road at 

Gothenberg, then at home versus 

Scottsbluff. Both teams finished 

last season above .500. 

Though his team is experienced, 

Hale admits his team doesn’t have 

the most depth. He says Holdrege 

has a smaller roster this season. 

Overall, Holdrege is primed for a 

breakthrough season in 2016. 


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TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Jason Hale 


Class: B 

Team Name: Dusters 


HUMBOLDT-TABLE ROCK-STEINAUERTITANS 

KEARNEY CATHOLICSTARS 



Humboldt-Table Rock-Steinauer 

will try to earn its first playoff 

appearance in five years. The 

Titans are coming off a 5-4 

record last year in Class C2. 

HTRS ended 2015 on a high 

note with a 26 point win over 

Weeping Water. The Titans 

return five starters on the 

offensive side of the ball. Head 

Coach Quentin Coatney’s spread 

attack averaged just under 20 

points per game a year ago. 

“We have a great group of 

seniors coming back this 

season,” said Coatney. “I’m 

looking forward to the 

leadership we will have both on 

and off the field.” 

HTRS will try to replace 

quarterback Nolan Schafer, who 

threw for 1,100 yards and 11 

touchdowns last season. The 

Titans do return their secondleading 

rusher Patrick Pineda, 

who went for 240 yards on the 

ground a year ago. A couple 

of quality wide receivers come 

back for HTRS as well. Nick 

Novak had 350 receiving yards 

and a team high five receiving 

touchdowns in 2015. Meanwhile, 

Logan Bredemeier had more 

than 250 receiving yards to go 

along with a pair of scores. 

Both Bredemeier and Novak 

are expected to provide senior 

leadership. Jordan Watson is 

another senior who could see 

playing time at receiver and 

sophomore Conner Bredemeier 

could contribute at the position 

as well. Up front, a pair of 

seniors should plow the way for 

the Titans. Jacob Railsback and 

Chase Hain have multiple years 

of starting experience. Other 

offensive linemen that could 

play a factor are Chase Merwin 

and Trent Plager. 


HTRS returns five starters. The 

Titans gave up a respectable 

18 points per game last year. 

Chase Hain had 80 tackles in 

2015. With a frame of over 200 

pounds, Hain will play a pivotal 

role on the team’s defensive 

line. Fellow senior D-lineman 

Jacob Railsback is also expected 

to be a key factor for HTRS. 

At linebacker, a pair of seniors 

should step up once again. 

Logan Bredemeier has a couple 

years of starting experience 

while Nick Novak had a trio 

of interceptions a season ago. 

At cornerback, Patrick Pineda 

will see a lot of playing time for 


8/26 @ Lincoln Lutheran 

9/2 Omaha Brownell-Talbot 

9/9 @ Malcolm 

9/16 Yutan 


9/30 @ Johnson County Central 

10/7 Freeman 


10/20 @ Palmyra 

the third straight year. A pair 

of juniors could also contribute 

on defense. Kaje Faulks tips the 

scales at over 250 pounds while 

Alex Flynn could find a spot on 

the field as a linebacker. 

HTRS takes the field for its 

season opener on August 26 

against Lincoln Lutheran. A pair 

of tough tests for the Titans will 

be Yutan and Wilber-Clatonia 

in back-to-back weeks in 

September. 

“We have a great group of 

seniors coming back this 

season,” said Coatney. “I’m 

looking forward to the 

leadership we will have both on 

and off the field.” 

In his first year as head coach, 

Rashawn Harvey inherits quite 

a football team in the Kearney 

Catholic Stars. The Stars return 

seven starters on both offense 

and defense from a team 

that finished last season 6-3, 

including Brady Holtmeier, one 

of the top players in Class C1. 

This season the Stars could be 

one of the top teams in their 

class. 

Due to its experience and talent, 

Kearney Catholic boasts one 

of the top offenses in the area. 

Junior Quarterback Matt Masker 

will lead the way for the Stars. 

Last season Masker threw for 

1,724 yards and 24 touchdowns. 

Coach Harvey says Masker’s 

strong arm and instincts will be 

huge for the Stars this season. 

Masker will have plenty of 

weapons to throw to as well this 

year. Brady Holtmeier could be 

the top target for the Stars, after 

catching 30 passes as a junior. 

Holtmeier, a two-way standout, 

registered 396 receiving yards 

and five touchdowns in 2015. 

Defensively, he had 48 solo and 

23 assisted tackles. According to 

Harvey, the Stars plan on using 

Masker in a variety of positions 

from running back, to wide out 

and even quarterback. 

John Hussmand is another one 

of those weapons on offense, 

but his defensive ability could 

be even more important. Last 

season he had 24 solo and nine 

assisted tackles, but showed 

up most as a ball hawk in the 

secondary, intercepting four 

passes. 

On offense, the Stars use a 

highly-entertaining spread 

attack that averaged 35 points 

per game in 2015. Kearney 

Catholic has the ability to run 

or pass, as evident in last year’s 

statistics. The Stars averaged 

152 yards on the ground, while 

passing for 216 yards per 

contest. 

Defensively, Kearney Catholic 

fans can expect to see a 4-3 

formation with a philosophy of 

creative turnovers. 

The Stars will open their season 

on the road at Adams Central. 

Coach Harvey says it will be one 

of the toughest games they’ll 

play all season. 

While the coaches and players 




9/9 Ogallala 

9/16 @ Garden Plain, KS 

9/23 @ Cozad 

9/30 Mitchell 

10/7 Minden 


10/21 Broken Bow 

will take it one game at a time, 

a match-up everyone is keeping 

their eye on is against Garden 

Plain, KS. According to Harvey, 

it will be the first time a Kearney 

Catholic football team has 

traveled outside the state. 

If the Stars are to be successful 

in 2016, Harvey says the team 

will need newcomers to provide 

depth. Harvey also believes the 

team’s health will be key. 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Quentin Coatney 


Assistant Coaches: Trent Platt, 

Jason Kover 

Class: C2 

Team Name: Titans 

R & D GROCERY 

Rick & Donna Dettmann 

734 3rd Street, P.O. Box 187 

Humboldt, NE 68376 

402-862-3261 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Rashawn Harvey 


Assistant Coaches: Paul 

Brungardt, Rick Moses, Mike 

Pacheco, Matt Johnson, Matt 

Coop, Lance Sorensen 

Class: C1 

Team Name: Stars 


KEARNEY SENIOR HIGHBEARCATS 

KENESAWBLUE DEVILS 


It has been more than half a 

decade since the Kearney High 

football team has been to the top 

of the Class A mountain, and after 

a 5-5 season in 2015, the Bearcats 

will be looking to make headway 

behind a new quarterback and a 

small number of returning starters. 

With four returners on offense 

and just five on defense, the fellas 

from Kearney will be learning a lot 

about themselves throughout the 

offseason and fall camp. 

One of the top priorities for 

head coach Brandon Cool will 

be figuring out the starting 

quarterback. The race is seemingly 

down to two candidates - senior 

Ryan Koski or junior Kanon 

Koster. 

Up front is also a concern for Cool 

heading into 2016 as only one 

lineman is a returning starter from 

last season - Rudy Stofer. 

“Rudy is a raw talent with great 

size and has the potential to be a 

dominant force in the trenches,” 

Cool said. “We look for Rudy to 

improve dramatically before and 

during the season.” 

Cool says he’s expecting both 

Joaquim Robinson and Lee 

Herrington to step up and fill key 

roles for Kearney in the trenches, 

and if they do, a special season 

might not be out of reach. 

Cool believes he has a star-in-themaking 

in linebacker/running 

back Noah Urbanek. 

“Noah is a big and fast athlete,” 

Cool said. “He has a lot of varsity 

game experience. Noah is the best 

athlete on our team.” 

Kearney, as they do many years, 

will start the 2016 campaign 

against longtime rival Grand 

Island on August 26th. Two of 

their next three games will be 

on the road before coming home 

for back-to-back contests against 

Fremont and Millard North. The 

game against the Mustangs in 

Kearney might already have a red 


8/26 @ Grand Island 



9/16 @ Lincoln Northeast 

9/23 Fremont 

9/30 Millard North 

10/7 @ Papillion-LaVista 

10/14 @ Creighton Preparatory School 

10/21 Omaha Benson 

circle around it. 

The final three games of the season 

feature two more road games at 

Papillion-La Vista and Creighton 

Prep. The Bearcats end the season 

at home against Omaha Benson. 

Kearney, Gretna, Lexington, Minden, Ravenna, Wood River, Franklin 


Kenesaw is hoping to get back to its 

traditional powerhouse ways in 2016, 

and they certainly have the coach to do 

it. 

Craig Schnitzler enters his 16th season 

at the helm of Kenesaw, and for a 

coach that has seen football played at 

the highest levels, the storied coach is 

chasing his first D2 state championship. 

A 7-3 campaign in 2015 was highlighted 

by a dominating stretch that included 

a five-game winning streak. The Blue 

Devils also started the playoffs with 

an 81-point outburst against Giltner. 

A 48-32 loss to Exeter-Milligan would 

mark the end of the road in 2015, which 

is making the 2016 bunch much more 

anxious to get back out on the gridiron. 

As with many teams in the Class D2 

ranks, Kenesaw will have to improve 

on their already impressive mark with 

an inexperienced crew. Tyson Burr is 

the only starter returning for Kenesaw 

who played on both sides of the ball. 

In 2015, Burr toted the rock for 510 

yards and six touchdowns while 

pulling in 274 more yards receiving, 

tacking on another four TD’s. Burr was 

a defensive standout as well, recording 

14 solo tackles and grabbing four 

interceptions as a defensive back. 

Linebacker Daniel Duffy is the only 

other returning starter on the team, but 

he’s a good one. He accounted for 80 

of the team’s tackles a year ago. 

With the 2016 season around the 

corner, coach Schnitzler will likely be 

turning to Alex Heier under center. 

Heier started two games for the 

Blue Devils last season. Behind him 

will likely be running back Austin 

Anderson, who has already proven 

his worth in Kenesaw, running for 513 

yards and eight touchdowns a year 

ago. 

If JV football records hold any value, 

Kenesaw may be in good shape. Last 

year’s JV crew finished their season 

5-1, and coach Schnitzler is likely one 

of many people just north of Highway 

6 west of Hastings looking for the 

trend to stick. 

Another fun fact for the upcoming 

season deals with Schnitzler. For the 

first time in six seasons, he’ll be the 

only Schnitzler on the roster. Over the 

last six seasons, Schnitzler has had the 

luxury of one of his sons playing on 

the team. 

When looking ahead on the schedule, 

Kenesaw’s season opens up with a 

non-district foe in Elm Creek, who 

made the playoffs in 2015. Schnitzler 

says that game will set the tone for the 

upcoming season. 

“We must have good weight room 


8/26 Elm Creek 

9/2 @ Palmer 

9/9 @ Ravenna 




10/14 Superior 

10/21 Heartland 

attendance this summer in preparation 

for the upcoming season,” Schnitzler 

said. “This group knows how to win 

and what it takes to be successful. 

Staying healthy will also be important 

with the lack of numbers we will have 

out this season.” 

Schnitzler went on to elaborate about 

his team’s youth, and how it will be 

one of the toughest coaching jobs he’s 

had in some time. 

“We have a lot of new faces on the 

field, so there will be some growing 

pains we will go through,” Schnitzler 

said. “This team should improve every 

week and should be a very good team 

by seasons’ end. We will have to stay 

healthy for it all to come together.” 

TEAM FACTS 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Brandon Cool 

Assistant Coach: Brad Archer 

2015 Record: 5-5 


Class: A 

Team Name: Bearcats 

Head Coach: Craig Schnitzler 


Assistant Coaches: Chuck Roe, 

Dustin Perry, Casey Olson 

Class: D1 

Team Name: Blue Devils 


LAWRENCE-NELSONRAIDERS 

LEXINGTONMINUTEMEN 


Outside of an early-October loss, 

Lawrence-Nelson stormed through 

its 2015 schedule. The Raiders were 

one of the state’s surprise teams 

last fall, going 8-1 before losing 

to eventual Class D2 semifinalist 

Wynot. 

Head coach Brian Blevins believes 

the Raiders’ success has reenergized 

his squad. He’s noticed 

a high level of confidence in his 

group, which mostly returns in 

2016. Lawrence-Nelson lost only 

one player due to graduation. 

In 2016, Lawrence-Nelson is 

expected to be anchored by senior 

Gavyn Buschkoetter and junior 

Kevin Schrore at linebacker. 

Colton Biltoft will take care of the 

back-end of the Raider defense, 

while also performing the team’s 

quarterbacking duties. Colton 

racked up 700 all-purpose yards 

as QB and accounted for 13 

touchdowns last season. 

Other key contributors coming 

back for the stout defense include 

cornerbacks Peyton Drudik and Tim 

Herbek and defensive ends Jake 

Sharp and Matt Buescher. 

Defense will likely be the team’s 

strength again in 2016. Last year, 

only two teams scored more than 

30 points on the Raiders - Exeter- 

Milligan and Wynot. 

Though the 2016 version of 

Lawrence-Nelson’s roster will 

mostly mirror last year, there are a 

few differences. Tight end Brennan 

Miller and lineman Bryce Buescher 

leave holes on offense. 

Its safe to say expectations are skyhigh 

for the Raiders and Blevins 

knows he must keep his players 

motivated. 

“Depending on how things shake 

out, we could finish 8-0 or 5-3 in 

the regular season,” Blevins said. 

“We have huge potential, but are 

faced with an incredibly challenging 

schedule including Blue Hill, Giltner 

and Bruning-Davenport-Shickley 

and improving teams like Sterling 

and Friend.” 




9/16 @ Friend 

9/23 @ Giltner 


10/7 Shelton 

10/14 @ Axtell 

10/20 BDS 

Blevins enters his seventh year at 

the helm, and will see his team 

kickoff the 2016 campaign on the 

road at Sterling. 

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Last year, Lexington emerged from 

a season riddled with injuries and a 

tough schedule with only one win. 

The Minutemen lost 21 players to 

graduation, leaving a young team 

needing to fill many important roles. 

Head coach Jeff Rowan is 

beginning his fourth season with 

the Minutemen and says his team 

will have more speed than in 

recent years. However, many of 

those speedy players lack varsity 

experience. 

“They’ll have to come of age quickly 

for us to be able to compete,” Coach 

Rowan said, “Our biggest challenge 

will be getting those players to play 

at the speed needed to compete in 

Class B football. We need to stay 

healthy and gain depth.” 

Rowan plans to continue running 

the flexbone offense with seniors 

Josh Duncan (6’1, 170 lbs), Eddie 

Morales (5’10, 160 lbs), Austin 

Probasco (5’8, 155 lbs) and junior 

Edvin Ramirez (5’9, 150 lbs) 

alternating at fullback and slotback 

positions. Senior Clay Hernandez 

will head the offense at quarterback, 

after filling in last season for an 

injured Trevor McKeone for five 

games. Hernandez was 35 for 

73 and 371 yards through the air 

in those starts, and is the only 

returning player with more than 100 

rushing yards. 

“I expect (Hernandez) to continue 

developing as a leader,” Coach 

Rowan said. 

“One thing we’ll work on is his 

consistency in reading the defense.” 

The Minutemen will also 

experiment with a pistol offense, 

with senior Hunter Kiburz (6’, 170 

lbs.) expected to see significant 

playing time as a receiver. 

On the other side of the ball, 

Lexington’s defense will seek 

improvement after allowing 236 

rushing yards and 101 passing 

yards per game. The unit returns 

two-year starters Luis Lam (5’10, 

190lbs) and Emmanuel Perez (6’, 

195 lbs) at linebacker and senior 

lineman Joel Burkholder (5’10, 

190 lbs). Rowan says he believes 

his team has the personnel to fill 

the needed positions, and expects 

several sophomore players with 

soccer experience to contribute on 

special teams. The Minutemen have 

a kicker and punter position up for 

grabs. 

There is no Class B cakewalk, and 

Lexington is scheduled to face only 

three teams who ended the 2015 

regular season less than .500. The 

B-7 district gains Holdrege, after the 

Dusters ended the season with an 


8/26 @ Sidney 

9/2 York 




9/30 Gering 

10/7 @ Holdrege 

10/14 Hastings 

10/21 @ McCook 

8-3 record and second round playoff 

loss to Boys Town. The district loses 

Adams Central, a 4-5 team in a twoyear 

playoff drought. Lexington will 

face Gering, their sole season win, in 

week six. 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Brian Blevins 


Assistant Coaches: Jerad 

Niederulein 

Class: D2 

Team Name: Raiders 

Bill’s Transmission 

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402-225-2336 

Nelson, NE 

Good Luck this 2016 Season! 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Jeff Rowan 


Assistant Coaches: Mark Burson, 

Josh Kuecker, Jake Harvey, Cole 

Brockmoller, Jeff Neujahr, Eric 

Bell 

Class: B 

Team Name: Minutemen 


LINCOLN CHRISTIANCRUSADERS 


For the first time in 14 years, 

Lincoln Christian has a new 

head football coach roaming 

the sidelines. Matt Farup led 

the Crusaders to seven playoff 

appearances during his tenure. 

Now, Farup hands the reins over to 

former assistant Kurt Earl. Earl was 

the offensive coordinator at Lincoln 

Christian for the past eight years. 

The Crusaders will try to improve 

upon a 2-7 record from a season 

ago but only have four seniors on 

the roster. 

“My inexperience combined with 

the players’ inexperience means 

we’ll all to have to get better 

together in a hurry,” Earl said. 

Lincoln Christian returns five 

starters in its no-huddle, spread 

attack offense that averaged a 

respectable 30-points per game a 

year ago. However, the Crusaders 

lost quarterback Jared Bubak along 

with a pair of receivers. Lincoln 

Christian does return one receiver 

that should provide a spark on 

offense. Alex Schreiner is a junior 

who brings one year of starting 

experience to the table. 

A pair of newcomers at wide 

receiver could compete for playing 

time. Junior Reid Houchin is new 

to the Crusaders’ roster, while 

Hunter Hohlen could see the field 

as a sophomore. Up front is where 

Lincoln Christian could thrive in 

2016. Josh Stokey has two years of 

starting experience while fellow 

senior Thomas Monroe brings 

some knowledge to the offensive 

line. Junior Joel Zach is back 

for more action this season as is 

sophomore Abram Stewart, who 

earned playing time last year as a 

freshman. 

On the other side of the ball, 

the scoring defense will need to 

improve for Lincoln Christian. The 

Crusaders gave up 50 points per 

game in 2015. The good news for 

Earl’s team is the eight returning 

starters he will have to work with. 

Josh Stokey will lead the way 

on the defensive line as a senior. 

Stokey will be helped out along 

the D-line by juniors Logan 

Schluckebier and Treyson Bigler, 

who both have a year of starting 

experience. A trio of linebackers 

return, as well, for Lincoln 

Christian. Preston Schwaninger 

will be expected to lead as a senior. 

Juniors Max McEwen and Isaiah 

Young also have seen plenty 

of snaps at the position. In the 

secondary, Alex Schreiner should 

play a pivotal role at one of 

the defensive back positions. 

Meanwhile, Joe Dworak will see 


8/26 @ Omaha Concordia 

9/2 @ Wahoo 

9/9 Lincoln Lutheran 

9/17 Falls City 



10/7 Ashland-Greenwood 



the field as well after earning 

playing time as a freshman last 

year. 

Lincoln Christian will try to make 

the playoffs for the first time since 

2013, but the Crusaders will have 

tough tasks against Wahoo and 

Ashland-Greenwood. 

“I like the way they are embracing 

the journey from where we’ve 

been to where we want to be,” Earl 

said. “This group is learning what 

it looks like to hold each other 

accountable and make each other 

better every day.” 

The Kurt Earl era begins August 

26th at Omaha Concordia. 







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24653 R4-16 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Kurt Earl 


Assistant Coaches: George 

Lockeyer, Ben Manley, Cole 

Dworak, Wade Houchin, Chase 

Stokey 

Class: C1 

Team Name: Crusaders 




LINCOLN EASTSPARTANS 

By: Ryan Mix 

After an injury-plagued season in 

2015, Lincoln East appears to be 

reloaded and poised for a bounce 

back season this fall. The Spartans 

lost nearly a dozen players to 

injury last year which could be 

a blessing in disguise for East’s 

outlook this year. 

“It plays into our favor because so 

many underclassmen had to play 

a lot last year,” head coach John 

Gingery said. “Those kids won’t 

enter the season completely green, 

they know what to expect and 

what it takes to win.” 

East projects to be one of the 

top teams in the city with eight 

starters returning on offense and 

seven on defense. The Spartans 

will be led by two returning allcity 

and all-conference players in 

Carson Walters and Chris Walker. 

Walters enters his second season in 

a starting role. The 5-foot 10-inch, 

190-pound senior is an option QB 

who threw for 800 yards and six 

TDs in 2015 while also leading the 

team in rushing with 581 yards 

and four TDs. 

“Carson improved a lot as the 

season went on,” Gingery said. 

“We are very fortunate to have 

him back and excited to see what 

he can do this season.” 

