Class C-2 Football District Previews
District C2-1
OVERVIEW
Stanton and Lutheran Northeast move to District 3, making room for former Class C-2 teams Creighton and West Holt in one of the most competitive districts in the class.
Creighton hopes to compete for the state title with 16 starters returning. The Bulldogs return their entire offensive backfield and nine starters on defense. Plainview returns 14 starters, but Grant Rutledge will be inexperienced at QB. A meeting with Creighton Oct. 6 could determine who wins the district.
Hartington Cedar Catholic returns 6-foot-4, 270-pound lineman Jesse Noecker and Patrick Hoesing. West Holt’s Zane Abner is a threat to score every time he touches the ball and QB Travis Root broke the school passing mark last season.
PLAYMAKERS
n David Wragge of Plainview is one of the best running backs in the class.
n At 6-foot-4, 245 pounds, Plainview’s Luke Lingenfelter is a big presence at defensive end and guard.
n Creighton’s Riley Tusha ran for 1,316 yards last season.
WORTH NOTING
Plainview won the C-2 title last year but finished second to Stanton in its own district.
COACHES’ PROJECTION
(2005 records in parenthesis)
1. Plainview (11-2), 2. Creighton (10-1), 3. Hartington Cedar Catholic (8-3), 4. West Holt (3-5), 5. Randolph (3-6), 6. Neligh-Oakdale (3-6).
District C2-2
OVERVIEW
Pender replaces Winnebago, which drops to D-1.
Ponca will rely on RB Justin Blatchford, who should gain more than 1,000 yards for a second straight season. Wakefield returns 18 starters, including Jared Miller and Garek Bebee, two dominant lineman, along with QB Joel Nixon, who only played three games before being injured.
Laurel-Concord returns 16 starters including junior QB Heath Erwin. Pender returns 11 starters and Homer returns Dustin Madison.
PLAYMAKERS
n Jared Miller, Wakefield’s 6-foot-4, 250-pound tackle, is one of the best linemen in the class.
n Justin Blatchford of Ponca rushed for 1,088 yards as a sophomore.
n Homer’s Dustin Madison should have a bigger impact this season.
WORTH NOTING
Wakefield and Ponca are the only two teams to win a playoff game in the past three years.
COACHES’ PROJECTION
(2005 records in parenthesis)
1. Ponca (6-3), 2. Wakefield (6-4), 3. Laurel-Concord (4-4), 4. Pender (3-5), 5. Homer (2-6), 6. Emerson-Hubbard (2-6).
District C2-3
OVERVIEW
All eyes will be on Howells to see how the Bobcats adjust to 11-man football. They return size up front in Eric and Mark Burenheide and Michael Bazata, but have an untested backfield.
West Point Central Catholic returns a solid senior class that advanced to the second round of the C-2 playoffs last season. Stanton returns nine starters and will have more size on the line
Lyons-Decatur NE returns Jeff Bacon and Derek Haskell, and Oakland-Craig brings back 17 starters.
PLAYMAKERS
n Linemen Michael Bazata and Eric Burenheide of Howells must pave the way for an inexperienced backfield.
n Six-foot, 260-pound Tanner Timperley of Stanton may draw double teams from opponents.
n West Point CC QB Ethan Hunke has a great arm and will be the Bluejays’ offensive leader.
WORTH NOTING
Howells aims to become the first team in state history to win seven straight championships.
COACHES’ PROJECTION
(2005 records in parenthesis)
1. Howells (12-1), 2. West Point Central Catholic (7-3), 3. Stanton (9-2), 4. Lutheran Northeast (3-6), 5. Oakland-Craig (2-6), 6. Lyons-Decatur Northeast (2-6).
District C2-4
OVERVIEW
Archbishop Bergan is the only returning team in the district, which took a geographic slide to the west after reclassification.
Aquinas and Scribner-Snyder both lost in the semifinals of the playoffs last year and will battle for the district title. Aquinas drops from Class C-1, but returns only four starters. Scribner-Snyder returns 13 starters, including QB Ethan Muller, who threw for 1,342 yards and 19 touchdowns while running back MJ Vacha gained 1,450 yards.
