A September Warm Up

best read with a good game plan

Friday heated up just like the games, but when the long shadows of early evening show up, it still makes for a pretty good night of high school football. A little cooler than that 11:00 AM kickoff in Lincoln today. Speaking of early kickoffs, you need some reading material to pass the time.

Another trip around the state on a Friday night, plus getting you caught up on all the other Nebraska high school sports. All while you wait for those all red uniforms and Houston Christian. Hopefully we can hold your attention — let’s have breakfast.

🏈🏈 R-E-S-P-E-C-T

FALL NIGHTS IN FRONT OF THE WATER TOWER — Clinging to an 18-16 lead and the chance at another early signature win, the Lincoln Lutheran football team huddled around coach Sean Wieting with 6:46 left in their game with Doniphan-Trumbull.

But, the coach said nothing.

“Seven minutes left and we earn a little more respect,” senior Brayden Egge said.

“This is Warrior football boys,” echoed fellow senior Grant Kuhlmann.

When the clock had struck zero here in the middle of Hall County, the hometown Cardinals never got the ball back. Lincoln Lutheran ran 13 plays for 62 yards over that final six minutes — without calling a pass and facing just two third downs.

It was a fourth down “tush push” from Kuhlman — a South Dakota State pledge — on quarterback Henry Prokop that allowed Lincoln Lutheran to edge the Cardinals in a game that looks destined to be between two playoff teams come early November. 

Weiting played wide receiver at Nebraska from 1993-1997 — not a bad time to be in Lincoln. An Oregon native, he played in 22 career games as a wingback and special teamer.

“I was raised an Oregonian, but I have Nebraska blood in me,” Weiting said with a smile after that game-sealing, back-breaking final drive. “That’s just how Coach Osborne used to do it.

"We have kids that are great kids, they have been working together for this season since last November. When we got the ball back with seven minutes left, they were ready. They love it. They love each other.”

We can talk about this game a lot. It was truly fantastic. GAME THREAD

Warrior quarterback Henry Prokop carried his team; 27 carries for 152 yards. Only 4-of-12 passing, but two completions — a 43-yard score to Trenton Ernst and a 39-yarder to Egge — that set up Prokop’s 3-yard run in the third quarter.

“He’s a great player with a warrior mentality,” Wieting said. “We want the ball in his hands.”

The Cardinal athletes are equally impressive. Quarterback Parker Volk, sidelined most of last season, has dangerous weapons in Jack Poppe (11 catches for 102 yards) and Taylon Bennett (five for 79). D-T will be around in the playoffs.

“They are stacked, with just a ton of talent,” Wieting said.

But long ago, we learned that football was a game decided in the trenches. At the line of scrimmage. And this one certainly ended up being that. The Warriors ran for 260 yards to D-T’s 33. The Cardinals had the ball for just 1 minute, 39 seconds in the final quarter.

It’s the kind of stuff that will win you a close game. Or a playoff game. Or something even bigger. Lincoln Lutheran is hoping to find out soon enough.

Somewhere, Hank Stram and Vince Lombardi smile. The kids might have to Google those guys if they are reading.

Our Friday Night Drive game of the week is fueled in 2025 by Good Life Golf. Harvest Sports readers can take 15% off of their order by using the code HARVEST15 at checkout and if you order two or more hats, the shipping is free.

Every coach and team knows it takes a good game plan to create a winning program. With well-designed and thought out financial plans, the Karges Financial Group team educates clients to make important decisions to live differently and achieve their goals of financial security. It’s a winning game plan for you and your family. Karges Financial Group is a proud supporter of Nebraska high school athletics.

🏈🚗 An Epic Trip

Each week will take a trip around the state and highlight some big games that you may or may not have seen. It’s an “Epic Trip” powered by EPIC Team Camps.

First, All The Scores.

