Tekamah-Herman looking to build off successful 2019 season with a lot back

Team: Tekamah-Herman

Mascot: Tigers

Colors: Purple and Vegas Gold

Class: C-2

Head Coach: Graig McElmuray (6th season) (7-38 record)

2019 record: 3-6

Returning Starters: 9 offense 9 defense

Overview:

The Tekamah-Herman Football Team has made a lot of strides and shown a lot of improvement the past couple of seasons.

And with 9 starters back on both sides of the ball the Tigers are looking to be even better this year.

Returners for 6th year Head Coach Graig McElmuray are Connor Feiling (6'1, 160 SR DB), Brock Rogers (6'1, 150 JR WR), Cole Bottger (5'8, 140 SR DB), Dylan Chatt (5'7, 140 SR WR/DB), Eldridge Jensen (6'1, 160 SR QB), Garrison Potadle (6'0, 165 SR LB), Kaleb Quick (5'11, 165 JR WR), Cole Freidel (5'10, 152 SR DB), Kody Bitter (5'10, 150 JR LB), Dawson Schram (6'0, 185 JR OL), Lucas Birdsong (6'1, 195 SR OL), Wilson Anderson (5'9, 165 JR OL), Eli Lingle (6'2, 290 SR OL), and Logan Hopkins (5'8, 135 SR DB).

Luke Wakehouse is a key loss from last year for the Tigers, and Tekamah-Herman will need to find people to replace him and Clay Beaumont in particular.

Coach McElmuray says the pieces are in place for that to happen. "Our Offensive Line should help us fill any gaps with Wakehouse and Beumont leaving. It is going to be a fun year I feel our schedule is brutal but I think that we are going to have a fun season. Bitter and Logan BurtI (SO) will fill in for Wakehouse. Eldridge Jensen and Brock Rogers will fight it out to be Starting QB. We have a lot of talent coming back. It could be one of the deeper teams we have had at every position."

Of course everything depends on the pandemic and if we get through an entire season of football.

McElmuray says the summer was pretty simple. "It was nice to have June just to focus on Small Groups in the weight room and on the track for strength and conditioning. We didn't have near as much "football" time but with the returners I have and keeping the system the same we really have picked right back up with our late season form.  9 starters on Defense and 8-9 on Offense really made this a simple summer."

I think all the returners the Tigers have back plus the success they've had the past couple years gives them an opportunity to improve upon their 3-6 record last year, and continue to build on the positive things they have done of the course of the last two seasons.

Season Outlook:

Tekamah-Herman looks to continue to take steps in the right direction after two successful campaigns the last two seasons.

I really think the Tigers have a shot to win their first two games of the season and finish this year at least 4-5 at the very least.

Tekamah-Herman is in District C2-2 with Oakland-Craig, Fremont Bergan, David City Aquinas, and David City.

Let's hope the pandemic doesn't throw a wrench and fork into things.

McElmuray says he is glad we're playing, but has some concerns. "Really happy with the NSAA. I am uneasy about the entire quarantine aspect, leaving it in the school's discretion. The NSAA did the right thing I am just concerned with the decisions that each local district and the health departments to make."

I would just say at this point that we all ought to be thankful that we are on schedule to have a season.

McElmuray says the kids are making the most of this opportunity and then some. "Our young men know that this season could be quickly taken away, so they are enjoying practice and I have not had a group of young men that just hang out at the field house after practice like they do. I must kick them out to go home."

That's quite honestly what it takes to be successful, and it appears as if the Tigers are figuring that out if they haven't already.

Tekamah-Herman is slowly getting better and on the brink of becoming a winning football team, and if they can go at least 4-5 this year I feel it will be another positive step in the right direction.

The Tigers ought to shoot and aim for higher than that, but if 4-5 is what their record is this year then I will look at it as progress and a successful season.

Tekamah-Herman opens up the season at BRLD on August 28th, and that could be a very interesting an intriguing game, in my opinion.

2020 Tekamah-Herman Tigers Football Schedule:

08/28/20 @ BRLD

09/04/20 Ponca

09/11/20 @ Hartington Cedar Catholic

09/18/20 Bishop Neumann

09/25/20 @ Crofton

10/02/20 Oakland-Craig

10/09/20 @ Archbishop Bergan

10/16/20 David City

10/23/20 @ Aquinas Catholic