8-Man Football Declarations

[ACICOD]

Good afternoon board --

I'm looking at getting the 8-man teams for the upcoming years sorted out (hopefully enrollment numbers are released soon). The following teams have not declared for 2022-2023 and have at least some possibility that they could be 8-man. Does anyone know what these schools are doing?

Brady
College View Academy
Conestoga
Cornerstone Christian, OBT, & Quest Academy
Crawford
Dundy County Stratton
Gibbon
Heartland Lutheran
Hershey
St. Francis
Louisville
Maxwell
Lutheran High Northeast
Medicine Valley
Morrill
Mullen
Nebraska Lutheran
North Platte St. Pat's -- gotta be 11, but they have been 8-man eligible recently
Palmyra
Pawnee City
Paxton
Sandy Creek
Santee
Shelton
South Platte
Sterling
S-E-M
Superior
Tri County
Wauneta-Palisade



Just trying to get a handle on the upcoming season.

Thanks!

 

[CB73]

I don't see David City going 8-Man. And people I've talked to say Shelton will be 6 man

 

[VortecHusker]

Creek Valley will be six man

 

[ACICOD]

Will update as I get information.

 

[Loper90]

Loomis will be 8 man

 

[GrizzzlyPanda]

Have heard rumblings that St. Pats is going 8 man.

 

[highschoolfootballnut]

Have heard rumblings that St. Pats is going 8 man.

I bet if Hershey does they will

 

[northeastNebraska]

I could finally see St. Pat's going to 8 man. Their numbers are looking better in the lower elementary grades but it would make sense to go 8 man for awhile and see how it goes. They have been playing tough in 11 man the last few years with low numbers. Credit their coaches for getting kids to come out.

 

[northeastNebraska]

I believe Shelton is voting on whether to drop to 6 man soon. I bet they drop to 6 man, they barely had enough to play 8 man in 2019.

 

[northeastNebraska]

Neumann will play 11 man. No way they drop to 8 man.

 

[GrizzzlyPanda]

I could finally see St. Pat's going to 8 man. Their numbers are looking better in the lower elementary grades but it would make sense to go 8 man for awhile and see how it goes. They have been playing tough in 11 man the last few years with low numbers. Credit their coaches for getting kids to come out.

They have definitely been tough as of late in C2, but you could make an argument that they are better off schedule wise in C2 compared to what they may potentially get being D. This year for instance they played only one division 1 opponent in St. Cecilia and only one other playoff team in Gordon-Rushville. If and when they go to 8 man they will have to play some combination of Hitchcock, DCS, Mullen, S/T, Anselmo-Merna, Cambridge, etc. I have no doubt they will still have success regardless but just some food for thought.

 

[nenebskers]

Good afternoon board --

I'm looking at getting the 8-man teams for the upcoming years sorted out (hopefully enrollment numbers are released soon). The following teams have not declared for 2022-2023 and have at least some possibility that they could be 8-man. Does anyone know what these schools are doing?

Brady
Cornerstone Christian, OBT, & Quest Academy
Crawford
David City
Dundy County Stratton
Elkhorn Valley
Exeter-Milligan-Friend
Gibbon
Giltner
Heartland Lutheran
Hershey
St. Francis
Louisville
Maxwell
Lutheran High Northeast
McPherson County-Staplteon (Sandhills Valley)
Medicine Valley
Morrill
Mullen
Nebraska Christian
Nebraska Lutheran
Niobrara-Verdigre
North Platte St. Pat's -- gotta be 11, but they have been 8-man eligible recently
Palmyra
Pawnee City
Paxton
Perkins County
Ponca
Randolph
Sandy Creek
Santee
Shelton
South Platte
St. Edward
Sterling
Stuart
S-E-M
Superior
Tri County
Walthill
Wauneta-Palisade



What We've Learned/Been Told:

6-Man: Creek Valley

8-Man: Crofton, Heartland, Johnson County Central, Loomis, Palmer, Tri County Northeast (Allen/E-H)

11-Man: Bishop Neumann, West Holt


Just trying to get a handle on the upcoming season.

Thanks!

I believe Tri-County NE will be 11 man.

 

[northeastNebraska]

They have definitely been tough as of late in C2, but you could make an argument that they are better off schedule wise in C2 compared to what they may potentially get being D. This year for instance they played only one division 1 opponent in St. Cecilia and only one other playoff team in Gordon-Rushville. If and when they go to 8 man they will have to play some combination of Hitchcock, DCS, Mullen, S/T, Anselmo-Merna, Cambridge, etc. I have no doubt they will still have success regardless but just some food for thought.

I watched NPSP quite a bit this year, I think this years team would have faired pretty well playing 8 man. But I agree their schedule will be more difficult top to bottom in D1. Looking at D1 districts this year..

