2025 NEMFCA Eight-Man Football Hall of Fame is Announced

Posted Tuesday, January 28, 2025, at 2:56 PM

Three coaches and eleven players have been named to the 2025 NEMFCA Eight-Man Football Hall of Fame. They will be inducted during ceremonies to be heldon Saturday, June 21 st at The Osborne Family Sports Complex in Hastings, NE.

The Hall of Fame is presented by the Nebraska Eight-Man Football Coaches

Association and sponsored by Cornerstone Bank. The induction ceremony will be held at halftime of the 48th annual Sertoma Eight-Man All-Star Game played at Hastings College. Kickoff for the game will be 6:00 p.m.

The Class of 2025 includes: Players- Dennis Thorell (Loomis) Larry Riessland(Pleasanton), Joe E. Svoboda (Lawrence), Kelly Haecker (Odell), Cory Holl(Elwood), Dan Gall (Leigh), Bill Ziegelbein (Polk), Curt Lenners (Filley),Casey Nelson (Newman Grove), Brad Larson (Chambers), Ben Hansen(Cedar Bluffs), Coaches- Tom Hottovy (Adams), Arlo Wusk (Sterling).

As usual, a talent rich group of individuals who left their mark on the game of eight man football in the state of Nebraska.

Just to name a few;

Larry Riessland of Pleasanton has the distinction of being the first eight man running back in the state of Nebraska to run for over 2000 yards in a season, accomplishing the feat in the mid 50s, a time when running stats were rarely, if ever, tracked.

Then there's Corey Holl of Elwood who is the one of the first eight man backs to reach the 5000 yard career rushing pleatau and the great Dennis Thorell of Loomis, who was one of the Greatest three sport athletes in the history of the state of Nebraska.

The Eight-Man Football Hall of Fame is located in the lobby of the Lynn Farrell Arena on the Hastings College campus.