Bergan returns 15 starters and will have a strong defense led by Jordan Mruz and Chad Swanson.
PLAYMAKERS
n At 6-foot-1, 280 pounds, junior lineman Taylor Escamilla of Archbishop Bergan is quick and explosive. He runs the 40-yard dash in 5.1 seconds.
n Scribner-Snyder’s backfield of Ethan Muller and MJ Vacha combined for nearly 3,000 yards of total offense last year.
n FB/LB Jake Miriovsky of Aquinas is a threat on both sides of the ball.
WORTH NOTING
Scribner-Snyder was one of eight teams to have two 1,000-yard rushers in 2005.
COACHES’ PROJECTION
(2005 record in parenthesis)
1. Aquinas (11-1), 2. Scribner-Snyder (11-1), 3. East Butler (9-1), 4. Archbishop Bergan (4-5), 5. Cross County (3-5), 6. Osceola (3-5).
District C2-5
OVERVIEW
Louisville and Malcolm move from District 4 to make C2-5 a five-team battle. Tri County, Tecumseh and Wilber-Clatonia depart.
Louisville returns 13 players, including most of its skill players and the nucleus of the line. The Lions open the season against six-time defending D-1 champion Howells.
Graduation hurt Palmyra and Malcolm. Weeping Water is improved with QB Joel Haveman and RB Logan Smith among 14 returning starters.
PLAYMAKERS
n Louisville QB Dustin Fickler looks to build on a solid sophomore season.
n FB Tyler Rosenow of Elmwood-Murdock rushed for 928 yards and scored 23 touchdowns.
n Weeping Water QB Joel Haveman, a 5-foot-8, 145-pound junior, threw for 640 yards last season.
WORTH NOTING
Elmwood-Murdock has won its district the past six seasons.
COACHES’ PROJECTION
(2005 records in parenthesis)
1. Elmwood-Murdock (8-1), 2. Louisville (2-6), 3. Palmyra (5-4), 4. Weeping Water (0-8), 5. Malcolm (4-5).
District C2-6
OVERVIEW
Thayer Central is the only remaining team from a year ago. Heartland, Cross County, Fullerton, Osceola and Sutton have departed. Wilber-Clatonia, Tri County and Tecumseh join from District 5. Southern played in C-1 and Friend played eight-man football last season.
Wilber-Clatonia and Tecumseh return 20 and 16 starters, respectively. QB Syd Shelper and backs Lucas Boss and Casey Koenig return to an improved Tri County team. It will be interesting to see how Friend adjusts with 12 returning starters and Southern returns plenty of talent from a squad that qualified for the C-1 playoffs.
PLAYMAKERS
n Tecumseh receiver Ben Lester will receive plenty of attention in opposing coaches’ game plans.
n RB/LB Mitchell Sasek of Wilber-Clatonia made 152 tackles last year while playing with a broken arm.
n Tyler Milligan of Southern can make big plays wherever he lines up.
WORTH NOTING
Thayer Central has qualified for the state playoffs four out of the five years the school has been in existence.
COACHES’ PROJECTION
(2005 record in parentheses)
1. Thayer Central (11-1), 2. Southern (5-4), 3. Wilber-Clatonia (1-7), 4. Tecumseh (2-6), 5. Tri County (3-5), 6. Friend (7-1).
District C2-7
OVERVIEW
Sutton and Heartland jump from District 6 to replace Southern Valley and Wilcox-Hildreth.
The district promises to be very competitive. Blue Hill returns 13 starters for first-year coach Scott Porter. Franklin returns 14 starters but needs the offensive and defensive lines to develop.
Heartland returns 14 starters, including 6-foot-3, 190-pound lineman Rory van den Berg.
Superior has extraordinary size led by Andrew Diehl and Jake Edwards. The Wildcats returning starting lineman averages 258 pounds.
Sutton returns experience at the skill positions for second-year coach Craig Rafert.
