Scribner-Snyder loses at home to Mead

The Scribner-Snyder Trojans lost their season opener Friday night to Mead, 63-0 at home.

The Raiders led 21-0 after one. Mead won the second quarter 13-0 to take a 34-0 lead into the locker room.

The Raiders added 15 third quarter points to go up 49-0 after three.

Mead notched 14 points in the fourth quarter.

Jadyn Smeal was 2-6 passing for 40 yards.

Austin Peters made 9 tackles while Riley Meyer and Brandon Noel totaled 8 and 7, respectively.

Scribner-Snyder amassed 154 yards of offense, including 114 on the ground while giving up 418 yards of total offense, including 324 rushing.

It was a really difficult game for the Trojans no doubt, but Scribner-Snyder has to do what they can to put the game in the rearview mirror and move on.

The Trojans (0-1) host Bloomfield (0-1) Friday night.

The Bees lost 36-22 at home to Wynot this past Friday night.

This figures to be another difficult game for Scribner-Snyder.

The Trojans have to do what they can to put drives together and get stops on defense.

Scribner-Snyder had about as tough a first game as any team is going to have, but it's only the first week of the season and the Trojans are certainly capable of turning their season around.

Scribner-Snyder has to be more physical up front, and must do a better job of slowing down the run.

The Trojans also have to take care of the ball and force turnovers. Limiting penalties is critical as well.

The biggest thing for Scribner-Snyder is to continue to fight, work hard, and believe.

There can't be any quit in this team. The Trojans must keep giving it their all each week.

I don't know if Scribner-Snyder is going to beat Bloomfield, but I think the game has the potential to be a lot closer than it was last week.

It's hard to win any games giving up 63 points and scoring none, but if the Trojans can put up some points and hold the Bees down, they may have a chance.

Scribner-Snyder has to play with pride, passion, fire intensity, tenacity, toughness, and heart, and must never give up.

Winnebago loses high scoring affair at Wakefield

The Winnebago Indians fell 91-42 at Wakefield Friday night.

It appears Winnebago did some nice things offensively, but anytime you give up 91 points it's tough to win.

The Indians (0-1) are at home against Plainview (0-1) Friday night.

The Pirates lost 58-34 at home to West Holt Friday night.

Both teams can score, we know that. The question is, will anybody be able to slow anybody down? That remains to be seen.

Winnebago has to be physical at the line of scrimmage, and do what they can do slow down the run and pass.

The Indians can't let people get by them in the secondary, and must tackle well. Winnebago has to be fundamentally sound on defense.

The Indians are capable of beating Plainview, it just might take a huge offensive performance to get the job done.

If Winnebago can get into the 50's or 60's that should give them a fairly decent chance to win I would think.

I don't know a whole lot about Wakefield and their offense, but it's rare to see a team give up over 90 points.

Hopefully the Indians don't give up that much again because that would be tough for these kids' moral.

Winnebago has to keep fighting and believing, and continue to play hard until the very end no matter what.

The Indians can't feel sorry for themselves, and have to do what they can to correct their mistakes on defense and turn in a better performance on that side of the ball this week.

Pender falls at home to Clarkson/Leigh

The Pender Pendragons lost 58-50 at home to Clarkson/Leigh Friday night in a game heard on 107.9 the Bull.

Both teams scored 14 first quarter points. The Pendragons won the second quarter 14-12 to go up 28-26 at halftime.

Clarkson/Leigh outscored Pender 20-8 in the third quarter to lead 46-36 at the end of three.

The Pendragons notched 14 fourth quarter points compared to 12 for the Patriots.

Senior quarterback Dylan Roth was 14-19 passing for 156 yards with two touchdowns and an interceptions.

He added 106 yards rushing on 19 carries, and scored twice. Jared Tyrell notched 92 yards rushing on 11 carries, including a touchdown. Tyler Nelson had 77 yards on 9 carries with one score.

Braden Peters made 10 tackles while Leland Bowder totaled 9.

Pender totaled 456 yards of total offense compared to 400 for Clarkson/Leigh. The Pendragons rushed for 350 yards, but gave up 367.

Head Coach Andy Welsh was pleased with Roth and the rest of the team. "To be honest you go into a season and you don't know what you're going to have. You practice against yourself all year, you don't know what the opponent's going to do. You really don't know how you're going to play against opponents. And you got to come out blind. And I was pretty happy with the way we came out. We did some really good things offensively. Defensively, we had stops, we had guys there, but they have a heck of a quarterback. He's going to score a lot of points this year. And we just made too many mistakes at the end to capitalize on those things. It was a fun game to be in, unfortunately we were just on the wrong end of the stick."

Pender (1-0) travels to Ewing on Friday to battle CWCE (Chambers/Wheeler Central/Ewing).

CWCE blew out Niobrara/Verdigre 58-0 at home this past Friday night.

CWCE is obviously a very good team, but so are the Pendragons.

Pender has to be feeling optimistic about their chances on Friday.

I say that because I think a lot of people felt the Pendragons would beat Clarkson/Leigh, but it didn't happen.

Perhaps Pender will be better served playing the underdog role.

Whatever the case may be, the Pendragons have to go out there and be ready to give CWCE all they can handle for four quarters.

Pender has to go into the game expecting to win, and can't play not to lose.

It's never easy to bounce back from a loss, but the Pendragons have to do what they can to put the game with the Patriots in the rearview mirror.

Nothing can be done about it now, all Pender can do is continue to improve on offense and fix some things defensively.

Defense is going to be big in this game, in my opinion. The Pendragons are going to need to get some stops to have a chance I think.

CWCE pitched a shutout last week while Pender gave up 58 points so we'll see if the Pendragons can do any better on defense, and continue their outstanding offensive play.

Howells-Dodge wins at East Butler

The Howells-Dodge Jaguars won 18-6 at East Butler Friday night.

The Tigers led 6-0 after the first quarter, the Howells-Dodge scored 6 points in each of the next three quarters to earn the victory.

Dylan Horejsi rushed for 104 yards on 22 carries, and scored once. Dax VanLengen was 5-7 passing with 120 yards and a touchdown.

Jordan Brichacek caught a 54-yard touchdown pass.

Zach Bayer amassed 11 tackles while Brichacek had 10.

The Jaguars totaled 284 yards of offense while giving up 258.

Head Coach Mike Speirs says inexperienced players stepped up and led the team to the win. "It was a great win for us considering how inexperienced we are this season. We had a lot of kids make major contributions who had never been in a varsity football game."

Speirs adds reading the Tigers' offense was one thing his defense did well. "I think our kids did two things very well to help us out defensively. First, the kids did a great job of recognizing where they needed to be and what East Butler was trying to do offensively, and second, I thought they tackled really well."

Howells-Dodge (1-0 hosts Osmond (0-1) Friday night.

The Tigers lost 44-6 at home to defending D-2 State Champion Humphrey St. Francis this past Friday night.

Speirs says his team is going to have to play well offensively and defensively to be in the game. "Osmond will be another huge challenge for us. In order to compete with them we will once again need to be on our toes defensively and recognize what they are trying to do offensively. When we have the ball we need to execute our plays against their extremely aggressive defense."

It's really hard to get a read on the Tigers and where they're at so far this season, but the Jaguars certainly appear to be in good shape so far.

Speirs says his team has to keep getting better. "We have to continue to focus on all the little things that go along with the game of football. Each week is such a big experience for our kids who have not been in many varsity football games, and we need to continue to build off that experience."

Osmond will certainly be a formidable foe for Howells-Dodge, but given how the Jaguars played last week, one has to like their chances of winning again.

With that said, there has to be cautious optimism around this program. Howells-Dodge played great last week, but there's still a long ways to go, and this team has to remain focused just like they were last week.

This game against the Tigers is a chance for the Jaguars to shine, and take another step getting back to the form Howells-Dodge was before last year.

Howells-Dodge is certainly doing well so far, they simply have to keep it up.

Guardian Angels Central Catholic wins opener against Nebraska Christian

The Guardian Angels Central Catholic Bluejays opened up the season at home Friday night with a 28-14 win over Nebraska Christian.

