A History of Nebraska 8-Man Football - Saluting the 2021 Class D-1/D-2 Playoffs, All-State Teams and Final Ratings

**{Total schools actually fielding 8-Man football teams in Nebraska during the 2021 season was 114, the same as 2020 and still tops in the USA.}**

2021 Class D-1 (Eight-Man 1)

*2021 Final Class D-1 Top 10* (Stu Pospisil- Omaha World Herald)

1. Howells-Dodge (13-0), 626-197, {48-15}, [Mike Speirs]

2. Cross County (11-2), 734-282, {Hayden DeLano}

3. Burwell (11-1), 584-232, {Luke Gideon}

4. Nebraska City Lourdes (10-1), 665-260, {Jon Borer}

5. Dundy County-Stratton (9-2), 516-281, {Mike Spargo}

6. Anselmo-Merna (9-2), 502-127, {Matt McGinn}

7. Weeping Water (9-1), 522-281, {Mitchell Shepard}

8. Stanton (8-2), 397-195, {David Stoddard}

9. Hitchcock County (10-2), 559-184, {Randall Rath}

10. Neligh-Oakdale (8-2), 488-321, {Ron Beacom}

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2021 Class D-1 (Eight-Man 1) PLAYOFFS

CLASS D1

First Round

(8-0) Burwell 60, Amherst 24 (3-5)

(5-3) Nebraska Christian 22, Arcadia-Loup City 15 (6-2)

(7-1) Anselmo-Merna 36, Summerland 6 (5-3)

(7-1) Hitchcock County 72, Atkinson West Holt 0 (4-4)

(7-1) Dundy County Stratton 66, Cambridge 8 (4-4)

(5-3) Sutherland 52, Hi-Line 22 (5-3)

(6-2) Perkins County 46, Bertrand 28 (6-2)

(8-0) Arapahoe 56, Alma 40 (3-5)

(8-0) Lourdes Central Catholic 57, Thayer Central 14 (4-4)

(6-2) Laurel-Concord-Coleridge 30, EMF 26 (7-1)

(7-1) Stanton 57, Heartland 12 (6-2)

(5-3) Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family 36, Lutheran High NE 35 (8-0)

(8-0) Weeping Water 48, Wisner-Pilger 28 (4-4)

(7-1) Cross County 45, Clarkson/Leigh 12 (5-3)

(7-1) Neligh-Oakdale 64, Tri County 30 (5-3)

(8-0) Howells-Dodge 56, Elmwood-Murdock 32 (5-3)

Second Round

(9-0) Burwell 59, Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family 12 (6-3)

(8-1) Anselmo-Merna 26, Stanton 20 (8-1)

(9-0) Howells-Dodge 54, Laurel-Concord-Coleridge 20 (7-2)

(8-1) Dundy County Stratton 68, Nebraska Christian 34 (6-3)

(7-2) Perkins County 37, Arapahoe 28 (9-0)

(8-1) Hitchcock County 30, Neligh-Oakdale 20 (8-1)

(8-1) Cross County 67, Weeping Water 36 (9-0)

(9-0) Lourdes Central Catholic 53, Sutherland 20 (6-3)

Quarterfinals

(10-0) Burwell 41, Anselmo-Merna 18 (9-1)

(10-0) Howells-Dodge 44, Dundy County Stratton 18 (9-1)

(9-1) Hitchcock County 58, Perkins County 6 (8-2)

(9-1) Cross County 58, Lourdes Central Catholic 51 (10-0)

Semifinals

(11-0) Howells-Dodge 56, Burwell 18 (11-0)

(10-1) Cross County 56, Hitchcock County 20 (10-1)

Championship Final

(12-0) Howells-Dodge 42, Cross County 12 (11-1)