Walters will have one of the most 

reliable linemen in the state to 

block for him at right tackle in 

Chris Walker. The 6-foot 6-inch, 

270-pound senior was an all-city 

and all-conference selection last 

fall and has Division 1 scholarship 

offers from Wyoming, Ohio, South 

Dakota, and South Dakota State. 

In addition to Walters and Walker, 

one of East’s strengths will be 

their experience and depth at wide 

receiver. The Spartans return three 

players who started at WR last fall, 

including twin brothers Josh and 

Noah Makovicka. Josh was East’s 

leading receiver last fall, averaging 

27.3 yards per reception. 

On defense, East returns nearly its 

entire front seven. Walker, Cavion 

Randall and Cade Mahlberg are 

three returning starters on the line, 

while the Makovicka brothers and 

Currey Zalman will lead the way 

at linebacker. The Spartans hope 

to see a jump in their output on 

defense this year, returning nine of 

their top ten tacklers from 2015. 

“We sent 51 guys to a camp at 

Wyoming this summer and I 

was really pleased with how 

our defense played,” Gingery 

said. “Our guys understood the 

concepts well and competed at a 

high level.” 


8/26 Norfolk 

9/2 @ Kearney 




9/29 Omaha North 

10/6 @ Millard South 


10/21 Bellevue East 

Coming off a 4-5 season, East 

hopes to return to the postseason 

this fall. The Spartans will have 

a very challenging road to the 

playoffs, but are aiming for their 

first win in the postseason since 

2006. 

“The city should be tougher this 

year,” Gingery said. “If you don’t 

bring your ‘A’ game every week, 

you could get beat. We have a very 

tough road ahead.” 

The Spartans will kick the season 

off week one at home against 

Norfolk. 

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TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: John Gingery 

Assistant Coaches: Mike Janesch, 

Bill Kechely 

2015 Record: 4-5 


Class: A 

Team Name: Spartans 

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LINCOLN HIGHLINKS 


Lincoln High went undefeated 

last year while outscoring its 

opponents by more than 400 

points — at the freshman level. 

The future is bright for the Links, 

but whether the young talent 

translates to varsity wins this fall 

remains to be seen. 

There’s no doubt head coach Mark 

Macke has many skilled players 

in his program. Macke is tasked 

with preparing his underclassmen 

to compete at a higher level and 

build confidence throughout the 

roster. Lincoln High went 4-5 

last season and finished with 

a winning record against city 

opponents. The Links defeated 

Lincoln Northeast, Lincoln 

Southeast, and Lincoln Southwest. 

Lincoln High played its best at the 

end of 2015. Three of the Links’ 

wins came during the final month 

of the regular season, which 

provides momentum heading into 

the new year. 

“I like our speed and athleticism,” 

Macke said. 

The sixth-year head coach enjoyed 

his winningest campaign with 

the Links last fall, but faces new 

challenges this year. 

Macke must replace a starter at 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Mark Macke 


2015 Record: 4-5 


Class: A 

Team Name: Links 

each skill position. Quarterback 

Anthony Evans, running back 

Terry Jones, and wide receiver 

Aundra Gilbert all graduated. The 

trio accounted for every offensive 

touchdown last season. 

5-foot 10-inch, 180-pound senior 

running back Dajon Thomas 

should help fill the offensive void. 

Thomas rushed for 353 yards on 

91 carries last season. Quarterback 

Jackson Mallory also got varsity 

experience, completing 28 passes 

for 339 yards as a back-up. 

The Links’ strength will likely be 

on defense. LHS has five returning 

starters on that side of the ball, 

including Anthony Magor. The 

6-foot 3-inch linebacker recorded 

34 tackles as a junior. Magor leads 

a unit that allowed 20 points or 

fewer six times last year. The Links 

were especially tough against the 

pass in 2015, yielding less than 100 

passing yards per game. 

Despite losing defensive back 

Ruon Chuol, who will play 

collegiately at Northwest Missouri 

State, the Links secondary should 

be solid. Spencer Graham, Titus 

Thompson, and Taliq Ellis all 

return in starting roles. 

The Links defense could receive 

a huge boost should Cordarrius 

Bailey return for his senior season. 

At the time of this publication, the 

3-star defensive end was unsure 

whether he’d transfer to a high 

school in Mississippi to be closer 

to his family. Bailey, who ranked 

third on the team in tackles last 

year, has scholarship offers from 

Mississippi State, Louisville, and 

Iowa State, among others. 

Whether the Links’ roster includes 

Bailey or not, Macke looks 

forward to the upcoming season. 


8/26 @ Omaha Northwest 


9/9 Papillion-LaVista South 

9/16 @ Omaha Bryan 

9/23 North Platte 

9/30 @ Omaha Central 

10/7 Fremont 

10/14 Lincoln Southwest 

10/20 @ Millard West 

Lincoln High is seeking its first 

playoff appearance in more than 

a decade. The Links haven’t 

qualified for the post-season since 

2004, when many of the talented 

underclassmen were still in 

preschool. 

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LINCOLN LUTHERANWARRIORS 


A class change is altering the 

outlook for Lincoln Lutheran 

football. The Warriors, who 

ranked near the bottom of Class 

C1 in enrollment, will now 

compete as one of the largest 

schools in Class C2. The change 

results in a new, more manageable 

schedule for the 2016 season. 

Lincoln Lutheran won’t face a 

playoff qualifier until Week 7 

and the Warriors’ opponents 

combined for 39 wins and 46 

losses last fall. 

Head coach Greg Nelson is 

confident his team will be more 

competitive in Class C2. 

“We will be in every game this 

year,” Nelson said. 

The Warriors suffered multiple 

lopsided losses in 2015, but the 

third-year head coach believes 

many valuable lessons were 

learned by his young squad. 

“Our huge batch of freshmen 

and sophomores from last season 

gained a ton of experience,” 

Nelson said. “We look forward to 

building on that.” 

Nelson especially likes the 

Warriors passing attack. Zach 

Clausen started at quarterback as 

a freshman, completing 139-of-263 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Greg Nelson 


Assistant Coach: Brett 

Shamblin 

Class: C2 


pass attempts. Clausen threw for 

more than 1,400 yards and eight 

touchdowns. 

“Zach Clausen is a special 

player,” Nelson said. “(He) may 

be the most talented QB in the 

city this season as a sophomore.” 

Clausen will try to limit his 

turnovers this fall after throwing 

18 interceptions last season. He 

was often under pressure as many 

of the Warriors’ opponents had 

larger, more experienced linemen. 

Nelson plans to focus on Lincoln 

Lutheran’s players up front 

during preseason practice. 

“Our lines need to develop 

quickly if we are going to have 

big success,” he said. 

Juniors Jake Wendland, James 

Lavicky, and Ethan Rickords are 

all returning starters along the 

offensive line. 

In total, Lincoln Lutheran has 

starters back at 16 different 

positions. Logan Kriezel is an 

athletic wide receiver with great 

leaping ability. Kriezel ranked 

second on the team with 40 

receptions as a sophomore. The 

6-foot 2-inch junior is expected 

to be the Warriors top target this 

fall. Other receiving options will 

be returning starters Joe Admiraal 

and Sam Rathe, along with Joel 

Stennett. 

Defensively, Lincoln Lutheran 

seeks improvement, though 

creating game plans for 

unfamiliar opponents may be 

challenging. Nelson knows he can 

lean on an eager secondary that 

will have little turnover from last 

season. Kriezel anchors the unit 

with Cole Schaedel and Colby 

Bliss providing experience in 


8/26 Humboldt-Table Rock-Steinauer 


9/9 @ Lincoln Christian 

9/16 Lutheran High Northeast 

9/23 Malcolm 

9/30 @ Freeman 

10/7 @ Elmwood-Murdock 

10/14 Omaha Brownell-Talbot 

10/21 @ Yutan 

the backfield. The Warriors are 

looking to cut down on big plays 

after allowing more than 40 points 

per game. 

Lincoln Lutheran’s journey 

through a Class C2 schedule 

starts with back-to-back home 

games. The Warriors host HTRS 

and Johnson County Central to 

open the 2016 campaign. Then, 

Lincoln Lutheran will face crosstown 

rival Lincoln Christian in 

the annual ‘Battle for the Spirit 

Sword.’ 

The rivalry game remains, despite 

the schools existing in separate 

classes. 

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24653 R4-16

LINCOLN NORTHEASTROCKETS 


Lincoln Northeast is hoping to 

build off its first playoff appearance 

in five years. Head coach Bump 

Christensen led the Rockets to the 

postseason for the first time in his 

three years at the school in 2015. 

Now in year four, the Northeast 

head coach believes his team has 

taken on the right mentality moving 

forward. 

“They have really bought 

in,” Christensen said. “The 

upperclassmen know how we want 

things done and are doing a real 

good job of bringing the newcomers 

along.” 

The Rockets will look to replace six 

starters on both sides of the ball in 

the upcoming year. One of those 

roles that will need to be filled is at 

quarterback, where Trevor Peterson 

led a Northeast passing attack that 

averaged nearly 300 yards a game 

in 2015. Multi-sport standout Talon 

Little will have big shoes to fill as 

the Rockets’ projected starter at the 

position. 

Although Lincoln Northeast must 

replace its signal caller from a 

season ago, the Rockets do return 

Caden Highsmith, who set the 

school record in receptions a year 

ago. Northeast also returns running 

back Tivon Phillips. As a junior, 

Phillips was one of the leading 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Bump Christensen 


Assistant Coaches: Landon Miller, 

Tim Dvorak 

Class: A 

Team Name: Rockets 

scorers in Class A. Paving the way 

for Phillips will be a pair of two 

year starters on the offensive line. 

Both Zach Baars and Brett Halleen 

weigh in at over 225 pounds, giving 

the Rockets some strength up front. 

Northeast senior Chevinn Rayburn, 

weighing around 240 pounds, will 

be expected to compete for a spot 

along the line. Another key cog 

in the Northeast offense will be 

Kavon Lofton. The senior tight end 

stands 6-feet 2-inches and weighs 

225 pounds providing another 

big, physical tool for Christensen’s 

spread offense that averaged 28 

points per game last season. 

“We have some key holes to fill 

from last year,” said Christensen. 

“The guys we have to fill them are 

capable but inexperienced. If they 

prove to be players, we will be 

solid.” 


Rockets will try to improve a 

defense that gave up 28 points 

and 218 rushing yards per game a 

year ago. The defensive line will 

be anchored by Baars and Halleen, 

who are expected to contribute on 

both sides. As for the linebacker 

positions, the Rockets will have 

to replace all starters from last 

season that included Ethan Karr, 

Jaden Kelly, and Braly Keller. A 

pair of juniors, Chandler Mohr and 

Cole Lundy, could play a pivotal 

role to fill those spots along with 

senior Sam Steinmeyer. Northeast 

does return some experience in 

the secondary. Cornerbacks Jacob 

Stewart and Brian Dillow as well 

as safety Kirk McGlaughlin all saw 

significant playing time last year. 

Christensen believes bringing the 

younger players up to speed at the 

varsity level will be the biggest 

challenge this season. 


8/26 @ Lincoln Southeast 

9/2 Lincoln North Star 

9/9 @ Omaha Benson 

9/16 Kearney 


9/30 @ Fremont 

10/7 @ Millard North 

10/14 Papillion-LaVista 

10/21 Creighton Preparatory School 

but they have to prove it on Friday 

nights,” Christensen said. 

As for special teams, Northeast 

returns its starting punter and 

placekicker from a year ago in Cody 

Gronewald. Gronewald averaged 

31.6 yards per punt in 2015 and 

made 6/9 field goals. 

Surprisingly, Northeast only played 

one other Lincoln school all of 

last year. That will change in 2016 

as Christensen’s crew will face 

three schools from the capital city. 

The 2016 slate starts with Lincoln 

Southeast on August 26. After 

games against Lincoln North Star 

and at Omaha Benson, the Rockets 

return home to face Kearney on 

September 16. The toughest road 

game for Northeast will likely be 

October 7, when the Rockets travel 

to Buell Stadium to take on Millard 

North. The Mustangs are the 

defending Class A State Champions. 

Lincoln Northeast ends the season 

facing two more Omaha metro area 

teams at home when the Rockets 

host Papillion-La Vista on October 

14 & Creighton Prep on October 21. 

“Millard North and Creighton 

Prep are always tough teams,” said 

Christensen. “I could see Kearney 

being very good as well.” 

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LINCOLN NORTH STARNAVIGATORS 


When there are multiple 

exclamation marks in a written 

answer, you know there is 

plenty of excitement. Lincoln 

North Star Head Coach Mark 

Waller’s “Return 4 O-Linemen 

and D-Linemen!” proclamation 

proves the 14-year head coach’s 

enthusiasm for the upcoming 

season. 

Waller will have one of his more 

talented and experienced lines 

during his tenure at Lincoln 

North Star. He is extremely 

optimistic regarding the 2016 

campaign and the Navigators’ 

chances of qualifying for the 

Class A playoffs. Waller, however, 

knows he can’t simply rely on his 

returning starters. 

“Need to replace some skill 

players!” he exclaimed. 

The Navigators veteran bunch 

will be hard to miss on gameday. 

LNS figures to have one of the 

largest offensive lines in the 

state, averaging 240 pounds up 

front. Dalen Hauptmeier and 

Brady Jones are key cogs that 

gained playoff experience last 

season. The North Star line will 

also include Riley McNair, Ter 

Matet, and Derek Hahn. Waller 

calls McNair, who will likely play 

center, “a good leader.” 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Mark Waller 



Class: A 

Team Name: Gators 

Led by its linemen, Lincoln North 

Star will look to reach the playoffs 

in consecutive seasons for just the 

third time in school history. The 

Navigators qualified with a Class 

A wild card berth in 2015. LNS 

finished the season with a 5-5 

record. 

The Navigators, who averaged 

less than 15 points per game in 

2015, are looking for a boost in 

its offensive production. Waller 

is looking for new starters at 

both quarterback and running 

back. Two-year starter Trevin 

Ball graduated, prompting a QB 

battle between senior Brendon 

Barber and sophomore Gavyn 

Leitschuck. Neither player has 

attempted a pass at the varsity 

level. 

Waller notes that Leitschuck is 

young, but “can really be good!” 

Waller’s noticeable excitement 

comes from his team’s defensive 

skill. Braden Dey was among the 

state’s leaders in tackles last fall 

with 103 stops. Dey is a two-year 

starter, who “makes a lot of good 

plays!” 

Chase Lawver also provides 

playmaking ability on defense. 

Lawver is a senior outside 

linebacker, who could challenge 

for all-city honors as a senior. 

Lincoln North Star begins the 

upcoming season with backto-back 

city opponents. The 

Navigators face Lincoln Pius X 

on Aug. 25, followed by a Week 

2 contest at Lincoln Northeast. 

Waller’s crew will then face 

Bellevue West in a rematch 

of last year’s playoff game. 

Lincoln North Star lost to the 

Thunderbirds 55-7 in the first 

round. 


8/25 Lincoln Pius X 


9/8 Bellevue West 

9/16 @ Norfolk 

9/23 @ Omaha South 

9/30 Omaha Northwest 

10/7 @ Omaha Westside 

10/14 Omaha Burke 

10/21 @ Lincoln Southwest 

If LNS is able to navigate its way 

through a difficult schedule and 

reach the playoffs again, imagine 

Waller’s excitement then! 

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LINCOLN PIUS XTHUNDERBOLTS 

By: TJ Eck 

2016 signals the start of a new 

era for Lincoln Pius X football. 

Ryan Kearney takes over as 

just the third head coach in 

the history of the Thunderbolt 

program. Kearney replaces Tim 

Aylward, who led Pius to four 

state championships and won 

208 games in his 31 years on 

the sideline. Kearney played 

for Aylward and was a member 

of the 1997 state championship 

team before joining his staff as 

an assistant coach. 

The Thunderbolts return 

just six total starters with 

four coming on offense. 

Senior running back Brock 

Wordekemper will be asked 

to carry the load again after 

he rushed for 981 yards and 

9 touchdowns in 2015. Junior 

fullback Chris Cassidy (61 

att, 248 yds, 5 TDs) returns as 

Wordekemper’s lead blocker. 

Pius will have a new look 

to its offensive line after the 

Thunderbolts lost four starters 

to graduation. Senior center 

Robbie Farber (6’1” 260) returns 

as the only lineman with 

starting experience. Senior 

wide receiver TJ Hansen (16 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Ryan Kearney 


Assistant Coaches: P.J. Book, Brian 

Spicka, Jim Hansen, Mark Stoley, Troy 

Charf, Steve Andersen, Tom Schneider, 

Cody Wallinger, Mike Aldrich, Jeff Aylward, 

Nate Heimes, Alex Hain, Steve Engstrom 

Class: A 

Team Name: Thunderbolts 

rec, 283 yds, 2 TDs) adds bigplay 

ability on the outside. He 

averaged 17.7 yards per catch 

as a junior. 

Kearney, who previously 

served as the program’s 

defensive coordinator, has 

his work cut out for him on 

that side of the ball. Just two 

starters return led by Hansen 

who recorded 61 tackles and 

three interceptions from the 

defensive back position in 

2015. The linebackers are led 

by Cassidy (36 tackles, 1 TFL) 

who will start again on the 

outside. The Thunderbolts will 

look to put more pressure on 

opposing quarterbacks in 2016 

after recording just four sacks 

as a team last season. Senior 

punter Jacob Bunz is a weapon 

in the field position game; he 

averaged 38.2 yards per punt 

last season while launching one 

of his kicks 65 yards. 

Kearney faces a tough task in 

replacing a coaching legend. 

The Thunderbolts’ schedule 

doesn’t do him any favors as 

Pius moves from Class B to 

Class A in 2016. “Every team 

we play will pose challenges 

that will require our team 

to be focused on excellent 

daily preparation throughout 

the entire week of practice,” 

said Kearney. Pius has a rich 

football history that Kearney is 

familiar with. He knows what 

it takes to win a state title as a 

player and assistant coach. He 

will now try to bring home a 

championship as a head coach. 

For the Thunderbolts to make a 


8/25 @ Lincoln North Star 

9/2 Lincoln High 




9/30 @ Lincoln Southeast 

10/7 Grand Island 


10/21 @ Omaha North 

run at the playoffs and beyond 

in 2016, young players will 

need to step in and contribute 

at numerous positions. 







16_0704_003_TAB_A 


LINCOLN SOUTHEASTKNIGHTS 

By: Ryan Mix 

Lincoln Southeast is re-energized and 

re-focused to get back to their winning 

ways in 2016. 

The Knights are coming off a 2-7 

season, their worst finish since 2008. 

”We lost a number of very close 

games last season, which has resulted 

in great focus during the offseason,” 

Head Coach Ryan Gottula said. 

Four of Southeast’s seven losses last 

fall came by single digits, something 

the Knights know they will need to 

turn around this season. 

Southeast returns a strong core of six 

starters on offense and five on defense 

that should give LSE a strong chance 

to contend in the city. 

Jack Strong, who saw significant 

playing time last fall at QB, will lead 

the offensive attack. Strong will have 

one of the best tight ends in the city 

to throw to in senior Sterling Smith, 

a 6-foot 3-inch, 220-pound prospect 

who was the team’s leading receiver 

with 400 yards and four TDs in 2015. 

Southeast will have a big void to 

fill at running back, losing Martiez 

Prather to graduation. Juniors Calvin 

Kyker and Garrett Olson will likely 

see the bulk of the carries this year, as 

Southeast hopes to improve on their 

15.3 points per game mark last season. 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Ryan Gottula 


Assistant Coaches: Fred Thorne, 

Scott Vampola, David Leader, Andy 

Ryan, Justin Freitag, Jesse Foster, 

Josh Severin, Troy Bergt, Dan Dougherty, 

Montana Jones, Colin Clare 

Class: A 

Team Name: Knights 

The Knights defense kept them in 

many games last fall, and LSE will 

have to replace four of their five 

leading tacklers, which will be a big 

point of emphasis heading into fall 

camp. 

”Our JV group had a very successful 

season in 2015 (8-1) and the players 

are motivated to play at a high 

level,” Gottula said. “The seniors 

must provide great leadership in the 

offseason and continue to build team 

chemistry.” 

On the defensive side of the ball, one 

of the Knights leaders is defensive 

tackle Bryson Williams. Williams 

earned first-team all city accolades, 

recording 60 tackles last fall. Now as a 

junior, Williams could be poised for a 

breakout season. 

Southeast may have the most 

entertaining, but also challenging start 

to the season among LPS schools. 

The Knights begin the season with 

three games against city opponents, 

taking on Lincoln Northeast, Lincoln 

Southwest, and Lincoln East to begin 

the year. 

”We open with a number of tough 

games and our mentality will be to 

play one play at a time and one game 

at a time,” Gottula said. “Starting 

the season with three consecutive 

city games will have our kids very 

focused. They are excited for the 2016 

season.” 

Playing in the challenging A-4 district, 

Southeast’s biggest competition for 

a district title include Grand Island, 

Bellevue East, Lincoln East, and 

Omaha North. 

It’s worth noting one of Southeast’s 

most decorated players in school 

history won’t be returning on staff this 

fall to help coach the linebackers. 