GACC led 6-0 after one. The Bluejays won the second quarter 14-0 to lead 20-0 at halftime.

The Eagles put up 8 third quarter points to make it a 20-8 game after three.

GACC outscored Nebraska Christian 8-6 in the fourth quarter.

Nolan Plagge was 10-20 passing with 113 yards and an interception. He added 68 yards rushing on 20 carries, including a score.

Andrew Guenther made 5 receptions for 61 yards.

Connor Klitz made a team-high 16 tackles. Plagge added 9 while Guenther and Cole Kreikemeier notched 8 apiece. Jacob Yosten totaled 7.

The Bluejays racked up 227 yards of total offense and held the Eagles to just 144.

It wasn't typical GACC domination Friday night, but the Bluejays still won, and it all counts the same. A win is a win.

GACC (1-0) travels to Leigh Friday night to battle Clarkson/Leigh (1-0).

The Patriots downed Pender 58-50 this past Friday night.

The Bluejays are going to have to do everything they can to contain and slow down Clarkson/Leigh's Bradley Bunner.

He rushed for 284 yards and 8 touchdowns against Pender.

If there's ever a team to slow him down though it is GACC.

The Bluejays need to come up with a good game plan to try and prevent him from doing heavy damage.

If you're GACC, make someone else beat you.

This is going to be a very difficult game for the Bluejays, but GACC is definitely capable of winning, in my opinion.

The Bluejays have had their backs against the wall before I'm sure, and this week is no different than the past.

A lot of people might be thinking the Patriots are going to win, and they very well could, but don't count out or underestimate GACC.

There's still a lot of pride and tradition in this Bluejay program, and you can bet GACC will bring the lunch pail with them to Leigh.

It will be interesting to see what happens. I think this is a game that could go either way with the team that commits the fewest turnovers and penalties winning.

Clarkson/Leigh wins shootout at Pender

The Clarkson/Leigh Patriots opened up the season with an impressive 58-50 win at Pender Friday night.

Both teams scored 14 first quarter points. The Pendragons won the second quarter 14-12 to go up 28-26 at halftime.

Clarkson/Leigh outscored Pender 20-8 in the third quarter to lead 46-36 at the end of three.

The Pendragons notched 14 fourth quarter points compared to 12 for the Patriots.

Quarterback Bradley Bunner was a man amongst boys as he had 284 yards on 24 carries, and scored 8, yes 8, touchdowns. Hector Mendoza added 51 yards on 4 carries.

Head Coach Jim Clarkson says Bunner, the only returning starter from last year, had a heck of a game. "You know we got a long way to go. There's a lot of sloppiness going on, but he's a heck of a player, and the kids kind of rally around him. And our guys are coming along, hopefully we can keep developing and learn something from this, and get better throughout the year we hope."

Bunner added 21 tackles while Paxten Indra and Jacob Gall added 7 each.

Clarkson/Leigh totaled 400 yards of offense while giving up 456.

I must say I knew Bunner was good, but I didn't know he was this good.

What an outstanding performance from that young man.

The Patriots (1-0) host Guardian Angels Central Catholic (1-0) Friday night.

The Bluejays defeated Nebraska Christian 28-14 at home this past Friday night.

Both teams lost a lot from last year, and neither team is expected to be as good this year as they were last year.

Clarkson/Leigh didn't really miss a beat against Pender though.

If anything, the Patriots picked up right where they left off from last season.

Clarkson/Leigh certainly did a lot of nice things Friday night, but they're going to have to play really well again to beat GACC.

The Bluejays appear to be strong on both sides of the ball. I would say their defense is better than the Patriots', but I would say Clarkson/Leigh is stronger on offense.

It should be a good game, and this is the Patriots' chance to knock off a powerhouse.

Clarkson/Leigh has to take care of the ball and create some turnovers.

Football is a game of momentum, and momentum could certainly change hands in this game many times.

This game being in Leigh really helps the Patriots I think. It's usually easier to win at home than on the road so the game being at home should be to Clarkson/Leigh's benefit.

It would be a huge deal for the Patriots to knock off the Bluejays, and I think Clarkson/Leigh is certainly capable of getting the job done.

Tekamah-Herman downs Omaha Brownell-Talbot in Overtime

The Tekamah-Herman Tigers snapped a 9-game losing streak, winning 33-27 in overtime at Omaha Brownell-Talbot Friday night.

Tekamah-Herman gave up 311 yards of offense, including 274 on the ground.

Head Coach Graig McElmuray says his team never gave up. "First I want to say that I am proud of our kids and they way they played the game. There were more opportunities to give up and quit during the game and they didn’t."

McElmuray adds his team responded well to adversity. "We lost our starting QB Cody Hopkins mid way through the third quarter right after he threw his second TD of the game to Drew Schmidt.  Our back up Brandon Schram got his feet underneath of him and lead us on a game tying 90 yard drive that was capped off with a touchdown pass to Drew Schmidt. In overtime, our defense stepped up and held Brownell-Talbot to a negative 15 yards. Then blocked their field goal attempt."

He summarizes the team's scoring drive in OT. "It took us three plays to score in overtime. The first two plays gained 7 yards both hand offs to Ben Metzler, then our QB Brandon Schram took it up the inside for the 3-yard touchdown run."

Here are some stats for the Tigers:

Cody Hopkins was 10 of 18 for 137 2 TD’s 1 INT 1 TD run and rushed 9 for 67 Yards
Brandon Schram was 6-14 for 108 Yards 1 TD 1 two Point Conversion, and a TD run. 
Ben Metzler ran 21 times for 97 Yards plus a 2 point conversion catch.
Drew Schmidt had 5 Catches for 121 Yards, 2 Tds 1 OPI
Dustin Pickell had 3 catches for 69 Yards 1 OPI

Tekamah-Herman (1-0) is at Ponca (1-0) Friday night.

The Indians downed Archbishop Bergan 27-26 on the road last Thursday night.

McElmuray says his team looks forward to what lies ahead. "Ponca – They played a great game against Bergan. We will take this week of practice and improve our play on both sides of the ball. I do not know what the outcome of the game will be, but it will be fun to watch! It will be even more fun to play and coach!"

Talk about two teams who struggled last year going at it as much improved teams this season.

One of these teams is going to be 2-0 after Friday night, and there's certainly a good chance that it's the Tigers.

Tekamah-Herman won one tough road game, so there's no doubt they can do it again.

I think Ponca is better than Omaha Brownell-Talbot, and if anything that should excite and jack the Tigers up even more.

As good as Tekamah-Herman played last week, I think they are going to need to play even better this week to come out on top.

Ponca can be a tough place to play, but the Tigers are definitely capable of going up there and coming away with a win.

This is an intriguing game if you ask me. I'm not sure anyone thought this matchup would be this big at this time a week ago.

Tekamah-Herman has to keep their composure, and play well for four quarters. If the Tigers can limit turnovers and force some of their own, they should have a chance to win.

Wisner-Pilger falls at Crofton

The Wisner-Pilger Gators dropped their season opener at Crofton, falling 28-6.

Here is a recap of the scoring:

First Quarter

Crofton--Jaden Janssen 58 Yd TD Pass to Grant Wragge
PAT Good Wragge

Second Quarter

Crofton
Tanner Crosley 11 YD TD run--PAT Good Wragge
Crofton
Tanner Crosley 1 YD TD Run--PAT Good Wragge

Third Quarter

Crofton
Tanner Crosley 9 YD TD Run--PAT Good-Wragge

Fourth Quarter

Wisner-Pilger
Cooper Von Seggern 3 yd TD run---Pat Failed

A 28-6 loss is nothing to be thrilled with, but I thought Wisner-Pilger hung in there and competed hard. The score certainly could have been a lot worse than it was.

The Gators (0-1) host rival Stanton (1-0) Friday night.

The Mustangs beat Elmwood-Murdock 41-7 on the road Friday night.

Stanton is obviously a very good team, but this is a rivalry game and anything can happen.

Wisner-Pilger has to believe in themselves and play their hearts out Friday night.

The Gators can't be scared of the Mustangs. Wisner-Pilger has to take the fight to Stanton, and give the Mustangs all they can handle for four quarters.

