Prepzone Pigskin Preview 2017

BEATRICEORANGEMEN
By: TJ Eck
“The most powerful and
talented football player I have
coached” are the words Beatrice
head coach Kevin Meyer, a 36-
year coaching veteran, used
to describe senior Cameron
Jurgens. And Meyer’s opinion
of Jurgens is not unique. The
Nebraska commit is rated as a
four-star recruit and the No. 4
athlete nationally in the 2018
class by Rivals.com. Jurgens
is entering his senior season
for the Orangemen where he
brings three years of starting
experience at linebacker and
two as a tight end.
Before he joins the Huskers,
Jurgens will look to lead
Beatrice back to the playoffs
for the eighth straight year. The
Orangemen are coming off a
2016 season in which the team
went 8-3 and lost to Gretna in
the Class B quarterfinals. 25
players who earned a letter
return along with four starters
on offense and five on defense.
Senior Trevor Schmale (6’1”
175 lbs) will take over at
quarterback, and he’ll have
an experienced group of skill
TEAM FACTS
Head Team Name: Coach: Orangemen Shawn Mulligan
Class: B
Career Record: 7-11
2016 Record: 8-3
Assistant Playoff Appearances: Coaches: 18
Class: Head Coach: C-1 Kevin Meyer
Team Assistant Name: Coaches: Patriots Travis Schuster,
Chuck Hamilton, Corey Wells, Jeff
Keezor, Jordan Johnson, Eric Martin,
Ethan Wright, Justin Coleman
players surrounding him. Senior
Dillon Buss (13 rec, 315 yds,
3 TD in 2016) brings big-play
capability to the passing attack,
while Jurgens (23 rec, 286 yds,
3 TD) provides an athletic passcatching
option from the tight
end position. In addition, Meyer
said sophomore wide receiver
Andrew Mahoney “will be a
factor.” After playing as a wide
receiver in 2016, senior Colton
Gronewold (5 rec, 54 yds) will
also see time as a running back
in 2017 after Beatrice’s top three
rushers from 2016 graduated.
Seniors David Duncan (6’2” 245
lbs) and Jerad Humble (5’11”
230 lbs) anchor the offensive
line.
On defense, Jurgens leads the
way for the Orangemen from
the linebacker position. He was
tops on the team with 123 total
tackles in 2016. Playing in front
of Jurgens will be Duncan (42
total tackles) and Humble (31
total tackles). In the secondary,
Buss (23 total tackles, 2 INTs)
and Gronewold (22 total tackles,
1 INT) return with starting
experience. The Beatrice defense
was a strength in 2016 as the
Orangemen surrendered just
19.9 points per game, but 2017
is a new year and Meyer said
the group “needs to build
depth and replace two outside
linebackers.”
Junior Adam Riekenberg is
expected to handle the kicking
duties this season while Jurgens
serves as the punter. Schmale
is the long snapper and Zach
White is the holder.
2017 SCHEDULE
8/25 Ralston
9/1 @ Nebraska City
9/8 Elkhorn
9/15 @ Gross Catholic
9/22 Omaha Roncalli Catholic
9/29 @ South Sioux City
10/6 @ Waverly
10/13 Crete
10/20 @ Norris
Despite playing in a tough
district that includes Norris,
Crete, and Waverly, Beatrice has
a strong chance of reaching the
state playoffs again in 2017.
“We should be pretty
competitive this season but
need to build depth all across
the board of offense, defense
and special teams,” Meyer
said, who’s entering his second
season as Beatrice head coach.
Even if the Orangemen struggle,
watching Jurgens compete in his
final season before joining the
Huskers will be worth the price
of admission.
Key Players:
Cameron Jurgens (6’4” 247 lbs)
Sr. TE/LB
Dillon Buss (6’2” 190 lbs) Sr.
WR/DB
David Duncan (6’2” 245 lbs) Sr.
OL/DE
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