The Nebraska High School Eight-Man All-State Football Project - Saluting 1994

The 1994 State Football Playoffs were held during the 10th, 11th, and 12th weeks of the football season. D1 and D2 Eight-Man football playoffs were played November 18. The D1 and D2 schools were all schools playing 8-man football. There were 56 schools in each 8-man class. The D1, and D2 playoff formula included sixteen teams qualifying for the playoffs. All qualifiers were selected on the basis of the point system.

1994 Class D-1 (Eight-Man 1) (* denotes home team)

1st Round West Bracket:

(7-2) Axtell 20-8 *South Platte (9-0)

(8-1) *Overton 45-20 Potter-Dix (7-1)

(7-2) Sargent 42-30 *Paxton (9-0)

(8-0) *Mullen 46-6 Hay Springs (8-1)

1st Round East Bracket:

(9-0) *Dodge 32-6 North Loup-Scotia (8-1)

(8-1) *Nelson 26-12 Winside (7-1)

(8-1) Leigh 39-20 *Southeast Consolidated (8-2)

(8-1) East Butler 48-20 *Greeley (9-1)

Quarterfinals

(9-1) *Overton 52-22 Axtell (7-3)

(8-2) Sargent 46-20 *Mullen (8-1)

(10-0) Dodge 44-29 *Nelson (8-2)

(9-1) *East Butler 32-23 Leigh (9-2)

Semifinals

(10-1) *Overton 46-0 Sargent (8-2)

(11-0) Dodge 34-20 *East Butler (9-2)

Final: (At Overton)

(12-0) Dodge 52, (10-1) *Overton 33 {@ Overton-Attendance-2,500, est.}

Champion: Dodge 13-0 - Head Coach - Gordon Pilmore

**The Championship Game** - Dodge won its first ever state championship by pulling away from a close game after three quarters. Trailing 33-32 entering the 4thquarter, the unbeaten Pirates scored on all three of its 4th quarter possessions.

The powerful Dodge line and quickness of sophomore Cory Eikmeier and junior Jeff Uher kept overton on its heels in the final stanza. While Eikmeier was rambling outside for 204 yards, it was the hard charging Uher who rushed for 134 yards between the tackles, giving the Pirates all it needed in the money quarter.

Eikmeier scored on runs of 20, 2, 3 and 52 yards while Uher added scores covering 1, 3 and 28 yards.

The sensational young Eikmeier, who raised his season touchdown total to 34, added a 5th score on a sparkling 75 yard kick return.

………………....1…….2…….3…….4……….Final

Dodge…………8……18……6……22…..……54

at Overton….20……6……7…….0.……....33

……………………………………………………………………………Dodge-Overton

1st Qtr.

O-Andy Ryan 11 run - PAT-Ryan pass from Rob McCarter…0-8

D-Cory Eikmeier 20 run - PAT-Mike Wisnieski run..8-8

O-Joel Meier 7 run - PAT-run failed…8-14

O-Meier 7 run - PAT-pass failed…8-20

2nd Qtr

D-Eikmeier 2 run - PAT-pass failed…14-20

D-Jeff Uher - PAT-run failed…20-20

O-Meier 77 kick return - PAT-run failed…20-26

D-Eikmeier 75 kick return - PAT-pass failed…26-26

3rd Qtr.

D-Eikmeier 3 run - PAT-run failed…32-26

O-McCarter 2 run - PAT-Eric Ryan kck…32-33

4th Qtr.

D-Uher 3 run - PAT-Wisnieski run.…40-33

D-Uher 28 run - PAT-run failed…46-33

D-Eikmeier 52 run - PAT-Uher run…54-33

*1994 Class D-2 (Eight-Man-2)*

*1st Round West Bracket

(9-0) *Clearwater 62-26 Hyannis (5-4)

(7-1) *Elgin 40-20 (7-2) Wallace (7-3)

(7-2) Polk-Hordville 40-34 *Beaver City (8-1)

(6-3) Clarks 32-26 *Chambers (9-1)

*1st Round East Bracket:

(9-0) *Falls City Sacred Heart 62-26 Dorchester (6-3)

(7-2) *Coleridge 45-0 Lewiston (6-2)

(8-1) *Shickley 41-22 Table Rock (7-2)

(9-0) *Beemer 32-8 (7-2) Newcastle (7-2)

Quarterfinals

(8-1) *Elgin 49-18 Clearwater (9-1)

(7-3) *Clarks 44-14 Polk-Hordville (8-2)

(10-0) Falls City Sacred Heart 50-8 *Coleridge (7-3)

(10-0) *Beemer 58-20 Shickley (9-1)

Semifinals

(9-1) *Elgin 32-20 Clarks (7-3)

(11-0) *Falls City Sacred Heart 60-20 Beemer 20 (10-1)

Final: (@ Falls City)

(12-0) *Falls City Sacred Heart 58-24 Elgin (12-0) {Attn-2,000 est.}

Champion: Falls City Sacred Heart (13-0), Head Coach - Doug Goltz

**The Championship Game** - A storied Falls City Sacred Heart became the first school in Nebraska prep football history, regardless of class, to capture SIX straight state football championships when they routed Elgin 58-24 in the Class D-2 title game.

The remarkable Doug Gottz coached Irish exploded for 36 third quarter points - including two scores in a six second span without running a play - to outscore Elgin 34 points when it was in the books.

Falls City Sacred Heart also extended their winning streak to a mind boggling, state record 77 games.

Shockingly enough, the Irish fell behind in the first half by scores of 7-0 and 15-8 in the half before erupting for the next 50 unanswered points. The only time they trailed all season prior to this was in a 62-26 win over Dorchester in the opening round of the playoffs.