You can bet emotions will be running high in this game, and the Gators have to do what they can to keep their composure.

The team that is smart and doesn't commit the silly, bonehead penalties will put themselves in the best position to win I think.

Wisner-Pilger has to play optimistic football and execute at a high level.

The Gators have to get excited and be energized for this game. The contest doesn't figure to be the easiest for Wisner-Pilger so the Gators have to maximize their potential and do everything they can to give Stanton a good game.

Win or lose, Wisner-Pilger needs a solid outing heading into the West Point-Beemer game.

The Gators would like to have as much momentum as possible heading into that game with the Cadets being a C-1 foe.

Stanton wins big at Elmwood-Murdock

The Stanton Mustangs opened up their season Friday night with a 41-7 win at Elmwood-Murdock.

Stanton scored 21 second quarter points to lead 21-0 at halftime after neither team scored in the first quarter.

The Mustangs won the third quarter 14-0 to go up 35-0 at the end of three. The Knights put up 7 fourth quarter points compared to 6 for Stanton.

Trey Erbst carried the ball 4 times for 131 yards and a touchdown. Kadyn Fernau added 104 yards on 7 carries, including a score.

Hunter Stallbaum was 4-5 passing with 102 yards and a touchdown.

Myles Nickolite made 3 receptions for 75 yards, and scored once.

Stanton had 389 yards of total offense, including 287 on the ground. The defense surrendered 254 yards of offense, 160 coming on the ground.

This was a dominant win for the Mustangs. It was exactly the type of win Stanton needed to start the season.

The Mustangs (1-0) are at Wisner-Pilger (0-1) Friday night.

The Gators lost 28-6 at Crofton in their season opener.

Stanton should win, but this is a rivalry game and anything can happen.

The Mustangs can't take Wisner-Pilger lightly, and must be ready to have a performance similar to the Elmwood-Murdock game.

It's important for Stanton to get this game with Cross County and Logan View coming to town in the coming weeks.

You always want to beat the Gators if you are the Mustangs, and this game is as important as any for Stanton.

You can bet both teams will be jacked up for this game, and will look to get after one another.

This is a rivalry game, and nothing would surprise me in this one. I'm not suggesting chippy or dirty play as I hope this is a clean game, but I could see this game being closer than if it wasn't a rivalry game.

The Mustangs have to be excited to go into Wisner with the chance of knocking off the Gators on their home field.

This should be an electric atmosphere with both teams' fans cheering loud and hard for their respective team.

You can bet emotions will be running high all the way around, which should make for a high energy game.

Oakland-Craig wins season opener at Malcolm

The Oakland-Craig Knights won their season opener Friday night, 34-3 at Malcolm.

Oakland-Craig led 6-3 after one. The Knights scored 8 points in each the second and third quarters, and led 14-3 at halftime, and 22-3 at the end of three.

Oakland-Craig shutout the Clippers 12-0 in the fourth quarter to make up the final score.

Hoss Smith had 161 yards rushing on 28 carries, and scored four touchdowns.

Head Coach Joe Anderson says the Knights have come to expect that type of effort from him. "You're going to get a great effort from Hoss every night. He is a very physical back, with the speed to make big plays as well. He is one of our main leaders out there and it is important to keep him on the field on both sides of the ball."

Anderson adds it was a complete team effort all the way around. "First of all we played very well on the defensive side of the ball. We held them to 3 first downs (all on the first drive) and 80 total yards. Offensively we controlled the line of scrimmage, and our backs really ran hard all night. I thought Ben Smith really gave us a big lift (11 carries for 83 yards). It gave us another weapon out there besides Hoss. Evan Reinert also played very solid in his first start at QB. He made good decisions for us all night long."

Reinert finished 9-14 passing with 90 yards and a touchdown.

Oakland-Craig amassed 384 yards of offense, including 294 on the ground.

It was simply another outstanding performance from the Knights.

Anderson says it was a good team win. "It was a very good win for us on Friday night. Our guys really came out and played physical for 4 quarters. This was a big game for us, as there was a lot of guys out there starting for the first time. They gained a lot of confidence throughout the night."

Oakland-Craig (1-0) hosts Battle Creek (1-0) Friday night in a rematch of last year's Class C-2 State Semifinals.

The Braves downed Yutan 20-14 at home Friday night.

Anderson says his squad is going to have to play a complete game to knock off Battle Creek. "It is going to take a great effort to beat Battle Creek. They are a very big, physical team that is fundamentally sound. They have great athletes across the board. I am probably most impressed with their defense. They are so physical and play really fast and downhill. Our line is really going to have to step up their game this week. We will need to create creases for Hoss and Ben to run through. We will also need to play a really clean game. We will have to limit our penalties and we must win the turnover battle."

The Knights downed the Braves 27-14 in last year's state semifinals. Anderson says his team is ready to go at it with Battle Creek again. "Our guys are excited for the challenge. They know Battle Creek is one of the best teams in the state. We are looking forward to see if we can play at that level again this year."

This is a battle of two heavyweights. Two of the better teams in Class C-2 will be going at it Friday night in Oakland.

I really think the Knights have a good chance to knock off the Braves again.

I feel like Oakland-Craig is just as strong if not stronger than they were a year ago, and I really don't know about Battle Creek.

Yutan is a really good team, but the Braves didn't blow them out of the water like they did teams last year.

With that said, Battle Creek is still a quality team and this should be another classic battle between two outstanding programs.

Logan View wins Sealey's debut

The Logan View Raiders won Friday night's season opener at Palmyra, 28-6.

Head Coach Dustin Sealey says it was a good first win. "It is always nice to win your first game no matter if it is the first ever game at a school. I am happy for our players and program. It is the first step in the right direction."



I was really impressed with this team Friday night, at least based on the score.


Sealey says his team executed and made plays on both sides of the ball. "I thought we were aggressive and tackled very well on defense. Offensively, we ran the option very well."

That is a very good sign for Logan View. Sealey says his team is solid at the moment, but feels they can be even better. "Right now we are a good team. I know we have the talent to be a great team. We just need to keep getting better every day."

The Raiders (1-0) host Central City (0-1) Friday night.

The Bison lost 38-22 at Centennial this past Friday night.

Sealey views this matchup as just another game. "They are another team on our schedule. It is going to take good pass defense and a great performance on our offensive line."

Central City was very good last year, but doesn't appear to be quite as good this year.

This is still a big game for Logan View though, in my opinion.

I would say the Bison are a little bit better than Palmyra so the Raiders must be ready to play just as well if not better than they did against the Panthers.

This is a really important game for Logan View. The Raiders have this game before back-to-back road games against Yutan and Stanton.

Logan View needs to play well and at a really high level to defeat Central City in my mind.

You can bet the Raiders will get the Bison's best shot so Logan View has to be ready to play.

If it's anything like the first week of the season then the Raiders and their fans are in for a real treat.

I know it's only one game, but this team appears to be headed in the right direction already.

Logan View didn't just beat Palmyra, they beat them soundly. The Raiders need that same type of effort Friday night against Central City.

It's Logan View's home opener, and the Raiders have to be excited for it.

Bancroft-Rosalie-Lyons-Decatur drops first game to Hartington Cedar Catholic

The Bancroft-Rosalie-Lyons-Decatur Wolverines lost their inaugural game Friday night, losing 27-8 at home to Hartington Cedar Catholic.

Head Coach Dan Maresh says he was pleased with his team with it being their first game. "Oh I was really proud of our performance. A lot stacked against us that first game. The whole jumping up to C-2 plus playing 11-man for the first time with those kids.

It was a tough way for BRLD to start the season, but the Trojans are a very good team, and a loss to them is certainly only something to learn from.

The Wolverines (0-1) host Crofton (1-0) Friday night.

The Warriors defeated Wisner-Pilger 28-6 at home this past Friday night.

That was a big win for Crofton, but it's not like the Warriors blew the Gators out of the water. And I would say, based on that score, that BRLD has a chance to compete with and knock off Crofton.

The Wolverines are certainly going to need to be much better offensively, and will need to establish physicality at the line of scrimmage, but if BRLD does those things, they should put themselves in a position to be successful.

