A History of Nebraska 8-Man Football - 1955 All-State/Final Rankings

!955 saw an explosion of Nebraska high school football teams playing 8-Man football, increasing from a meager 15 teams in its first season to a whopping 47 teams.

Exeter was once again the King of 8-Man football, being declared as such by the great Gregg McBride from the Omaha World-Herald. Crofton was a close second, being led by the phenomenal Jerry Steffen, who scored 26 touchdowns for Crofton’s unbeaten forces.

Both Exeter and Crofton played in post-season “Bowl” games, a thing that was allowed by the NSAA back in those days. Exeter tripped up Brady in the Legion Bowl, held in Arapahoe. Crofton bested Norfolk Sacred Heart in the “Veterans Day Classic”, 47-19.

Jerry Steffen, Crofton’s Swiss Army Knife, was the real deal and just a junior in 1955. A regular day at the office for him was like the 45-7 Coleridge victory when he broke loose for a 51 yard TD run, returned a punt 53 yards for a second score, caught a 60 yard TD pass and ran in 3 PATs.

In the Norfolk Sacred Heart game, the fleet, 180 pound Steffen scored on runs of 40,1 and 2 yards and snared a 25 yard pass for an additional score in the rout.

1955 Eight-Man All-State Football Team

End---Marlyn Jacobsen-Bancroft, 6-0, 167, Senior, (16 years old)

End----Vernon Thomsen-Exeter, 6-0, 176, Junior (16 yo)

Guard-Tom Hoatson-Hershey, 5-10, 169, Senior, (17 yo)

Guard-Garve Chapman-Exeter, 5-8, 162, Senior, (18 yo)

Center-Arlen Bay-Stapleton, 5-9, 161, Senior, (17 yo)

Back---Jerry Steffen-Crofton, 5-11, 180, Junior, (15 yo)

Back---Warren Thomsen-Exeter, 5-9, 147, Senior, (17 yo)

Back---Bill Founds-Brady, 5-11, 160, Senior, (18 yo)

1 Exeter (8-0)

33 Beaver Crossing...7. - 45 Fairmont……………7

39 Axtell……………...14 - 54 Milford……………....0

27 Western…………...7 - 41 Seward Concordia…9

27 Sterling…………....6 - 40 Brady………………...12

Coach-Kenneth C. Kasparek

2. Crofton (9-0)

39 Osmond……....0 - 45 Newcastle…….13

50 Randolph……..0 - 26 Winside……….24

45 Coleridge……...7 - 43 Wausa…………...6

45 Wayne Hahn…0 - 54 Verdigre……….6

47 Norfolk S. H….6

Coach-James Taylor

3. Rosalie (7-2)

55 Watne Hahn…7 - 31 Dakota City……....6

57 Beemer………7-- 47 *Jefferson, SD…...13

25 Bancroft……..20 - 0 **Decatur………...25

47 Winnebago….13 - 6 Homer……………..16

19 Emerson……..7

(*6-Man game), {**11-Man game}

4. Brady (8-1)

65 Thedford…….0 - 34 Stapleton…….12

19 NP St. Pats...12 - 47 Wallace……….0

21 Mullen………19 - 12 Sutherland…...7

19 Hershey……...0 - 12 *Exeter………47

46 Maxwell…….12

(*Legion Bowl in Arapahoe)

Coach-Elmo Cromer

5. Spencer (7-0-1)

32 O’Neill S.M…….0 - 27 Fairfield, SD…13

59 Butte……………..6 - 53 Niobrara….…...0

13 Bonesteel, SD..13 - 44 Verdigre..……..0

55 Orchard…………0 - 38 Lynch...………..0

Coach-Genbe Phillips

6. Stapleton (8-1)

20 Maxwell.…….12 - 12 Brady……...34

28 Tryon……..….13 - 19 Mullen…….14

20 Hershey.…….13 - 30 Arnold……20

27 NP Sty. Pats…7 - 50 Thedford…..7

13 Sutherland….12

Coach-Francis Roche

7. Dakota City (5-4)

40 Randolph………6 - 6 Rosalie………...31

0 West Point GA..32 -42 Winnebago….12

27 Homer…………..0 - 32 Emerson……..35

18 Randolph………6 - 25 Beemer………...7

12 Norfolk SH……52

Coach-K.C. Paul

8. Bancroft (5-4)

34 Coleridge…14 - 40 Beemer…....6

20 Emerson….13 - 16 *Sgt Bluff….40

20 Rosalie……28 - 32 Homer……..33

6 Dakota City..18 - 33 Winside……19

35 Winnebago…6

*(6-Man game)

Coach-Kenneth Etchenkamp

9. Sumner (7-1)

40 Wilcox………..0 - 26 Amherst…………20

25 *Eddyville…..20 - 47 Overton…………6

51 Pleasanton....12 - 13 West Kearney…20

47 Axtell………...19 - 29 Elm Creek ……20

Coach-Dean Thieafeld

10. Winside (5-3)

7 Winside………....20 - 33 Wausa…….26

20 Wayne Hahn…13 - 24 Crofton.……26

19 Newcastle……...6 - 32 Randolph…..13

27 Osmond………...7 - 19 Bancroft…...33

Coach-Otfried Buelter

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