• District 8:
  • Burwell (8-0, 4-0), 45.6250
  • Anselmo-Merna (7-1, 3-1), 42.8750
  • Arcadia-Loup City (6-2, 2-2), 40.7500
  • Amherst (3-5, 1-3), 38.7500
  • Ravenna (1-7, 0-4), 37.6250
• District 9:
  • Arapahoe (8-0, 4-0), 44.3750
  • Bertrand (6-2, 3-1), 41.3750
  • Alma (3-5, 2-2), 39.3750
  • Southern Valley (1-7, 1-3), 35.1250
  • Elm Creek (0-8, 0-4), 34.2500
• District 10:
  • Dundy County Stratton (7-1, 3-1), 44.1250
  • Hitchcock County (7-1, 3-1), 43.5000
  • Hi-Line (5-3, 3-1), 41.7500
  • Cambridge (4-4, 1-3), 39.6250
  • Maxwell (1-7, 0-4), 35.7500

Amherst is going 11 man. So say everything stayed the same and you switch Amherst in for NPSP.
-Elm Creek would replace Amherst in the District 8
-Cambridge (maybe Hi-Line) would replace Elm Creek in District 9
-District 10 would be Dundy, Hitchcock, Hi-Line, NPSP and Maxwell. That would be a fun division. Plus NPSP would probably get A-M for sure as a non district game.

 

[ACICOD]

Good afternoon board --

I'm looking at getting the 8-man teams for the upcoming years sorted out (hopefully enrollment numbers are released soon). The following teams have not declared for 2022-2023 and have at least some possibility that they could be 8-man. Does anyone know what these schools are doing?

Allen & Emerson-Hubbard (Tri County Northeast)
Bishop Neumann -- Gotta be 11-man, right?
Brady
Cornerstone Christian, OBT, & Quest Academy
Crawford
Creek Valley
Crofton
David City
Dundy County Stratton
Elkhorn Valley
Exeter-Milligan-Friend
Gibbon
Giltner
Heartland -- Board vote to play 8-man
Heartland Lutheran
Hershey
St. Francis
Johnson County Central
Loomis
Louisville
Maxwell
Lutheran High Northeast
McPherson County-Staplteon (Sandhills Valley)
Medicine Valley
Morrill
Mullen
Nebraska Christian
Nebraska Lutheran
Niobrara-Verdigre
North Platte St. Pat's -- gotta be 11, but they have been 8-man eligible recently
Palmer
Palmyra
Pawnee City
Paxton
Perkins County
Ponca
Randolph
Sandy Creek
Santee
Shelton
South Platte
St. Edward
Sterling
Stuart
S-E-M
Superior
Tri County
Walthill
Wauneta-Palisade
West Holt


Just trying to get a handle on the upcoming season.

Thanks!

I believe Tri-County NE will be 11 man. Also Ponca decided a while back to stay 11 man.

I have it on good accord that Tri-County Northeast will be 8-man with a number of 46.

 

[nenebskers]

I have it on good accord that Tri-County Northeast will be 8-man with a number of 46.

Good afternoon board --

I'm looking at getting the 8-man teams for the upcoming years sorted out (hopefully enrollment numbers are released soon). The following teams have not declared for 2022-2023 and have at least some possibility that they could be 8-man. Does anyone know what these schools are doing?

Brady
Cornerstone Christian, OBT, & Quest Academy
Crawford
David City
Dundy County Stratton
Elkhorn Valley
Exeter-Milligan-Friend
Gibbon
Giltner
Heartland Lutheran
Hershey
St. Francis
Louisville
Maxwell
Lutheran High Northeast
McPherson County-Staplteon (Sandhills Valley)
Medicine Valley
Morrill
Mullen
Nebraska Christian
Nebraska Lutheran
Niobrara-Verdigre
North Platte St. Pat's -- gotta be 11, but they have been 8-man eligible recently
Palmyra
Pawnee City
Paxton
Perkins County
Sandy Creek
Santee
Shelton
South Platte
St. Edward
Sterling
S-E-M
Superior
Tri County
Walthill
Wauneta-Palisade



What We've Learned/Been Told:

6-Man: Creek Valley, Stuart

8-Man: Crofton, Heartland, Johnson County Central, Loomis, Palmer, Randolph, Tri County Northeast (Allen/E-H)

11-Man: Bishop Neumann, Ponca, West Holt


Just trying to get a handle on the upcoming season.

Thanks!

West Holt is going back to 11-man? Great for them if true.

 

[northeastNebraska]

West Holt is going back to 11-man? Great for them if true.

That would be interesting. Last time they were 11 man was 2015.