Maresh says his squad has to capitalize on offense. "Execution on offense, especially when we get to the red zone. Taking advantage of opportunities. They did a great job last week of stopping the run with their front 7. We need to be able to exploit that front 7 and make them bring extra into the box. And hopefully we can execute in the passing game a little bit this week."

The Wolverines have to put the season opener behind them. It's over, it's in the past, and all BRLD can do now is move on and focus on the Warriors.

Crofton is a very good team, just like Hartington Cedar Catholic, there's no doubt about that, so the Wolverines are going to have to bring their "A" game to get the job done.

BRLD has to take care of the ball and create turnovers to be successful, in my opinion.

The Wolverines have to execute and do the little things well in order to knock off the Warriors.

It's important for BRLD to keep getting better. The next two games don't figure to be a whole lot easier than the game against the Trojans so the Wolverines can't afford to regress.

Friday night's game is big with the next two being on the road.

There's a big difference between being 0-2 and going on the road, and being 1-1 heading into back-to-back road games.

Listen to Friday night's game on 107.9 the Bull. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. in Bancroft with pregame at 6:40.

West Point-Beemer loses opener to Arlington

The West Point-Beemer Cadets had a rough go of things in Troy Schlueter's debut as Head Coach Friday night as they lost 41-0 at home to Arlington.

The Eagles led 6-0 at the end of one. The second quarter was huge for Arlington as they outscored the Cadets 20-0 to take a 26-0 lead into the locker room.

The Eagles added 8 third quarter points to go up 34-0 at the end of three. Arlington notched another touchdown in the fourth quarter to make up the final score.

Kade Hughes totaled 8 tackles while Jackson Hoffman made 7.

West Point-Beemer amassed just 69 yards of total offense while the Eagles totaled 462.

It was certainly a tough start to the season for the Cadets. Things just didn't go West Point-Beemer's way whatsoever, and it was a big win for Arlington.

The Cadets (0-1) are at North Bend Central (1-0) Friday night.

The Tigers won 19-7 at Louisville in their opener last week.

North Bend Central beat West Point-Beemer 28-25 at home last year.

That's a game in which the Cadets held a 19-0 lead, and simply let things get away.

There's no doubt West Point-Beemer will be seeking revenge, and will want to have a much better showing than they did last week.

It all starts up front for the Cadets. West Point-Beemer was outgained 305-43 on the ground last week, and it's hard to win with that kind of discrepancy on the ground.

The Cadets have to get fired up and believe in themselves. West Point-Beemer is capable of putting things together and beating the Tigers, they just have to put their minds to it.

You want to get better as a team every week, and I think the Cadets will play better against North Bend Central than they did against Arlington.

Win or lose, West Point-Beemer needs to play well in order to gain momentum for the Wisner-Pilger game.

Season openers are always difficult, and now that the Cadets have it out of the way, it's time to bear down, get after things, and play good football.

North Bend Central was the underdog last season and won, so there's no reason why West Point-Beemer can't return the favor Friday night.

North Bend Central wins opener

The North Bend Central Tigers got the season started on a high note, knocking off Louisville 19-7 on the road Friday night.

North Bend Central scored 6 points in each the first and second quarters to lead 12-0 at the break. The Lions scored their lone touchdown in the third quarter to make it a 12-7 game at the end of three. The Tigers sealed the deal in the fourth quarter with a touchdown.

Dawson Poessnecker rushed for 76 yards on 21 carries. Joel Hines added 66 yards on the ground on 9 carries, including a score.

Hines was 8-19 passing for 131 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.

Colton Mitties hauled in 2 passes for 54 yards, and scored once. Peter Emanuel caught 3 balls for 46 yards, scoring once.

Brock Ray racked up a team-high 12 tackles while Poessnecker had 7.

North Bend Central totaled 314 yards of offense, including 183 on the ground. The defense gave up 220 yards.

Head Coach Ryan Stieren says his team did the little things well and executed in all facets of the game. "The recipe for winning is playing well on defense, winning field position on special teams, and taking care of the ball and executing on offense. We played really well defensively and on special teams. Offensively, we made enough big plays and took care of the ball, for the most part. Turnovers were a key part of the game. They turned it over to us at crucial times and we only gave it away one time."

Any time you take care of the ball and don't turn it over, good things are going to happen. And the Tigers certainly proved that theory correct Friday night.

Stieren says he's glad for his players, but there's more work to be done. "I am happy for the kids. Winning games is not easy and it has been really difficult for North Bend Central the last 3 years, so I am happy for the seniors to get off to a 1-0 start. But, we must get our minds focused on what's next and continue to improve each week."

The Tigers (1-0) host West Point-Beemer (0-1) Friday night.

The Cadets lost 41-0 at home to Arlington in their first game of the season.

North Bend Central defeated West Point-Beemer 28-25 at home last year despite the fact the Cadets held a 19-0 advantage in that game.

The Tigers get West Point-Beemer at home again, and I think North Bend Central has a good chance to be 2-0 after Friday night's game.

The way the Tigers played in their opener and how the Cadets looked against the Eagles would suggest North Bend Central is in store for a win.

However, West Point-Beemer won their opener last year and the Tigers were rolled by Pierce in their season opener a year ago so don't underestimate the Cadets.

West Point-Beemer will no doubt be seeking revenge, and will be looking to get back on track with a win.

North Bend Central has to be ready to play four quarters of football. The Tigers have to be ready to roar from the get go, and must continue to do the little and fundamental things well to knock off the Cadets.

Football is a game for the tough, and North Bend Central has to be mentally and physically tough against West Point-Beemer.

The Tigers have to win the battle at the line of scrimmage, and be the more physical team. Running and passing the ball the way they did against Louisville will be critical for North Bend Central, in my opinion.

Winnebago hopes to build on last year's wins

Team: Winnebago

Mascot: Indians

Colors: Blue and White

Class: D-1

Head Coach: Adam James (9th season)

2015 record: 2-6

Returning Starters: N/A


Overview:

The Winnebago Indians look to build off last year's two wins as they take to the gridiron once again this season.

Winnebago had a big come from behind win against Cedar Bluffs last year, but it didn't really lead to much good fortune for the Indians the rest of the season like I'm sure the team was hoping it would.

The Indians are going to have to be much better defensively this season as they gave up 48 points or more in 7 of their 8 games last year.

I'm sure these kids will work hard and try their best, and that's all you can ask for.

Winnebago is ineligible for the playoffs so their season is really all about pride

The Indians are playing the game for the right reasons, which is pride and participation.

Football should be fun, and Winnebago's play has to reflect that this season.

The Indians need to make drastic strides on both sides of the ball if they want to be better this season though.

Winnebago scored single digits 3 times last year, and doing that isn't going to win you many games.

The Indians need to be as dynamic as possible, and work as hard as they can to improve throughout the season.

Winnebago has to play with heart, pride, passion, guts, relentlessness, and determination.

Things won't be easy or handed to the Indians this season so Winnebago is going to need to earn everything they get.


Season Outlook:

Winnebago appears to have a legitimate shot to win at least half of their games this season, in my opinion.

The Indians open up the season at Wakefield before taking on Plainview at home the second week of the season.

Following a bye, Winnebago hosts Hartington-Newcastle in mid-September.

The Indians are at Omaha Christian Academy and Pender to end September before opening October with a home game against rival Omaha Nation.

Winnebago hosts GACC in their final home game of the season before traveling up the road to Homer in the regular season finale.

Looking at the schedule, I would say all but two games are very winnable for the Indians.

GACC and Pender will be tough, but every other game could be considered a toss up, in my opinion.

It would be quite the feat for Winnebago to go 6-2, and it's a record that's achievable if the Indians put their minds to it.

Winnebago has to find some of the magic they have had on the basketball court and transfer it to the gridiron.

The Indians have to play with confidence and swagger, and can't be scared of anyone they play.

Winnebago has to give it their all game in and game out, and continue to improve everyday.

You either get better or worse as the season progresses, you never stay the same. And the Indians hope they improve as a team over the course of the season to be successful.