8/26 Lincoln Northeast 

9/2 @ Lincoln Southwest 

9/9 @ Lincoln East 

9/16 Omaha North 


9/30 Lincoln Pius X 


10/14 @ Omaha South 


Former LSE and Nebraska standout 

Barrett Ruud was hired by new UCF 

Head Coach Scott Frost to join his 

staff in January as a quality control 

associate. 

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LINCOLN SOUTHWESTSILVERHAWKS 

By: TJ Eck 

Andrew Sherman is familiar with 

Lincoln Southwest football. Sherman 

has been a part of the Silverhawks’ 

coaching staff since the program’s 

inception in 2002. He steps into a new 

role in 2016, taking over the reins as 

LSW’s second head coach in program 

history. Sherman replaces Mark King, 

who left LSW to take the position 

of athletic director at Elkhorn High 

School. King compiled an 82-62 record 

in his fourteen years on the sideline at 

LSW. 

Sherman takes over a team looking 

to bounce back from a 3-6 record in 

2015. The Silverhawks missed the 

playoffs last season, snapping a streak 

of 12 straight postseason appearances. 

“We are blessed with a bunch of 

great men who are eager to be great,” 

said Sherman. “Young men with 

tremendous work ethic and character.” 

LSW returns six starters on offense, 

including senior quarterback Graham 

Garvin (5’11” 185). He is joined by an 

experienced group of skill position 

players led by senior running back 

Braeden Hartwig (5’10” 190) and 

senior wide receivers Nick Rothgeb 

(6’0” 160) and Jacob Dowd (6’4” 165). 

Juniors Will Uebele (5’10” 220) and 

Collin Shefke (6’4” 260) will anchor 

an offensive line that helped the 

Silverhawks gain 235 yards per game 

on the ground in 2015. An improved 

offense will be a key to success in 2016 

after LSW scored less than 20 points 

per game last season. 

new-look defense in 2016 as LSW is 

tasked with replacing seven starters, 

including three on the defensive line. 

Senior nose tackle Alek Wooster (6’2” 

220) adds size and experience. LSW 

employs a 4-2-5 base defense and both 

of the squad’s starting linebackers are 

back as seniors Tyler Burgason (6’1” 

215) and Will Bax (5’9” 205) will lead 

a defense that looks for improvement 

allowing 22.7 points per game in 2015. 

Junior Michael Ayars (5’7” 160) is the 

lone returning starter in the secondary. 

He also serves as a returner in the 

kicking game. 

Navigating LSW’s schedule will not 

be an easy task for Sherman in his first 

year as head coach. The Silverhawks 

face six 2015 playoff teams including 

a road game at defending Class A 

state runner-up Millard West (Sept. 9). 

“We have a very difficult schedule,” 

said Sherman. “There are numerous 

teams in Class A that can win it all.” 

Despite just ten combined returning 




9/9 @ Millard West 

9/16 Papillion-LaVista South 

9/23 Omaha Bryan 


10/7 Omaha Central 

10/14 @ Lincoln High 

10/21 Lincoln North Star 

starters on offense and defense, the 

Silverhawks will feature a team full 

of upper classmen in 2016. Of LSW’s 

newcomers that are anticipated to 

make an impact, 14 are either a junior 

or senior. 

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The Silverhawks will feature a 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Andrew Sherman 


Assistant Coaches: Brett Schuster, 

Demetrius Ross, Grant Traynowicz, Scott 

Bender, Doug Ayars, Brad Devall, Terry 

Berks, Jeff Jochum, Troy Kantor, Michael 

Roscoe, Christian Summers, Jordan 

Lauterbach, Kevin Schrad, Ashley Wimes, 

Adam Aschenbrenner, Aaron Finley 

Class: A 

Team Name: Silverhawks 

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LOOMISWOLVES 

MALCOLMCLIPPERS 


After missing the playoffs for just the 

third time in 12 seasons, the Loomis 

Wolves are hoping to return to the 

postseason once again. Head Coach 

Denis Reese has plenty of experience 

coming back this season. Last year, 

the Wolves finished the season 3-5, 

which included a forfeit win over 

Elwood. 

Coach Reese believes this year’s team 

has improved its speed. With good 

size along the line, Reese likes the 

make-up of his 2016 roster. 

A focus for Loomis this fall will be 

offensive improvement. The Wolves’ 

inconsistencies plagued the team last 

year. Loomis scored at least 20 points 

five times, while also being held to 

single-digits twice. 

The Wolves will run a combination of 

the “T’ and pistol formations. 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Denis Reese 


Assistant Coaches: Jason Maaske, 

Drew Billeter 

Class: D2 

Team Name: Wolves 

Returning on offense is senior 

quarterback Levi Asp, who also 

serves as the team’s kick returner. 

Asp is in his third and final year 

under center. 

He’ll hand it off to senior Cale 

Abramson and sophomore Isaac 

Wahls. 

On defense, the Wolves will mix up 

a 3-3 formation with a 4-2, featuring 

fourth-year starting nose guard 

Trevor Maaske, as well as Abramson 

checking in at linebacker. 

Last season, the defense struggled to 

keep opponents out of the end zone, 

giving up nearly 45 points a game. In 

four of those games, teams put up at 

least 52 points. 

Coach Reese says staying injury free 

could help the team, but he believes 

his players also need to contribute 

positively when on the field. 

Getting the mental part of the game 

down is what Reese wants to see 

most from his players. He says the 

team will only run on all cylinders if 

players are in the right position and 

are playing together. 

The Wolves will get a delayed start 

to the season with a bye in week one 

before going on the road for backto-back 

games against Axtell and 

Ansley-Litchfield. Their first home 



9/2 @ Axtell 


9/16 Shelton 

9/23 Eustis-Farnam 



10/14 Wauneta-Palisade 

10/21 @ Wallace 

game won’t come until the middle of 

September against Shelton. 

If the Wolves can somehow grab a 

win on the road in one of those two 

first games, they could be set up 

nicely to make a return trip to the 

playoffs this season. 

Team Phelps 


Malcolm looks to start a new streak of 

playoff appearances after the Clippers 

missed the postseason in 2015, ending a 

four-year run. Head coach Scott Amen 

is entering his 10th season leading 

Malcolm and he has an experienced 

team to work with in 2016, with seven 

starters returning on both sides of the 

ball. 

However, Malcolm will be breaking 

in a new starting quarterback for the 

third straight season. Junior Beau 

Sackett takes the reins of the offense 

after serving as a wide receiver last 

season. The Clippers have depth at skill 

positions, including a trio of running 

backs. Senior Jackson Beatty (92 att, 410 

yards, 2 TDs), junior Gavin Goracke 

(39 att, 236 yards), and sophomore 

Adam Stewart (64 att, 218 yards, 1 

TD) will look to form a formidable 

rushing attack. Senior tight end Trevor 

Hoeft (9 rec, 245 yards, 4 TDs) brings 

starting experience to Malcolm’s 

group of pass-catchers. Amen and the 

Clippers’ coaching staff are focusing on 

developing a strong group of offensive 

lineman. “It is going to be very 

important for us to get seven linemen 

ready for the season,” said Amen. 

Seniors Kayle Carlson, Tim Dishman, 

and Seth Gissler all return with starting 

experience. 

The Clippers’ defensive front could 

be one of the team’s strengths in 2016. 

Three starters return on the defensive 

line, led by Dishman (25 tackles, 6 TFL, 

1 sack), who Amen says “has the ability 

to play at the next level.” An already 

talented group of linebackers receives 

a boost as senior Ryan Stewart returns 

from a season-ending knee surgery 

suffered early in 2015. He recorded 21 

tackles in the two games in he played 

last season. Stewart is joined on the 

second level by Carlson (97 tackles, 3 

sacks) and Goracke (45 tackles, 1 INT). 

Adam Stewart (18 tackles) and Hoeft 

(16 tackles) add depth to the group. 

Beatty (44 tackles, 1 TFL) and Sackett 

(34 tackles) bring starting experience to 

the secondary. However, the Clippers 

will look to improve on last year’s 

interception total after picking off just 

three passes in 2015. 

Malcolm has the chance to be a 

competitive team in every game this 

season. The Clippers have a deep and 

talented group of runners on offense 

that should allow them to control the 

clock while Malcolm’s defense could 


be the team’s strength. It wouldn’t be 

a surprise to see the Clippers improve 

on last year’s number of allowing 16.3 

points per game. The schedule benefits 

Malcolm early in the season with three 

of the first four games at home, but the 

opener won’t be easy as the Clippers 

host Oakland-Craig on August 26. 


By: TJ Eck 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Scott Amen 


Assistant Coaches: Matt Coufal, 

Chris Dishman, Dustin Tobey, 

Cole Gore, Zach Wehner, Dan 

Sackett, Zach Holka 

Class: C2 

Team Name: Clippers 

8/26 Oakland-Craig 

9/2 @ Sutton 

9/9 Humboldt-Table Rock-Steinauer 

9/16 Centennial 

9/23 @ Lincoln Lutheran 


10/7 @ Omaha Brownell-Talbot 

10/14 Yutan 


BRANDON RECTOR • BRAD ANDERSON • KEN SIEMEK • TRAVIS KLANECKY


McCOOKBISON 

Wecome to the 

The McCook football program 

has been one of the most 

consistent Class B teams in the 

state the past few decades. The 

Bison have made 16 straight 

playoff appearances, advancing 

to the quarterfinals fourteen of 

those seasons, and playing for a 

state title five times in the 16-year 

run. 

Last season, McCook was one 

win away from the championship 

game, getting knocked out of the 

postseason after a 21-14 loss to 

Aurora. The Bison get their shot 

at revenge against the Huskies in 

week one. 

“We will be challenged every 

week,” Head Coach Jeff Gross 

said. “We have a very tough 

schedule with tons of travel.” 

The demanding slate is nothing 

new for Gross, who is entering 

his nineteenth season as head 

coach of the Bison. Since taking 

over in 1997, the Fort Hayes State 

University grad has accumulated 

a 169-39 record. 

The McCook offense will have to 

find a new identity in 2016. They 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Jeff Gross 


Assistant Coaches: Russ Schlager 

Class: B 

Team Name: Bison 

lost starting quarterback Caleb 

Sheets and two very efficient 

running backs in Joe Schlager and 

Bret Baumbach to graduation. 

Senior Easton Gillen will be 

in the running for the starting 

QB position. Gillen started six 

games last year, taking over for 

an injured Sheets. He went 5-1 in 

those starts, rushing for 193 yards 

and going 11-31 through the air. 

Coach Gross anticipates Zach 

Schlager adding to the offense 

this season, while also competing 

for the starting quarterback gig. 

Duncan Fassler will work to step 

up into a key role at running 

back. The 5-foot, 10-inch senior is 

expected to be an impact player 

for the Bison. Fassler ran for 211 

yards in the playoffs last year. 

The Bison defense will be the 

team’s biggest strength. “We 

will be very pesky and attack 

like a swarm of gnats,” Gross 

said. “We’ll come at you from 

everywhere, and the offenses will 

not like that.” 

A strong linebacking corps will be 

anchored by Schlager. The 6-foot 

2-inch, 200-pound junior racked 

up 138 tackles and fourteen 

tackles for loss last year. He’s 

already been getting attention 

from D1 schools for his defensive 

play. 

“Zach was all over the place,” 

Gross said. “He made plays from 

sideline to sideline and broke 

school records as a sophomore.” 


8/26 Aurora 

9/2 @ Gering 

9/9 @ Sidney 

9/16 Alliance 

9/23 @ York 


10/7 @ Hastings 


10/21 Lexington 

for the new season. “He made a 

ton of highlight reel plays,” Gross 

said. “Teams tried to pick on 

him early in the season because 

he was a first year starter…they 

soon realized maybe they should 

try something else.” 

The Bison will also have a strong 

front four, featuring Jaret Matson. 

The 6-foot 3-inch senior is 

returning from a season where he 

recorded 89 tackles at defensive 

end. 

“We’ll have to find some proven 

offensive threats,” Gross said. 

“You can expect the unexpected.” 

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Senior Ben Bradley will transition 

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McCOOL JUNCTIONMUSTANGS 

MEDICINE VALLEYRAIDERS 

By: TJ Eck 

The 2016 version of McCool Junction 

football looks to turn around the 

program after back-to-back winless 

seasons. With six starters returning on 

both sides of the ball, the Mustangs 

have a great chance to record their 

first victory since the 2013 season. 

“I really like the number of guys we 

have returning that have experience 

on the field,” said McCool Junction 

Head Coach Jarrod Weiss, who owns 

a 34-50 career record. 

Sophomore Seth Hobbs enters 

his second season as the starting 

quarterback. Hobbs, a dual-threat, 

threw for 258 yards while rushing 

159 more as a freshman. He is joined 

in the backfield by senior running 

back Chris Stutzman and sophomore 

fullback Isaac Melton, both of whom 

started in 2015. 

The offensive line is anchored by 

senior 5-foot-9 inch, 210-pound 

senior Cooper Todd. He is joined up 

front by returning starter and 6-foot 

1-inch, 225-pound senior Hunter 

West. Improvement on offense will be 

a focal point for McCool Junction in 

2016 after the Mustangs averaged just 

9.25 points per game last season. 

While the offense struggled to score 

in 2015, McCool Junction’s defense 

had trouble stopping opponents. The 

Mustangs allowed over 53 points per 

game. That number should be lower 

in 2016 as the Mustangs have most of 

their starting lineup back. Todd, West, 

and junior Zane Hess will look to 

solidify the defensive line. 

Stutzman leads the linebacker 

group after recording a team-high 

64 tackles last season. Sophomores 

Jaden Gonnerman and Dallas Briney 

are back to lead the secondary after 

starting as freshmen. 

The Mustangs have taken some 

lumps in recent seasons. However, 

there could be a payoff coming in 

2016 after multiple young players 

gained valuable experience. 

“Last year, we played 4 to 5 freshmen 

at times that hadn’t had game 

experience,” Weiss said. 

Fielding a competitive team is the first 


8/26 Diller-Odell 

9/2 Meridian 



9/30 Superior 

10/7 Kenesaw 



step for the Mustangs as they look to 

build a winning program. 

“We have to be ready each and every 

Friday,” Weiss said. 

McCool Junction’s first test comes 

when the Mustangs host Diller-Odell 

to open the season on Aug. 26. 


The 2016 season for Medicine Valley 

poses a new set of challenges. The 

Raiders are coming off their first year 

since 2009 when they didn’t make the 

playoffs. In addition, Medicine Valley 

makes the jump up from Class D2 to 

D1. 

Despite a new level of competition, 

the Raiders ease into their 2016 

campaign against Wallace, a team 

that also played in D2 last season. 

Medicine Valley capped off 2015 with 

a win against the Wildcats, which 

proved to be their only home victory 

of the year. 

This year, Medicine Valley will hope 

to find more success in Curtis against 

Dundy County-Stratton (9/9), Brady 

(9/16), Cambridge (10/14) and 

Bertrand (10/20). 

Head Coach Scott Johnsen says that 

consistency will be important as the 

team gets used to a higher level of 

competition. 

“The change to D1 and a new district 

does create several unknowns as the 

season begins,” Johnsen said. 

“We will now need to take the next 

step and perform at a higher level 

each week.” 

The good news for Medicine Valley 

comes from the 10 returning starters. 

Senior running back Brice Hodson, 

a two-time varsity letterman, looks 

to command the offense this season. 

He is one of four listed running backs 

on the roster for the rush-first squad. 

Johnsen is optimistic the returning 

experience will help them close out 

the tight games. 

The Raiders’ two wins – excluding 

the victory-by-forfeit against Elwood 

– came by an average margin of 45.5 

points. Their five losses were by an 

average of 17.6 points, including two 

one-possession games. 

“We have a good nucleus of players 

that gained valuable game experience 

last season,” Johnsen said. 

Other returning seniors include 

linemen Scott Taylor and Issac 

Lenz, defensive end Logan Burke, 

cornerback RJ Tutlam-Hazen, 

defensive back/running back Zac 


8/26 Wallace 

9/1 Sutherland 

9/9 @ Dundy County-Stratton 

9/16 @ Brady 

9/23 Alma 

9/30 Southwest 



Bailey and linebacker/running back 

Justin Anderson. These players were 

all freshmen when Medicine Valley 

made it to the third round of the 

playoffs in 2013. 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Jarrod Kleiss 


Assistant Coaches: Bill Hobbs, 

Scott Yates 

Class: D1 

Team Name: Mustangs 

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TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Scott Johnsen 


Assistant Coaches: Jason Maier, 

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Class: D1 




MERIDIANMUSTANGS 

By: Ryan Mix 

After a disappointing season in 

2015, Meridian hopes to bounce 

back with a strong campaign this 

fall. The Mustangs finished with 

a 1-7 record under Head Coach 

Clint Jones. 

Playing eight-man football in 

Class D2, Meridian returns seven 

starters on offense and seven on 

defense, giving plenty of reason 

for optimism this fall. Defensive 

end Jakob VanWesten is the lone 

starter from 2015 the Mustangs 

will have to replace. 

Senior QB/LB Baxter Beals 

enters this fall with two years 

of starting experience under 

his belt. The 6-foot, 180-pound 

athlete will have his entire 

starting line returning, as the 

Mustangs will hope to have 

better success generating offense 

this year. 

Meridian averaged 18 points per 

game, including a season-high 

60 points against Lewiston. “We 

will be young again and will 

face a tough schedule,” Jones 

said. “Our team needs to avoid 

injuries and continue to improve 

over the summer if we want to 

be competitive.” 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Clint Jones 


Assistant Coach: Terry Smith 

Class: D2 


The Mustangs will be a little 

undersized compared to some 

other teams, but they will hope 

to make that up with speed and 

athleticism. Center/defensive 

lineman Jacob Durflinger is 

Meridian’s biggest returning 

starter on the depth chart at 6 

feet and 210 pounds. Durflinger 

is a two-time letterwinner at the 

school. 

The defensive side of the ball 

will be Meridian’s prime focus 

this fall. The Mustangs gave up 

an average of 45 points and 400 

yards per game last fall, numbers 

that Jones hopes will go down 

significantly. 

“The keys to a successful season 

are staying healthy, increasing 

our team speed, and seeing our 

younger players improve,” Jones 

said. “What I like best about our 

team is that we have good kids 

who are respectful and good 

sports. They are willing to listen 

and work hard. They always try 

their best.” 

While Meridian only has one 

win all-time in the playoffs, 

they are not a complete stranger 

to playing in the postseason. 

The Mustangs reached the 

postseason in 2011, 2013, and 

most recently 2014. 

It may be an uphill battle for the 

Mustangs to reach the playoffs 

again as Meridian’s schedule is 

fairly daunting on paper. 

Five of Meridian’s eight 

opponents finished the 2015 

regular season with a .500 record 





9/16 @ Exeter-Milligan 

9/23 Sterling 

9/30 @ Falls City Sacred Heart 

10/14 BDS 

10/20 @ Pawnee City 

or better. Meridian will host the 

defending champs BDS in week 

eight on October 14th, which 

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MILFORD-DORCHESTEREAGLES 


Marty Hingst is among the 

longest-tenured high school 

football coaches in the state, yet 

he’s never had a season quite 

like this upcoming one. Hingst 

calls 2016 a “complete rebuild,” 

where his Milford-Dorchester 

Eagles return only one starter 

along the line. 

Hingst, who has 249 career wins, 

traditionally relies on strong-line 

play. He’ll attempt to do the 

same this fall, but with a cast of 

unproven players. 

“We need to find and fit our 

offense to our best talents,” 

Hingst said. 

In 2015, Milford-Dorchester 

averaged 254 rushing yards, 

compared to 50 passing yards 

per game. 

The Eagles are hopeful they can 

again have an imposing ground 

game. Despite their inexperience 

up front, Hingst sees promise 

from his underclassmen. In fact, 

when asked what he likes best 

about this year’s team, Hingst 

responded, “The length and 

potential of the young linemen 

coming in.” 

Many of those young linemen 

played on Milford-Dorchester’s 

junior varsity team last fall, 

which went undefeated. 

Parker Moore is among the 

linemen expected to step into 

a starting role this fall. Moore 

is a two-year letterwinner, who 

served as a back-up last season. 

Other candidates along the line 

include Cole Kepler, Jesse Beel, 

and Jacob Roth. 

Skill positions shouldn’t be 

as much of a concern for the 

Eagles. Quarterback Jaidon 

Policky returns, as well as his 

top targets - Austin Martin and 

Elliott Carraher. The trio helped 

Milford-Dorchester finish 6-3 

last season, falling just short of a 

playoff berth. 

Defensively, the Eagles return 

five starters from a unit that 

held opponents to 15 points per 

game. The group was especially 

good at stopping the run with 

linebacker Dustin Nelson 

totaling a team-high 70 tackles. 

Policky, Martin, Carraher, and 

junior speedster Drake Burton 

will likely make up the Eagles 

secondary. 



9/2 Adams Central 

9/9 @ David City 

9/16 @ Bishop Neumann 


9/30 Southern 


10/15 @ Lincoln Christian 

10/21 Fairbury 

Milford-Dorchester will be tested 

immediately in the upcoming 

season. The Eagles start the year 

with a road game against district 

contender Columbus Lakeview. 