 

[nenebskers]

I'm sure Winnebago and Omaha Nation will continue to play in the All Nations Conference. Winnebago just won the Conference Championship the other week. Will Walthill and/or Santee join them?

I'm not familiar with 6 man at all. What do the schools that play 6 man do for junior high? Do they travel those same distances for junior high games? Play 8 man if they have enough numbers? Coop with a neighboring school? Curious as to what happens with them.

 

[CB73]

I'm sure Winnebago and Omaha Nation will continue to play in the All Nations Conference. Winnebago just won the Conference Championship the other week. Will Walthill and/or Santee join them?

I'm not familiar with 6 man at all. What do the schools that play 6 man do for junior high? Do they travel those same distances for junior high games? Play 8 man of they have enough numbers? Coop with a neighboring school? Curious as to what happens with them.

Not sure how they do it now but we used to play 6 man with 8 man rules.

 

[highschoolfootballnut]

Looking at a few rosters of teams that are going or might go 8-man
Sandy Creek return 6 starters off a 3-6 C2 team they have struggled but 8-man might be a good fit
NPSP returns 7 starters off a 7-2 C2 team, they dominate the west and made playoffs probably 8 of last 10 years
Sutton returns 8 starters off a 6-3 C2 team, can not remember last time they were not good or didn't make playoffs
I think those last two teams are going to be tough 8-man teams any thoughts ?

 

[Football4281]

Tri County will be 11 man. I've heard a lot of rumblings that Palmyra will be 11 man, but they're going to wait until the last possible minute to make it official. Palmyra's JH programs are huge.

 

[hailvictors2]

I think there could be some confusion between Tri County Trojans (DeWitt, NE) and Tri County Northeast, the new cooperative in northeast Nebraska between Allen and Emerson-Hubbard

 

[Alum-Ni]

I think there could be some confusion between Tri County Trojans (DeWitt, NE) and Tri County Northeast, the new cooperative in northeast Nebraska between Allen and Emerson-Hubbard

I believe this to be the case too.

Tri County (Trojans) will be 8-man

Everything I've been told is that Tri County Northeast will be 11-man

 

[highschoolfootballnut]

I believe this to be the case too.

Tri County (Trojans) will be 8-man

Everything I've been told is that Tri County Northeast will be 11-man

what I have been told is Tricounty in Dewitt will be going 11-man

 

[Football4281]

what I have been told is Tricounty in Dewitt will be going 11-man

That is the Tri County I was talking about. Tri County Trojans (as far as I've been told) are going to be 11 man.

 

[highschoolfootballnut]

That is the Tri County I was talking about. Tri County Trojans (as far as I've been told) are going to be 11 man.

same here

 

[just_average32]

According to last winter's December 2020 enrollment numbers:
Tri-County ORIGINAL (DeWitt) = 58
Tri-County Northeast (Allen 23 + Emerson-Hubbard 26) = 49

Both definitely could be 11-man. Looks like Tri-County seems to be so far over that their September 2021 number they submitted would be similar and won't attempt to opt down? They had 30 on their maxpreps roster for this season. Not sure what the numbers were that got sent in from September, but Tri-County NE looks like they are on the bubble of the cutoff number. Maybe they opt down and hope for the mid-cycle exemption.

I have also heard that David City Public was very likely to drop to 8-man. Their roster numbers were not great this year and had to forfeit a game against Hartington Cedar Catholic. It would not surprise me if they dropped.

 

[CB73]

I talked to some people from David City and they said they were staying 11.

 

[ACICOD]

I talked to some people from David City and they said they were staying 11.

Guys --

Tri County Northeast is going to be 8-man. I will bet my house on it.

According to the new update of declarations:
David City is staying 11-man
Crofton is dropping to 8-man
Elkhorn Valley is staying 8-man
Giltner is staying 8-man
Kimball will be 8-man
Sandhills Valley is staying 8-man
Randolph is staying 8-man
St. Edward is staying 6-man
Walthill is staying 8-man

 

[Alum-Ni]

Guys --

Tri County Northeast is going to be 8-man. I will bet my house on it.

According to the new update of declarations:
David City is staying 11-man
Crofton is dropping to 8-man
Elkhorn Valley is staying 8-man
Giltner is staying 8-man
Kimball will be 8-man
Sandhills Valley is staying 8-man
Randolph is staying 8-man
St. Edward is staying 6-man
Walthill is staying 8-man

I read an article a month or so ago quoting Coach Uldrich in Allen when they played their final game as "Allen" against Emerson-Hubbard, and he said next year the new co-op would be 11-man. So that's where I got my info from....maybe things have changed since then

 

[nenebskers]

Guys --

Tri County Northeast is going to be 8-man. I will bet my house on it.

