A History of Nebraska 8-Man Football - 1966 All-State Teams/Final Rankings.

Our dearly departed, dear friend Conde Sargent took over the Omaha World-Herald Prep Sports gig from the great Gregg McBride in 1966. Nr. McBride, the first ever to bear the Prep Sports Editor name tag for the World-Herald, was also handling COLLEGE football all that time, making me wonder when the poor guy ever managed any sleep.

At any rate, Conde Sargent, a straight ahead black and white type ratings man, knew the inside outs of high school football, that’s for sure.

*140 Teams played 8-Man football in 1966, up four schools from1965. Western Nebraska boasted bragging rights in Conde’s first ever 8-Man ratings, placing Indianola, Paxton and Overton in a 1,2,3 slam.

*Final 8-Man Top 10 (1966)*

1. Indianola (10-0)

2. Paxton (9-0)

3. Overton (8-0)

4. Elmwood (9-0)

5. Odell (9-0)

6. Talmage (8-0)

7. Humphrey High (9-0)

8. Sprague-Martel (7-0)

9. Pleasanton (8-1)

10. Western (7-1)

(also considered were Campbell, Boelus, Chadron Assumption, Elgin, Cedar Rapids, Maywood and Venango)

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Here is the Final Top Ten showing each team’s game by game scores.

*1966 Eight-Man Football Final Top 10*

1. Indianola, (10-0)

40 Culbertson…….8 - 65 Holbrook………0

52 Hayes Center…0 - 65 Eustis…………...0

52 Red Willow…...0 - 66 Beaver Valley…0

58 Palisade………..0 - 60 Bartley…………..6

60 Stratton…………6 - 41 Stratton………..14

Coach-Jerry Felker

2. Paxton (9-0)

47 Lewellen…….0 - 81 Madrid…………..25

44 Venango……14 -26 Hayes Center…25

48 Big Springs…7 - 63 Hershey………..25

40 Sutherland….7 - 34 Stapleton……...13

51 Elsie…………...6

Coach-Don Byrnes

3. Overton (8-0)

34 Loomis……...13 - 21 Wilcox……...18

61 Axtell………...13 - 48 Sumner……..18

30 Pleasanton…24 - 61 Elm Creek...19

75 Amherst……..12 - 55 Loomis……..13

Coach-Dan Moore

4. Elmwood (9-0)

21 Adams………....7 - 40 Waco………...0

20 Cedar Bluffs...6 - 67 Murdock…....6

55 Prague………....6 - 54 Palmyra…….0

41 Cook……….....23 - 63 Peru Prep…..6

59 Nehawka…….14

Coach-Gary Anderson

5. Odell (9-0)

44 Barneston……….....19 - 45 Beatrice St. Joe…12

41 Sterling………….......6 - 59 Holmesville………..6

33 Dawson-Verdon…..6 - 2 Filley………………......0 (Forfeit)

75 Diller……………........0 - 25 Adams……………....21

43 Morrowville, Kan...0

Coach-Jerry Rupprecht

6. Talmage (8-0)

39 Cook……...25 - 35 Dawson-Verdon...0

40 Palmyra….12 - 47 Peru Prep……….....6

26 Sterling….12 - 65 Table Rock…….......6

52 Elk Creek…0 - 59 Brock……………......26

Coach-Ronn Miller

7. Humphrey High (9-0)

40 Clearwater....20 - 31 Platte Center……...6

44 Creston……...13 - 54 Petersburg………....7

67 Orchard……...14 - 45 Meadow Grove....19

55 Monroe……....27 - 54 Shelby…………......33

48 Rising City…...6

Coach-LeRoy Ditter

8. Sprague-Martel (7-0)

33 Douglas………….....0 - 27 Palmyra…13

26 Beatrice St. Joe…18 - 42 Diller………0

55 Malcolm……………..7 - 32 Adams ….20

47 Western…………...33

Coach-Larry Horstman

9. Pleasanton (8-1)

41 Axtell………...6 - 46 Sumner…...14

62 Dannebrog...0 - 31 Elm Creek…7

24 Overton…….30 - 58 Hildreth…..6

57 Amherst…….19 - 37 Loomis…….7

32 Western…….20

Coach-Pat Avey

10. Western (7-1)

32 Filley……………….....0 - 40 Milligan….......6

47 Diller……………….....0 - 54 Tobias….........14

52 Beaver Crossing…..14 - 44 Dorchester….14

33 Sprague-Martell….47 - 35 Alexandria...18

Coach-Sam Bell

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1966 was not only a special season to remember in 8-Man football in this state, but ALL of high school football in Nebraska as we recorded the very first TWO THOUSAND YARD RUSHER.

Pleasanton’s sensational Larry Riessland, a smallish 155 pound dynamo, exploded for a mind-boggling 2,127 yards and 47 touchdowns on a grueling 247 carries. Averaging 8.6 yards a carry, toting the pigskin an average of 31 times a game.

It didn’t stop there for the amazing Riessland. He also completed 7 of 9 passes for 118 yards, caught 22 passes for 425 yards and intercepted 9 passes on defense.

Larry Riessland scored NINE touchdowns in a single game, rushed for 320 in another and was ranked number one in his class scholastically.

The Pleasanton record setter was part of an impressive 1966 All-State backfield that included Wilsonville quarterback, 6-1, 195 pound senior Charles Haag.

Haag was a tough customer, outweighing many offensive and defensive linemen back in his day.

A deadly accurate passer, Haag completed a sizzling 70% of his 116 pass attempts, good for 1,480 yards and 19 touchdowns. Charles was also a fine defender, recording a pair of Pick-6s during the ‘66 season.

Rounding out yet another 8-Man all-state backfield to remember was a well-known name in Western Nebraska gridiron circles, was Jerry Liess from State Champion Indianola.

A quarterback like Wilsonville’s Haag, Liess ran for 849 yards on 84 carries, averaging a first down every time he ran the ball Liess also completed 31 of 56 passes for 491 yards and 9 touchdowns.

That means Jerry Liess threw a touchdown pass every third time he put the ball in the air.

The Indianola senior was also the second leading tackler on his team and had an unbelievable SIX PUNT RETURNS for scores.

The top lineman in all of 8-Man football in 1966 had to be Bartlett’s 5-10, 190 pound tough guy Al Childers.

A repeat selection, Childers was fully capable of chasing down a running back. Childers ran a :10.9 hundred yard dash, which would be equal to an 11 flat hundred meters these days.

And now, let’s meet our 1966 8-Man All-State Football team;

*1966 8-Man All-State Football Team*

End---Ken Gitt-Wilcox, 6-1, 175, Senior

End---Warren Schoenbeck-Western, 5-8, 165 Senior

Guard-Jim Fischer-Elmwood, 5-11, 170, Senior

Guard-Al Childers-Bartlett, 5-10, 190, Senior

Center-Don Wittler-Talmage, 6-3, 215, Senior

Back--Charles Haag-Wilsonville, 6-1, 195, Senior

Back--Jerry Liess-Indianola, 5-11, 164, Senior

Back--Larry Riessland-Pleasanton, 5-8, 155, Senior