Hello World

Welcome to Flatwater Sports. A new way to enjoy all that sports our great state has to offer. We are glad you are with us and hope you’ll enjoy our content, interact with us on social media and support our work in any way that you can. Simply, we are excited to be here.

And, while we are new, we hope that you know what to expect. We are a writer (Tony Chapman) and a content creator (Dante Boelhower). You’ve likely seen our work on nebpreps.com (it will still be there) or on a video board at a state championship game among other places. That signature Dante before the state finals begin.

Quite simply, it’s our passion to bring you more. Through this newsletter and through our social media channels we want to bring you the best of sports in Nebraska. All sports. From Memorial Stadium to a 6-man game in Potter. From a random 9-hole golf course to the state volleyball tournament. From a small college basketball game to a cross country meet. You might find us there.

We want to meet you and learn more about the people doing sports in Nebraska and to share their stories, too. And, in this space, that’s what we’ll try to do.

In covering high school sports for over 20 years, I have seen a few things and written a few stories. I hope we have met or will very soon. We are starting Flatwater Sports to share deep, thoughtful stories with you, the reader. Few things stir our passion for life lessons like the stories and things learned through sports.

We have likely chatted on Twitter. You may have read a story or two of mine. Possibly, you found out about my writing when I shared thoughts about my dad in our nebpreps series Coach and Me. As we grow, the stories we want to tell here will do just that. And, we hope to give some thoughts on Husker football, small college standouts and other Nebraska sports topics as we go.

In the initial newsletter, we give you an “oldie” — Minnesota and Mullen. From an old “column” I used to write called “The Review View Mirror.” (It might come back here, especially if a sponsor is interested.)

Originally written November 14, 2017. Mike Riley’s tenure was coming to a halt. I knew who I wanted then (and was wrong). Weren’t we all. But, the values of Mullen and what Nebraska football should be still look pretty much the same. As the state embarks on the Matt Rhule era, maybe this one is worth another look.

Minnesota and Mullen

MILE MARKER 1, HIGHWAY 97 — There is a feeling you get, here, just a few miles north of North Platte when you make the left turn onto Highway 97 that’s pretty easy to miss.

The Mirror made that turn yesterday. On our way to Mullen and Blue Hill in the Eight-Man 2 State semifinals.

From there to our destination was 60 miles of sand and ranch land and cattle and hard work. Just one town — TRYON: Unincorporated — some signs to the driveway of a ranch, a few world class golf courses that led to a town that has all you need to survive, whether it’s 1977, 1997 or 2017.

It’s a drive that, quite frankly, makes you think about who you are as a people, dependent on where you live. There is an honor and sense of pride to those folks in Mullen. Much like there was in the football team they fielded that lost to Blue Hill 42-30 on the most beautiful, sunny afternoon you could have drawn up for November 13th.

The Broncos have won 8-man state football championships in 1990, 1998 and 2003. Lost one in 2004. Most of the time — like yesterday — all the same way: with five big lineman, an I-formation with a talented dot, and about six or seven plays. Iso, counter, dive, trap, pitch, a play-action pass if they need it. The all black uniforms and plain gold helmets haven’t changed either.

“If we should win let it be by the code. If we should lose let us stand on the side of the road and cheer as the winners go by.”

The Mirror remembers a time when this was the standard for our big state team. The kids who lived in Mullen loved them just as much as the folks in the big city.

But then, unlike Mullen, the big team lost their way. Didn’t use those simple plays. They moved somewhere else, to a big city with all the tricks and gadgets (and message boards and recruiting services) that said you couldn’t do it Nebraska’s way anymore.

They might still be right, but our guess is that the good folks in Mullen might have a better answer for them. Work hard. Have a philosophy of never giving up. And, then stick to it no matter what the “real world” says.

In Mullen’s world most of the time that philosophy means the playoffs. Sometimes it’s a few wins in the playoffs and on rare occasion, it’s that special group: a semifinal or finals appearance, a championship, maybe.

That’s how it was in Lincoln before the train drove off the tracks — almost literally, as PJ Fleck and beat up Minnesota dismantled the Huskers 54-21 (54-21!!) —on Saturday. But this locomotive has been going the wrong way for a long time. This isn’t about Saturday’s anymore.

The people who really love it, who have been here to watch how it hummed, how it was a machine, they know that the tracks can be laid straight again. They are much like the folks from Mullen who know exactly how their boys will line up and play football each fall.

See, the young folks who have never witnessed a Nebraska fall like 1983 or 1994 or 1997 they aren’t sure what to think of the proceedings in Lincoln right now.

