Prepzone Pigskin Preview 2017

GOTHENBURGSWEDES
By: Derek Kopp
After a hiatus from the postseason,
the Gothenburg Swedes finished
with a 6-4 record in 2016 and
made a return to the state playoffs.
Last year’s team was led by a
host of seniors that now leave the
team searching for a new identity
this fall. One part of the team that
has not changed in over 20 years,
however, is the head coach, with
Craig Haake returning with a
career record of 131-99.
The Swedes had an up-and-down
season for most of 2016. The
group went through the first four
weeks at 2-2 before winning four
of their last five games ahead of a
round one playoff loss to Wahoo.
Through the course of the season
the team went 1-2 against the
three other Class C1 playoff teams.
If the Swedes are going to return
to the postseason, one of the key
contributors from last season’s
team, Dawson Graham, will have
to be replaced under center (and
from a leadership standpoint). The
Swedes do, however, have one of
the most dynamic playmakers in
Class C1 on the outside returning
in three-year letterwinner Bennett
Folkers, to help give sophomore
quarterback Maguire Bartlett,
or any of the Swedes options at
quarterback, a reliable receiver
and a strong locker room
presence.
“Best hands I’ve seen,” Haake
said. “We look to get him the ball
however we can.”
Folkers stands at 6-foot-3,
180-pounds and returns nearly
900 yards on 46 catches and 14
touchdowns to the Swedes’ pistol
style offense. Along with Folkers,
the Swedes will have the two-year
letterwinner AJ Whiting to utilize
on the outside and in the red zone.
On defense, the Swedes will
return a bulk of their players with
five of them coming back on that
side of the ball. Linebacker is
always a key position in a base 4-3
defense, as it needs vocal leaders
to command the field. Junior Evan
Peterson fits that bill. He, along
with one of the only other twoyear
returners on the defense,
Vincent Nichols, will be leaned on
to improve on a group that gave
up 22.4 points per game.
This fall the Swedes will take on
2017 SCHEDULE
8/25 @ Holdrege
9/1 @ Ogallala
9/8 Chase County
9/15 Ord
9/22 @ Chadron
9/29 @ Broken Bow
10/6 Cozad
10/13 @ Kearney Catholic
10/19 Minden
2016 playoff team Ogallala in a
yearly rivalry, with the Indians
taking the advantage 42-35 in
2016, and will close the season
against one of the state’s best in
Kearney Catholic.
“We are still young,” Haake said.
“Some of these younger players
have a lot of playing time. We
have a young set of skilled players
who are talented, we are looking
forward to this season.”
Key Players:
Bennett Folkers (6’3’’ 180 lbs) Sr.
WR/CB
Evan Peterson (6’0’’ 160 lbs) Jr. LB
AJ Whiting (6’6” 210 lbs) Sr. WR
Midwest Truck
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310 Cottonwood Dr • Gothenburg, NE • 308-537-3224
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GOOD LUCK TO THE GOTHENBURG SWEDES!
OUR TEAM COVERING
YOUR TEAM ALL SEASON LONG
KEVIN SJUTS • SPORTS DIRECTOR
FRIDAYS AT 10 PM
TEAM FACTS
Team Name: Swedes
Class: C1
2016 Record: 6-4
Playoff Appearances: 12
Head Coach: Craig Haake
Career Record: 131-99
Assistant Coaches: Tom Scott,
Justin Dowdy, Jerry Wiggins
800-422-0361
www.ponyexpresschevy.com
(308) 537-3671 (308) 784-5556
Gothenburg Cozad
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