2002 Bison squad named Team of the Decade

McCook High School has been one of the top Class B football programs in the state of Nebraska in recent years. The Bison team that won the first of two state championships for head coach Jeff Gross was recently honored by a state-wide publication as the top team of the decade.

Huskerland Prep Report magazine named the 2002 McCook football team as number-one in Class B for the last 10 years. The 2002 Bison edition went 13-0 and routed Ralston 39-14 in the Class B state championship game.

McCook's teams put together back-to-back undefeated state championship teams in the 2002 and 2003 seasons. The Huskerland Prep Report selected the 2002 Bison state title team as the top team of the decade, ahead of last year's Aurora squad that went 13-0 and beat McCook twice during the season, and the 2004 Lincoln Pius X team that also went 13-0 and topped the Bison in the state finals. The 2003 McCook team that won a second straight state championship was ranked fourth on the list.

Here is Huskerland Prep Report's comments on the 2002 Bison team:

"The best of the decade is also the best of McCook's five teams to reach the finals over the past decade. Krae Dutoit was fabulous at quarterback, setting in motion a string of superior option QBs to play for the Bison, but the team belonged to rugged, hard-hitting Stuart Frazier, who was named defensive player of the year. Ben Klug was an outstanding two-way player for the Bison and Rocky Estereich and Nate Rieicks were all-state defensive ends. They also had an additional 1,000 yard rusher and all state LB Spencer Walter, and an All-State offensive lineman in Luke Olson. In addition, junior Trent Lyons was the all-state kicker. McCook's 45-3 victory over an excellent and unbeaten Aurora team in the semis was its touchstone performance, preceeding a 39-14 win over upstart Ralston in the finals."

The Huskerland Prep Report Top 10 Class B football teams of the past decade:

1. McCook, 2002 (13-0)

2. Aurora, 2009 (13-0)

3. Lincoln Pius X, 2004 (13-0)

4. McCook, 2003 (13-0)

5. Crete, 2007 (13-0)

6. Omaha Skutt, 2005 (13-0)

7. Aurora, 2008 (12-1)

8. Crete, 2006 (12-1)

9. Seward, 2001 (12-1)

10. Crete, 2000 (10-3)