CLASS A: Millard South is who we thought they were, beating Kearney 72-0. The ‘Cats hadn’t given up a point in their first two games. Decent night for Jaron Cannon, Jr. as Omaha North topped Central 51-20. Four scores and 312 yards for Cannon. Creighton Prep controlled Lincoln Southeast, 31-10.

CLASS B: Up 14-0 at halftime, No. 2 Waverly pulled away from No. 9 McCook 42-7. All other ranked teams won and a little 52-yard field goal for Platteview’s Ethan Nelson in a 42-28 win over Beatrice.

CLASS C-1: All ranked teams won, including a 42-7 win for the champs from Wahoo over Aurora. No. 7 O’Neill escaped Class C-2, No. 9 Ord 27-26. The Chants brutal list of opponents (Central City and Kearney Catholic to start) has them 0-3, but maybe still one of the ten best in Class C-2.

Lincoln Christian is 2-1. That loss is to, ahem, Lincoln Lutheran. They have now apparently resorted to witchcraft in the option game.

CLASS C-2: Who else will be good come November in Class C-2? Welp, top-ranked Cedar Catholic escaped with a second one-point win in three games as they beat Bergan 21-20. Boone Central finally got on the board, too, with a big game from Brogan Benes.

EIGHT-MAN: First Overton, now Loomis. Anselmo-Merna has racked up some impressive early wins, last night 48-46 over the Wolves. Thayer Central (over Lourdes), Archangels Catholic (over Wynot), Crofton (over Plainview) and Central Valley (over Stanton) all with big wins.

SIX-MAN: A little ratings shakeup in six-man ahead after Potter-Dix upended No. 9 Hay Springs, 63-36. All other ranked teams won including No. 1 Stuart (41-19 over No. 8 Silver Lake) and No. 7 Southwest (over No. 10 Arthur County).

HIGHLIGHTS: 10/11 Sports Overtime

12 years. Seven states. Over 15,000 miles, 16,000 shirts, 1,000 teams and 125 camps. EPIC Football Camps are ready to make your team better in the summer. In the 12 years since they founded, Nebraskan’s Scott Trimble and Jeremy Epp’s camps have produced 18 state champions and 28 more finalists.

📈 📉 Rank ‘Em

We now have games to make a comparison in the nebpreps Coaches Polls. The week one polls for football and volleyball are linked and the first in-season softball coaches poll is below as well. We’ll start a mid-week newsletter soon that will highlight the changes in each poll.

Football | Volleyball | Softball

🏐🏐 Heating Up at the Net

We are now knee deep into the prep volleyball season and this week featured a load of ranked teams in action. Our mission is two get out for some volleyball in the net two weeks. Some highlights.

• An epic battle between Waverly and Elkhorn North on Thursday night. The Vikings took this one 15-13 in the fifth. We reckon we might see this one another time (or two) before mid-November. GAME THREAD

• Omaha Skutt swept Pius (ranked matchup) on Tuesday. GAME THREAD

• CHAMP V. CHAMP. A huge reverse sweep for Shelton (defending Class D-2 champ) over Minden (defending Class C-1 champ) on Tuesday night.

• State tournament in September? How about today’s Malcolm Invitational. Sheesh.

• We’ll have a good time with that Coaches Poll on Monday. Also in Class D-1, Overton topped Class D-2, No. 1 Cambridge on Thursday (15-12 in the fifth).

Odds and Ends

• You all should add Austin Jacobsen’s “Small Town Ball” to your weekly listening list. It’s fantastic.

• Amazingly enough we are in conference tournament time already. The EMC softball tournament is today in Hastings.

• If you stay up on girls golf you know a few things — Omaha Marian (Class A) and Omaha Duchesne (Class B) lead the title contenders. And in Class C, Minden continues to knock on the door. Getting a 68 from KayLynn Jorgensen on Thursday didn’t hurt their cause.

• Need a running fix? This week’s Nerdsletter from The Prep Running Nerd is way worth the read.

📸📸 The Top Pick