The following week, Milford- 

Dorchester hosts Adams Central, 

who Hingst considers one of 

the top teams in Class C1. The 

Eagles’ toughest stretch comes 

in the middle of the season with 

back-to-back games against 

Bishop Neumann and Ashland- 

Greenwood. Despite the difficult 

schedule, the Eagles hope to 

qualify for the playoffs for the 

third time in four years. 

402-761-2110 

VISIT US BEFORE OR AFTER THE GAME 

KEVIN SJUTS 


TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Marty Hingst 


Assistant Coaches: Tony Muller, 

Tim Fichtner, Ryan Voelker, Brent 

Zoubek, Jeff Hass, Taylor Klein 

Class: C1 


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NEBRASKA CHRISTIANEAGLES 

By: TJ Eck 

Nebraska Christian’s eight-game 

regular season schedule is the sole 

focus of the Eagles’ players, coaches, 

and fans in 2016. The program is 

not eligible to make the playoffs. 

The Eagles will put an experienced 

group on the field this season with 

five returning starters on offense and 

defense. 

“Experienced seniors will be a benefit 

with some key spots needed to be 

filled by underclassmen,” said head 

coach Carl Ostrand, who owns 47-52 

career record at Nebraska Christian. 

The Eagles look to build on a 

successful 2015 season in which 

the team finished with a 6-2 record. 

Sophomore Trevor Cumpston enters 

his second year as the starting 

quarterback. He threw for 794 yards 

and 11 touchdowns while adding 

another 79 yards and two TDs on the 

ground as a freshman. 

The Eagles held their opponents to 

twenty points or less five times last 

season and bring back their top three 

tacklers. Stevens and Swanson lead 

the linebacker corps with over 80 

tackles each. Meanwhile, Winsterman 

led the Eagles with 86 tackles from his 

cornerback position last season while 

grabbing three interceptions. Ballhawking 

junior safety Jeremiah Ebel 

returns to patrol the secondary. Flynn 

is the only returner with starting 

experience on the defensive line. 

Juniors Joel Kaczor and Tim Hofmann 

join sophomore Sam Twogood as 

players who could make an impact on 

the defensive front. 

Nebraska Christian is in position to 

put a talented and competitive team 

on the field in 2016. Repeating last 

year’s win total of six is well within 

reach as the Eagles should feature a 

strong running game and defense full 


8/26 @ Guardian Angels Central Catholic 

9/2 Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family 

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9/30 Palmer 


10/20 @ East Butler 

of playmakers. According to Ostrand, 

the keys to a successful season are 

simple, “stay injury free and develop 

young players.” 


NC’s top two leading rushers are 

back in senior running back Andrew 

Winsterman and senior fullback 

Benny Stevens. Winsterman is also 

a threat as a receiver — he led the 

Eagles with 22 receptions for 297 

yards and five touchdowns. An 

area of strength for NC could be the 

offensive line where the group is led 

by senior center Tommy Flynn and 

junior guard Luke Swanson. 






Defense should again be a strong 

point for Nebraska Christian in 2016. 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Carl Ostrand 


Assistant Coaches: Andy Falk, 

Dave Gee 

Class: D1 




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NELIGH-OAKDALEWARRIORS 


Neligh-Oakdale has once again 

become a consistent playoff 

contender in Class D1. The 

Warriors earned their third 

straight postseason bid last year. 

Ron Beacom’s team even made 

it to the second round of the 

playoffs before being eliminated 

by eventual state champion 

BDS. With six starters returning 

on offense and five on defense, 

Beacom’s bunch could do just as 

well as its 6-2 record from a year 

ago and perhaps even better. 

“I really like our overall 

athleticism and experience,” 

said Beacom. “We have a great 

nucleus of kids back that have 

been playing in our system for 2 

or 3 years now and are starting 

to grasp the why of what we do. 

It really showed in our execution 

last year and I’m excited to see 

what the next step will be that we 

take.” 

The most important piece of the 

puzzle returning for Neligh- 

Oakdale’s air-raid attack is at 

the quarterback position. Senior 

Grant White is a three year 

starter who’s thrown for over 

5,000 yards in his high school 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Ron Beacom 


Assistant Coaches: George Loofe, 

Jason Simons 

Class: D1 


career. The Warriors averaged 

222 passing yards per game 

a year ago. And with White’s 

number one target, Tyson Belitz, 

returning, that number could 

very well improve in 2016. Belitz 

has used his 6-foot 1-inch build 

to reel in the most catches for the 

team over the past two seasons. 

Another key target for White will 

be Chris Bentley. The senior tight 

end weighs over 200 pounds and 

is described by Beacom as the 

team’s best football player. 

At running back, the Warriors 

will likely turn to a sophomore. 

Andrew Herley uses his large 

frame to his advantage by letting 

his lineman pave the way. Up 

front, Damon Arehart will be 

important for Neligh-Oakdale. 

The 250 pound senior earned 

quality experience last year as a 

starter. Arehart should get some 

help on the offensive line from 

Nathan Buck. The junior also 

has a year of starting experience 

and tips the scales around 210 

pounds. 


Neligh-Oakdale will try to make 

improvement after giving up 33 

points per game in 2015. 

“Our first group is pretty good, 

but I’m not sure about our depth 

so we will need to stay healthy 

as well,” Beacom said. “Doing 

a better job of stopping our 

opponents’ run game will be of 

vital importance to our success as 

well.” 

The Warriors gave up 185 yards 

per game on the ground a year 


8/25 Creighton 

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9/30 @ Clarkson/Leigh 

10/7 Pender 



ago. Chris Bentley could be a key 

component in improving that 

number. The defensive end could 

be a potential all-stater, according 

to Beacom. Tucker Knust could 

also see playing time along the 

defensive line as a sophomore 

after playing several minutes as a 

freshman. 

Another sophomore expected 

to contribute is Damien Knight, 

who will compete for a starting 

linebacker position. Senior 

Clayton Anderson could see 

some playing time at linebacker 

as well. The Warriors return a trio 

of talented defensive backs. Tyson 

Belitz has two years of starting 

experience. Pepper Merchant 

will try to make the most of his 

senior season and Austin Rice 

could play a pivotal role in his 

sophomore year. 

Neligh-Oakdale opens the season 

August 25 against Creighton, a 

team Beacom says could be the 

best in all of Class D1. 

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NORRISTITANS 

To say Norris was battletested 

a year ago would be an 

understatement. The Titans took 

on Class B playoff participants in 

six of their nine games in 2015. 

While Jim Jacobsen’s club finished 

with a 2-7 record last season, the 

experience gained was crucial. 

On a positive note, the two games 

Norris won a year ago both 

came against teams that made 

the postseason in Waverly and 

Beatrice. 

“I’m excited about the potential of 

this team,” Jacobsen said. “It’s a 

good mix of experience, depth and 

talent coming back.” 

The most notable sign of a possible 

step forward in 2016 are the 

numbers coming back on offense 

for the Titans. Norris returns nine 

starters from last year. 

Jacobsen’s offense features 

multiple looks but should rely 

heavily once again on a ground 

game that averaged over 200 yards 

per contest in 2015. The Titans 

welcome back leading rusher 

Brody Zabel. The senior went for 

1,020 rushing yards last season to 

go along with seven touchdowns. 

Coach Jacobsen likes the edge 

Zabel brings to the game. 

“He’s very tough, durable and 

explosive,” Jacobsen said. 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Jim Jacobsen 


Assistant Coaches: Kyle 

Steinkuhler, Jack Guggenmos, 

Gary Pence, John Farrand, 

Brenden Stai, Beau Heiss 

Class: B 


Helping pave the way in front of 

Zabel will be fullback Bryce Stai. 

Just a junior, Stai brings a 6-foot 

2-inch 215-pound frame to the 

Titans’ backfield. Norris will also 

have the benefit of their second 

leading rusher returning as well in 

Austin Schultz. The junior rushed 

for over 700 yards last year while 

scoring five touchdowns. 

“Austin is tough to tackle,” 

Jacobsen said. “He always gets 

positive yards and is elusive.” 

Parker Williams will likely take 

over the reins at quarterback. The 

junior averaged 5.7 yards per rush 

last year earning a handful of 

carries as a sophomore. 

On the offensive line, Keegan 

Schuchart is expected to play a 

key role for the Titans. The 6-foot 

1-inch 240-pounder is known 

for being one of the quickest 

and smartest lineman on the 

team. Other seniors expected to 

contribute on offense are Michael 

Anderson, Travis Reed, Jacob 

Walsh, and Marcus Thimm. Junior 

Gus Woeppel also has seen varsity 

experience and could play an 

important role up front. 

As for the defensive side of the 

ball, Norris returns six starters 

including leading tackler Travis 

Reed. The senior linebacker had 85 

stops last season and is known for 

having a nose for the ball. 

“Travis understands football and 

reacts very quickly to the offense,” 

Jacobsen said. 

Brody Zabel will also be another 

important piece at linebacker. The 

senior made 61 tackles in 2015. 

Also racking up 61 stops last year 

was Parker Williams, who can play 

the linebacker and defensive back 


8/26 @ Gretna 

9/2 Plattsmouth 

9/9 Seward 

9/16 @ Columbus 

9/23 Platteview 

9/30 Nebraska City 

10/7 @ Crete 

10/14 Waverly 

10/21 @ Beatrice 

positions for the Titans. 

The schedule starts out tough for 

Norris as the Titans take on two 

playoff teams from a year ago to 

open the first two weeks of the 

season. Norris begins the season at 

Gretna then welcomes Plattsmouth 

the following week. 

“Our kids have shown they can 

battle with the best Class B has 

and are ready to take a huge step 

forward,” said Jacobsen. “We are 

looking to build a great group at 

Norris in 2016.” 


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NORTHWESTVIKINGS 


The 2015 season for the GI Northwest 

football team can be best described 

as a roller coaster, and with several 

questions surrounding the 2016 

campaign, there’s no guarantee the 

ups and downs won’t be affecting this 

year’s batch of Vikings. 

Last season, the Vikings went 6-4, but 

seemed poised to have a much better 

season and had moments of greatness 

along the way. They also return 10 

seniors for the 2016 season, which 

typically would bode well. 

However, only four of those seniors 

started for the Vikings a year ago. 

Overall, Northwest is only bringing 

back five starters for the 2016 season, 

which means head coach Kevin Stein 

has a tall task ahead of him. 

Stein acknowledges that his squad 

might not be filled with returning 

starters, but it is still filled with 

experience. Because of how many guys 

he was able to rotate in throughout 

last season, Stein feels depth could 

be a strength for his team in 2016, 

However, he has been spending much 

of the offseason looking for leaders to 

emerge. 

One player Stein is excited to have 

back is three-year starter Tanner 

Lierman. After playing at outside 

linebacker much of 2015 due to team 

needs, Stein is planning on moving 

his star back to where he’s more 

comfortable in the free safety slot. 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Kevin Stein 


Assistant Coaches: Bombeck, 

Terry, Harrington, Moerer, 

Eynetich, South, Donley 

Class: B 


Stein also expects Lierman to be a 

threat offensively on the receiving 

end, claiming his adjustments while 

the ball is in the air will be tough for a 

defender to keep up with. 

The other big question mark for the 

Vikings this fall is finding a new 

quarterback. The job is up for grabs 

between Matt Fredricks and Carter 

Terry. Stein will thoroughly evaluate 

the two candidates, as the Northwest 

offense revolves around its signal 

caller. 

It’s very likely Northwest may shoot 

out to a 5-0 record to start 2016 if last 

year is any indication. The Vikings 

open the season against Gering on 

August 26th, then play at Alliance, 

home against Columbus, followed 

by two road trips to Lexington and 

Scottsbluff. 

Northwest will be challenged in 


8/26 Gering 


9/9 Columbus 



9/30 Holdrege 

10/7 @ Seward 

10/14 @ Aurora 

10/21 York 

October, as the Vikings play Seward, 

Aurora, and York in consecutive 

weeks. The three-game stretch marks 

the most difficult part of the Vikings’ 

schedule. 

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ORDCHANTICLEERS 

The Ord football team saw about 

everything a team could experience 

in a nine-game season in 2015. 

They had a pair of two-game 

losing streaks sandwiched around 

a 4-game winning streak. Now, 

head coach Nate Wells is hoping 

2016 is where his team can put it all 

together. 

Wells is entering his second season 

at the helm for the Chanticleer 

football program, taking over for 

former Husker and school principal 

Mark Hagge. In his first season, 

Wells had to deal with an injury to 

a key player - running back Kaden 

Dawe. A foot injury forced the star 

to have surgery and miss the rest of 

the year. 

The good news is that enough time 

has passed, and Dawe is back to 

full health and expected to be one 

of the area’s best players if he can 

stay healthy. Even better news for 

Wells and his staff is that more 

than 20 letterwinners return and 

are eager to make an impact for the 

Chanticleers. 

“We have lots of guys and now 

have to figure out where they will 

play,” Wells said. 

Wells says he’s making the move 

to a spread offense in Ord, as 

he hopes to take advantage of 

exhausted defenses when it comes 

to “crunch time.” 

The biggest star for opponents 

to keep an eye on this season is 

linebacker Tanner Bundy, who led 

the team in tackles in 2015 and 

could be one of the state’s best at 

his position in 2016. 

Ord opens the season on the road 

on Aug. 26 as the Chants head 40 

miles west to take on Broken Bow. 

The last time these two teams met, 

it was Broken Bow walking way 

with a last-minute 22-17 victory, 

and that is sure to be fresh on the 

mind of coach Wells and his team. 



9/2 O’Neill 

9/9 @ Madison 

9/16 Gothenburg 

9/23 Adams Central 

9/30 @ Boone Central/Newman Grove 

10/7 @ Columbus Scotus 


10/21 Columbus Lakeview 

The schedule doesn’t get much 

easier either, as games against 

Adams Central, Boone Central and 

Columbus Scotus go back-to-backto-back 

on the slate in 2016. That 

three-game stretch could be the 

true test for the Chanticleers this 

season. 

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TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Nate Wells 


Assistant Coaches: Nick Gates, 

Carl Streeter, Aaron Cargill, Justin 

Swedburg 

Class: C1 

Team Name: Chanticleers 





By: Ryan Mix 

OSCEOLABULLDOGS 

Coming off just their third playoff 

win in school history last fall, the 

Osceola Bulldogs could be poised 

to have one of their best seasons 

in recent memory. Playing eightman 

football in Class D2, Osceola 

returns six starters on both sides of 

the ball from last year’s team that 

finished 8-2. 

Of those returners, three were first 

Team All-District selections and 

five were 2nd Team All-District. 

“We will have an awesome core 

group coming back with a lot 

of experience,” Head Coach TJ 

Nielsen said. 

Osceola will be a very difficult team 

to handle up front, as the Bulldogs 

line averages around 240 pounds. 

Leading the way is senior John 

Surber, a 6-foot 3-inch, 305-pound 

lineman who Nielsen calls one of 

the most athletic players on the 

team. “John is a hidden gem,” 

Nielsen said. “We look for him 

to have an outstanding senior 

season. He has great size and great 

footwork for a big man.” 

Running the ball behind Osceola’s 

strong group of linemen will be 

junior Brennan Bryan, a two-year 

starter at fullback for the Bulldogs. 

“Brennan is an absolute bowling 

ball,” Nielsen said. “He really came 

on rushing the ball last season and 

we look for him to start right where 

he left off.” 

Osceola’s only two losses last fall 

came to the eventual D2 State 

Champs, Humphrey St. Francis. 

The Bulldogs dropped their first 

meeting to the Flyers 40-8 and were 

knocked out by St. Francis in the 

playoffs 52-14. 

Prior to last season’s first round 

playoff win against Osmond, 

Osceola had not won a postseason 

game since 1989, when they 

finished runner-up in Class C2. 

Returning a good core from last 

year’s successful season, the tide 

could be changing for the better 

in Osceola. “We will have a great 

opportunity to be a solid team this 

year,” Nielsen said. “Our strengths 

will be our size and physical style 

of play.” 

Osceola will have the luxury of 

having three-time letter winner 

Austin Wieseman back at tight end 

and linebacker. Wieseman was 

honorable mention All-State last 

season and has the potential to be 

first team All-State this fall. 

“Austin does all the hidden things 

well,” Nielsen said. “He’s a great 

linebacker and the best tackler on 

the team. He has deceptive speed 


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9/23 Cedar Bluffs 

9/30 @ Fullerton 

10/7 @ Humphrey St. Francis 

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and is a great cover guy.” 

Osceola will have no time to ease 

into its schedule this fall. The 

Bulldogs open their season on 

the road against BDS, who won 

the Class D1 championship last 

season. The Bulldogs also have 

challenging road games against 

Mead, Fullerton, and Humphrey St. 

Francis. 

Along with the returning champs 

Humphrey St. Francis and BDS, 

you can expect to see Osceola in 

the preseason top 10 in many of the 

Class D2 polls. Bulldog fans have 

plenty to be excited about this fall. 

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TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: TJ Nielsen 


Assistant Coaches: Dan Theis, 

Andy Roberts, Logan Watts 

Class: D2 


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OVERTONEAGLES 


When the off-season comes for 

any team in high school football, 

a coach’s number one priority 

is getting his team in the weight 

room. That was particularly true 

for Overton’s Paul Heusinkvelt. 

Heusinkvelt admits his linemen 

were undersized in 2015, which 

showed in the Eagles’ 2-6 record. 

A 61-0 loss to Kenesaw as well 

as a 69-0 loss to Anselmo-Merna 

are easy games to point to when 

displaying Overton’s inability 

to match up along the line. 

Heusinkvelt thinks those two 

games sent a clear message. 

The Eagles put in several grueling 

hours of weight training during 

the summer, and they hope the 

results will be shown in Overton’s 

record this fall. 

The Eagles return six starters on 

both offense and defense. Many 

of those positions feature twoway 

players, though depth chart 

changes could be in store. 

Keith Murphy is expected to make 

the move from quarterback to 

tight end for the upcoming season. 

Murphy went just 12-of-32 for 114 

yards and two touchdowns under 

center. Sam Kulhanek is now the 

expected starter at quarterback. 

Overton will see the return of their 

top running back from 2015, as 

Joel Thompson looks to expand 

his role in the offense after rushing 

for 448 yards and four TD’s last 

year. The Eagles expect to see good 

retention in the receiving corp as 

well, which has coach Heusinkvelt 

excited about the future. 

“With the number of returning 

players we have, we should be 

very competitive,” Heusinkvelt 

said. “We will have a strong run 

game, but we will struggle if we 

don’t get stronger in the weight 

room.” 

It has been ten years since 

Overton last won a state football 

championship. The Eagles hope 

to reclaim the school’s glory days, 

but are being patient on the road 


8/26 Franklin 


9/16 Hemingford 





10/20 @ Ravenna 

back to the top of Class D1. 

Overton opens the season at home 

on Aug. 26, as they welcome in the 

Franklin Flyers. 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Paul Heusinkvelt 


Assistant Coaches: Eric Ryan, 

Caleb Lempka, Orion Matthies 

Class: D1 




PALMERTIGERS 

By: TJ Eck 

The Palmer Tigers return an 

experienced team to the field for 

the 2016 season. Eight starters are 

back on both sides of the ball from 

a squad that went 4-5 and appeared 

in the Class D2 playoffs in 2015. 

The Tigers are making the move to 

Class D1 this year and will rely on 

a group of battle-tested players in 

order to make a playoff run. 

“We have experience in all 

positions,” said head coach Nathan 

Glause, who enters his 12th season 

at the helm. 

Leading the offense is senior 

quarterback Kaden Reimers who 

is entering his third year as the 

starter. Reimers is a dual-threat 

quarterback, who is coming off 

a season in which he threw for 

1,277 yards and rushed for 417 

more, while accounting for 32 

total touchdowns. Senior running 

back Hunter Reimers returns as 

Palmer’s leading rusher (542 yards, 

7 TDs) and is a receiving threat out 

of the backfield (21 rec, 275 yds, 3 

TDs). Junior Cameron Sciuga (317 

yds, 5 TDs) and sophomore Chad 

Samuelson (118 yards, 1 TD) add 

depth to the backfield. 

Palmer’s receiving corps could 

be the team’s deepest and most 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Nathan Glause 


Assistant Coaches: Luke 

Thompson, Jim Sake 

Class: D2 


talented position group. Senior 

Chandler Donscheski leads the 

way after hauling in 33 receptions 

for 553 yards and 10 touchdowns 

in 2015. He is joined by senior 

Michael Wolfe (22 rec, 238 yds, 3 

TDs) and junior Spencer Wichmann 

(15 rec, 141 yds, 3 TDs). The 

Tigers’ offensive line should be a 

strong point with the starting unit 

returning intact. Senior Armando 

Ruvalcaba (5’6”, 185) is joined up 

front by juniors Dominick Donahey 

(6’2” 180) and Tanner Tibbetts (6’0” 

175). 

The Tigers will look for improved 

play on the defensive side of the 

ball after allowing more than 42 

points per game last season. Hunter 

Reimers returns at the linebacker 

position after recording 154 total 

tackles in 2015. Wichmann (80 total 

tackles, 1 INT) brings experience 

to the secondary where forcing 

turnovers will be a priority in 2016. 

