Prepzone Pigskin Preview 2017

By: Justin Biegel
HASTINGSTIGERS
In his second season at the
helm of the Hastings football
team, Charlie Shoemaker came
incredibly close to getting the
Tigers back into the playoff
picture for the first time since
2010.
Led by a shifty, gun-slinging
quarterback in Vinny Schmidt,
the Tigers offense averaged
nearly 30 points a game and
finished 2016 with a 6-3 record.
But the man who accounted for
20 scores a season ago is now
gone, and it will be up to a new
crop of young talent to fill the
void.
“We had a lot of kids play last
season and we are looking
to them to really improve,”
Shoemaker said. “If we continue
to have a great buy-in with
the kids in the summer and
put in our work, we will have
an excellent chance to be very
competitive this season.”
Hastings returns 10 starters this
fall, five on offense and five
on defense. That includes twoway
players Michael Shaw and
Connor Laux.
TEAM FACTS
Team Name: Tigers
Class: B
2016 Record: 6-3
Playoff Appearances: 12
Head Coach: Charlie Shoemaker
Career Record: 80-60
Assistant Coach: Briant Itzen
Shaw is coming off ACL surgery,
but the 5-foot-10, 220-pound
offensive lineman and linebacker
has nothing but high praise from
his head coach. “Michael has
been a tremendous player for us
the last two years,” Shoemaker
said. “[He] looks to be 100
percent healthy and ready for his
senior season.”
Laux is a name Tiger fans have
heard about for years. When
he’s not on the football field,
he’s winning state wrestling
championships (in two different
weight classes) and sprinting
around the bases for the Tiger
baseball team.
“Connor is a tremendous
competitor and athlete,”
Shoemaker said. “He is the
definition of an excellent football
player and a total team guy. He
will do whatever it takes to help
the team win.”
That blazing 4.7-caliber speed
will come in handy in the
Hastings’ receiving core and
secondary. As a junior, Laux
hauled in 25 receptions for 412
yards and three scores. He also
tallied 10 carries and a score. At
5-foot-9 and only 155 pounds,
Laux will rely on his shiftiness to
avoid would-be tacklers.
But a name Shoemaker wants
people to keep on their radar
this fall is Damen Pape. Only
a sophomore, Pape saw
significant snaps as a freshman
at both running back and
linebacker, finishing second
on the teal in total tackles. He,
2017 SCHEDULE
8/25 Scottsbluff
9/1 @ Schuyler
9/8 @ Gering
9/15 Sidney
9/22 Seward
9/29 @ Alliance
10/6 @ McCook
10/13 Lexington
10/20 @ Holdrege
like Laux, is also a very good
wrestler, finishing second in the
170-pound class this February.
“We are excited about the future
for him,” Shoemaker said. “He is
going to be an excellent player.”
Hastings opens the season Aug.
25 at home against Scottsbluff, a
team the Tigers lost to last season
by a score of 21-13.
Key Players:
Connor Laux (5’9” 145 lbs) Sr.
WR/DB
Michael Shaw (5’10” 220 lbs) Sr.
OL/LB
Damen Pape (5’10” 185 lbs)
Soph. LB/RB
Davi Nails
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3803 OSBORNE DR. W - HASTINGS, NEBRASKA - 402-463-5649
HASTINGS - 402.462.2450
GRAND ISLAND - 308.381.1097
KEARNEY - 308.234.6695
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