PLAYMAKERS
n Fullback Garrett Schroeder of Blue Hill, who rushed for 1,034 yards last season, is a tough back to tackle.
n Clint Felber of Sandy Creek is a threat to rush for more than 1,000 yards.
n Sutton’s Jake Bergan caught 29 passes for 337 yards and made 122 tackles.
WORTH NOTING
Franklin is the only district team that has never won a playoff game and Sutton is the only school to win a state championship.
COACHES' PROJECTION
(2005 record in parenthesis)
1. Blue Hill (9-2), 2. Sandy Creek (3-5), 3. Superior (3-5), 4. Heartland (7-2), 5. Franklin (5-4), 6. Sutton (0-8).
District C2-8
OVERVIEW
Health will be a concern for each team. Ravenna returns 11 starters but lacks experience at the skill positions. Kearney Catholic advanced to the second round of the C-1 playoffs last season.
Doniphan-Trumbull will need RB Ryan Fjeldheim to have a productive season. Burwell returns RB Brett Gumb, who runs the 40-yard dash in 4.6, but lacks overall experience. Fullerton and Loup City return plenty of starters, and both have first-year coaches.
PLAYMAKERS
n Brett Gumb of Burwell rushed for 1,276 yards, his second straight 1,000-yard season.
n C/DT Logan Shrader will anchor an experienced Ravenna line.
n At 5-foot-10, 160 pounds, LB Bill Bunde of Doniphan-Trumbull makes plays all over the field.
WORTH NOTING
Burwell’s Brett Gumb rushed for 414 yards in one game to set a regular-season state record.
COACHES’ PROJECTION
(2005 records in parenthesis)
1. Ravenna (8-2), 2. Kearney Catholic (7-3), 3. Doniphan-Trumbull (4-5), 4. Burwell (4-5), 5. Fullerton (2-6), 6. Loup City (1-7).
District C2-9
OVERVIEW
Amherst and North Platte St. Patrick’s will be the teams to beat. Amherst returns nine starters, including the entire offensive backfield. St. Patrick’s returns four offensive lineman among its 13 starters.
Cambridge’s Lance Shifflet will be the team’s primary back after the departures of Waid Vontz and Anthony Lytle. Southwest needs to develop an effective passing game to compliment Brandon Malleck.
PLAYMAKERS
n Southwest’s Brandon Malleck rushed for 1,280 yards as a junior.
n Faron Klingelhoefer of Amherst is one of the best linebackers in the class.
n Bobby Shults, a 5-foot-5, 155-pound junior, has been a spark for North Platte St. Patrick’s the past two seasons.
WORTH NOTING
Sutherland is the only team beginning its season Sept. 1.
COACHES’ PROJECTION
(2005 records in parenthesis)
1. Amherst (9-1), 2. North Platte St. Patrick’s (10-1), 3. Cambridge (10-3), 4. Southwest (2-6), 5. Elm Creek (7-2), 6. Sutherland (3-5).
District C2-10
OVERVIEW
Creek Valley and Bridgeport depart and Perkins County joins the district, making it a five-team battle.
Not much separates Morrill, Perkins County and Garden County at the top. Morrill returns Clancy Anderson, while Garden County returns its entire offensive backfield of David Miller, Justin Waltman and QB Colton Cross. Perkins County returns dual-threat QB Curt Softley and tackle Craig Loeffler.
Hemingford returns 15 starters, including LB Kyle Campbell and DT Derek Harris while Bayard returns Chris Little and Gil Trimble.
PLAYMAKERS
n At 6-foot-5, 300 pounds, Craig Loeffler of Perkins County will be a mismatch for opposing teams.
n Garden County’s David Miller and Justin Waltman combined for more than 1,800 rushing yards.
n QB Curt Softley of Perkins County threw for 838 yards and ran for 350 more.
WORTH NOTING
In the past four years, Garden County has lost three times in the playoffs to a team that eventually reached the finals.
COACHES’ PROJECTION
(2005 records in parenthesis)
1. Morrill (8-2), 2. Garden County (6-3), 3. Perkins County (5-4), 4. Hemingford (2-6), 5. Bayard (2-6).
OVERVIEW
Stanton and Lutheran Northeast move to District 3, making room for former Class C-2 teams Creighton and West Holt in one of the most competitive districts in the class.