The squad combined to intercept 

just four passes last season. 

Ruvalcaba (28 total tackles, 4.5 

sacks) provides a disruptive force 

on the defensive line where he is 

joined by Donahey (38 total tackles, 

2.5 sacks) and Tibbetts (31 total 

tackles, 1 sack). 

With a team full of experienced 

players, Palmer is in position to 

secure a spot in the playoffs for 

the fifth time in the last six years. 

However, the Tigers will need better 

play on defense to complement an 

offense that scored more than 36 

points per game in 2015. Moving 

to Class D1 provides a new 

schedule with new challenges. The 

Tigers might learn the most about 

themselves during a three-game 

stretch to open the season when 

Palmer travels to Humphrey/ 



9/2 Kenesaw 

9/9 @ Burwell 

9/16 Ravenna 


9/30 @ Nebraska Christian 

10/7 East Butler 

10/14 @ Nebraska Lutheran 

Lindsay Holy Family (8/26 – 4-4 

record last season), hosts Kenesaw 

(9/2 – 7-3 record last season), and 

visits Burwell (9/9 – defending D1 

runner-up). 

GO 

PALMER 

TIGERS! 

PALMER, NE • 308-894-6090 

608 Howard Ave, St Paul, NE 68873 

308-754-4611 



PARKVIEW CHRISTIANPATRIOTS 

Parkview Christian had a recordsetting 

season last year -- but on 

the basketball court. The Patriots 

are now hoping for success on the 

gridiron, with many dual-sport 

athletes on the roster. 

Henry Tanksley and Nosa 

Iyagbaye were all-state basketball 

selections who are among the 

tallest and most athletic football 

players in Class D2. Tanksley 

also won a state track and field 

championship. 

Participating at the state level 

in other sports should fuel the 

Patriots’ desire to reach the 

football playoffs for the first time 

since 2013. 

Parkview Christian, located in 

north Lincoln, will lean on its skill 

players in 2016. The Patriots return 

Tanksley and Iyagbaye, who both 

play wide receiver, along with 

quarterback Tucker Pinyan. Senior 

athlete Tanner Pinyan is entering 

his third year as a starter for the 

Patriots. Together, the group 

combined to average 33 points 

per game last season. Head coach 

Rusty Robertson knows scoring 

at that rate requires production 

beyond his playmakers. Robertson 

says the Patriots’ inexperienced 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Rusty Robertson 


Assistant Coaches: Jason Palmer, 

Justin Powell 

Class: D2 

Team Name: Patriots 

linemen must step up in order to 

be successful this fall. 

“Find the bigs up front,” 

Robertson said is the Patriots’ 

top objective during preseason 

practice. 

Robertson also says he must 

condition his players to stay 

healthy throughout the season. 

The third-year head coach notes 

participation in football is down at 

Parkview Christian and his roster 

will be shorter in 2016. 

Parkview Christian is coming off 

a 2-6 season, which required the 

Patriots to navigate an extremely 

difficult schedule. The Patriots, 

still learning Robertson’s system, 

faced five different playoff 

qualifiers during the regular 

season. Now with a better handle 

on the new scheme, Parkview 

Christian should have an easier 

path to the playoffs. 

The Patriots’ first two games 

are against opponents that were 

winless last fall. Needless to say, 

the Patriots will be eager to get 

back on the field, especially after 

ending last season with four losses 

over their final five games. 

Parkview Christian will have 

starting experience at seven 

different positions on the field. 

Defensively, Josh Branding will 

lead the way. The junior linebacker 

had 72 tackles last season. 

However, Robertson knows the 

Patriots must improve defensively 

after allowing 48 points per game 

in 2015. 


9/2 @ Omaha Christian Academy 



9/23 @ Weeping Water 



10/14 @ Mead 

10/21 Friend 

some of their younger players 

to take on larger roles this fall. 

Robertson believes Cameron 

Smith, a junior running back, 

could become a big part of the 

Patriots’ offense. Also, Matt Case 

and Alex Henzel are potential 

breakout performers for the 2016 

season. 

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The Patriots will be looking for 


PAWNEE CITYINDIANS 

By: Ryan Mix 

Coming off a disappointing 

season in 2015, Pawnee City aims 

to regroup and refocus under 

new leadership this fall. 

The Indians will be led by 

first year Head Coach Scott 

Brumbaugh, who has a career 

record of 70-32. 

Pawnee City struggled last 

season, finishing 1-7. The Indians 

competed in Class D1 in 2015 but 

will drop down to D2 this year. 

Pawnee City returns five starters 

on each side of the ball, but the 

big challenge will be replacing 

the Indians’ quarterback and 

running back. 

All three players who saw time 

at QB for Pawnee City last fall 

graduated, as well as their four 

leading rushers. 

”We have to have someone step 

up at the quarterback position 

and make smart decisions,” 

Brumbaugh said. “We are young 

and we’ll only get better as the 

season goes on.” 

Skylar Clark will provide some 

insurance on the offensive line, 

while returning starters Kaisonn 

Koester and Andrew Davis will 

be relied on on the edge at tight 

end/wide receiver. Koester led 

the Indians in receiving last fall. 

With a new QB, Pawnee City 

could rely heavily on the ground 

game like they did last season. 

The Indians will operate on 

offense in a single back formation 

after averaging 28 points per 

game last fall. 

Despite the move from Class D1 

to Class D2, the schedule does 

not figure to get any easier for 

Pawnee City. 

In addition to playing at BDS, 

the defending Class D1 champs, 

the Indians will have challenging 

games against Friend, Sterling, 

and Falls City, among others. 

”We have a very tough schedule,” 

Brumbaugh said. “I think last 

year’s state champ BDS is at the 

top of the class until someone 

proves different.” 


8/26 @ Friend 



9/23 @ BDS 


10/7 Sterling 


10/20 Meridian 

playoffs five times since 2009, 

with the Indians most recent 

playoff berth coming in 2014. The 

Indians last win in the postseason 

came in 2011, when Pawnee City 

beat Meridan in the first round. 

With a first year head coach, 

reaching the postseason will be 

the goal for the Indians, although 

they could see a more significant 

jump from year one to year two 

under Brumbaugh. 

The biggest challenge for Pawnee 

City will be finding a more stable 

balance on offense and defense, 

while also finding cohesiveness 

early with a new system. 

600 I Street Pawnee City NE • 402.852.2231 


Linemen Kellen Habeggar and 

Pawnee City has reached the 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Scott Brumbaugh 


Assistant Coach: Tyler Colvin 

Class: D2 

Team Name: Indians 4TH STREET & HWY 4, TABLE ROCK, NE - 402.839.4635 

Nebraska’s First College • Established in 1867 • Peru, Nebraska • 1-800-742-4412 

Member Institution of the Nebraska State College System 

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PERKINS COUNTYPLAINSMEN 


Perkins County has not lost 

any of its last 12 regular season 

games, but that doesn’t mean 

the Plainsmen are unfamiliar 

with losing. 

Prior to its current 12-game 

streak, Perkins County lost 

12 in a row. This year’s 

seniors, who went 0-8 during 

their freshman season, are 

responsible for setting the 

standard of winning. 

Leading the way for the class of 

2017 is Derek Sis, who rushed 

for more than 1,800 yards last 

season. 

“Derek has great speed, works 

hard and has the ability to be 

a physical runner,” Perkins 

County Head Coach Carlie 

Wells said. 

Sis was the focal point for the 

offense in 2015, and will look to 

play a huge role again. Bailey 

Schrotberger also returns on 

the offensive side of the ball. 

He is one of three seniors listed 

at the tight end position and is 

someone who Wells describes 

as a ‘physical player.’ 

On defense, the linebacker 

position looks to be a strength 

for Perkins County. 

Seniors Miles Langler and 

Tim McClung are returning 

lettermen for the Plainsmen. 

The duo will benefit from a 

strong junior class. 

Linebacker Josh Johnston is a 

two-year starter who excels as 

a multi-sport athlete. Johnston 

was the leading scorer for the 

Perkins County basketball 

squad as a sophomore and now 

returns in the fall to try and 

help the Plainsmen football 

team back to the playoffs for 

the 10th time in 12 years. 

Charles Johnson is also heading 

into his junior season. The 

6-foot 3-inch quarterback 

thrives in a mobile setting, 

rushing for nearly 800 yards in 

2015. 

Perkins County doesn’t ease 

into this season. It faces a 

couple tough tests early after 

opening up play on the road 

against Cambridge. The home 

opener comes against Amherst, 



9/2 Amherst 

9/9 Southwest 

9/16 @ Julesburg CO (Sedgwick County) 



10/14 @ Sutherland 

10/20 Morrill 

which joined Perkins County as 

two of the six teams in Class D1 

that finished the regular season 

undefeated. 

After Amherst, the Plainsmen 

remain at home to square off 

against Southwest. The only 

other team on their schedule 

that finished with a winning 

record last year is Hemingford. 

The Bobcats will play a rematch 

against Perkins County after 

getting dealt their only loss of 

the season last September, 64- 

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TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Carlie Wells 


Assistant Coaches: Lance Steffen, 

Ryan Boldt, Shayne Hite 

Class: D1 

Team Name: Plainsmen 



PLEASANTONBULLDOGS 

In his 20th season as head coach, 

Ricci Westland is hoping his 

Bulldog team is ready to break 

through. In 2015, the Bulldogs went 

4-4 in the regular season, before 

bowing out to Sandhills/Thedford 

in the first round of the playoffs. 

This year the Bulldogs return seven 

players, five of which played both 

offense and defense on last year’s 

squad. 

Pleasanton got off to a slow start 

last fall, losing three of its first 

four games. The stretch started 

with a 68-20 loss to Bertrand in the 

season opener and a 95-18 loss to 

Anselmo-Merna. The Bulldogs 

would bounce back and finish 

the season strong, winning three 

of their last four games, which 

included a 48-28 win over Overton 

and a 22-0 victory on the road 

against Sumner-Eddyville-Miller. 

In the playoffs, Pleasanton was 

knocked out in the first round by 

Sandhills/Thedford, losing 69-16. It 

was their second loss of the season 

against the Knights. 

This season coach Westland said 

he expects an exciting team, 

highlighted by the foursome of 

Ryan Busch, Tyler Pawloski, Riley 

Racicky and Hunter Paitz. 

According to Westland, Busch 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Ricci Westland 


Assistant Coaches: Rocky Hatch 

Class: D2 


could be a breakout player this 

season. 

The 6-foot, 3-inch defensive end 

runs the 40-yard dash in 4.8 

seconds and could be a menace to 

opposing offenses. 

Sophomore Tyler Pawloski is a 

state champion wrestler and will 

line up at defensive back. Coach 

Westland describes Pawloski as a 

smart and athletic playmaker with 

4.6 speed. 

Last season sophomore running 

back Riley Racicky led the team 

in rushing as a freshman. He will 

also line up in the secondary this 

season. 

Junior Hunter Paitz will play under 

center once again for the Bulldogs, 

but could be used in other ways. 

Westland said they will utilize his 

hands and speed whenever they 

feel they can get a leg up on the 

defense. 

Pleasanton could also get a huge 

boost on the line with the return of 

senior Keaton Reese, who missed 

most of last season with an injury. 

Offensively, the Bulldogs will run 

a spread attack while relying on a 

3-4 base defense. Last year both the 

offense and defense struggled at 

times. The offense averaged nearly 

29 points a game, but failed to score 

20 points in four of those games. 

Defensively, Pleasanton gave up 

nearly 51 points a game, but had 

one shutout during the regular 

season. 

Coach Westland said he’s hoping 

the experience from last season 

will translate to a more consistent 

showing on both sides of the ball. 

Pleasanton will open its season at 


8/25 Shelton 

9/2 @ Giltner 

9/9 Axtell 


9/23 @ Central Valley 

9/30 Twin Loup 



home on Aug. 25 against Shelton. 

This season’s schedule will feature 

a few tough match-ups for the 

Bulldogs, including games against 

Blue Hill and Giltner. 

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RAVENNABLUEJAYS 


It will be a new scene for the 

Ravenna High School football 

team in 2016, as the Bluejays 

will be dropping down to 8-man 

football after years of 11-man 

ball in Class C2. 

Judging by the record, the move 

should serve Ravenna well, 

after going 0-9 in Dan Bolling’s 

first season as the Bluejays head 

coach. 

While many wearing blue 

will be looking to put the 2015 

season even further in the rearview 

mirror, it will be nice for 

the team to also benefit from 

dropping down a class. 

On any high school team, depth 

is a major concern year in and 

year out. Coach Bolling says 

with the switch to 8-man ball, 

his team will instantly inherit 

some depth, and be able to play 

respectable junior varsity games 

going forward as well. 

Not only do the Bluejays get 

inherited depth with the drop 

in class, but Bolling says he will 

be returning a good nucleus of 

starters in 2016 from a team that 

TEAM FACTS 

struggled to find their stride a 

year ago. 

Linemen Daniel Psota and Isaiah 

Vogt, along with wide receiver 

Tyler Tobler, all return as twoyear 

letter-winners. The trio is 

expected to make a big impact 

for the Bluejays. 

The team will see six other 

returning starters, and 

fortunately for coach Bolling and 

his staff, a lot of them will be in 

the trenches as a total of five of 

their nine returners are linemen. 

However, it’s one thing to have 

experience and another to use 

that experience to lead the rest of 

the team. 

That’s what coach Bolling 

is hoping to see from his 

upperclassmen this fall, and 

any coach will tell you it starts 

in the weight room during the 

offseason. 

Ravenna has two big 

showdowns for their first 

year in 8-man ball. The first is 

September 9th at home against 

Kenesaw. The schedule is then 

anchored down with another 



9/2 Superior 

9/9 Kenesaw 

9/16 @ Palmer 




10/20 Overton 

tough contest on October 14th 

when the Bluejays have to travel 

to Amherst. 







Head Coach: Dan Bolling 


Assistant Coach: Noah Maulsby 

Class: D1 

Team Name: Bluejays 

Ravenna - 308.452.3225 

Pleasanton - 308.388.2391 

Litchfield - 308.446.2522 

Kearney - 308.234.6525 

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Plymouth, NE 

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Firth, NE 

800-234-5242 


RAYMOND CENTRALMUSTANGS 


When preseason practice starts 

at Raymond Central, head coach 

Nathan Liess won’t have to spend 

too much time on introductions. 

Liess has a familiar roster with 

experience at every position. The 

Mustangs have starters back at 

14 different spots from last year’s 

team that finished with a 6-3 

record. 

Liess’ talented cast of characters 

starts with Ian McIntyre, a 

lineman who plays both offense 

and defense. The senior 5-foot, 

9-inch, 225-pounder is entering 

his third year as a starter. 

McIntyre anchors an up-andcoming 

offensive line that also 

includes Garret Moudry and 

Jackson Fowler. The trio should 

help pave the way for the 

Mustangs run-heavy offense. 

Raymond Central averaged 247 

rushing yards per game last fall. 

Sophomore Dylan Thornburg will 

challenge for the starting tailback 

job in 2016 after 1,400-yard rusher 

Jake Palensky graduated in the 

spring. 

“We don’t have great athletes,” 

Liess said. “But we have very 

tough kids who will compete 

hard on Friday nights.” 

Liess expects several incoming 

seniors to take on larger roles 

in 2016. That includes wide 

receiver Grant Albrecht, who had 

nearly 400 all-purpose yards as a 

junior. Classmate Nick Boyd is a 

6-foot, 1-inch quarterback. Boyd 

completed 66-of-127 passes as a 

first-year starter last fall. 

Raymond Central must avoid 

injuries in the upcoming season. 

The Mustangs have fewer than 40 

players on the roster. Playing in 

District C1-3 could be physically 

demanding on Raymond Central, 

which will look to reach the 

playoffs for the fourth time over 

the past six seasons. 

Raymond Central’s district 

includes Ashland-Greenwood, 

a state title contender. The 

Mustangs also have lateseason 

contests against Lincoln 

Christian, Milford, and Fairbury. 

In addition to a challenging 

district schedule, Raymond 

Central also faces Class C2 power 

Aquinas Catholic. The Mustangs 

face the Monarchs on opening 

night, August 26th, in Agnew. 



9/2 @ Boys Town 

9/9 @ Douglas County West 

9/16 Syracuse 






Liess believes the key to 

Raymond Central’s season comes 

before the first game. He says 

preparation will be key and new 

leaders need to emerge. 

CottageKennels 

402.679.3297 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Nathan Liess 


Assistant Coaches: Pat 

Harrington, Steve Rose, Adison 

Kenning 

Class: C1 


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SANDY CREEKCOUGARS 


The Sandy Creek football team hasn’t 

been able to get over the proverbial 

“hump” just yet, but with a head coach 

like Bump Novacek, the Cougars won’t 

give up on achieving that goal. 

In two full seasons at the helm of Sandy 

Creek, Novacek has produced a pair 

of 3-6 records. Novacek, who took the 

reins of the team from Sandy Creek 

staple Russ Ninemire, is one of many 

people in and around the neighboring 

communities that are hoping the third 

time is the charm. 

Sandy Creek returns six starters on 

offense and four on defense, and 

Novacek will need every last one of 

them - one look at the schedule will tell 

you that. 

The Cougars’ mid-season stretch 

from Sept. 16 to Oct. 7 may be the 

most challenging 4-week span of any 

high school team in Nebraska. The 

competition cranks up for Sandy Creek 

when it travels to state title contender 

Sutton. The Cougars then return home 

for a date against Doniphan-Trumbull, 

followed by a road game versus Gibbon. 

The difficult stretch concludes with a 

game against perennial power Hastings 

St. Cecilia. 

In case you’re wondering, those four 

teams combined for a regular season 

mark of 33-3 in 2015. Needless to say, 

one win in those four games will be an 

accomplishment, especially since the 

Cougars will have a relatively young 

squad. 

“We lost a lot, especially on defense 

where we need to replace several key 

players at linebacker and defensive 

end,” Novacek said. “With low numbers 

in our senior class, our juniors and 

sophomores will have to step up 

and play against one of the toughest 

schedules in the state.” 

Among the players coach Novacek is 

counting on is Nick Bailey, who will 

be his quarterback and will also play 

defensive end. Last season, Bailey threw 

for 787 yards and 11 touchdowns with 

13 interceptions. He completed just 45 

percent of his throws. 

Warren Wilson will be among 

Bailey’s favorite targets at 6-2 and 200 

pounds. Wilson is described as a good 

combination receiver who can catch 

and block. Wilson hauled in 11 passes 

last season for 117 yards and three 

touchdowns. 

Possibly the biggest chink in the Sandy 





9/16 @ Sutton 

9/23 Doniphan-Trumbull 

9/30 @ Gibbon 




Creek armor in 2016 is that they do not 

return a single running back that scored 

a rushing touchdown last season, which 

is an issue Novacek will have to patch 

up. 

With that difficult schedule, the 2016 

season looks like an uphill fight for the 

Sandy Creek Cougars. 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Bump Novacek 


Class: C2 

Team Name: Cougars 



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(308) 382-0160 




SEWARDBLUEJAYS 


After a run to the playoffs in 2014, 

Seward fell short of consecutive 

postseason berths in 2015. 

The Bluejays still intend to make 

qualifying for the playoffs a 

normality under fourth-year head 

coach Jamie Opfer. Seward’s postseason 

hopes faded last fall with a 

three-game losing streak to end the 

season. 

The goal will remain the same in 

2016 for Opfer, yet he must rely on 

a new nucleus of players. Seward 

must replace starters at 14 different 

positions, including quarterback. 

The Bluejays may turn to a freshman 

at QB in the form of Joseph Krause. 

“Looking for big things,” Opfer 

said about the young signal caller. 

“Joseph Krause has a great arm and 

our skill guys could step up and 

make a difference.” 

Seward has had great production 

from the quarterback position in 

recent years. Reid Karel guided the 

Bluejays to the Class B quarterfinals 

in 2014 and Scott Wolverton totaled 

nearly 1,200 yards of offense last 

fall. Wolverton was the Bluejays’ 

passing and rushing leader in 2015. 

With Krause possibly taking the 

reigns of the Seward offense, he’ll 

have several returning playmakers 

around him. Corbin Ruth is back 

after rushing for 234 yards as a 

sophomore. Wide receiver Logan 

Craig figures to be a go-to target 

with varsity experience. 

Last year, Seward was a run-heavy 

offense with 364 rushing attempts 

compared to 141 passes. That 

ratio could change with Opfer’s 

optimism of an improved passing 

attack. 

Regardless of the scheme, Seward 

will need to find a new offensive 

line. All but one returning starter up 

front, Nate Bierbaum, graduated. 

Opfer describes Bierbaum as an 

“explosive, powerful kid.” 

Defensively, Seward looks for 

improvement after allowing 

24-points per game last year. 

The Bluejays used an aggressive 

approach on defense, resulting 

in 42 tackles behind the line of 

scrimmage. However, Seward 

yielded too many back-breaking 

plays, which the Bluejays will try to 

limit this fall. 

Juniors Nate Reach and Jake Reeves 

are expected to become leaders on 

Seward’s defense. 