They never had the chance to watch a perfectionist coach, to watch a Sand Hills tough man like Terry Connealy make a big sack on a hot, humid Miami night. To watch a quarterback from Wood River lead a championship drive or two. We watched some of our own, mixed with an ultra-talented player from Florida, or New Jersey, or California come together to represent us.

We knew, you see, that we couldn’t do it all alone but with some help we could do it together. And those boys who came to work with us, most of them fell in love and never left.

They could learn a lesson or two in Lincoln about understanding who you are and recognizing what made you better than most. Not all, but most. They could learn by hopping in a car and driving five hours to Mullen.

A hard-working town that says “Welcome” and “Please” and “Thank you for coming.” Even after they lost a big game. A town and a school that knows who they are and then comes together when the going is tough.

Mullen lost on Monday, but the Mirror is not so sure about that. Remember.

“If we should win let it be by the code. If we should lose let us stand on the side of the road and cheer as the winners go by.”

After the game, see, both teams got together in the middle of the field and there was Mullen’s Lane Edis. Son of Wade, leading rusher on the 1990 state title team. His family shares a road and a mailbox with the famous Sand Hills Golf Club we learned about an hour before kickoff off Highway 97.

Lane had just lost but he knew it was to the better man. He led both teams in prayer after running 30 times for 193 yards. He scored three touchdowns and played almost every snap of this one. See, that’s just how they do things in Mullen.

That’s what the Mirror remembers about Nebraska football, too. That it wasn’t about championships, but about representing the people that cheered them on. It was about looking on that field and seeing a little bit of your own town’s pride and hard work stare right back at you.

It’s what we learned again on a sunny afternoon in the Sand Hills. We can’t wait to get back.

Everyone Needs a Hype Man

When our friends over at Striv Education had the thought to put together “hype” videos before each state basketball championship game a little over five years ago, it changed the atmosphere of NSAA events.

Then, it blew up.

Football came. And volleyball. And now, even pre-state tournament videos are here to get you ready each NSAA state championship. Now, after making one of his own in 2021, Dante Boelhower (he played in the state basketball finals for Adams Central and made their video for the title game against Auburn) is the man behind all of them.

His talent for photography, videography and graphic design is next level. Together, it is our hope that the Flatwater Sports team will take storytelling to the new heights in Nebraska.

Your state. Your town. Your school. Your story. We’d love to share it with everyone who loves sports in Nebraska.

Follow Dante on social media: Facebook / Instagram / YouTube

If You Missed It

HOMETOWN HEROES: The city of Papillion honored two softball greats on Friday when they named streets for all-time pitchers Peaches James and Jordy Bahl. We think Bahl, who pitched for national champion Oklahoma the past two seasons and just transferred to Nebraska, might garner a bit of attention this year. (Wink emoji)

FARGO, DON’TCHA KNOW: Too much awesome content from our good friend Mike Sautter and his sidekick Chuck Mulligan at USA Wrestling Nationals in Fargo, North Dakota. Check out all the recaps on his Twitter feed, and this interview with national runner up Kaylyn Harrill of Omaha Skutt.

WILD WILD WEST: Fordyce, population 133. Now, home to Nebraska State Amateur golf champion Matthew Schaefer.

Schaefer, who played collegiately at South Dakota State, outdueled — literally — Creighton’s Charlie Zielinski over four days at Scott’s Bluff Country Club to win the 115th Nebraska Amateur on Sunday. Schaefer and Zielinski, each fired identical scores over the first three rounds (67, 68, 72) that set up a final round duel.

Schaefer’s final round 69 gave him a one shot victory at 12-under par total of 276.

Things looked bleak for Schaefer as he trailed by three shots with four holes to play, but he was able to put some pressure on Zielinski. His birdie, par, birdie, par finished the event in regulation, as Zielinski — bogey free for 15 holes — finished par, bogey, par, bogey for a 2-under 70 and 11-under total of 277.

“It was fun,” Schaefer told the NGA after the event. “Playing with Charlie made things pretty normal. Just knowing Charlie outside of golf, just made this week a lot of fun.”

The event was delayed by heavy rains on Thursday which stretched the second round and midway cut to Saturday morning. It also came just a month after Scottsbluff was hit with a heavy hail storm which made getting the course ready for the amateur extra work that required all hands on deck.

What’s Next?

FALL SPORTS PREVIEWS: From now and through most of August we will be compiling previews for all Nebraska high school sports. Have a tip on a great story? You can shoot us an e-mail at [email protected].

FUTURE EDITIONS: The next newsletter will be Wednesday, August 2 as we will begin our normal cycle of editions to you every Wednesday and Saturday. And, who knows? Maybe a few special editions, too. Thanks for coming along on our journey!