2026 NEMFCA 8-Man Hall of Fame Inductee Salutes - Ben Ideus, Lewiston High School

This is our second of fifteen 2026 Nebraska Eight Man Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame inductees. We proudly salute one of the greatest pass receivers to ever play the game of 8-Man football, Ben Ideus from Lewiston.

BEN IDEUS – LEWISTON HIGH SCHOOL

A record-setting wide-receiver in the early 2000’s, Ben helped lead his team to the state playoffs three different times while playing for Hall of Fame Coach Neil Woofter and the Tigers. However, it would be during Lewiston’s epic 2001 Class D-2 State Championship run where he stamped his mark on Nebraska 8-Man History. In that memorable senior season, Ben set state records for receiving yards (1,826) and touchdowns (28) and state playoff records for yards (582) and touchdowns (9) in a playoff series. During his outstanding prep career, Ben accounted for 72 total touchdowns and also brought in 23 interceptions from his Safety position on Defense. He was chosen All-Conference, All-Area, and All-District on 3 occasions, and was named 1st Team All-State as a senior. Following graduation, Ben was selected to play in the 2002 Eight-Man All Star Game, and was later named to Huskerland Prep Report’s Class D1 All-Decade Team of the 2000’s. He went on to compete in both football and track at Concordia University and later went on to become a high school teacher and coach. He is most proud of winning a State Title with great teammates and playing for outstanding coaches during his time at Lewiston. The NEMFCA is honored to welcome him into the Eight Man Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026.

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*1000 Yard Guy sez…..Man, did Benny Ideus and his quarterback Dion Parks ever prove me wrong in the 2001 D-2 State Final. I made the statement that no Nebraska high football team (8-Man or otherwise) that threw the ball over 60% would ever win a State Championship. Ideus, Parks and their Lewiston Tigers proved me wrong that November 15th day at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln by defeating the late, great Dennis Hurlburt and his Greeley Bulldogs, 34-32.

How great was Ideus that day? The Tigers' flash caught 8 passes for a staggering 184 yards and scoring catches covering 7, 71 and 10 yards, the final TD knocking Ideus out of the game in the middle of the 3rd quarter, sending him to Bryan Memorial Hospital and rocking the Lewiston team to the core.

But that’s how tough and talented Ben Ideus was and he proved it game in and game out, latching on to Parks’ perfect spiral tosses. Ideus was mostly impossible to cover and could jet to the promised land once he caught the football.

Unbelievable talent!