2016 Winnebago Indians Football Schedule:

08/26/16 @ Wakefield
09/02/16 Plainview
09/16/16 Hartington-Newcastle
09/23/16 @ Omaha Christian Academy
09/30/16 @ Pender
10/07/16 Omaha Nation
10/14/16 Guardian Angels Central Catholic
10/21/16 @ Homer

Pender looking for another good campaign

Team: Pender

Mascot: Pendragons

Colors: Red and White

Class: D-1

Head Coach: Andy Welsh (2nd season)

2015 record: 6-3 (lost to Neligh-Oakdale in first round of playoffs)

Returning Starters: 5 offense 5 defense


Overview:

After turning things around in 2015, the Pender Pendragons are back for more in 2016 as they hope to be good again.

Senior QB Dylan Roth (6'0, 170) returns for Pender as does Senior James Bensen (5'10, 195),

Roth threw for 714 yards and 9 TD's a season ago while Bensen rushed for 830 yards and 11 TD's, and caught 18 passes for 310 yards and 4 TD's.

Junior Tyler Nelson (5'10, 170) joins Roth and Bensen in the offensive backfield after rushing for over 500 yards last season.

Sophomore Jaydon Jump (5'11, 175) and Jared Tyrell (5'6, 145) also help make up the skill positions.

On the offensive line, seniors Leland Bowder (5'11, 175) and Brayden Bensen (5'11, 220) return. Junior Layne Hesse (6'0, 185) and junior Jesse Thompson (5'11, 210) will also compete for spots up front.

Bensen, Bowder, and Brady Oliver return as linebackers, with Jump expected to see time at the position as well.

Roth and Tyrell help make up the secondary with Jump potentially seeing playing time in the defensive backfield also.

Hesse and Thompson are expected to see playing time on the defensive line.

I don't think there's any doubt the Pendragons can be good again this year.

Pender turned their program around last year, and I look for the Pendragons to have another good season this year.

Lorenzo Duenas and Devin Soll are obviously big losses, but Pender still has the horses to compete with anyone they play and have another really good season, in my opinion.

Bob Jensen of the Huskerland Prep Report says he was impressed with the Pendragons' passion and excitement when he was up there.

"The thing that got me was just the enthusiasm. The enthusiasm in the program. Kids were excited, they were working hard. And especially at the high school level that's a lot of winning right there."

Pender will need to continue to work hard throughout this season to be good. The Pendragons can't be complacent and satisfied with what they did last year. Pender has to remain hungry, and want more.


Season Outlook:


A challenging schedule awaits Pender, but the Pendragons figure to find success on the gridiron again this year despite the fact the schedule is tough.

Pender opens up the season next Friday at home against Clarkson/Leigh before taking on CWCE (Chambers/Wheeler Central/Ewing) to start the month of September.

The Pendragons have a bye week before playing Wakefield at home and taking on Homer on the road.

Pender battles Winnebago at home the following week before their rematch with Neligh-Oakdale on the road.

The Pendragons conclude the home portion of their schedule against Omaha Nation before wrapping up the regular season at Guardian Angels Central Catholic.

Pender's toughest games appear to be at CWCE, Neligh-Oakdale, and GACC.

I could see the Pendragons losing all three of those games, but something tells me Pender finds a way to win at least one of them.

I look for the Pendragons to finish 6-2 again and perhaps host a playoff game.

A win in of those three road games I listed above would be a huge confidence boost heading into the playoffs, should Pender make it that far.

I think the Pendragons could be out to prove they can play with anyone, and want to take the next step and become an elite team.

It's hard to envision Pender going 8-0 in the regular season, but anything can happen.

The Pendragons have to go into every game believing they can win. Pender has to play to win, and not not to lose.

Roth, Bensen, and Nelson need to have big seasons offensively if this team is to be good again. The Pendragons also need to remain injury free and have good line play.

Pender has to find ways to slow down teams' ground games, and must be solid in the tackling department.

Winning the turnover battle every game is also going to be critical to the Pendragons' success, in my opinion.

One way or another, it should be another season to remember for Pender.


2016 Pender Pendragons Football Schedule:

08/26/16 Clarkson/Leigh
09/02/16 @ CWCE
09/16/16 Wakefield
09/23/16 @ Homer
09/30/16 Winnebago
10/07/16 @ Neligh-Oakdale
10/14/16 Omaha Nation
10/21/16 @ Guardian Angels Central Catholic

GACC figuring to be solid again

Team: Guardian Angels Central Catholic

Mascot: Bluejays

Colors: Blue and White

Class: D-1

Head Coach: Dave Ridder (14th season)

2015 record: 10-1 (lost in state quarterfinals to BDS)

Returning Starters: 4 offense 4 defense


Overview:

After blowing out opponents and going undefeated in the regular season before falling to eventual state champion BDS in 2015, the Guardian Angels Central Catholic Bluejays come back in 2016 looking for more.

Gone are the likes of Tanner Hass and Tanner Ortmeier, but GACC still has plenty of talent across the board, including Senior QB Nolan Plagge (6'1, 180), who threw for 939 yards and 11 TD's and rushed for 582 yards and 22 TD's a season ago.

Senior Mitch Hass (6'2, 180) will be joined in the backfield by Cole Kreikemeier (5'8, 150) and Kobe Slaughter (6'0, 170).

Senior Sheldon Disher (6'3, 210), junior Michael Baumert (5'10, 190), Jacob Yosten (5'10, 240), and Jayden Rahn (6'2, 210) help make up the offensive line while senior Andrew Guenther (6'0, 170) returns at tight end.

On defense, Guenther, Plagge, and Hass will play linebacker while Slaughter will lead the secondary.

Yosten, Disher, and Baumert, along with senior Gage Huebbert (6'3, 195) will play defensive line for the Bluejays.

GACC may not be as good as they were last year, but still expect the Bluejays to win the majority of their games and be really competitive.

GACC has an excellent athletic tradition, and I'm sure this year's football team will do everything in their power to keep the ball rolling.

I think the Bluejays have a chance to go 8-0 again in the regular season, although their schedule could land them a fairly low seed in the playoffs even if they have another undefeated regular season.

I don't think this year's GACC team will be as dynamic as last year's team was, but this is a program that knows how to win, and I expect the Bluejays to go on and have another fine season this year.

GACC might slip up a time or two in the regular season, but expect the Bluejays to host a home playoff game, and at the very least, reach the second round of the playoffs this season.


Season Outlook:

After going undefeated in the regular season and reaching the state quarterfinals last year, GACC figures to be good again this year. Bob Jensen of the Huskerland Prep Report says Plagge and Disher are players to watch for the Bluejays. "They've got some really nice players. Nolan Plagge coming back at quarterback is another one of those guys he's just a good player. There's a lot of people that are away from that area that maybe don't understand exactly how good that kid is simply because last year Tanner Hass was such a big deal. But him and Sheldon Disher are a couple of kids that are All-State caliber players."

GACC opens up the season at home against Nebraska Christian next Friday before going on the road and playing Clarkson/Leigh and Plainview to start the month of September.

GACC has a difficult mid-September game against Nebraska City Lourdes at home before traveling to Macy to take on Omaha Nation.

The Bluejays host Homer before traveling to Winnebago in October.

GACC concludes the regular season at home against Pender on October 21st.

The toughest games for the Bluejays figure to be the Clarkson/Leigh, Nebraska City Lourdes, and Pender contests.

GACC is definitely capable of winning all three of those games, but if the Bluejays can get two of those three and win the rest of their games that would be pretty respectable.

There's no doubt GACC can be good again this year, it's just going to take a lot of hard work, dedication, and determination on the part of the Bluejays to be solid again.

GACC has to get better as the season goes along, and must make positive strides everyday.

The Bluejays have to play with tremendous heart, pride, and passion all season long, and hustle and give it their all on every play in practice and in games.

GACC has to play with maximum effort at all times, and be the best they can be.

There's a lot that can be accomplished this season, including a district title, so we'll see if the Bluejays have what it takes to get the job done again this year.