Creighton hopes to compete for the state title with 16 starters returning. The Bulldogs return their entire offensive backfield and nine starters on defense. Plainview returns 14 starters, but Grant Rutledge will be inexperienced at QB. A meeting with Creighton Oct. 6 could determine who wins the district.
Hartington Cedar Catholic returns 6-foot-4, 270-pound lineman Jesse Noecker and Patrick Hoesing. West Holt’s Zane Abner is a threat to score every time he touches the ball and QB Travis Root broke the school passing mark last season.
PLAYMAKERS
n David Wragge of Plainview is one of the best running backs in the class.
n At 6-foot-4, 245 pounds, Plainview’s Luke Lingenfelter is a big presence at defensive end and guard.
n Creighton’s Riley Tusha ran for 1,316 yards last season.
WORTH NOTING
Plainview won the C-2 title last year but finished second to Stanton in its own district.
COACHES’ PROJECTION
(2005 records in parenthesis)
1. Plainview (11-2), 2. Creighton (10-1), 3. Hartington Cedar Catholic (8-3), 4. West Holt (3-5), 5. Randolph (3-6), 6. Neligh-Oakdale (3-6).
District C2-2
OVERVIEW
Pender replaces Winnebago, which drops to D-1.
Ponca will rely on RB Justin Blatchford, who should gain more than 1,000 yards for a second straight season. Wakefield returns 18 starters, including Jared Miller and Garek Bebee, two dominant lineman, along with QB Joel Nixon, who only played three games before being injured.
Laurel-Concord returns 16 starters including junior QB Heath Erwin. Pender returns 11 starters and Homer returns Dustin Madison.
PLAYMAKERS
n Jared Miller, Wakefield’s 6-foot-4, 250-pound tackle, is one of the best linemen in the class.
n Justin Blatchford of Ponca rushed for 1,088 yards as a sophomore.
n Homer’s Dustin Madison should have a bigger impact this season.
WORTH NOTING
Wakefield and Ponca are the only two teams to win a playoff game in the past three years.
COACHES’ PROJECTION
(2005 records in parenthesis)
1. Ponca (6-3), 2. Wakefield (6-4), 3. Laurel-Concord (4-4), 4. Pender (3-5), 5. Homer (2-6), 6. Emerson-Hubbard (2-6).
District C2-3
OVERVIEW
All eyes will be on Howells to see how the Bobcats adjust to 11-man football. They return size up front in Eric and Mark Burenheide and Michael Bazata, but have an untested backfield.
West Point Central Catholic returns a solid senior class that advanced to the second round of the C-2 playoffs last season. Stanton returns nine starters and will have more size on the line
Lyons-Decatur NE returns Jeff Bacon and Derek Haskell, and Oakland-Craig brings back 17 starters.
PLAYMAKERS
n Linemen Michael Bazata and Eric Burenheide of Howells must pave the way for an inexperienced backfield.
n Six-foot, 260-pound Tanner Timperley of Stanton may draw double teams from opponents.
n West Point CC QB Ethan Hunke has a great arm and will be the Bluejays’ offensive leader.
WORTH NOTING
Howells aims to become the first team in state history to win seven straight championships.
COACHES’ PROJECTION
(2005 records in parenthesis)
1. Howells (12-1), 2. West Point Central Catholic (7-3), 3. Stanton (9-2), 4. Lutheran Northeast (3-6), 5. Oakland-Craig (2-6), 6. Lyons-Decatur Northeast (2-6).
District C2-4
OVERVIEW
Archbishop Bergan is the only returning team in the district, which took a geographic slide to the west after reclassification.
Aquinas and Scribner-Snyder both lost in the semifinals of the playoffs last year and will battle for the district title. Aquinas drops from Class C-1, but returns only four starters. Scribner-Snyder returns 13 starters, including QB Ethan Muller, who threw for 1,342 yards and 19 touchdowns while running back MJ Vacha gained 1,450 yards.