Turnovers will be an emphasis 

in 2016 for Seward. The Bluejays 


8/26 @ Crete 

9/2 Waverly 

9/9 @ Norris 

9/16 @ Schuyler 

9/23 Hastings 

9/30 @ Elkhorn South 


10/14 @ York 

10/21 Aurora 

gave the football away 19 times 

last season and had a -5 turnover 

margin. There may be growing 

pains with many new starters, but 

Opfer is hoping his squad can cut 

down on its offensive mistakes. 

He’s looking for efficiency and 

sustained drives, instead of quickscoring 

strikes. 

“We feel really good about some of 

our skill players returning,” Opfer 

said. 

Seward has a manageable schedule 

in 2016, which increases in difficulty 

throughout the season. Some of the 

Bluejays most difficult games are in 

October. Seward closes the regular 

season with back-to-back games 

against York and Aurora, who are 

both expected to contend for the 

Class B championship. 

“Tradition You Can Trust” 

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Best of luck to the 

Blue Jays this year! 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Jamie Opfer 


Assistant Coaches: Wade Miller, 

Casey Makey, Joe Troester, Pat 

Schaben, Hans Eikmeirer, Russ 

Wissing 

Class: B 

Team Name: Bluejays 

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1519 West Highway 34 

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By: TJ Eck 

SHELBY-RISING CITYHUSKIES 

Shelby-Rising City is going 

through a time of transition, 

but don’t mistake that with 

rebuilding. Head coach Kevin 

Kopecky is entering his second 

season at the helm and looks to 

add to an already impressive 

resume. In his 28 years as a head 

coach in Nebraska and Kansas, 

Kopecky has won 165 games 

and taken 10 teams to the state 

semifinals. Kopecky and the 

Huskies are also in the process 

of breaking in updated facilities 

that include a new stadium and 

weight room, which is expected to 

be completed next spring. 

“I’ve been very impressed with 

the dedication and work ethic 

since I arrived last season,” 

Kopecky said. “This team is 

hungry for success.” 

The 2016 version of Shelby- 

Rising City football returns 17 

starters, with eight coming on 

offense. Senior Jake Hoatsom 

leads the Huskies’ attack from 

the quarterback position. He 

is coming off a junior season 

in which he threw for 1,751 

yards and 12 touchdowns while 

completing 67.2 percent of his 

passes. A dual threat, Hoatsom 

leads a balanced rushing attack 

where he will be joined in the 

backfield by senior Drew Schultz 

and sophomore Austin Coffin. 

First team all-district performer 

senior Nate Grossnicklaus leads 

S-RC’s receiving corps and is 

a dangerous threat as a punt 

returner. The Huskies return three 

starters on the offensive line in 

seniors Alex Luchsinger, Jase 

Lloyd, and Carter Smith. 

“Our offensive line must 

continue to get better,” Kopecky 

said. 

Improvement on defense is a must 

in 2016 if the Huskies want to 

make it back to the playoffs. S-RC 

gave up just under 28 points per 

game in 2015, allowing 30 or more 

points four times. Fortunately, 

the Huskies return nine starters 

on defense, headlined by middle 

linebackers Smith and junior 

Brenden Johnston. Kopecky calls 

the duo “as good as any around.” 

Hoaston adds a playmaker at 

the outside linebacker position. 

Seniors Jacob Schindel, Matthew 

Johnson, Grossnicklaus, and 

Lloyd make up the defensive 

line. Meanwhile the secondary is 

young, but talented with athletic 

sophomores Coffin and Mason 

Schleis. 

The pieces are in place for Shelby- 

Rising City to make a playoff 

run in 2016 after falling short 



9/2 @ Hartington Cedar Catholic 

9/9 @ Lutheran High Northeast 


9/23 Sutton 





with a 3-6 record in 2015. Under 

Kopecky, the Huskies expect to 

see more faces out for football this 

season with potentially 49 players 

on the roster. 

“We continue to build our 

program with good numbers,” 

Kopecky said. 

Those numbers mixed with an 

experienced group of returners 

could lead S-RC into the 

postseason this year. 




“Helping people to achieve and 

maintain good health” 

Chad Schwichtenberg 

402-270-0483 - 3501 Progressive Road 

www.hhofseward.com 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Kevin Kopecky 


Assistant Coaches: Mike 

Jurgensen, Jonathon Riggs, Seth 

Houdersheldt 

Class: C2 


SHELBY HOTEL 

BAR-GRILL & DANCE HALL 

402-527-5457 

SHELBY NE 



SHELTONBULLDOGS 

SOUTH LOUPBOBCATS 


Every season starts with a clean slate, 

but it’s even more true for the Shelton 

Bulldogs this season after losing 10 

seniors from a team that finished 3-5 last 

year. Co-Head Coaches Joel Ferguson 

and Ed Lowe will be dealing with 

plenty of inexperience this season. 

Last year the Bulldogs averaged just 

over 20 points per game, but had trouble 

with consistency, scoring 12 points or 

less in three of their eight games. 

Defensively, Shelton gave up just over 

40 points per game, which included 3 

games of allowing 57 points or more. 

With so many players gone, there is still 

plenty of uncertainty to the make-up of 

this year’s group. 

In fact, according to the coaches, they 

aren’t even sure how this team will look 

come August. 

This season the Bulldogs will bring 

back three linemen, which they hope 

can develop into the foundation for this 

year’s team. 

Junior Sauceda will lead the way along 

the Bulldog line. The senior was named 

All-District last season and will also 

play defensive tackle for the Bulldogs 

Fellow lineman Kyle Raasch could form 

a good one-two tandem with Sauceda. 

Last season Raasch was All-District 

honorable mention, playing on both 


They’ll need both seniors to provide 

good running lanes and pressure 

defensively, if they are going to compete 

this season. 

However, Ferguson and Lowe have to 

find starters for nearly every position 

on their eight-man team, including a 

starting quarterback, center defensive 

end, kicker and punter. 

Both coaches say with a team this 

young, it’s too early to predict how the 

Bulldogs will play. Shelton could lean 

on three freshmen to start on each side 

of the ball. The coaches are looking for 

maximum effort out of their players, 

while understanding the challenges of 

this season. 

The Bulldogs start the 2016 campaign 

at Pleasanton, followed by back-to-back 

home games against Sumner-Eddyville- 

Miller and Fullerton. The Bulldogs will 

go back on the road again for a matchup 

against Loomis. The records of those 

first four teams were a combined 13-22 




9/9 Fullerton 

9/16 @ Loomis 

9/30 Axtell 


10/14 Giltner 


last season. 

The young Shelton Bulldogs will need to 

take advantage of that early part of their 

schedule this year. If not, it could be a 

difficult season for the Bulldogs. 

GO BULL DOGS! 

Shelton, NE • www.ltne.com • 800.647.5277 


South Loup’s 2015 regular season 

schedule didn’t do them any favors. The 

Bobcats opened the season in convincing 

fashion, burying powerhouse Maxwell 

50-22, and also came away with a win 

in week two over Stapleton. The season 

then took a turn with an injured roster 

facing a challenging slate. Hemingford, 

Burwell, and Amherst were all losses in 

consecutive weeks, before South Loup 

got its third victory in week seven at 

Central Valley. The season eventually 

ended in the first round of playoffs with 

another loss at Hemingford, as they 

closed the campaign with a 3-6 record. 

Enter 2016. The Bobcats join Amherst, 

Elm Creek, Overton, and Ravenna in 

Class D1-8 with what appears to be a 

less-challenging district but a tough 

regular season schedule. One thing the 

Bobcats hope to have working in their 

favor is the health of the team. 

“Last season, injuries killed us,” Head 

Coach Andy Schwarz said. “We need to 

play with confidence and enthusiasm. 

We are a good team, we just need to 

believe.” 

The Bobcats return a very athletic 

group of juniors, including starting 

quarterback Jack Rush, who emerged as 

a consistent offensive threat, completing 

38 of 65 passes and contributing 

10 rushing touchdowns. Rush also 

contributed on special teams as South 

Loup’s punter, averaging 33-yards per 

punt. 

Running back Landan Furne is another 

junior expected to make a big impact 

in the upcoming season. Last year, 

Furne played in only one game due to 

injury, but he showed up in a big way, 

running for 118 yards on 15 carries and 

two touchdowns. Furne will be joined 

in the backfield by fellow junior Blake 

Schwarz. The 5-foot 10-inch running 

back led South Loup in rushing yards 

last season, racking up 690 with an 

average of 76.7 a game. Schwartz led the 

Bobcats on defense as well, totaling 94 

tackles as a linebacker. 

Cade Connell adds depth to the Class of 

2017. As a receiver, Connell caught nine 

passes for two touchdowns and aided 

the defense with 56 total tackles and 

three interceptions. 

South Loup will return two starters in 

the trenches in juniors Marcus Still (6’2, 

200) and Isaac Stallbaumer (6’4, 170). 

Coach Schwarz cites the offensive and 

defensive lines as areas that need the 

most development. He expects seniors 

Dayne Kulp (5’9, 170) and Seth Pearson 

(5’10, 160) to see significant action as 

linemen. 

Sophomore Kalen Dockweiler was 

another Bobcat bitten by the injury bug 

last year. Through only two games, the 

defensive back accounted for twenty 

tackles, including eight solo. 

The Bobcats have advanced to the 

playoffs five of the last six seasons, 

despite consistently tough schedules 

and a young roster. 

“They are a great group of young men,” 

Schwarz said. “They work hard, they’re 



9/2 Ainsworth 


9/16 Sutherland 

9/30 @ Ravenna 

10/7 Amherst 

10/14 @ Overton 


responsible, and they love the game.” 

South Loup opens the season the 

last Friday in August on the road at 

Hemingford. 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Joel Ferguson/Ed 

Lowe 


Assistant Coaches: Jeff Pohl, 

Taryn Hawks 

Class: D2 


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SHELTON, NE 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Andy Schwarz 


Assistant Coaches: Abe Hinman, 

Clint Lewis, Mike Weveka 

Class: D1 

Team Name: Bobcats 

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SOUTHERNRAIDERS 


Southern’s football team won’t 

just be made up of players from 

Southern High School this fall. 

The school is joining forces with 

Lewiston in 2016, moving the 

co-op into Class C1. Southern 

Head Coach Kane Hookstra is 

optimistic about the merger and 

increased personnel. 

“Added competition to the roster 

will benefit the team greatly,” 

Hookstra said. “Quality depth 

at the skilled positions will be 

a strength for the team as they 

look to develop cohesion in the 

line.” 

Hookstra admits there will be 

some newness with co-op. 

“There is a certain amount of 

uncertainty heading into the 

season,” Hookstra said. 

Southern, a traditional Class C2 

school, will provide a majority 

of the players on the Raiders’ 

roster. Lewiston, which had 

competed in eight-man football, 

struggled to field a team in 2015. 

The Tigers had to forfeit their 

regular season finale due to a 

low number of available players. 

Lewiston students wanting to 

play football should find more 

stability with the new co-op. 

Southern returns 13 starters 

from last year’s squad, which 

compiled a 5-4 record. Ian Salts 

is a two-way player that earned 

all-district and all-conference 

recognition as a junior. Salts 

rushed for more than 106 yards 

per game, on average. 

The Raiders’ strength should 

be their defense, despite losing 

the team’s top two tacklers 

from a year ago. Hookstra 

says Southern’s defense is 

experienced, especially at the 

linebacker position. Cajun 

Singleton, Cole Ullman, and 

Dalton Johnson all have played 

significant roles on the varsity 

squad previously. Ethan 

Zvolanek, a defensive end, is 

expected to play a big role in the 

Raiders’ defense as a senior. 

With the transition to Class C1, 

Southern faces a new schedule 

in 2016. The Raiders join District 

3, which includes state title 

contender Ashland-Greenwood. 

Southern is also placed with 


8/26 Falls City 

9/2 Auburn 

9/9 @ Freeman 


9/23 Raymond Central 


10/7 Fairbury 

10/14 @ Ashland-Greenwood 


Fairbury, Lincoln Christian, 

Milford-Dorchester, and 

Raymond Central, who have all 

qualified for the playoffs at least 

once over the past six seasons. 

Hookstra believes Ashland- 

Greenwood is the front-runner 

to win District 3, though he’s 

excited to see how his team 

stacks up with larger schools. 

“The new era of joint forces at 

Southern has the team optimistic 

about what awaits them in ’16,” 

Hookstra said. 


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TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Kane Hookstra 


Assistant Coaches: Shane 

Saathoff, John Creek, Fred Ivey, 

Alex Call 

Class: C1 


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SOUTHERN VALLEYEAGLES 

SOUTHWESTROUGHRIDERS 


Southern Valley will try to improve 

upon a disappointing season in 2015. 

The Eagles ended last year with a 

3-6 record. Bob Frederickson’s squad 

went 2-3 in district play, failing to 

reach the Class C2 playoffs a season 

ago. 

On offense, the team will try to 

improve upon its 14 points per game 

average. Southern Valley will have 

to deal with replacing its starting 

quarterback from the previous year. 

Chance Best threw for nearly 800 

yards a year ago to go along with five 

touchdowns. J.T. Grilli could very 

well get a look at the position. The 

senior threw a handful of passes last 

year for the Eagles to go along with a 

pair of rushing touchdowns. 

The team will also have to look at 

replacing its leading rusher from 

2015. Jade Dowis carried the ball 

100 times last season for Southern 

Valley. Dowis rushed for 619 yards to 

go along with four touchdowns. The 

Eagles do return Lucas Lans to the 

backfield. The senior went for over 

400 yards on the ground a year ago. 

Lans averaged over four yards a carry 

in 2015. Fellow senior Trent Krejdl 

also nearly averaged four yards per 

rush. Krejdl could see his carries 

increase this season. Juniors Grant 

Wessel, Spencer Brown and Michael 

Frederickson could also see some 

instances in which they are asked to 

carry the load. 

In the trenches, Southern Valley will 

have a handful of players to replace. 

Kramer Jacob and Connor Bergquist 

saw significant snaps up front on 

last year’s squad. The Eagles’ most 

experience returning starter on the 

offensive line is Brady Dawson. 

The senior saw action in all nine of 

Southern Valley’s games last season. 

Other senior lineman that could 

compete for playing time are Landon 

Hoffman and Pascal Germany. The 

Eagles have an impressive junior 

class that could see some snaps up 

front. Alex Chavez, Jose Olivas and 

Ryder Lewis all played at one time or 

another in 2015. 

As for the other side of the ball, 

Southern Valley’s scoring defense 

is an area that will need some 

improvement if the Eagles want to 

make a postseason push this year. 

Last season, Southern Valley’s 

defense allowed 25 points per contest. 

The team from Oxford does return 

its leading tackler from 2015. Trent 

Kredjl had 90 total stops last year. The 


8/26 Bridgeport 

9/2 @ Hershey 

9/9 Minden 

9/16 @ Bayard 

9/23 Gibbon 





senior also had six tackles for loss. 

Brady Dawson had the 5th most stops 

for Southern Valley in 2015 with 24. 

Jaden Samuelson and J.T. Grilli could 

also be asked to take on a heavier 

load this year. 



In an already unpredictable sport, 

Southwest might be one of the biggest 

“question-mark” teams in the state 

heading into the 2016 season. 

Head coach Nick Brust led the 

Roughriders to the state playoffs 

in 2015, but his team fell 40-32 to 

Maxwell in the process. After that 

loss, graduation struck Southwest 

hard, leaving the program with just 

enough players to field a team in 


Competing in Class D1, the 

Roughriders play 8-man football, 

which is the number of players on the 

roster, according to Brust. 

Of the playmakers no longer with 

Southwest in 2016, Brust will have 

to try to find a replacement for 

quarterback James Sughroue, who 

threw for 272 yards and seven 

touchdowns. Alec May looks like the 

most logical choice to step into that 

role. 

As if replacing Sughroue wasn’t 

enough, Brust and company will need 

to find someone to pick up the slack 

for Garrett Fries, who was nearly a 

1,000 yard rusher in 2015. He gained 

955 yards on 94 carries, averaging 

more than 10 yards per attempt on his 

way to scoring 11 touchdowns. 

On the plus side, Brust says he feels 

he has two of the state’s best linemen 

in Connor McConville and Lance 

Kelly, who are returning as starters 

for their third year. While they are a 

comforting force, it’s still not enough 

for Brust to forget all the other holes 

he needs to fill. 

“We will be counting on 

underclassmen to step up to large 

roles vacated by last year’s seniors - 

especially at quarterback, linebacker 

and running back,” Brust said. 

The 2016 schedule has a completely 

new look to it as well for Southwest, 

as they take on just two teams from 

last year - Medicine Valley and 

Dundy County. 

With the school’s best season in 

recent memory now behind them, 

Brust hopes he is starting to build 

a winning culture, even if it means 

young players taking on bigger roles. 


8/26 @ Sutherland 

9/2 Overton 

9/9 @ Perkins County 


9/30 @ Medicine Valley 


10/14 Bertrand 

10/20 @ Alma 


TEAM FACTS 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Bob Frederickson 

2015 Record: 3-6 


Class: C2 


Locally Owned with the Best Customer Service 

Good Luck to Our Area Schools 

311 W. 4th Ave • Holdrege, NE • 1-800-838-3302 

Head Coach: Nick Brust 


Assistant Coaches: Marcus Bish, 

Terson Arnold 

Class: D1 

Team Name: Roughriders 



ST. MARY’S CATHOLICCARDINALS 

By: Ryan Mix 

Losing only one senior to 

graduation from last year’s team, 

the outlook is very bright for St. 

Mary’s this fall. 

Playing eight-man football in Class 

D2, the Cardinals return all eight 

starters on offense and seven on 

defense heading into this season. 

Marcus Schneider was the lone 

senior on St. Mary’s last fall, 

who started at nose guard on the 

defensive line. With their entire 

starting lineup back on offense, St. 

Mary’s hopes to make a big jump 

from the 18.4 points per game 

output in 2015. 

Entering his third season in 

a starting role, Josh Cuddy is 

expected to be one of the Cardinals 

big playmakers this fall. Cuddy 

will start at quarterback for St. 

Mary’s after leading the team in 

rushing last fall with 425 yards 

and 10 TDs. 

Behind him, Cuddy will have 

three running backs who all saw 

significant snaps last year in Pete 

Blumenstock, Jared Atkenson, and 

Andrew Thompson. 

The three combined to rush for 

1,051 yards in 2015. 

When asked what he likes most 

about his team this fall, the answer 

was very simple for Head Coach 

Tony Allen. “Experience,” Allen 

said. “They are a very coachable 

group. The boys like to play 

football and they are fun to coach 

everyday.” 

Defensively, St. Mary’s struggled 

at times last year, with games 

allowing 56, 58, and 60 points. 

With no player who dominated the 

stat line, the Cardinals did a good 

job of having a number of players 

contribute. 

Five players had 40 tackles or 

more last season, led by linebacker 

Taylan Reiser who led the team 

with 68 tackles and five tackles for 

loss. 

Cuddy will be the leader in the 

secondary at his safety position. 

Cuddy led the team with five 

interceptions while also recording 

55 tackles in 2015. 

On the defensive line, St. Mary’s 

will look to Jake Crumly and Will 

Atkeson who combined for 12 

tackles for loss. 

When asked what the biggest 

challenges will be for the 

upcoming season, Allen said, 

“Improving our team speed. We 

have to continue to grow mentally 


8/26 @ Allen 


9/9 @ Wausa 

9/24 Stuart 

9/30 Elkhorn Valley 

10/7 @ Bloomfield 

10/14 @ North Central 

10/20 Osmond 

and emotionally in how we 

prepare for games and compete 

during games.” 

As for the schedule, St. Mary’s will 

see many of the same opponents 

from last season’s slate. 

”Everyone on our schedule will be 

tough,” Allen said. “Bloomfield, 

Elkhorn Valley, and North Central 

are new to our schedule and I 

know they all have very athletic 

kids and are coached very well.” 

St. Mary’s will open the season 

Aug. 26th at Allen. 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Tony Allen 


Assistant Coaches: Darold 

Schneider, Tim Schneider, Jake 

Crumly 

Class: D2 


KEVIN SJUTS 



ST. PAULWILDCATS 


After a difficult 2015 season, in 

which the Wildcats went 1-8, St. 

Paul is hoping the experience 

from last year’s troubles will 

lead to more wins in 2016. 

St. Paul’s lone win last season 

came in overtime versus 

Minden, 26-20. The game also 

marked the highest point total 

of the year for the Wildcats on 

offense. 

In his third season at the helm, 

Head Coach Rusty Fuller brings 

back seven starters on offense 

and defense. While there is 

plenty experience coming back, 

Fuller said the team hasn’t 

seen much success yet and that 

confidence will be the key to 

their growth this season. 

“The biggest challenges we face 

are ourselves. Too many times 

we had mental lapses last year 

that led to turnovers,” Fuller 

said. “Physically, we are ready 

for C2 ball. We have to get the 

mental part of the game caught 

up.” 

There is some talent with this 

year’s team, especially in 

Hunter Kocian and Cole Fousek 

along the line and Miles Griffith 

anchoring the secondary. 

Griffith, who also plays 

running back, was named allstate 

honorable mention last 

season and is the reigning state 

champion in high jump. 

