Prepzone Pigskin Preview 2017

HIGH PLAINSSTORM
HITCHCOCK COUNTYFALCONS
By: Spencer Schubert
The 2016 season could not have
got off to a better start for High
Plains Community. They handed
Heartland what proved to be their
only loss of the regular season
on the opening weekend of the
season.
They then reeled off two more
wins to improve to 3-0 on the
young campaign, beating their
last two opponents by a combined
score of 116-14.
However, they weren’t able to
secure another win the rest of the
year.
In their final five games of the
regular season, along with
their first-round playoff game,
opponents outscored the Storm
266-96.
Head coach Greg Wood enters
his 10th year at the helm of High
Plains, and will be looking to right
the ship with a good collection of
returning starters - four on both
sides of the ball.
Wood knows he’ll have to lean on
them to get his team going in the
right direction.
“We have a small freshman
class coming in,” Wood said.
“Developing depth will be a
huge priority. We have the key
pieces, we just need to put them
together.”
Some of those key pieces still have
some youth to them, however.
Take sophomore Keaton Van
Housen for example. Last year, he
led High Plains in rushing - toting
the rock for 755 yards and eight
touchdowns. He didn’t do too bad
on the receiving end either, pulling
in three touchdowns on just 15
catches.
That makes him the team’s leading
receiver after the graduation of
Kyle and Payton Stevens, who did
the heavy lifting at wideout last
season.
The Storm won’t be left for dead
when it comes to their line play
either. After all, they have two
returning starters up front with
seniors Bo Dittmer and Timothy
Markvicka coming back for their
final seasons.
At quarterback, expect to see
a heavy dose of Dylan Soule
under center after the sophomore
attempted 55 passes a year ago.
Also, don’t be shocked if you see
Van Housen throw the rock some.
In 2016, he completed 18 of 40
2017 SCHEDULE
8/25 Heartland
9/1 @ Elgin Public/Pope John
9/15 @ Tri County
9/22 Palmer
9/29 Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family
10/6 @ Nebraska Christian
10/13 East Butler
10/20 @ Nebraska Lutheran
passes for three touchdowns.
As for areas to improve upon,
Wood and his team will be looking
to fix their ball control issues
from 2016, when they lost 12 of
13 fumbles in just nine games.
Defensively, they also allowed
nearly 300 yards per game.
Wood knows there is plenty to
work on as 2017 approaches.
Plus, it wouldn’t hurt if the team
wanted to go out and start 3-0
once again.
Key Players:
Alex Goracke (6’1” 205 lbs) Sr.
QB/LB
Josh Hinrichs (6’3” 170 lbs) Sr.
WR/DB
Brodi Hansen (6’2” 170 lbs) Sr.
WR/DB
By: Jay Omar
The 2016 season was one to
forget for Hitchcock County, as
the young squad finished the
campaign with an 0-8 record.
However, with a new season
comes a clean slate and another
opportunity for the Falcons
to show improvement on the
gridiron.
Under the direction of head
coach Dusty Gaston, Hitchcock
County will be a youthful
squad once again in 2017. But
with six starters returning on
both sides of the ball, and ten
letterwinners back on the roster,
Gaston expects steps in the right
direction this season.
“We are young and coachable,”
he said. “We are building for a
bright future.”
But if the Falcons want to notch
a few tallies in the win column,
the offense will have to improve.
Last season, Hitchcock County
averaged 116 yards per game and
only eight points a contest.
The group will run a split back
offense once again this year, with
running back Noah Standiford
and quarterback/running back
hybrid Chase Matson anchoring
the backfield.
The offensive line could be a
strength this year for the Falcons,
as it will feature a few returning
starters in sophomore Kaiden
Smotherman, junior Corey
Wickizer and senior Wes Merrill.
Defensively, returning
linebackers Logan Shafert
and Zach Janousek will have
a major impact, while Merrill
and Wickizer will battle in the
trenches on the defensive line.
With youth likely playing a
major role this season, Gaston
highlighted the keys to success
for 2017.
“Get the young starters to play
physical and stay healthy,” he
said. “Of course, it all starts with
a good attitude and hard work
during the summer.”
However, the head coach did
acknowledge the difficulties that
accompany coaching a young
team, especially following a
down year.
“To get my team to grow and
overcome adversity as a very
young team once again coming
off our 0-8 season,” Gaston said
of the biggest challenges of the
2017 SCHEDULE
8/24 @ Stapleton
9/1 Atwood-Rawlins County KS
9/8 Maxwell
9/22 @ Wallace
9/29 Eustis-Farnam
10/6 Loomis
10/13 @ Arapahoe
10/19 Wauneta-Palisade
upcoming season.
The 2017 campaign will get
underway for the Falcons on
Aug. 25 when they travel to
Stapleton.
Key Players:
Kaiden Smotherman (6’ 0” 185
lbs) Soph. OL
Chase Matson (5’ 10” 135 lbs)
Soph. QB/RB
Noah Standiford (5’ 8” 140 lbs)
Soph. RB
TEAM FACTS
Team Name: Storm
Class: D1
2016 Record: 3-5
Playoff Appearances: 11
Head Coach: Greg Wood
Career Record: 45-41
Assistant Coach: John Kucera
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GO STORM!
216 N. Green St.
Clarks, NE 68628
308-548-2214
www.myersinsuranceclarksne.com
TEAM FACTS
Team Name: Falcons
Class: D2
2016 Record: 0-8
Playoff Appearances: 3
Head Coach: Dusty Gaston
Career Record: 0-8
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