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