Bergan returns 15 starters and will have a strong defense led by Jordan Mruz and Chad Swanson.
PLAYMAKERS
n At 6-foot-1, 280 pounds, junior lineman Taylor Escamilla of Archbishop Bergan is quick and explosive. He runs the 40-yard dash in 5.1 seconds.
n Scribner-Snyder’s backfield of Ethan Muller and MJ Vacha combined for nearly 3,000 yards of total offense last year.
n FB/LB Jake Miriovsky of Aquinas is a threat on both sides of the ball.
WORTH NOTING
Scribner-Snyder was one of eight teams to have two 1,000-yard rushers in 2005.
COACHES’ PROJECTION
(2005 record in parenthesis)
1. Aquinas (11-1), 2. Scribner-Snyder (11-1), 3. East Butler (9-1), 4. Archbishop Bergan (4-5), 5. Cross County (3-5), 6. Osceola (3-5).
District C2-5
OVERVIEW
Louisville and Malcolm move from District 4 to make C2-5 a five-team battle. Tri County, Tecumseh and Wilber-Clatonia depart.
Louisville returns 13 players, including most of its skill players and the nucleus of the line. The Lions open the season against six-time defending D-1 champion Howells.
Graduation hurt Palmyra and Malcolm. Weeping Water is improved with QB Joel Haveman and RB Logan Smith among 14 returning starters.
PLAYMAKERS
n Louisville QB Dustin Fickler looks to build on a solid sophomore season.
n FB Tyler Rosenow of Elmwood-Murdock rushed for 928 yards and scored 23 touchdowns.
n Weeping Water QB Joel Haveman, a 5-foot-8, 145-pound junior, threw for 640 yards last season.
WORTH NOTING
Elmwood-Murdock has won its district the past six seasons.
COACHES’ PROJECTION
(2005 records in parenthesis)
1. Elmwood-Murdock (8-1), 2. Louisville (2-6), 3. Palmyra (5-4), 4. Weeping Water (0-8), 5. Malcolm (4-5).
District C2-6
OVERVIEW
Thayer Central is the only remaining team from a year ago. Heartland, Cross County, Fullerton, Osceola and Sutton have departed. Wilber-Clatonia, Tri County and Tecumseh join from District 5. Southern played in C-1 and Friend played eight-man football last season.
Wilber-Clatonia and Tecumseh return 20 and 16 starters, respectively. QB Syd Shelper and backs Lucas Boss and Casey Koenig return to an improved Tri County team. It will be interesting to see how Friend adjusts with 12 returning starters and Southern returns plenty of talent from a squad that qualified for the C-1 playoffs.
PLAYMAKERS
n Tecumseh receiver Ben Lester will receive plenty of attention in opposing coaches’ game plans.
n RB/LB Mitchell Sasek of Wilber-Clatonia made 152 tackles last year while playing with a broken arm.
n Tyler Milligan of Southern can make big plays wherever he lines up.
WORTH NOTING
Thayer Central has qualified for the state playoffs four out of the five years the school has been in existence.
COACHES’ PROJECTION
(2005 record in parentheses)
1. Thayer Central (11-1), 2. Southern (5-4), 3. Wilber-Clatonia (1-7), 4. Tecumseh (2-6), 5. Tri County (3-5), 6. Friend (7-1).
District C2-7
OVERVIEW
Sutton and Heartland jump from District 6 to replace Southern Valley and Wilcox-Hildreth.
The district promises to be very competitive. Blue Hill returns 13 starters for first-year coach Scott Porter. Franklin returns 14 starters but needs the offensive and defensive lines to develop.
Heartland returns 14 starters, including 6-foot-3, 190-pound lineman Rory van den Berg.
Superior has extraordinary size led by Andrew Diehl and Jake Edwards. The Wildcats returning starting lineman averages 258 pounds.
Sutton returns experience at the skill positions for second-year coach Craig Rafert.