2016 Guardian Angels Central Catholic Football Schedule:

08/26/16 Nebraska Christian
09/02/16 @ Clarkson/Leigh
09/09/16 @ Plainview
09/16/16 Lourdes Central Catholic
09/23/16 @ Omaha Nation
10/07/16 Homer
10/14/16 @ Winnebago
10/21/16 Pender

North Bend Central hoping to turn corner in 2016

Team: North Bend Central

Mascot: Tigers

Colors: Orange and Black

Class: C-1

Head Coach: Ryan Stieren (1st season)

2015 record: 1-8

Returning Starters: 5 offense 7 defense


Overview:

The North Bend Central Tigers hope to be much improved under Ryan Stieren, who takes over for Tony Allgood after previously serving as an assistant.

Stieren returns five starters on offense and seven on defense.

The returners include Dawson Poessnecker (RB/WR/FS 6’0, 185 Sr.), Joel Hines (WR/QB/OLB 5’8, 165 Jr.), Camden Stephenson (MLB 5’11, 190 Sr.), Brock Ray (RB/ MLB 5’10, 200 Jr.), Jayton Frank (OLB 6’1, 185 Sr.), Shane Hansen (OL/DL 5’10, 215 Sr.), and Trenton Johnston (OL/DL 6’4, 320 Sr.).

There are a number of other returning letterwinners for North Bend Central as well, including
Colton Mitties (WR /OLB 6’0, 185 Jr.),  Brandon Wardman (WR /DB 5’10 165 Jr.), Trevor Nelson (OL/MLB 5’10, 195 So.), Zander Ziettlow OL/DL 5’10, 240 So.), Jeremy Doernemann (OL/DL 5’9, 210 So.), Tyler Doernemann (OL/DL 5’10, 200 Sr.), Brian Wirka OL/DL 5’9, 220 Sr.), Shadrick Westerman OL/OLB 5’9, 185 Sr.), and James Seymour (TE/OLB 6’5, 220 Jr.).

Stieren says there are question marks, but potential with this team. "I believe that we can make a jump from where we have been. Although we do not have a huge number of returning starters, we do have a lot of kids who saw a good amount of playing time last fall. Also, a good number of our returning starters have started or have gotten significant playing time since their sophomore season. Depth is a concern at some spots. And also, we need someone to emerge at the quarterback position."

It will be interesting to see if the Tigers can get things turned around. I think this program has the potential to be good in the future, it just might take some time.

There are some very winnable games on the schedule for North Bend Central though, and if they can win the games they're supposed to, I could see the Tigers doing as well as 6-3.

I think that's best case scenario for North Bend Central. They're in a pretty tough district, and have to play some powerhouses. It's not to say the Tigers can't spring upsets in all three tough games, it's just going to be very difficult.

At the very least, North Bend Central can lay a foundation for future success this year.

The Tigers no doubt want to get things turned around, and this year is as important as any.

This program hasn't had much success the last couple of years, and I'm sure the players and coaches are chomping at the bit to get things turned around.

It's a new era at North Bend Central, a fresh start, and a chance to have success.


Season Outlook:

There are a lot of winnable games on the schedule for the Tigers this season.

North Bend Central opens up the season at Louisville, a very beatable team.

The Tigers then return home for a game with West Point-Beemer, who they beat last year.

North Bend Central visits C-2 foe Tekamah-Herman the following week before taking on Madison at home in mid-September.

After a bye week, the Tigers open up district play at Wahoo.

North Bend Central starts the month of October at home against reigning C-2 state champion David City Aquinas, who is back in C-1.

The Tigers are at Bishop Neumann the following week before concluding the regular season at home against David City.

The strength of schedule is good and bad news for North Bend Central, in my opinion.

The good news is the Tigers have a lot of winnable games and have the potential to have a good record. The downside is a playoff berth is probably going to be tough to come by even if North Bend Central goes 6-3 due to strength of schedule.

The Tigers may need to knock off one of the Wahoo schools or David City Aquinas, and win all of their other games, to have a shot at the postseason.

I'm sure North Bend Central would love to play a 10th game and beyond this season, and anything is possible, the Tigers just have to believe.

North Bend Central has to be optimistic about having success this year.

I really think there is potential in this Tigers' team.

The boys basketball team had a magical run to state last year so there shouldn't be any reason the football team can't do the same thing.

North Bend Central has to play tough, physical football, and execute their offense. Being balanced on offense, limiting turnovers and penalties, tackling well, and creating turnovers are all keys to success for the Tigers, in my opinion.

Ryan Stieren's District Predictions:

1. David City Aquinas
2. Bishop Neumann
3. Wahoo
4. North Bend Central
5. David City

2016 North Bend Central Tigers Football Schedule:

08/26/16 @ Louisville
09/02/16 West Point-Beemer
09/09/16 @ Tekamah-Herman
09/16/16 Madison
09/30/16 @ Wahoo
10/07/16 Aquinas Catholic
10/14/16 @ Bishop Neumann
10/21/16 David City

Logan View looking for success under Sealey

Team: Logan View

Mascot: Raiders

Colors: Blue and Gold

Class: C-2

Head Coach: Dustin Sealey (1st season)

2015 record: 4-5

Returning Starters: 7 offense 10 defense


Overview:

After a successful run at Arapahoe, including an appearance in the Class D-1 state semifinals in 2012, Dustin Sealey takes over the Logan View program.

It appears Sealey has quite a bit to work with as seven offensive and ten defensive starters return from last year's 4-5 team.

Jacob Polk (JR QB/DB) returns as does Andrew Poppe (SR DB). Brady Hull (SO RB/LB), Grant Meyer (SR WR/DB), Nolan Miller (JR LB), Nathan Taylor (JR OL/LB), Tyler Mulliken (SR OL), Eric French (SO DL), Lucas Schneck (SO DL), Connor Miller (SR OL/DL), and Brett Hull (SR OL/DL).

Sealey gives this summary of his team. "We have a number of returning starters. Our strengths and weaknesses are to be determined. We will look to put players in position to capitalize on our strengths."

Logan View's base offense will be the pistol while their base defense will be the 4-3.

Bob Jensen of the Huskerland Prep Report has this to say about Sealey and the Raider program.

"I think Dustin's the kind of kid that's going to inject some real enthusiasm. He can get a little crazy, and he's the kind of guy the kids are really going to enjoy, and they're going to want to play for. And that's a program that's going to get better with time."

Sealey won at Arapahoe, and there's no doubt he can get this Logan View program turned around, in my opinion.

I think the Raiders can win this year. Last year, Logan View lost a couple of close games that could of been wins and secured a playoff berth for the Raiders.

Logan View has its challenges ahead of them, sure, but with hard work, determination, and sacrifice, anything is possible.

I'm sure these kids are chomping at the bit to get out there and show what they can do so it will be interesting to see how the Raiders fare this season.


Season Outlook:

I think it's safe to say Logan View is very hopeful they can be good and have success this season.

The Raiders' first game of the year is at Palmyra, and I think Logan View has a good shot to win that game.

The Raiders then host a really good Central City team, and that figures to be a very difficult challenge.

Logan View then turns their attention to two road games at Yutan and Stanton, who both figure to provide tough and stingy challenges for the Raiders.

Logan View has Tekamah-Herman and Fremont Bergan at home to end the month of September, and neither one of those games figure to be easy.

The Raiders begin October with a really tough district game at Oakland-Craig before returning home for their second to last regular season game against Wisner-Pilger.

Logan View concludes the regular season at BRLD.

It's hard saying how good this Raiders' team is going to be. I think Logan View at the very least has the potential to win the same amount of games they did last year though.

Making the playoffs is going to be very difficult, especially given the schedule the Raiders have, but anything is possible.

These kids have to buy into what the coaches are telling them, and believe in the system.

This team can win this season and in the future, it's just going to take a lot of focus on the part of Logan View.

The Raiders have to limit turnovers and penalties, force turnovers, tackle well, and play with a chip on their shoulder.

Logan View has to respect every opponent, and be ready to play four quarters of football against all.

If the Raiders perform at a high level all season long, this team can achieve great things. I really think the sky is the limit for what this program can be this season and beyond.