According to the new update of declarations:
David City is staying 11-man
Crofton is dropping to 8-man
Elkhorn Valley is staying 8-man
Giltner is staying 8-man
Kimball will be 8-man
Sandhills Valley is staying 8-man
Randolph is staying 8-man
St. Edward is staying 6-man
Walthill is staying 8-man

I read an article a month or so ago quoting Coach Uldrich in Allen when they played their final game as "Allen" against Emerson-Hubbard, and he said next year the new co-op would be 11-man. So that's where I got my info from....maybe things have changed since then

Saw the same thing. I heard they just found something out, guessing lower numbers than they thought, that now allows them to fit into 8 man and be playoff eligible. They had all intentions of playing 11 man and working to get the field at Emerson back to 11 man specs. Don't take ACICOD up on his offer!

 

[sui111]

what I have been told is Tricounty in Dewitt will be going 11-man

This is true.

 

[northeastNebraska]

Have to imagine Palmyra will be 11 man going forward with their continued growth and the growth in far southeast Lincoln area.

 

[nenebskers]

How is C1/C2 decided? Is C2 only 69 and below? C2 might end up the smallest class in the state.

 

[highschoolfootballnut]

How is C1/C2 decided? Is C2 only 69 and below? C2 might end up the smallest class in the state.

I believe next cycle they will split the two into equal sizes like they do D1 and D2

 

[balsy]

How is C1/C2 decided? Is C2 only 69 and below? C2 might end up the smallest class in the state.

I wonder if Kearney catholic might be C-2 next cycle? They are graduating a large class this year and were on the smaller side to begin with. Would be weird to see them play Amherst, gibbon, etc. C-1 or C-2 they take a step back next year in football prowess….and basketball.

 

[just_average32]

I wonder if Kearney catholic might be C-2 next cycle? They are graduating a large class this year and were on the smaller side to begin with. Would be weird to see them play Amherst, gibbon, etc. C-1 or C-2 they take a step back next year in football prowess….and basketball.

With the amount of teams dropping from C2 to 8-man, you'll probably see a decent size number from the bottom of C1 drop to C2. Also heard there may be a few Class B teams that could drop below 160 into C1.

 

[northeastNebraska]

I wonder if Kearney catholic might be C-2 next cycle? They are graduating a large class this year and were on the smaller side to begin with. Would be weird to see them play Amherst, gibbon, etc. C-1 or C-2 they take a step back next year in football prowess….and basketball.

If the nsaa is going to cut C1 and C2 in half, we could see Kearney Catholic, Battle Creek, North Bend, Malcolm, Louisville, Fillmore Central, Mitchell, Milford and O’Neill drop. I know the numbers can fluctuate but this is looking at this year‘s classification numbers.

 

[highschoolfootballnut]

If the nsaa is going to cut C1 and C2 in half, we could see Kearney Catholic, Battle Creek, North Bend, Malcolm, Louisville, Fillmore Central, Mitchell, Milford and O’Neill drop. I know the numbers can fluctuate but this is looking at this year‘s classification numbers.

agree

 

[nenebskers]

If the nsaa is going to cut C1 and C2 in half, we could see Kearney Catholic, Battle Creek, North Bend, Malcolm, Louisville, Fillmore Central, Mitchell, Milford and O’Neill drop. I know the numbers can fluctuate but this is looking at this year‘s classification numbers.

It feels like we are headed down the road of having three 11-man classes within the next 10 years, whether we want to or not. I'm not one bit opposed to it if it makes sense in terms of competitive balance within the class but do wish we had the days of 50+ schools in C1 and C2, which was not that long ago. I've always thought if we had less classes we would have more coops. Schools are so afraid of entering a coop and jumping up a classification that often it stops it from happening.

Class A, which 25 years ago I believe was our smallest class, will soon be one of our largest with the continued opening and growth of metro area schools. Do we get to a point where the lower half of A (Norfolk, Columbus, North Platte, Fremont, Elkhorn's, etc) and a chunk of B (Scottsbluff, Ralston, Skutt, Waverly, Norris, SSC, etc) form what we now know as B and the smaller B's (Aurora, York, Seward, Gross, Roncalli, etc) morph into class C1?

 

[Yossarian23]

If the nsaa is going to cut C1 and C2 in half, we could see Kearney Catholic, Battle Creek, North Bend, Malcolm, Louisville, Fillmore Central, Mitchell, Milford and O’Neill drop. I know the numbers can fluctuate but this is looking at this year‘s classification numbers.

By "this year's classification numbers", do you mean the 2020 numbers used for Basketball/Volleyball/etc. this year or do you mean the actual 2021 numbers? I haven't ran into 2021 numbers yet, so curious if I am just looking in the wrong places.