Establishing a quarterback will 

be another key for the Wildcats 

this season. Junior Michael 

Allen started three games 

under center for St. Paul last 

season, but nothing is set in 

stone entering the upcoming 

campaign. 

“We need to establish a 

quarterback and a solid option 

run game. If we can get our 

ground game going and have 

success early in the season, then 

our confidence will grow. We 

could be scary,” Fuller said. 

The Wildcats will begin their 

season at home against Wood 

River and then go on the road 

for three of their next four 

games. Valentine and Arcadia/ 

Loup City look to be two of 

the more difficult games on the 

Wildcats schedule. 




9/9 Valentine 

9/16 @ Gibbon 



10/7 Centura 



his team to focus on the little 

details that can make or break a 

game. 

“We have good, physical kids 

with great work ethic,” he said. 

608 Howard Ave, St Paul, NE 68873 

308-754-4611 

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TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Rusty Fuller 


Assistant Coaches: Chris Smith, 

Derek Reinsch 

Class: C2 


Because of the Wildcats’ 

experience and depth, this could 

be the best team in Fuller’s 

tenure at St. Paul. 

“Those are good characteristics 

to develop a solid foundation,” 

Fuller said. 

However, in addition to gaining 

confidence, Coach Fuller wants 

Brandon Nowak Seed 

308.750.1675 


STUARTBRONCOS 

SUMNER-EDDYVILLE-MILLERMUSTANGS 


By: Ryan Mix 

It’s his first head coaching job of 

his career, and Colin Schurman 

couldn’t be more excited. The 

new man on the sidelines for 

Stuart inherits a team that could 

be poised for a break-out year in 

Class D2. The Broncos finished 

last season 5-3 before bowing 

out in the second round of the 

playoffs against Falls City Sacred 

Heart. 

The Broncos began the season 

with several close games, 

including a 32-30 victory over 

Boyd County, a 30-29 win over 

Elkhorn Valley and a 36-34 

nailbiting win over Sandhills/ 

Thedford. Stuart was 4-0 heading 

into their matchup against 

Chambers/Wheeler Central, but 

was blown out in a 58-6 loss. 

The Broncos would lose their next 

two games, before beating St. 

Mary’s to end the year. According 

to Schurman, injuries played 

a significant role in their midseason 

skid, but the experience 

gained from those underclassmen 

proved to be beneficial. 

In the playoffs, the Broncos 

shutout Osceola in the opening 

round, 48-0, but fell to Falls City 

Sacred Heart 44-20 in the second 

round. 

The Broncos lost five seniors from 

last season, but Schurman expects 

big things from his returning 

players. Stuart returns eight 

letterwinners, four on offense, 

and four on defense. 

If Stuart is to build on last 

season’s performance, Schurman 

wants to see that defense 

improve. Last year’s team gave 

up almost 40 points a game. 

Offensively, fans can expect a 

spread look from the Broncos, 

with a heavy emphasis on 

running the ball. Last year’s team 

averaged more than 200 yards 

per game on the ground, while 

averaging only 44 yards through 

the air. 

In his first year as head coach, 

Schurman wants to build a strong 

relationship with his players. 

“Since this is my first year at the 

school and being the head coach, 

I feel getting to know the team 

and their strengths will be the 

toughest challenge,” Schurman 

said. 

The Broncos will open their 


8/26 Wausa 


9/9 Twin Loup 

9/24 @ St. Mary’s 

9/30 Osmond 

10/7 North Central 

10/14 @ Elkhorn Valley 

10/20 @ Bloomfield 

season at home against Wausa, 

before getting into their toughest 

stretch playing against Twin 

Loup, St. Mary’s and Osmond. 

Schurman said those three teams, 

and Bloomfield, will be some of 

the toughest games this season. 

However, if the Broncos can stay 

healthy, they could rack up plenty 

of wins. 

“We battled injuries last season, 

so a lot the underclassmen had 

to step up and play,” Schurman 

said. “I feel if we stay healthy 

for the year, we should be pretty 

succesful this season.” 

Sumner-Eddyville-Miller begins 

a new season with plenty of 

upside. The Mustangs return 

four starters on offense and five 

on defense from last year’s team 

that finished 3-5. S-E-M will 

play eight-man football in the 

Class D2-6 district. 

The Mustangs will be led by 

three returning all-district 

players in Trace Claflin, Jason 

Line, and Nathan Schroeder. 

Line will lead the offense at 

quarterback with the Mustangs 

running the ‘I’ Formation. He 

will have a reliable group of 

players around him in Claflin at 

tight end, Schroeder at running 

back, and Micah Eggleston at 

wide receiver. 

“Our team strengths for the 

2016 football campaign will 

encompass experience with 

seven seniors returning with 

a fair amount of experience,” 

Head Coach Brent Streeter said. 

“I think our team has good 

speed, we will be athletic with 

our skilled positions providing 

great depth.” 

Averaging 17.8 points per 

game in 2015, S-E-M’s biggest 

challenge this fall will be 

finding more of a groove on 

offense and being able to find 

the end zone more often. 

“I can see our team being 

able to score in a wide variety 

of ways in a variety of 

formations,” Streeter said. “Our 

weakness I would have to say 

will definitely be our line of 

scrimmage on both sides of the 

ball. We lost both guards and 

centers from a year ago.” 

S-E-M did not lose by a wide 

margin in many games last year, 

with their defense doing a good 

job of keeping them in it. The 

Mustangs did give up 35 points 

per game however, which will 

be a point of emphasis heading 

into this fall. 

“Overall we have a completely 

revamped schedule. We will 

have to scout and prepare for 

but we are still anticipating a 

high-potent offense this season,” 

Streeter said. “Hopefully that 

makes us contenders for a 

district championship and a 

playoff berth.” 

Rather than playing in the 

traditional Friday night lights 



9/2 @ Shelton 

9/9 Brady 


9/23 Twin Loup 


10/14 Ansley-Litchfield 


scene, S-E-M is one of a handful 

of eight-man schools that will 

play in the daylight with many 

afternoon kickoffs scheduled. 

Pleasanton, Brady, and 

Arapahoe will be some of S-E- 

M’s most challenging opponents 

this year. 

The Mustangs open the season 

against Eustis-Farnam. 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Colin Schurman 


Assistant Coaches: Doug Erb, Jon 

Schmaderer 

Class: D2 





TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Brent Streeter 


Assistant Coaches: John Rohde, 

James Beavers 

Class: D2 




SUPERIORWILDCATS 


Superior is making the switch this 

season from eleven-man to eightman 

football. The change will drop 

the Wildcats from Class C2 to Class 

D1. 

Head Coach Brandon Siegel’s squad 

is coming off a 1-8 record in 2015. 

Superior’s lone win last year came 

against Wood River in Week 3. 

The Wildcats will have the benefit 

of returning eight starters on the 

offensive side of the ball. However, 

the team will need to improve in 

the scoring department as Superior 

averaged just seven points per game 

a year ago. 

“Offensively, we need to establish a 

run game and build a passing attack 

off of that,” Siegel said. 

The Wildcats return their starting 

quarterback from last season, Eric 

Schiermeyer. The senior threw 

for over 500 yards in 2015 to go 

along with a pair of touchdowns. 

Adam Baker could also see some 

snaps under center. The sophomore 

could contribute at wide receiver, 

as well. Superior also returns its 

top two rushers. Cale Frahm and 

Sloan Willett are both seniors and 

both rushed for over 250 yards last 

year. Another senior who could see 

carries is Ethan Freeman. Ethan 

Beale and Trey Fierstein are a couple 

of juniors who could see the field at 

running back, as well. 

The leading receiver is also 

returning for the Wildcats. Tyler 

Blackstone averaged 20 yards per 

reception a season ago. As for the 

offensive line, Siegel’s team returns 

three players who earned significant 

playing time in the past. Garrett 

Caldwell, Jacob Sunday and Darik 

Holt will all be expected to step up 

as seniors. 

On defense, Superior returns eight 

starters. Four of those starters 

were the top four leading tacklers 

in 2015. Garrett Caldwell led the 

way at linebacker with 93 stops last 

year. Other linebackers expected 

to contribute are Cale Frahm and 

Tyler Blackstone. On the defensive 

line, Sloan Willett will lead the way 

after tallying a team high 14 tackles 

for loss last year. Jacob Sunday and 

Darik Holt also need to contribute 

significantly if the Wildcats want to 

improve on a defense that gave up 

35 points per game a year ago. 

“Defensively, we need to keep 

assignments simple and execute at 

the fundamental level,” Siegel said. 

Junior John Sullivan should 

also provide some help on the 

defensive line. In the defensive 

backfield, Ethan Freeman and Eric 

Schiermeyer could provide some 


8/26 @ Tri County 

9/2 @ Ravenna 

9/9 Diller-Odell 

9/23 Franklin 





quality senior leadership. 

“We are finally coming into a season 

where we have a seasoned group 

of football players,” Siegel said. 

“Staying healthy and motivated will 

help us build to the type of football 

team this senior class knows they 

can have.” 

Superior opens the season Aug. 26 

at Tri County. 

“The biggest challenge that this 

team faces is being able to play at a 

competitive level week in and week 

out,” Siegel said. “Inconsistency 

has been our downfall the last two 

seasons. With a veteran group of 

football players we hope to maintain 

a level of performance that gives us 

an opportunity to win each Friday.” 

348 N Central Ave - Superior, NE - 402-879-4234 

Kenny’s Lumber & Farm Supply 

Providing Superior Lumber 

155 N. Central Ave. 

Superior, NE 68978 

PHONE: 

FAX: 

402-879-3296 

402-879-3297 

420 EAST 4TH STREET • SUPERIOR, NE • 402.879.4287 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Brandon Siegel 


Assistant Coaches: Syd Shepler, 

Seth Going 

Class: D1 



SUTTONMUSTANGS 

THAYER CENTRALTITANS 

By: Ryan Mix 

With a limited amount of games in 

a season, 2,000-yard rushers do not 

come around often in high school 

football. At least for every high 

school other than Sutton High. 

The Mustangs were treated to a 

2,000-yard rusher for the second 

consecutive season in 2015, giving 

them one of the best rushing 

attacks in all of Class C. 

The streak of star-studded running 

backs started in 2014 for Sutton, 

when Noah Johnson rushed for 

a remarkable 2,892 yards and 40 

touchdowns his senior season. Stats 

that ranked among the best in the 

nation. 

Following in those footsteps would 

not be easy, but Garrett Leach made 

it look so last fall. Leach rushed for 

2,096 yards and 19 touchdowns his 

junior season, averaging 7.1 yards 

per carry. With Leach returning 

this fall, he will once again be the 

primary focus for Sutton’s offensive 

attack. 

Leach highlights a group of nine 

starters that return from last 

year’s 9-2 team, making Sutton a 

preseason top 10 favorite in Class 

C2. 

Sutton figures to be a tough out in 

large part because of their lethal 

rushing attack. Throwing the 

ball only 51 times last season, the 

Mustangs may be a bit predictable, 

but they have proven to be very 

difficult to stop. 

In 2015 Sutton averaged 42 points 

per game and 395 rushing yards 

per game, numbers that could rise 

even higher in 2016. 

Leach will have three all-district 

linemen to help pave the way for 

him in Jacob Griess, Treygan Rafert, 

and Ryan Oschner. 

A heavily experienced group of 

returnees also includes junior 

Chandler Stone at quarterback. 

Stone produced 827 yards of 

offense last fall. 


seniors Tanner Peterson and 

Kristian Stengel will anchor the 

front seven. Peterson is a 6-foot 

3-inch, 200-pound defensive end 

who led the team with 17 sacks 

last season, ranking among the 

best in Class C2. Stengel will start 

at linebacker for the Mustangs, 

looking to improve on his 120 

tackles season last fall. 

While Sutton has a wealth of 

experience retuning, Head Coach 



9/2 Malcolm 








Steve Ramer says the difference 

between a good season and a great 

season is new faces stepping into 

roles, as well as senior leadership. 

Sutton will be tested right out of 

the gate, with challenging games to 

open the season against Doniphan- 

Trumbull, Malcolm, and Hastings 

St. Cecilia. The Mustangs will look 

to continue the streak of reaching 

the playoffs for the seventh straight 

season when they get underway on 

Aug. 26. 


Thayer Central will experience a 

variety of changes in 2016. Not only 

will the Titans have a new coach, 

but will also be making the move 

from eleven-man to eight-man 

football. Jereme Jones takes over 

at the school located in Hebron. 

Thayer Central will be switching 

from Class C2 to Class D1 this 

season. The Titans are coming off 

a 1-8 year in 2015. The good news 

for the new head coach is that there 

will be a lot of pieces to work with. 

The squad returns ten starters on 

offense and nine on defense. 

“The game will be different,” Jones 

said. “There will be a lot more oneon-ones 

and tackling in space.” 

On offense, the Titans will try to 

improve in the scoring department 

as they averaged just under 

10-points per game in the previous 

season. Thayer Central returns last 

year’s starting quarterback Max 

Madsen. The junior completed 

just over 50 percent of his passes 

last year and threw for nearly 800 

yards. 

Madsen’s primary target will 

likely be Connor Mumm. The 

senior earned all-district honors 

a year ago catching 27 passes for 

308 yards. Senior Logan Tiejten 

could also catch a few balls at the 

tight end spot. At running back, 

the Titans welcome back Dietric 

Kenning, who missed most of 2015 

with a knee injury. Kenning will be 

pushed at the position by fellow 

senior Preston Reece. Up front, 

Thayer Central returns a handful 

of offensive lineman who earned 

playing time in past seasons. Hank 

Harris was an all-district selection a 

season ago. Meanwhile, Ryan Koch 

and Kyle Kugel are a couple of 

other senior offensive lineman that 

should see plenty of snaps. 

The defense will also need to take 

a significant step forward if Thayer 

Central expects to improve in 2016. 

The Titans gave up 40 points per 

contest in 2015. 

Hank Harris had a nice season last 

year, collecting 59 total tackles. 

Kyle Kugel should also expect to 

contend for a starting spot on the 

defensive line. When it comes to 

the linebacker positions, Thayer 

Central should rely on seniors 

Dietric Kenning and Preston 

Reece. Junior Seth Mumford and 

sophomore Keith Hergott should 

also get a handful of snaps, as well. 

Shevin Solomon could also be a 

key two-way player for the Titans. 

In the defensive backfield, Connor 

Mumm and Cody Fitzgerald will 

be important to Thayer Central’s 


8/26 Johnson-Brock 








success. 

The schedule starts out extremely 

tough for the Titans as their first 

five opponents of the season all 

made the playoffs in 2015. Thayer 

Central opens the year on Aug. 26 

against Johnson-Brock. 

TEAM FACTS 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Steve Ramer 


Assistant Coaches: Craig Rafert, 

Chad Wiseman 

Class: C2 


Head Coach: Jereme Jones 

Assistant Coaches: Clint Havel, 

Justin Bomar, Josh Lanik 

Class: D1 




TRI COUNTYTROJANS 

Tri County is seeking back-toback 

playoff berths in 2016. But 

this year, the Trojans must take a 

completely different route to the 

postseason. Tri County will make 

the move from Class C2 to Class 

D1, meaning it will compete in 

eight-man football this fall. 

“It’s still football,” Head Coach 

Brett Scheiding said. “But there 

are some nuances and rules to 

the eight-man game that we 

really have to prepare for.” 

Scheiding is aware of the 

challenges that await the Trojans 

playing a new brand of football. 

“At some point, there will 

be huge learning moments,” 

Scheiding said. “We just hope 

they come at times where we can 

still be in position for wins.” 

Along with a change in strategy, 

Tri County will also face a new 

set of opponents due to the 

classification change. The Trojans 

are scheduled to face defending 

champion BDS, High Plains, 

Johnson-Brock, and Diller-Odell, 

who are all expected to compete 

for playoff berths. In turn, Tri 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Brett Scheiding 


Assistant Coaches: Delva Smith, 

Ray Brown, Bodie Moeller, 

Anthony Drewes 

Class: D1 

Team Name: Trojans 

County will have little margin 

for error while transitioning to 

Class D1. 

“We need to learn the eight-man 

game,” Scheiding said. “And 

definitely continue to improve at 

playing in space.” 

Tri County carries a great deal 

of momentum into 2016. The 

Trojans finished the regular 

season on a six-game winning 

streak before losing to perennial 

power Hastings St. Cecilia in the 

playoffs. 

Scheiding believes the Trojans’ 

success in 2015 has shaped the 

team’s attitude during the offseason. 

“They have learned not to 

flinch when the pressure is on,” 

Scheiding said. 

Tri County returns at least eight 

starters on both sides of the ball. 

The challenge for the coaching 

staff now becomes where to play 

the returners with fewer players 

on the field at the same time. 

Filling spots along the offensive 

line shouldn’t be an issue for the 

Trojans. 

Returning are starters Ben 

Schmidt, Travis Likens, Cody 

Rumbaugh, and Hunter Ramer. 

Schmidt leads the group, as the 

6-foot 2-inch, 265-pound senior 

has started every game since his 

freshman year. 

With experience along the line, 

Tri County figures to have an 


8/26 Superior 


9/9 BDS 


9/23 Lourdes Central Catholic 


10/14 Omaha Christian Academy 


imposing rushing attack. The 

Trojans averaged nearly 300 

yards per game in 2015, with 

Colby Ensz getting a bulk of the 

carries. 

Ensz, who earned all-state 

recognition as a junior, rushed 

for more than 1,800 yards last 

year. 

“We had an outstanding rushing 

attack,” Scheiding said. “I think 

that could be the same this year.” 

Defensively, Tri County will 

experiment with a 3-2-3 defense 

– a necessary change due to 

playing eight-man football. 

The Trojans’ defense will lean 

on Schmidt, Likens, along with 

junior linebacker Cooper Smith. 

The Trojans allowed more than 

20 points per game last year, and 

D1 games have the ability of 

being higher-scoring affairs than 

traditional football games. 

While Tri County boasts an 

experienced roster, Scheiding 

believes developing depth will 

be key to the Trojans’ season. 

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306 East Fillmore - DeWitt 



TWIN LOUPWOLVES 

By: Ryan Mix 

Returning nearly their entire 

starting lineup from a year ago, 

Twin Loup enters 2016 in a great 

position to reach the playoffs for the 

fourth consecutive season. 

Last fall was a down year for the 

Wolves, finishing with a 3-6 record, 

but because of a difficult schedule 

Twin Loup was still able to sneak 

into the postseason. 

Twin Loup will drop down to D2 

this season from D1, which Head 

Coach Mike Kozeal says will suit 

them better. 

“We have been paying our dues the 

last couple of years and now we 

have some experience and depth,” 

Kozeal said. “This team is motivated 

to improve and I like our returning 

players at the skill positions.” 

Playing eight-man football, Twin 

Loup returns six starters on each 

side of the ball. 

The Wolves entire backfield returns 

led by juniors Rowdy Oxford and 

Alex Horky. 

Horky burst onto the scene last 

year, rushing for 902 yards and 10 

TDs. Horky was the team’s leading 

receiver and was an all-district kick 

returner as well, averaging 27 yards 

per return in 2015. 

Oxford will be guiding the offense 

under center after throwing for 488 

yards and a two touchdowns in 

2015. 

Defense will be the primary focus 

for Twin Loup heading into fall 

camp. The Wolves allowed 35.2 

points per game in 2015 but return 

their top three tacklers, providing 

plenty of reason for optimism. 

Senior Michael Gibbens and juniors 

Hunter Kraus and Alex Horky all 

had 100-plus tackles in just nine 

games. Gibbens was a force to be 

reckoned with in the backfield, 

recording 12 TFL and six sacks. 

“We need to just get bigger and 

continue to mature,” Kozeal said. 

“We need to get better on defense 

as we gave up too many points last 

year.” 

Playing down a class, Twin Loup 

will have many new opponents 

this year. The opener will give the 

Wolves a big test right out of the 

gate, as they will play at Sandhills- 

Thedford, a team that finished 10-2 

last season. 

“Sandhills-Thedford will be as good 

as anyone in the class,” Kozeal said. 

“I think that BDS and Falls City 

Sacred Heart will be very good. I 

think we will have an opportunity 


8/26 @ Sandhills/Thedford 

9/2 Anselmo-Merna 

9/9 @ Stuart 

9/16 North Central 

9/23 @ Sumner-Eddyville-Miller 


10/7 Ansley-Litchfield 


to be pretty good as well.” 

Even though the Wolves have 

a strong core returning, many 

newcomers will be expected to 

step up and contribute right away. 

Among those players to keep an 

eye out for include linemen Spencer 

Keefe, Joe Kruml, and Brayden 

Strohl. 

When asked what the key to a 

successful season will be, Kozeal 

said, “We need to develop some 

lineman and get better on defense.” 

Only time will tell, but the Wolves 

are anxious to kick the season off 

on Aug. 26th against Sandhills- 

Thedford. 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Mike Kozeal 


Assistant Coaches: Rusty Rupert, 

Zane Young 

Class: D2 

Team Name: Wolves 

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PHONE 

308.527.4221 

KARL DAVIS 

OWNER 

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FAX 

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300 W MAIN 

SARGENT, NE 


TWIN RIVERTITANS 

By: TJ Eck 

Since Todd Connelly took over as 

the head coach at Twin River in 

2012, the program has seen steady 

improvement. The Titans won just 

five games combined in his first 

three seasons before breaking out 

with a four-win season in 2015. 

