Final Fall Football Friday Features Fast and Furious Foes
Undefeated Eagles Flying in on Friday
Launch the media gallery 1 playerEagles vs. Bobcats, a D-1 State Showdown
In what will be a match-up of top D-1 Nebraska football teams, the (7-0) Garden County Eagles will land in Hemingford Friday, October 21st for a showdown with the (5-2) Bobcats.
State Rated Programs to Tussle
Garden County currently sits in 4th place in the NSAA State Play-off point standings, while Hemingford is 19th. Though Nebraska takes the top 32 teams in each classification into the annual State Championship Football Play-offs, the Cats will sit out one last fall due to slight enrollment excesses. The NSAA requires that teams playing 8-man football that wish to participate in State Play-offs have a three-class enrollment of 83 students or less (boys and girls) in grades 9,10, and 11.
For the past few years, Hemingford has been just above or below the allowed maximum, but enrollment counts were held every other year, causing Hemingford to twice miss earlier chances to be eligible since those lower counts occurred in years when NSAA counts were not taken.
Beginning with 2011 the NSAA will take enrollment counts every year (thanks to a state-wide rule change submitted by Hemingford Administration that was approved at the state level last spring by the NSAA Board of Control)
The Future Looks Bright
Hemingford’s enrollment rests at 81 for the fall of 2011, and with the NSAA beginning a two-year scheduling and classification cycle in 2012, this means that in 2012 and 2013, the Cats will finally be eligible for the State Eight-Man Play-offs! The new rules revision also allows for a two-year classification waiver if a school should have an increase in enrollment after initially becoming eligible, so 2014 and 2015 should also be years that the Cats can be part of this great way to continue successful seasons.
With a large number of underclassmen coming back in 2012, and with Hemingford's growing tradition of youth football and junior high football success, the future holds some great potential for football play-off fans!
Garden County Has Perfect Season Going
The Eagles bring their unblemished record to town Friday, having just beaten up on the undefeated and number two team in D-1, South Loup by a score of 70-44. Bobcat fans might remember an ill-fated trip east four weeks ago when the Cats dropped a 0-54 contest to the same team.
Cats Look to Notch Another Win
Garden County, which is a combination of the former Lewellen and Oshkosh School systems, has qualified for the state play-offs for the past several years, and has always been a tough opponent. In 2010 Hemingford claimed a win though, the first win over the Eagles in eight years.
The (7-0) Eagles come to town having won games over Southwest (42-0); Julesburg, CO (40-14); Creek Valley (52-6); Maxwell (57-0); Crawford (63-12); Sandhills-Thedford (61-8); and defeated (6-0) South Loup as mentioned earlier (70-44).
Cats Have Done Well
The (5-2) Bobcats dropped a close one to Mullen (30-32) earlier this season; did not really show up in a (0-54) loss to a good South Loup team, but have victories over Banner County (50-0); Leyton (62-0); Sandhills-Thedford (44-18) (the 28th rated team in D-1 point standings); Maxwell (52-24) (the 18th rated team in the state point standings); and Crawford (62-28).
Annual Parent's Night Will Amp Up the Emotions
Co-Coaches Randy Hiemstra and Jordan Haas will be looking at this Friday’s game as Hemingford’s “Play-off” game, since it will be Parent’s Night, be the last game of the 2011 season (even though the Cats are well within the top 32 teams at the state D-1 level), and will also be the last football game for three senior Cats, Tanner Lembke, Morgan Sutphen, and Casey Stangle.
Ten Seniors Lead the Visitors
Garden County will bring a team that features ten seniors and appears to be capable to make a long run in this season’s play-offs. First though, the Eagles must contend with a solid Hemingford team. We look forward to being gracious hosts for the fans and players from the south.
Good luck Cats!