Championship Team: Howells-Dodge (13-0), Coach: Mike Speirs

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All-State Teams

2021 EIGHT MAN-1 ALL-STATE FOOTBALL TEAMS

OFFENSE

WR-Andrew Waltke-Palmyra, 6-4, 215, Senior

OL--Carter Mann-Burwell, 6-4, 260, Senior

OL--Damon Mickey-Cross County, 5-11, 220, Senior

OL--Alex Noyd-Cross County, 5-11, 205, Junior

QB--Blake Miller-Nebraska City Lourdes, 6-2, 190, Senior

Back-Levi Belina-Howells-Dodge, 6-0, 180, Senior

Back-Caleb Busch-Burwell, 6-0, 180, Senior

Back-Carter Seim-Cross County, 6-1, 210, Senior

Ath/Kicker-RJ Bayer-Howells-Dodge, 6-2, 195, Senior

DEFENSE

DL--Aandy Dominguez-Howells-Dodge, 6-0, 200, Junior

DL--Cory Hollinger-Cross County, 6-6, 225, Senior

LB--Keegan Shuler-Hitchcock County, 6-2, 195, Senior

LB--Jestin Bayer-Howells-Dodge, 5-10, 190, Junior

LB--Hunter Mortimer-Weeping Water, 5-11, 190, Senior

DB--Cash Gurney-Burwell, 6-0, 180, Senior

DB--Quade Myers-Dundy County-Stratton, 5-10, 200, Senior

DB--Parker Krusemark-Stanton, 6-4, 180, Senior

Ath/Punter-Aiden Kuester, Neligh-Oakdale, 6-0, 175, Junior

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*CLASS D-2*

2021 Final Class D-2 Top 10 (Stu Pospisil- Omaha World Herald)

1. Kenesaw (13-0), 770-245, {59-19} [Craig Schnitzler]

2. Sandhills/Thedford (12-1), 702-156, {Josh Deines}

3. Falls City Sacred Heart (8-2), 565-252, {Doug Goltz}

4. Humphrey St. Francis (10-1), 492-188, {Eric Kessler}

5. Osceola (9-2), 549-363, {Luke Ericson}

6. BDS (8-4), 386-332, [Mark Rotter & Chris Ardissono]

7. Elgin/Pope John XXIII (8-4), 374-345, {Greg Wemhoff}

8. Johnson-Brock (8-3), 473-239, {Mitch Roberts}

9. Pender (9-1), 533-204, {Cody Folk}

10. Riverside (8-2), 537-246, {Cory Valasek}

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2021 Class D-2 (Eight-Man 2) PLAYOFFS

CLASS D2

First Round

(8-0) Sandhills/Thedford 60, Lawrence-Nelson 20 (3-5)

(5-3) Elgin Public/Pope John 30, O’Neill St. Mary’s 26 (7-1)

(6-2) Leyton 47, Hyannis 12 (4-4)

(8-0) Kenesaw 56, Medicine Valley 0 (6-2)

(7-1) Mullen 58, Loomis 12 (5-3)

(4-4) Blue Hill 28, Garden County 8 (6-2)

(6-2) Ansley-Litchfield 74, Pleasanton 8 (6-2)

(7-1) Riverside 74, Sandhills Valley 20 (3-5)

(8-0) Humphrey St. Francis 42, Allen 14 (3-5)

(5-3) BDS 66, Fullerton 34 (5-3)

(7-1) Falls City Sacred Heart 63, Osmond 41 (4-4)

(7-1) Osceola 70, Homer 27 (3-5)

(7-1) Bloomfield 66, Wausa 20 (4-4)

(4-4) Mead 26, Wynot 20 (6-2)

(6-2) Johnson-Brock 56, Winside 12 (5-3)

(8-0) Pender 69, Creighton 32 (4-4)

Second Round

(9-0) Sandhills/Thedford 62, Mead 6 (5-4)

(8-1) Osceola 54, Leyton 28 (7-2)

(7-2) Johnson-Brock 40, Riverside 22 (8-1)

(6-3) Elgin Public/Pope John 70, Bloomfield 40 (8-1)

(6-3) BDS 36, Pender 28 (9-0)

(7-2) Ansley-Litchfield 50, Mullen 42 (OT) (8-1)

(9-0) Kenesaw 62, Falls City Sacred Heart 56 (8-1)

(9-0) Humphrey St. Francis 30, Blue Hill 0 (5-4)

Quarterfinals

(10-0) Sandhills/Thedford 46, Osceola 14 (9-1)

(7-3) Elgin Public/Pope John 22, Johnson-Brock 10 (8-2)

(7-3) BDS 30, Ansley-Litchfield 26 (8-2)

(10-0) Kenesaw 70, Humphrey St. Francis 40 (10-0)

Semifinals

(11-0) Sandhills/Thedford 52, Elgin Public/Pope John 8 (8-3)

(11-0) Kenesaw 36, BDS 6 (8-3)

Championship Final

(12-0) Kenesaw 46, Sandhills/Thedford 40 (12-0)

Championship Team: Kenesaw (13-0), Coach: Craig Schnitzler

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2021 EIGHT MAN-2 ALL-STATE FOOTBALL TEAMS

OFFENSE

Back-Tyson Denkert-Kenesaw, 5-10, 185, Senior

Back-Dane Pokorny-Sandhills-Thedford, 6-3, 210, Senior

Back-Isaiah Zelasney-Osceola, 6-0, 180, Junior

Back-Jack Wemhoff-Elgin/Pope John, 5-9, 180, Junior

WR--Layne Warrior-Bloomfield, 6-2, 165, Sophomore

OL--Eli Jensen-Kenesaw, 6-4, 220, Senior

OL--Drake Olson-Kenesaw, 6-4, 240, Senior

OL--Dalton Gieselman-Bloomfield, 6-3, 250, Senior

Ath/Kicker-Brogan Nachtigal-Falls City Sacred Heart, 6-3, 220, Senior

DEFENSE

DL--Drew McIntosh-Sandhills-Thedford, 6-1, 200, Senior

DL--Trey Kennedy-Kenesaw, 6-0, 197, Senior

DL--Colton Wright-Elgin/Pope John, 6-2, 195, Senior

LB--Reece Zutavern-Sandhills-Thedford, 5-10, 200, Senior

LB--Easton Weber-BDS, 5-11, 200, Junior

DB--Jakob Jordan-Falls City Sacred Heart, 5-11, 160, Senior

DB--Tanner Pfeifer-Humphrey St. Francis, 6-2, 185, Senior

DB--Caleb Fossenbarger-Johnson-Brock, 5-8, 150, Senior

Punter- Evan Keithley-Falls City Sacred Heart, 6-0, 170, Junior