2016 Logan View Raiders Football Schedule:

08/26/16 @ Palmyra
09/02/16 Central City
09/09/16 @ Yutan
09/16/16 @ Stanton
09/23/16 Tekamah-Herman
09/30/16 Archbishop Bergan
10/07/16 @ Oakland-Craig
10/14/16 Wisner-Pilger
10/21/16 @ BRLD

Howells-Dodge hoping to be good in 2016

Team: Howells-Dodge

Mascot: Jaguars

Colors: Green, Black, Silver

Class: D-1

Head Coach: Mike Speirs (21st season) (192-38 record)

2015 record: 3-6 (lost to High Plains in First Round of Playoffs)

Returning Starters: 4 offense 4 defense


Overview:

The Howells-Dodge Jaguars hope to get back to form after injuries plagued them a season ago.

Returning starters for Head Coach Mike Speirs include 4 2-way starters in Zach Bayer (5’11” 195 lb senior who started at TE and LB). Jordon Brichacek (5’10” 170 lb Junior who started at RB and DB), Ryan Macholan  (6’3” 220 lb Junior who started in the OL and DL), and Kade Hegemann (5’10” 175 lb Sophomore who started at LB and TE).

Speirs says a number of starting spots are still up for grabs. "We are not really sure about our starters yet. We know that the 4 returners will be starting, however there is still battles at all other positions that have yet to be decided."

Other players expected to play for Howells-Dodge include Dax VanLengen (6'2, 185 JR QB/DB), Jon Yosten (5'9, 170 JR RB/DB), Tanner Coufal (5'7, 165 SR RB/LB), Brett Fiala (5'9, 180 SR OL/DL), Lane Hegemann (6'3, 205 SO OL/DL), Dylan Horjesi (5'11, 175 SO RB/LB), and Conner Blum (5'11, 180 JR QB/DB).

Speirs says QB and the line is where the Jaguars lost the most from last year. "We lost a lot of our offense in Tyler Polacek. He was our QB, but also our leading rusher and return man. In addition, we lost a lot of experienced linemen in last year's class."

Despite all the injuries Howells-Dodge dealt with last year, they still managed to make the playoffs. Speirs says avoiding injuries is really critical this season. "Staying healthy will be even bigger for us this year. We do not have the same depth in the lines that we had last year. If we can stay healthy, we feel that we can be a competitive team and have a chance to win a lot of games."

I really think that if the Jaguars stay healthy they have a chance to go 5-3 or 6-2.

Howells-Dodge has to be motivated and hungry given the way last season unfolded.

If the Jaguars can do well enough in the regular season to earn a home playoff game, and win it, I think that would be good for this young team even if they were to lose in the second round of the playoffs.

Season Outlook:

Howells-Dodge is hoping to get back to form this year, or at the very least, take some steps in the right direction to get back to form.

Speirs says having a challenging schedule isn't a bad thing, "A challenging schedule has the benefit of focusing your team each week and forcing them to get better in order to compete. When you do not have a game where your players go in feeling they have a physical superiority to the opponent, they will work harder during the week to give them a chance to be competitive."

The Jaguars lost a fairly close game at Nebraska Christian last year, and a really close game at Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family to end the regular season in 2015. Speirs says winning close games will go a long way in winning a playoff game. "In order to get past the first round we need to make sure we are in a position to win the close games which we lost last year. Getting a first round home game increases your chances to advance in the playoffs."

It certainly appears Howells-Dodge has some players capable of leading them to a successful season. Speirs says new players must emerge on offense and on the lines. "Our success this season will rest on finding offensive production from sources who did not have to produce last year and in finding 2 guards for our offensive line. On defense we feel that our back 5 have the experience to compete, finding D-lineman will be our challenge to making our season. "

Bob Jensen of the Huskerland Prep Report says the Jaguars will be young. "It's a team that's not terribly deep, but there's some good younger players on that team. Not a lot of upperclassmen if I'm remembering correctly, but Howells-Dodge will be competitive. And again everybody plays a tough schedule, but they play a pretty stout schedule."

The Jaguars open up the season at East Butler, a team that went undefeated in the regular season a year ago.

Howells-Dodge's first home game against Osmond figures to be challenging, and then Omaha Nation comes to town.

The Jaguars have difficult back-to-back road games at Neligh-Oakdale and Elgin Public/Pope John to start district play before taking on Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family at home.

Howells-Dodge is then at Homer, who drops down from C-2, the second to last week of the regular season before hosting rival Clarkson/Leigh in the final game of the regular season.

I think the Jaguars have the potential to be good, but they have to avoid injuries. It will be interesting to see if Howells-Dodge has anyone step up on their offensive and defensive lines. Winning the battle at the line of scrimmage is critical to anyone's success.

Like Jensen said, the Jaguars will be young, but talented. How quickly the younger players/newcomers develop will go a long ways in determining what kind of season Howells-Dodge has, in my opinion.

Mike Speirs' District Predictions:

1)  Neligh-Oakdale
2) Humphrey-LHF
3) Clarkson-Leigh
4) Elgin Public/Pope John

2016 Howells-Dodge Jaguars Football Schedule:

08/26/16 @ East Butler
09/02/16 Osmond
09/09/16 Omaha Nation
09/23/16 @ Neligh-Oakdale
09/30/16 @ Elgin Public/Pope John
10/07/16 Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family
10/14/16 @ Homer
10/21/16 Clarkson/Leigh

Clarkson/Leigh looking to build off last year's success

Team: Clarkson/Leigh

Mascot: Patriots

Colors: Red, Blue, Gray

Class: D-1

Head Coach: Jim Clarkson (82-76 career record)

2015 record: 8-2 (lost to Creighton in Second Round of Playoffs)

Returning Starters: 1


Overview:

The Clarkson/Leigh Patriots hope last year's success leads to more success this season.

Clarkson/Leigh has their work cut out for them this year though as they return just one starter in Bradley Bunner (6’1 175 Moving to QB and Safety Senior).

Head Coach Jim Clarkson says as long as his team avoids the injury bug, they should be competitive.
"Will be low on numbers so we will need to remain healthy. If that hold true I think we will be able to compete in our schedule and District. Bunner is a dynamic athlete, and we have some hungry players who have waited their turn."

Here are the Patriots' projected starters:

Offense:  Brad Bunner –QB, Blake Paprocki – RB, Jacob Gall-RB, Anthony Bruhn – TE, Connor Brandt-TE, Dan Ariazza  - G, Alex Machmueller  - C, and Paxten Indra  -G.

Defense: Alex Machmueller – NG, Connor Brandt  - DE, Paxten Indra  - DE, Anthony Bruhn – LB, Haden Held  -  LB, Derek Gurnsey – CB, Hector Mendoza – CB, Brad Bunner - S.

Clarkson says his team has a lot of players to replace from last year. "We lost a lot of good players from last years team, including the whole offensive and defensive lines."

He feels there are a number of newcomers who could do special things. "There will be plenty of newcomers who will have the opportunity, Indra, Machmueller, and Mendoza to name a few."

The new starters should be chomping at the bit to get out there and play. This is their time to shine, and they have waited their turn to start.

Seeing the success that last year's team had should really fuel and motivate this year's group.

I don't know if Clarkson/Leigh will be as dynamic as they were a year ago, but the Patriots should be solid once again this season.

Bunner is as solid as they come, and his ability to lead this team will be critical to their success, in my opinion.

I look for him to have a huge season offensively, and make a big impact defensively as well.

This team was a juggernaut offensively last year, and was decent defensively.

Clarkson/Leigh needs to be solid on both sides of the ball to be successful this year to have success, in my opinion.

I think the defense in particular needs to be better. It wasn't bad last year, but if they can hold teams to under 20 points week in and week out, the offense should be able to do enough to win games.

I don't think there's any doubt the offense will score points this season, but I don't think they'll be as dynamic as they were last year. The offense is going to have work really hard to score points, in my opinion, but Bunner should be able to make big plays in the running game at the very least, which should help.

Season Outlook:

Clarkson/Leigh hopes this season treats them just as well as last season did. "The hope is that we have building a solid foundation, I agree last years team did pop some record wise, but we feel that our culture and program are solid and when it is their time the kids will perform at a higher level.  This year will be as good test to that."