PLAYMAKERS
n Fullback Garrett Schroeder of Blue Hill, who rushed for 1,034 yards last season, is a tough back to tackle.
n Clint Felber of Sandy Creek is a threat to rush for more than 1,000 yards.
n Sutton’s Jake Bergan caught 29 passes for 337 yards and made 122 tackles.
WORTH NOTING
Franklin is the only district team that has never won a playoff game and Sutton is the only school to win a state championship.
COACHES' PROJECTION
(2005 record in parenthesis)
1. Blue Hill (9-2), 2. Sandy Creek (3-5), 3. Superior (3-5), 4. Heartland (7-2), 5. Franklin (5-4), 6. Sutton (0-8).
District C2-8
OVERVIEW
Health will be a concern for each team. Ravenna returns 11 starters but lacks experience at the skill positions. Kearney Catholic advanced to the second round of the C-1 playoffs last season.
Doniphan-Trumbull will need RB Ryan Fjeldheim to have a productive season. Burwell returns RB Brett Gumb, who runs the 40-yard dash in 4.6, but lacks overall experience. Fullerton and Loup City return plenty of starters, and both have first-year coaches.
PLAYMAKERS
n Brett Gumb of Burwell rushed for 1,276 yards, his second straight 1,000-yard season.
n C/DT Logan Shrader will anchor an experienced Ravenna line.
n At 5-foot-10, 160 pounds, LB Bill Bunde of Doniphan-Trumbull makes plays all over the field.
WORTH NOTING
Burwell’s Brett Gumb rushed for 414 yards in one game to set a regular-season state record.
COACHES’ PROJECTION
(2005 records in parenthesis)
1. Ravenna (8-2), 2. Kearney Catholic (7-3), 3. Doniphan-Trumbull (4-5), 4. Burwell (4-5), 5. Fullerton (2-6), 6. Loup City (1-7).
District C2-9
OVERVIEW
Amherst and North Platte St. Patrick’s will be the teams to beat. Amherst returns nine starters, including the entire offensive backfield. St. Patrick’s returns four offensive lineman among its 13 starters.
Cambridge’s Lance Shifflet will be the team’s primary back after the departures of Waid Vontz and Anthony Lytle. Southwest needs to develop an effective passing game to compliment Brandon Malleck.
PLAYMAKERS
n Southwest’s Brandon Malleck rushed for 1,280 yards as a junior.
n Faron Klingelhoefer of Amherst is one of the best linebackers in the class.
n Bobby Shults, a 5-foot-5, 155-pound junior, has been a spark for North Platte St. Patrick’s the past two seasons.
WORTH NOTING
Sutherland is the only team beginning its season Sept. 1.
COACHES’ PROJECTION
(2005 records in parenthesis)
1. Amherst (9-1), 2. North Platte St. Patrick’s (10-1), 3. Cambridge (10-3), 4. Southwest (2-6), 5. Elm Creek (7-2), 6. Sutherland (3-5).
District C2-10
OVERVIEW
Creek Valley and Bridgeport depart and Perkins County joins the district, making it a five-team battle.
Not much separates Morrill, Perkins County and Garden County at the top. Morrill returns Clancy Anderson, while Garden County returns its entire offensive backfield of David Miller, Justin Waltman and QB Colton Cross. Perkins County returns dual-threat QB Curt Softley and tackle Craig Loeffler.
Hemingford returns 15 starters, including LB Kyle Campbell and DT Derek Harris while Bayard returns Chris Little and Gil Trimble.
PLAYMAKERS
n At 6-foot-5, 300 pounds, Craig Loeffler of Perkins County will be a mismatch for opposing teams.
n Garden County’s David Miller and Justin Waltman combined for more than 1,800 rushing yards.
n QB Curt Softley of Perkins County threw for 838 yards and ran for 350 more.
WORTH NOTING
In the past four years, Garden County has lost three times in the playoffs to a team that eventually reached the finals.
COACHES’ PROJECTION
(2005 records in parenthesis)
1. Morrill (8-2), 2. Garden County (6-3), 3. Perkins County (5-4), 4. Hemingford (2-6), 5. Bayard (2-6).
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