District reshuffling sends Elkhorn to Class A
Class A football coaches will be scrambling to find game film of Elkhorn.
The Antlers moved up to Class A for the two-year football classification period that begins next fall, replacing Columbus.
Elkhorn was assigned to District 2, where they’ll compete with Kearney, Lincoln East, Lincoln Southeast, Lincoln Southwest and Norfolk for one of the three available playoff spots.
“Ouch! That will be a killer district,” said East coach John Gingery on Friday, the day that the NSAA announced classifications and district assignments for football in 2008 and 2009.
“There are a lot of talented teams,” added Gingery. “We know that Elkhorn has a good history and will be a strong addition to the district.“
Elkhorn qualified for the playoffs 18 of the last 20 years, earning championships in 1989, ’92, ’96 and ’99, with runnerup finishes in ’87, ’91 and ’06.
“Attrition is the name of the game. Week in and week out, you’re playing someone who is talented. If you let up, you’ll get beat and you do get beat up,” said Gingery. “You have to survive the injury game. Plus, there is also the numbers game and participation in games. Kids will be asking themselves how they stack up against their opponents and if they have a chance to play.“
The Class B format switched this year. There are eight districts of four teams each, with the winner qualifying along with the eight teams next in the wild-card standings. Games in Class B will also begin in Week 0, the same week as Class A did this year, and playoffs games will be once a week.
Defending champion Crete is joined by Beatrice, Lincoln Pius X and Norris.
“That doesn’t surprise me. Unless we relocate, that won’t change,” said Crete coach Chuck McGinnis. “ This year, I thought Pius was a very good football team with a brutal schedule and they still nearly got in the playoffs.“
McGinnis said he expects his Cardinals to contend again after winning back-to-back titles, led by Husker recruit and Super-State co-captain John Levorson.
“We have a solid group of juniors we’re expecting big things from next year,” he said. “We definitely will miss these seniors, though. It’s been a treat for me to coach them. I don’t think I’ve ever been around a group that competes like these kids.“
McGinnis said there wasn’t anything to celebrate with the changes in Class B.
“I’m not that excited to see Columbus coming down. Trading Columbus for Elkhorn isn’t exactly a huge advantage,” he said.
The new format prevented Omaha Roncalli from opting to play in Class B, though its enrollment is too small for the class. The Crimson Pride has opted to play in Class B in recent years.
Adams Central and Columbus Lakeview moved up to Class B, with Fairbury and Cozad dropping to Class C-1.
Lincoln Christian, Chase County and Yutan dropped from Class C-1 to Class C-2. Teams moving from eight-man football to Class C-2 are Dundy County-Stratton, Humboldt-Table Rock-Steinauer, Lourdes Central Catholic and Omaha Brownell-Talbot.
Howells is returning to Class D-1, where it won six straight titles before a two-year stint in 11-man football. The Bobcats lost in the semifinals and the quarterfinals the last two years. Also moving to eight-man football are Pender, Lyons-Decatur Northeast, Heartland, Hemingford, Osceola, Burwell, Conestoga, Franklin and Emerson-Hubbard. New eight-man cooperative sponsorships are Orchard/Clearwater, Sandhills/Thedford and North Central (Keya Paha/Rock County).
There will be 15 teams playing six-man football this year. Arnold, Hitchcock County and St. Edward dropped from eight-man to six-man football.
Reach Ryly Jane Hambleton at 473-7314 or rhambleton@journalstar.com.
The Antlers moved up to Class A for the two-year football classification period that begins next fall, replacing Columbus.
Elkhorn was assigned to District 2, where they’ll compete with Kearney, Lincoln East, Lincoln Southeast, Lincoln Southwest and Norfolk for one of the three available playoff spots.
“Ouch! That will be a killer district,” said East coach John Gingery on Friday, the day that the NSAA announced classifications and district assignments for football in 2008 and 2009.
“There are a lot of talented teams,” added Gingery. “We know that Elkhorn has a good history and will be a strong addition to the district.“
Elkhorn qualified for the playoffs 18 of the last 20 years, earning championships in 1989, ’92, ’96 and ’99, with runnerup finishes in ’87, ’91 and ’06.
“Attrition is the name of the game. Week in and week out, you’re playing someone who is talented. If you let up, you’ll get beat and you do get beat up,” said Gingery. “You have to survive the injury game. Plus, there is also the numbers game and participation in games. Kids will be asking themselves how they stack up against their opponents and if they have a chance to play.“
The Class B format switched this year. There are eight districts of four teams each, with the winner qualifying along with the eight teams next in the wild-card standings. Games in Class B will also begin in Week 0, the same week as Class A did this year, and playoffs games will be once a week.
Defending champion Crete is joined by Beatrice, Lincoln Pius X and Norris.
“That doesn’t surprise me. Unless we relocate, that won’t change,” said Crete coach Chuck McGinnis. “ This year, I thought Pius was a very good football team with a brutal schedule and they still nearly got in the playoffs.“
McGinnis said he expects his Cardinals to contend again after winning back-to-back titles, led by Husker recruit and Super-State co-captain John Levorson.
“We have a solid group of juniors we’re expecting big things from next year,” he said. “We definitely will miss these seniors, though. It’s been a treat for me to coach them. I don’t think I’ve ever been around a group that competes like these kids.“
McGinnis said there wasn’t anything to celebrate with the changes in Class B.
“I’m not that excited to see Columbus coming down. Trading Columbus for Elkhorn isn’t exactly a huge advantage,” he said.
The new format prevented Omaha Roncalli from opting to play in Class B, though its enrollment is too small for the class. The Crimson Pride has opted to play in Class B in recent years.
Adams Central and Columbus Lakeview moved up to Class B, with Fairbury and Cozad dropping to Class C-1.
Lincoln Christian, Chase County and Yutan dropped from Class C-1 to Class C-2. Teams moving from eight-man football to Class C-2 are Dundy County-Stratton, Humboldt-Table Rock-Steinauer, Lourdes Central Catholic and Omaha Brownell-Talbot.
Howells is returning to Class D-1, where it won six straight titles before a two-year stint in 11-man football. The Bobcats lost in the semifinals and the quarterfinals the last two years. Also moving to eight-man football are Pender, Lyons-Decatur Northeast, Heartland, Hemingford, Osceola, Burwell, Conestoga, Franklin and Emerson-Hubbard. New eight-man cooperative sponsorships are Orchard/Clearwater, Sandhills/Thedford and North Central (Keya Paha/Rock County).
There will be 15 teams playing six-man football this year. Arnold, Hitchcock County and St. Edward dropped from eight-man to six-man football.
Reach Ryly Jane Hambleton at 473-7314 or rhambleton@journalstar.com.
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