Growth, development, and improvement in the offseason is critical to the success of any program, in my opinion. Clarkson says the offseason was good. "We have had a strong offseason, again our culture dictates that the kids will put in the time during the offseason. We also competed very well in our team camp down at Hastings College despite missing 4 guys with injuries at the time."

We will find out just how much that offseason work will pay off in the early season as the Patriots open up the season with back-to-back tough games against Pender and GACC.

Clarkson says the two games will allow for his team to be ready right away. "It is definitely a tough task, but it also really helps focus the kids knowing they will be punched in the mouth right away, so seeing how we react and compete with those teams will go a long way in setting the tone for the season."

Clarkson/Leigh will need to play well week in and week out if they want to win games this year, and will need to play at a high level and be focused every week.

After Pender and GACC, the Patriots take on Omaha Nation, which should be a win.

A trip to East Butler and a home game against Neligh-Oakdale figure to be really tough midseason tests for the Patriots.

Clarkson/Leigh is at Elgin Public/Pope John before taking on Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family and Howells Dodge on at home and on the road, respectively, to end the regular season.

It's really difficult to predict a win/loss record for the Patriots this season.

The one thing I will say is the non district schedule appears to be tougher than the district schedule so I could see Clarkson/Leigh playing their best football in district play.

Clarkson feels his team has the potential to compete in their district. "As wins and losses go this is a very tough thing to predict, I feel we have one of the best players in the state in Bunner, there is no doubt he is special, if our other guys step their games up and we stay healthy I think we can be a factor in the district race."

Bunner is going to have to make a lot of plays for this team to be successful, in my opinion.

Teams are no doubt going to try and keep him in check. The biggest thing will be getting other players to step up and make plays. Bunner can be a one man show against some teams, in my opinion, but not against others.

I think it's going to take more than just Bunner to beat the likes of GACC and Neligh-Oakdale.

Clarkson feels the district is up for grabs for the most part. "A tough and fairly even district on paper, I would say Neligh-Oakdale has the most returning and seem to be the favorite, after that I really think it is a crap shoot. Howells-Dodge and Humphrey-Holy Family are very well coached and have some nice players returning, Elgin Public/Pope John, had a great year last year but like us graduated about everybody. So it will be fun to see how it all plays out."

Bob Jensen of the Huskerland Prep Report says Clarkson/Leigh has a lot of holes to fill. "They're going to have to fill in a lot of the blank spots there if you will, but again Jim Clarkson's a really good coach, a guy that's been in the state final, he knows how the whole thing's supposed to work. It's just you're going to have people with their first chance of playing varsity football."

The Patriots open up the season at Pender next Friday in a game that can be heard on 107.9 the Bull.

Jim Clarkson's District Rankings:

1. Neligh/Oakdale
2. Howells-Dodge
3. Clarkson/Leigh
4. Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family
5. Elgin Public/Pope John

2016 Clarkson/Leigh Patriots Football Schedule:

08/26/16 @ Pender
09/02/16 Guardian Angels Central Catholic
09/16/16 Omaha Nation
09/23/16 @ East Butler
09/30/16 Neligh-Oakdale
10/07/16 @ Elgin Public/Pope John
10/14/16 Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family
10/21/16 @ Howells-Dodge

Oakland-Craig looking for another magical season

Team: Oakland-Craig

Mascot: Knights

Colors: Orange and White

Class: C-2

Head Coach: Joe Anderson (7th season) (47-17 record)

2015 record: 11-2 (lost to David City Aquinas in C-2 State Championship Game)

Returning Starters: 5 offense 7 defense


Overview:

The Oakland-Craig Knights are hoping and expecting to be really good again after making it to Memorial Stadium a year ago.

Head Coach Joe Anderson returns 5 offensive starters and 7 defensive starters from last year's squad.

Back on offense is All-State running back Hoss Smith, wide receiver Garrett Seagren, OL Josh Dixon, TE Zach Arens, running back Ben Ward, and OL Marcos Quintero.

All six return on defense as well as does Isaiah Larson.

The QB battle is between Junior Evan Reinert, and sophomores Robby Mayberry and Jared Mulder. All three are expected to play regardless though.

Other players who expect to see playing time for Oakland-Craig this season include Ben Smith, Cole Bures, Tyson Harney, Wyatt Uhing, Jefferson McNeill, John Werner, Zakk Lierman, and Kobe Benne.

The Knights lost three all-state players from a year ago in Cole Mitchell QB/S, Cody Mace WR/C, and Conner Thiele LB/OL.

Replacing them won't be easy, but I fully expect other players to step in and fill the void.

Oakland-Craig had to break in new starters last year too, and went on to have a very fine season. This year should be no different.

Anderson says last year's underclassmen learned a lot from last year's run, but duplicating last year's success is going to be difficult. "Our younger kids really enjoyed the experience from last year. They got to see what playoff football is all about. They definitely are hungry to try to do that again, but we not it will not be easy. The kids also had a great off-season and really made good strides in the weightroom."

There's no doubt player development is critical to the long term success of any program, and the Knights have done a good job of developing players over the years.

Anderson says this year's team will be relatively young, but expectations don't change. "We always have pretty high expectations here at Oakland-Craig as there has always been a pretty good football tradition. We are going to be relying on a lot more younger kids this year, so how fast they develop will tell a lot."

It's awesome to hear Oakland-Craig had a great offseason and did work in the weightroom.

I don't think there's any doubt this team is ready to go and prepared to have another fine season.

It may take a half or a game or two for everyone to adapt to their new roles, but once the Knights get things figured out I expect them to roll the rest of the season.

With David City Aquinas back in C-1, I think Oakland-Craig has a legitimate shot to win the Class C-2 state title this year.

The schedule isn't easy, but the Knights found a way to win the big games last year, and if they can do that again this year, don't be surprised to see Oakland-Craig in the thick of things once again this season.

2016 has the potential to be successful and magical for the Knights, just like 2015 was, so we will see how they fare.


Season Outlook:

The Oakland-Craig Knights expect to be really good again in 2016, just like they were in 2015.

Anderson says goals include getting better as the season progresses and competing for a championship. "Our goal is to make sure we improve each week, so we are playing our best football at the end of the season. Our non-district games are really challenging so we will see what we are made of right away. Our goal is to keep improving so we give ourselves a  chance when we get to the district games, and hopefully compete for a district title."

Oakland-Craig's district includes Fremont Bergan, BRLD, Wisner-Pilger, and Tekamah-Herman.

No game is a gimme, and you can bet the Knights will get every team's best shot.

Oakland-Craig begins the season at Malcolm, and then returns home for a difficult matchup with Battle Creek. You can bet the Braves will have payback on their minds after last year's state semifinal game.

The Knights are at Crofton the following week before returning home to play Ponca the next week.

Oakland-Craig begins district play at BRLD and Wisner-Pilger before hosting Logan View.

A trip to Tekamah is in the cards the second to last week of the regular season before OC hosts Fremont Bergan to end the regular season.

I think the Bergan game could decide who wins District C2-3.

Anderson feels the strength of this team is defense, but the offense has potential too. "Must find a replacement at QB. Competition between Reinert, Mayberry and Mulder. None of them have any varstiy experience, but are improving throughout camp. I feel our defense is something we can hang our hat on, especially early in the year as our offense tries to gel. We return 7 starters there. Offensively we have some weapons. Smith is a bruiser at FB, and Seagren and Ahrens give us some good weapons on the edge to throw to."

I think it may take some time for the Knights to get things figured out offensively, but once the offense gets going, I look for this team to take off.

Oakland-Craig will really be tested by Battle Creek, in my opinion.

The Knights are going to have to play exceptionally well to beat the Braves.

Oakland-Craig needs to play well at Malcolm the first week of the regular season. The Knights can't afford to not play well in that game.

I think Oakland-Craig is a team that will get better as the season goes along, and will hit its stride sometime in the middle to later part of the regular season.

2016 Oakland-Craig Knights Football Schedule:

08/26/16 @ Malcolm
09/02/16 Battle Creek
09/09/16 @ Crofton
09/16/16 Ponca
09/23/16 @ BRLD
09/30/16 @ Wisner-Pilger
10/07/16 Logan View
10/14/16 @ Tekamah-Herman
10/21/16 Archbishop Bergan