Twin River will look to reach even 

higher this year. 

“What I like about our team is that 

we have kids that want to work 

hard and improve,” said Connelly, 

who owns a 9-25 career record at 

the school. 

The Titans will need a new group 

of players to step up in 2016 as 

Twin River brings back just six 

total starters between the offense 

and defense. The Titans should 

feature a productive backfield 

with senior running back Justyce 

Stankoski back in the mix after 

rushing for 290 yards and five 

touchdowns a year ago. Senior 

fullback Beau Wattier (6’2” 195) 

returns as the lead blocker and is 

a receiving threat after leading the 

Titans with 201 yards and two TDs 

in 2015. Junior Jayden Schroeder 

(26 att, 141 yards, TD) adds depth 

to the backfield. The Titans will 

look to break in new players at 

quarterback, wide receiver, and 

along the offensive line where 

senior center Sergey Parry (5’10” 

185) is Twin River’s only returning 

starter. “We have to get our young 

players to step and contribute at 

the varsity level,” said Connelly. 

The Titans’ defense was 

inconsistent at times last season 

as the squad pitched two shutouts 

but also gave up 34 points or more 

four different times. Wattier (56 

tackles) and Parry (52 tackles) 

bring experience to the linebacker 

position where the duo finished 

second and third respectively 

on the team in tackles in 2015. 

Stankoski (14 tackles) returns 

to help solidify Twin River’s 

secondary. The defensive line will 

feature new faces after the Titans 

graduated the four players who 

combined to record all of their 

sacks last season. 

“We will be implementing different 

things to fit our personnel,” said 

Connelly. 

Twin River is a program on the rise. 

The Titans combined to win seven 

games over the last two seasons 

after winning just a pair of games 

total in Connelly’s first two years 

on the job. 2016 could present 

him with his toughest job yet, as 

the program looks to continue its 

upward momentum while putting 

a group of new players on the field. 



9/2 Lutheran High Northeast 

9/9 Hartington Cedar Catholic 

9/16 @ Crofton 




10/14 St. Paul 

10/21 Centura 

“The biggest challenge this year 

is to stay injury free so we can get 

experience to keep improving,” 

said Connelly. 

GENOA 402-948-4701 

GOOD LUCK TITANS! 

Our Service is Out of This World! 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Todd Connelly 


Assistant Coaches: Josh Majerus, 

Dan Parry 

Class: C2 


Best of luck this season! 

402.993.2231 • 502 Willard Ave, Genoa, NE • www.genoacb.com 





WAUNETA-PALISADEBRONCOS 

It will be an interesting year on the 

gridiron for Wauneta-Palisade. The 

Broncos make the climb back into 

eight-man football after going 6-3 

last season in a six-man league. The 

team does ease into the transition 

with a very mild schedule, as they 

aren’t slated to play any squads 

that finished with a winning record 

in 2015. 

After a bye in week one, the 

Broncos match up against Leyton, 

who made the playoffs last year 

as a No. 15 seed and a 3-5 record. 

The next two games are against 

Creek Valley and Stapleton, each 

of whom failed to win a game last 

year. 

Then, they face what could be 

their toughest test of the season, 

Arapahoe, who finished .500 in 

class D1 a year ago. 

In addition to moving up a class, 

Wauneta-Palisade also faces the 

struggle of losing its running back, 

Chase Rathe. 

Rathe rushed for 567 yards and 

12 touchdowns last year, while 

averaging 6.83 yards per carry. 

However, many of the other power 

players on offense return in 2016, 

TEAM FACTS 

Co-Head Coaches: Randy Geier, 

Joseph Frecks 

Career Record: Geier 164-101, 

Frecks 27-27 

Assistant Coach: Mark Frecks 

Class: D2 


including sophomore quarterback 

Duncan Rector. 

As a freshman, Rector threw 

just one interception on 89 pass 

attempts, compiling 607 yards and 

six touchdowns. 

His main target also returns to the 

field. 

Senior Brody Nordhausen is 

expected to get the brunt of 

the carries to replace Rathe. 

Nordhausen led the team in 

receptions and receiving yards last 

season, but his skill is not limited 

to one side of the ball. 

Nordhausen also led the team in 

tackles, despite playing in only six 

games. 

“Brody is a great kid and a hard 

worker,” Co-Head Coaches Randy 

Geier and Joseph Frecks said. “He 

is a great leader with a good nose 

for the ball.” 

Tyler Davis also joins Nordhausen 

in the class of seniors. As a 

defensive back, Davis had five 

interceptions in 2015. 

Offensive linemen Seth Straub 

KEVIN SJUTS 



9/2 @ Leyton 

9/9 Creek Valley 

9/16 @ Stapleton 

9/23 Arapahoe 

9/30 @ Wallace 


10/14 @ Loomis 


and Logan Fischer round out the 

class of student athletes who will 

play their final season in a Broncos 

uniform. They are the first group 

of kids who were not on the team 

in 2012 when the Broncos went 

undefeated en route to the six-man 

state championship in the team’s 

first year under Geiers and Frecks. 

Under their leadership, the team 

looks to get back to the D2 playoffs 

for the first time since 2007. 

Other returning players: 

Cash Yearous (Jr., SE/DB, 5’10’’, 

145) 

Caid Doetker (So. TE/DE, 6’3’’, 

175) 

Matthew Knotts (Jr. RB/DL, 5’11’’, 

165) 



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WAVERLYVIKINGS 

WEST HOLTHUSKIES 


Record-setting quarterback Dillon 

Ruelas leads Waverly into the 2016 

season. The strong-armed QB, who’s 

thrown for nearly 3,500 yards in his 

career, is set to become a three-year 

starter for the Vikings. 

Ruelas has guided Waverly to backto-back 

playoff appearances, which 

comes following the school’s 4-year 

playoff drought. 

Ruelas threw for 2,063 yards and 

23 touchdowns as a junior in 2015. 

“Dillon is a hard-working young 

man,” Waverly Head Coach Tim 

Williams said. “He has, in my opinion, 

a golden arm. He can find receivers in 

small windows – that’s tough to find.” 

Ruelas’ success indicates that Williams’ 

spread offense has fully taken hold at 

Waverly. The school previously ran a 

traditional, run-oriented option attack. 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Tim Williams 


Assistant Coaches: Brian Benson, 

Mark Robles, Aaron Jongs, Allen 

Osborn, Matt Brewer, Chase 

Nelms 

Class: B 


The change in system has resulted in 

the Vikings becoming one of the more 

feared offenses in Class B. Waverly 

averaged 30 points per game last 

season. Beyond Ruelas’ strong arm 

and knowledge, Waverly also has a 

productive rushing attack. 

Waverly ran for 120 yards per game in 

2015, which Ruelas contributed to. The 

senior quarterback is not afraid to run 

the ball when receivers are covered. 

While the Vikings have experienced a 

resurgence under Williams, they now 

seek a winning record. 

Waverly went 5-5 last year and face a 

manageable schedule in 2016. Williams 

believes the Vikings’ home opener 

against Class B runner-up Aurora 

could set the tone for the season. 

Waverly also has mid-season games 

against Bennington and Beatrice, both 

of which qualified for the playoffs in 

2015. 

Waverly has a strong and experienced 

secondary heading into the upcoming 

season. Brenden Corning, Reese 

Kroger, and Greyson Skrobecki, all of 

which are seniors, are key returners 

for the Vikings. The group must lead 

Waverly’s defense, which will turn 

to first-time starters at a handful of 

positions. 

Along the defensive front, Dalton 

Neeman and Damien Wylden are 


8/26 @ Columbus 

9/2 @ Seward 

9/9 Aurora 

9/16 Bennington 

9/23 @ Nebraska City 

9/30 Elkhorn 

10/7 @ Beatrice 

10/14 @ Norris 

10/21 Crete 

candidates to see extended action this 

season. Hunter Lee and Cody Watts 

will both challenge for playing time at 

linebacker. 

“I really like the promise of this young 

team,” Williams said. “We will need 

a lot of youth to step up big and in a 

hurry.” 

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The biggest problem for West Holt in 

2016 won’t be finding enough talent to 

put on the field. Instead, the Huskies 

will have to narrow down the list of 

capable players competing at one time 

since they will be moving from eleven 

man to eight man football. Steve 

Neptune’s squad makes the switch 

from Class C2 to D1 this season. 

“Eight man is very new to our 

players,” Neptune said. “Team speed 

will be huge. Dropping down has 

added depth to our squad.” 

West Holt is coming off its fourth 

playoff berth in the past five years. 

The Huskies went 7-3 last year falling 

to Doniphan-Trumbull in the first 

round of the state playoffs. 

A powerful ground game could once 

again be key for West Holt in 2016. 

The Huskies rushed for 300 yards per 

contest last season and racked up 28 

points per game. West Holt returns 

five players on offense but will have 

to replace its starting quarterback. 

At running back, the Huskies return 

three year starter Breydon Mlady. The 

senior ran for 600 yards a season ago. 

Payton Williams will also get a look 

at the position. The 200 pound junior 

rushed for 450 yards last year before 

suffering an injury in the 5th game of 

the season. 

At wide receiver, Shayden Neptune 

could see some playing time as a 

junior while Devon Dohrman could 

also earn a spot on the starting 

offense. Up front, West Holt returns 

a pair of 200-plus pounders. Senior 

Seth Wentworth will line up with 

three years of starting experience 

under his belt. Wentworth will be 

joined alongside fellow senior Eddie 

Fredrick, who has a couple seasons of 

experience as well. 


Huskies also return five starters. The 

unit gave up 122 yards a game on the 

ground a year ago and 102 per contest 

through the air. Despite moving down 

a class, West Holt will try to improve 

upon the 22 points per game it gave 

up last season. The Huskies’ 3-3-2 

scheme will feature three year starter 

Jake Judge. The senior linebacker 

tallied 130 tackles in 2015. Along the 

defensive line, West Holt returns 

three starters. Mason Hale registered 

102 tackles in the previous season. 

Hale will be joined on the d-line by 

Mason Lofquist, who tips the scales 

at 215 pounds and nose guard Perry 

Winer, who weighs 220 pounds. In the 

defensive backfield, Bryce Kerkman 

could play a key role for the Huskies. 

The junior cornerback earned 

considerable playing time last season. 

“This game is a little faster so we will 

have to spend more time on open field 

tackling,” said Neptune. “We will 

have talent so they should adjust very 

well.” 


8/26 @ Plainview 

9/9 Niobrara/Verdigre 

9/16 Creighton 


9/30 Burwell 

10/7 @ CWCE 



The schedule should be challenging 

for West Holt as the Huskies face four 

teams who were in the state semifinals 

last year. West Holt opens the season 

August 26 at Plainview. 

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TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Steve Neptune 


Assistant Coaches: Chris Nemetz, 

Andy Osborne 

Class: D1 


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WILBER-CLATONIAWOLVERINES 

DOWNTOWN FAMILY VISION 

By: Ryan Mix 

Finishing the 2015 season just one 

win shy of reaching Memorial 

Stadium, Wilber-Clatonia enters 

2016 hungry to take the next 

step and play for its first state 

championship in school history. 

The Wolverines have been no 

stranger to success under head 

coach Lynn Jurgens, who enters 

this fall with a 57-16 record at 

Wilber-Clatonia. Although the 

Wolverines have consistently had 

strong seasons, last fall marked a 

breakthrough, of sorts. 

Wilber-Clatonia rolled through their 

regular season schedule with ease, 

outscoring opponents 385-56 in their 

first nine games. Wilber’s defense 

was one of the most dominant in 

Class C1, only allowing an average 

of 153 yards per game last season. 

To think the unit could be even 

better isn’t completely far-fetched, 

as W-C will have seven starters 

retuning on that side of the ball. 

Center/defensive tackle Riley 

Homolka leads a group of lineman 

that figures to be among the best in 

Class C. Homolka is listed at 6’4” 

270 lbs. and was first team all-state 

last fall. 

“I think the lines that we have on 

both sides of the ball could be the 

best that we have ever had,” Jurgens 

said. “We are hungry for more than 

just the state semifinals, but we 

know how difficult that will be.” 

Known for their physicality, Wilber- 

Clatonia will once again rely on a 

strong running attack to put points 

on the board. It won’t be easy 

though, as the Wolverines will have 

to replace their entire backfield, 

which was arguably the best in 

school history. 

Quarterback Connor O’Toole rushed 

for 1,149 yards and 13 touchdowns 

his senior season, in addition to 

throwing for 632 yards and eight 

touchdowns. Running back Derek 

Tachovsky and fullback Jalen 

Graham also provided a lethal 

threat on the ground, combining for 

1,566 yards and 27 scores. 

With all three players graduating, 

senior Tanner Sand is expected to 

take over the reigns at quarterback 

after seeing limited action as a 

backup last fall. 

“We need to find someone who 

can carry the ball with reliability,” 

Jurgens said. “We must develop 

young players and we have to stay 

healthy.” 

With new classification numbers, 

Wilber-Clatonia will drop down to 

Class C2 in 2016, making their path 






9/23 @ Humboldt-Table Rock-Steinauer 

9/30 Palmyra 

10/7 @ Yutan 


10/21 @ Freeman 

to Memorial Stadium possibly a 

little easier than what it may have 

been in C1. The Wolverines will 

still have a challenging schedule, 

however, going up against Hastings 

St. Cecilia, Elmwood-Murdock, and 

Yutan. 

The last time Wilber competed in 

Class C2 was in 2010, a 9-2 season 

that ended with a loss to Aquinas 

Catholic in the playoffs. 

The Monarchs are coming off their 

fourth state championship in the 

last five seasons, but they will have 

a new foe to worry about in Wilber- 

Clatonia. 

If the Wolverines are able to stay 

healthy, don’t be surprised if they 

makes another deep playoff run this 

season. 

DR. NICOLE MORRISSEY 

402-821-2008 - 220 W 3RD STREET - WILBER, NE 


GREAT FISH 

AND STEAKS 

DAILY AND NIGHTLY SPECIALS 

11365 KRAMER ST. 

CRETE, NE 

402-826-5294 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Lynn Jurgens 


Assistant Coaches: Dave 

Newmyer, Eamonn Feeney, Lance 

Kuhlman, Randy Homolka 

Class: C2 

Team Name: Wolverines 





WOOD RIVEREAGLES 

The last few football seasons at 

Wood River High School have been 

tough sledding to say the least. The 

team posted a 1-8 mark in 2015, and 

in three years under head coach 

Ben Fehringer, the Eagles have 

combined to go just 3-23. 

However, with a new season comes 

a new hunger for Wood River. The 

team returns a total of 20 letter 

winners this fall and a combined 

total of nine starters on offense and 

defense. Fortunately for the Eagles, 

the ones returning in 2016 happen to 

be skill position players. 

Senior quarterback Spencer Rhorich 

is entering his third year as a starter. 

Rhorich will have familiar faces to 

both throw and hand the ball off 

to. Running back Diego Guerrero is 

back in the backfield, and receivers 

Alex Wiese and Chace Bond will 

help flank the aerial attack for the 

Eagles. 

The biggest areas of improvement 

for Wood River can be found in the 

passing game on offense and the 

rushing game on defense. In 2015, 

the Eagles passed for less than 25 

yards per game. In contrast, they 

were able to rush for more than 140 

yars per game. 

On defense, the numbers looked 

similar for the opponent. Wood 

River allowed nearly 200 yards 

per game rushing, but stifled the 

opposition when it came to passing 

defense, allowing a measly 24.86 

yards per game through the air. 

Coach Fehringer says this year’s 

team is a group that will need 

to rely on its senior leadership, 

however small that group may be. 

He’s also hoping to see significant 

growth from his sophomore class, 

as he feels by the end of the year the 

group could be the nucleus of the 

team. 

Fehringer also said he’s pleased 

with what he’ll be returning in the 

skilled positions. He’s hoping his 

line play can match the experience 

of the skill players to make the 1-8 

record of 2015 a number of the past. 

When push comes to shove, it 

appears the Eagles’ 2016 season may 

rest on the legs of Guerrero. In 2015, 

he averaged a staggering 5.92 yards 

per carry in seven games, but he 

only totaled 62.57 yards per game. 

With many skilled players back for 

the upcoming season, the rushing 

attack in Wood River might receive 

a much-needed bump. Games to 

keep an eye on for Wood River in 

2016 include home contests against 

North Platte St. Patrick’s on Sept. 16 

and Doniphan-Trumbull to end the 


8/26 @ St. Paul 

9/2 Centura 


9/16 North Platte St. Patrick’s 


9/30 Southern Valley 

10/7 @ Gibbon 



regular season on Oct. 21. 

Difficult road games on the schedule 

include trips to Hastings St. Cecilia 

on Sept. 23 and Gibbon on Oct. 7. 

Bank On A Solid Foundation 

Serving Central Nebraska since 1882 with 37 Banks in 28 Communities. 

cornerstoneconnect.com 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Ben Fehringer 


Assistant Coaches: Darren 

Waddington, Robert Evans 

Class: C2 



YORKDUKES 

By: Ryan Mix 

Their 2015 season ended with 

heartbreak, but the 2016 season 

begins with promise. 

The York Dukes enter the fall once 

again as one of the top contenders in 

Class B. 

Entering his sixth season at York, 

Head Coach Glen Snodgrass has 

turned a once lackluster football 

program into one of the elite 

programs in the state. 

York will look to build off a 2015 

season that ended with a 9-2 mark. 

The Dukes went undefeated in their 

first eight games before falling to 

eventual Class B runner-up Aurora 

38-35 in the district championship. 

York’s season came to an end last 

fall in the Class B quarterfinals. 

Elkhorn South, who went on to win 

the state title, defeated York 10-7, 

knocking through a 22 yard field 

goal as time expired. 

York returns a good core from last 

year’s team hungry for a further 

postseason run. The Dukes return 

seven starters on offense and three 

on defense. 

Junior defensive tackle Masry 

Mapieu will be a player that will 

give opposing coaches headaches. 

Mapieu is receiving Division I 

TEAM FACTS 

Head Coach: Glen Snodgrass 


Assistant Coach : Matt Kern 

Class: B 

Team Name: Dukes 

interest and already has a few offers 

on his hands. Mapieu, who was 

born in Egypt, is a 6-foot 5-inch, 

275-pound prospect who transferred 

to York last year. 

“At the end of his sophomore 

year he was one of the best DT’s 

around,” Snodgrass said. “Masry’s 

potential is off the charts.” 

Joining Mapieu as a force on the 

defensive side of the ball is senior 

Alex Kowalski, a first team alldistrict 

player last year. Kowalski 

is a 6-foot, 205-pound linebacker 

who Snodgrass believes has all-state 

potential. 

“We have had very good defenses 

for the last several years and that 

could be a question mark this year 

with graduation taking a lot of our 

key defenders,” Snodgrass said. 

On the offensive side of the ball, 

York returns all three players from 

their backfield. Quarterback Damon 

Kaliff enters his senior campaign 

with two-plus seasons of starting 

experience under his belt. Kaliff 

transferred to York from McCool 

Junction after his freshman year and 

hopes to have a breakout season this 

year. Kaliff suffered a torn ACL in 

York’s playoff game in 2014 and was 

bothered by it at times last season as 

a dual-threat quarterback. 

“We must develop leaders with 

several outstanding leaders 

graduating last year,” Snodgrass 

said. “Alex Kowalski, Simon Otte, 

and Damon Kaliff will be one of the 

best backfields in Class B.” 

While the Dukes will look to take 

advantage of an experienced 

backfield, they have also become 

accustomed to having a go-to wide 

receiver the past few seasons under 

Snodgrass, something that may be 

missing from this year’s squad. 


8/26 Elkhorn South 


9/9 Schuyler 


9/23 McCook 

9/30 @ Sidney 

10/7 Aurora 

10/14 Seward 

10/21 @ Northwest 

Ty Danielson and JJ Schulz were 

all-state players for the Dukes in 

recent seasons that had many plays 

centered around them. Ty’s younger 

brother Brady, a sophomore, figures 

to be in the starting mix at wide 

receiver this fall. 

Reaching the playoffs has become 

the standard for York since 

Snodgrass’ arrival; now, the Dukes 

hope to breakthrough and win their 

first state championship in school 

history. 

York will make two long treks out 

west this fall, traveling to Lexington 

in week two and Sidney in week six. 

Their week seven matchup against 

Aurora figures to once again go a 

long ways in determining the B-6 

district champion. 

York’s season begins with one of the 

juicier matchups you’ll find opening 

weekend, as the Dukes will host the 

Class B defending champs Elkhorn 

South, who eliminated them from 

the postseason last year. 

YORK, NE (402)362-2714 

www.fallerlandscape.com 

...your tree source 

WHETHER YOU’RE SHOPPING FOR A USED CAR, TRUCK OR SUV... 

YOU’LL FIND FRIENDLY EXPERIENCED PEOPLE READY TO HELP YOU. 

402.362.2886 • 2801 NORTH LINCOLN AVE, YORK, NE 


202 2016 Prepzone Weekly Pigskin Preview

Prepzone Weekly Pigskin Preview 2016

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