Prepzone Pigskin Preview 2017

NEBRASKA CHRISTIANEAGLES
NEBRASKA LUTHERANKNIGHTS
By: Jay Omar
For the Nebraska Christian
football squad, the 2017 campaign
will hinder on one thing —
development.
With only four starters returning
on offense and five on defense, the
Eagles will have to develop young
talent quickly to compete in Class D1.
And coming off a 3-5 season, head
coach Carl Ostand is hoping to see
steps in the right direction this year.
In total, Nebraska Christian has
eight returning letterwinners,
and the vast majority of their
experienced talent lies in the
trenches.
Ends Joel Kaczor and Noah Boersen
will return with three years of
combined starting experience,
and will be joined by center Seth
Hower and guard Luke Swanson,
who have four years of combined
service.
Unfortunately, the backfield will
need to be revamped, as running
back Andrew Winsterman and
fullback Benny Stevens both
graduated.
Defensively, Toby Watson and
Kaczor will play big roles, while
Boersen and Jake Twogood will
anchor the secondary.
Swanson will bring a plethora
of experience to the linebacker
position.
There are a number of new faces
who are expected to make major
impacts, as well.
Quarterback Ben Griess will be
taking snaps from under center,
while Sam Twogood could be an
impact player at the tight end
position.
Defensively, Elijah Boersen will
compete for a cornerback position,
and Joel Poppe should make a
difference from the safety spot.
The defense will be relatively
young, but offensively Ostand is
confident in the key pieces he has
returning.
“The offense is experienced,”
Ostand said. “The kids are very
coachable and want to learn.”
However, getting all of the youth on
page with the returning talent will
be vital to the success of the Eagles
this season.
“Having the newer/younger
players develop quickly,” Ostand
said of the biggest challenges facing
his squad.
The season will get under way for
the Eagles on Aug. 25 when they
host Guardian Angels.
The 2016 season was a disappointing Kyle Richert will be the quarterback
2017 SCHEDULE 2017 SCHEDULE
one for the Nebraska Lutheran
for the squad in 2017. With nine
Knights.
touchdown passes and seven rushing
touchdowns last season, Richert has
the potential to be a good dual-threat
player for the team this season.
8/25 Guardian Angels Central Catholic
9/1 @ Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family
9/8 @ Elm Creek
9/15 Heartland
9/22 @ Nebraska Lutheran
9/30 @ Palmer
10/6 High Plains Community
10/19 East Butler
Key Players:
Noah Boersen (5’ 11” 155 lbs) Jr.
End
Joel Kaczor (6’ 2” 190 lbs) Sr. End
Luke Swanson (6’ 225 lbs) Sr. OL
By: Josh Skluzacek
After starting the season 0-4, the
Knights were able to win three of
their next four games before falling to
Heartland to end their season.
Head Coach Benjy Wells will hope to
build upon the success the team found
in the second half of the season and
work to improve this year.
Luckily for Wells, the Knights return
eight starters on each side of the ball,
and that experience could help the
group take a step forward this year.
“We are blessed to return everyone
from a senior-less 2016 team and
must continue to work hard to keep
getting better,” Wells said. “It will
be important for us to maintain the
hunger and drive that helped us
improve quite a bit from 2015 to 2016
in order for us to get to where we want
to be in 2017.”
Wells’ team uses the pistol formation
on offense and a 3-2 formation
on defense as base sets. With the
experience the Knights will have, the
2017 team has the potential to break
out.
“We have the potential to be a good
team,” Wells said. “How we prepare
will determine whether that potential
is realized or not.”
Ben Riegsecker is another option
offensively, as the senior can bulldoze
his way through the defense.
Riegsecker uses that physicality to be a
good linebacker for the team, too.
“He’ll do anything you ask him to do
and leave it all on the field,” Wells said.
“He’s especially good defensively, but
a physical runner on offense as well,
and perhaps the best leader on the
team.”
Coach Wells also recognized seniors
Marco Machado and Leonardo Lima
as important players for the team this
season.
Machado, a 6-foot-3, 295-pound
lineman adds more physicality to the
team.
“He moves well for his size, is very
physical with a little bit of a nasty
streak on the field, and is very
intelligent,” Wells said. “We believe he
can be one of the very best linemen in
the state in 2017.”
As for Lima, a great second half of last
season certainly caught the coach’s
attention and Wells hopes he’ll carry
9/1 @ Johnson-Brock
9/8 Osceola
9/15 @ Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family
9/22 Nebraska Christian
9/29 @ East Butler
10/6 Central Valley
10/13 @ Palmer
10/20 High Plains Community
that over into the upcoming campaign.
“In our last four games alone, he
rushed for 688 yards and eight
touchdowns,” Wells said. “He has nice
burst and good vision as a runner,
and he will finish his runs physically.
We believe Leo can be one of the best
running backs in D1 in 2017.”
The experience and talent for the
Knights is there. Add in the toughness,
and if the Knights can carry last
season’s momentum into this year,
they can be a surprisingly good team.
“We believe that a strong half of 2016
can help us take another step forward
in 2017,” Wells said.
Key Players:
Marco Machado (6’3” 295lbs) Sr. OL/
DL
Ben Riegsecker (5’8” 180lbs) Sr. RB/LB
Leonardo Lima (5’9” 190lbs) Sr. RB/LB
TEAM FACTS
TEAM FACTS
Team Name: Eagles
Class: D1
2016 Record: 3-5
Playoff Appearances: 8
Head Coach: Carl Ostrand
Career Record: 50-55
Assistant Coaches: Andy Falk,
Dave Gee and Levi Laudrigan
Team Name: Knights
Class: D1
2016 Record: 3-6
Playoff Appearances: 3
Head Coach: Benjy Wells
Career Record: 20-39
Assistant Coach: PJ Bunyard
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