Elgin, trailing by just 21-15 at halftime, actually took the second half kickoff and drove to the Sacred Heart three yard line. But on a 4th and three, Elgin QB Chad Sullivan was driven out of bounds for a 2 yard loss, signalling the beginning of the end for the 4th rated, 10-2 Eagles.

Irish quarterback Brian McKim scored on runs of 72 and 57 yards on the next two Sacred Heart possessions, extending the Irish lead to 36-15 with 4:30 left in the 3rd quarter.

The senior signal caller ended the night with 232 yards on just 16 touches.

Elgin mysteriously ended its scoring late in the game on a 26 yard Brandon Miller field goal, trailing 58-21 at the time.

Hey, maybe it was on Miller’s bucket list. It’s all good.

……………………………..….........1…….2…….3…….4……….Final

Elgin………………………..…..…..7…….8…..…0…….9….……24

At Falls City Sacred Heart…0……22…..36...…0……….58

………………………………………………………………………….Elgin-FCSH

1st Qtr.

Elgin-BJ Schmitt 5 pass from Chris Sullivan - PAT-Brandon Miller kick…7-0

2nd Qtr

FCSH-Chris Carpenter 49 run - PAT-Nate Froeschl run…7-8

Elgin-Schmitt 17 pass from Chris Sullivan - PAT-Dave Oschner pass from Sullivan…15-8

FCSH-Brian McKimm 14 run - PAT-run failed…15-14

FCSH-Froeschl 2 run - PAT-Aaron Hill pass from McKimm…15-22

3rd Qtr.

FCSH-McKimm 72 run - PAT-Aaron Hill pass from McKimm…15-30

FCSH-McKimm 57 run - PAT-run failed…15-36

FCSH-Froeschl 31 Pick 6 - PAT-Carpenter run…15-44

FCSH-Hill 4 fumble return - PAT-pass failed…15-50

FCSH-Carpenter 30 run - PAT-Brandon Sellsl run…15-58

4th Qtr.

Elgin-Sullivan 12 pass from Schmitt - PAT-pass failed…21-58

Elgin-Miller 26 Field Goal - …24-58

**The 1994 Eight-Man All-State Teams**

*1994 Class D-1 (Eight Man 1) Offense*

QB-Craig Fischer-Leigh, 6-1, 185, Senior..(1,166 passing yards)

RB--Cory Eikmeier-Dodge, 5-8, 155, Sophomore…(1,975 yards)

RB--Darth Tesinsky-Brainard East Butler, 6-0, 185, Sophomore…(1,457 yards)

End-Jaimey Holdorf-Winside, 5-10, 160, Sophomore

TE-Russ Hunke-Dodge, 6-4, 195, Senior

OL-Alan Ortmeier-Dodge, 5-10, 170, Senior

OL-Bo Kingery-Greeley, 6-1, 205, Senior

OL-Richard Stanley-Big Springs/Brule, 6-2, 195, Senior

Kicker--Cash Corman-Nelson, 6-0, 170, Senior

*1994 Class D-1 (Eight Man 1) Defense*

DL--Casey Beran-Sargent, 6-3, 210, Senior..(1,290 yards)

DL--Jeff Bruggeman-Winside, 6-5, 235, Senior

LB--Dan Floral-Brainard East Butler, 6-0, 195, Senior

LB--Jeff Uher-Dodge, 6-0, 175, Junior

LB--Eric Ryan-Overton, 6-0, 195, Senior

DB--Mike Wisnieski-Dodge, 6-2, 170, Senior

DB--Matt Kern-North Loup/Scotia, 6-0, 180, Senior

DB--John Howell-Mullen, 6-0, 165, Junior

Punter-Kervin Patzel-Newman Grove, 6-2, 214, Senior..(1,045 yards)

*1994 Class D-2 (Eight Man 2) Offense*

QB--Brian McKimm-Falls City Sacred Heart, 5-10, 162, Senior

RB--Chris Carpenter**-Falls City Sacred Heart, 6-2, 229, Senior..(1,282 yards)

RB--Mike Roland-Beemer, 5-11, 172, Senior…(1,711 yards)

RB-Chris Sullivan**-Elgin, 6-3, 195, Senior..(1,310 yards)

End-John Bridges-Polk-Hordville, 5-11, 175, Senior

OL--Brett Burnheide-Falls City Sacred Heart, 6-3, 219, Junior

OL--Theron Troxel-Coleridge, 6-5, 260, Senior

Center-Kevin Urkoski-Clarks, 6-0, 240, Senior

Kicker-Brandon Miller-Elgin, 6-1, 220, Sophomore

*1994 Class D-2 (Eight Man 2) Defense*

DL--Aaron Hill-Falls City Sacred Heart, 6-4, 185, Senior

DL--Steve Darveau**-Falls City Sacred Heart, 6-3, 285, Senior

LB--Chris Eitzman-Chesster-Hubbell-Byron, 6-5, 205, Senior

LB--Alex Brennen-Falls City Sacred Heart, 5-7, 175, Senior

LB--B. J. Schmitt-Elgin, 6-3, 190, Senior

LB--Dan Filipi-Shickley, 6-0, 195, Senior..(1,125 yards)

DB--Seth Brummels-Clearwater, 6-0, 175, Senior..(1,001 yards)

DB--Nate Froeschl**-Falls City Sacred Heart, 6-0, 180, Senior..(1,210 yards)

Punter-Charles Kniefl-Newcastle, 5-10 , 180, Senior..(1,458 yards)