A History of Nebraska 8-Man Football - 1974 and 1975 All-State Teams/Final Rankings

*84 Nebraska High School Football Teams played 8-Man football in 1974.

*1974 Eight-Man Football All-State Team Final Rankings*

.*Final 8-Man Top 10 (1974)*

1. Farnam (10-0)

2. Adams (10-0)

3. Madrid Wheatland (11-0)

4. Brainard East Butler (9-0)

5. Giltner (9-0)

6. Mullen (8-1)

7. Shelby (8-1)

8. Arthur (9-1)

9. Barneston (8-2)

10. Bartlett (9-1)

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Whether it was Conde Sargent’s own idea, or a collaborative effort by the powers-to-be at the Omaha World-Herald, 1974 marked the first year that All-State Football teams included both an Offense and a Defense.

It has remained that way ever since, and rightly so.

Also making a debut this 1974 season was the inclusion of a Quarterback position on offense, with the standard 8-Man two back set behind him.

The very first OWH All-State Defense included a pair of Defensive Ends, a Middle Guard, three Linebackers and two Defensive Backs.

So, without further ado, let's meet the 1974 All-State Offensive AND Defensive Teams.

*1974 8-Man All-State Offense*

End---Greg Bellamy-Farnam, 5-11, 170, Junior

End---Ron Gross-Bartlett, 6-2, 170, Junior

Guard-Cloyd Oosting-Adams, 6-0, 207, Senior

Guard-Dennis Ott-Giltner, 6-1, 195, Senior

Center-Dave Fletcher-Maxwell, 6-0, 249, Senior

QB--Mike Schenck-Mullen, 6-1, 170, Senior (18 rushing TDs/10 passing TDs)

RB--Ron Pelan-Brainard East Butler, 5-7, 150, Senior (1,288/rushing)

RB--Brad Hoffman-Chambers, 6-1, 215, Senior

Kicker-Mike Schenck-Mullen, 6-1, 170, Senior (SIX field goals!)

*1974 8-Man All-State Defense*

DE-Larry Regier-Madrid Wheatland, 6-3, 210, Senior

DE-Bill McClellan-Barneston, 6-1, 180 Senior

MG-Ross Munch-Murdock, 6-3, 220, Senior

LB-Mark Weber-Adams, 6-3, 185, Senior

LB-Tracy Keller-Cedar Bluffs, 6-0, 180, Senior

LB--Kevin Schultz-Ruskin, 5-11, 195, Senior

DB--Wendel Hoppe-Farnam, 5-11, 170, Senior

DB--Willy Long-Arthur, 5-11, 175, Senior

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*90 Nebraska High School Football Teams played 8-Man football in 1975, up six schools from 1974.

1975 was a very special year for high school in Nebraska, marking the first year the NSAA formulated a playoff system to determine a true champion in each Class.

Yes, there were only FOUR teams that qualified in each class, but a new system was initiated, and it is still used to this day, only bigger and better.

It also marked the opening year for my 1000 Yard Club, a tool I created to help record keeping become more accurate in this state.

This upcoming 2024 high school football season will mark the 50th Anniversary of the Bobby Mills 1000 Yard Club, a continuous listing of thousand yard rushers whose numbers have reached 4,132 running backs the past 49 years.

Adams was the first ever NSAA playoff Champion, defeating Sidney St. Pats 46-28 in the semifinals, then running past Elgin and State Rushing Champion Kent Beckman, 44-30.

One interesting fact about Adams is not only the fact they had a pair of 1000 yard rushers in big Tony Boeve (190) and Steve Buss (180). Now, these smaller 8-Man schools back in this day had only so many uniforms to go around so the smaller guys wore the lower numbered jerseys and the bigger dudes, like linemen, took the higher numbers.

It just so happened that Boeve and Buss were two of the bigger players on Ken Cook’s Adams squad in ‘75, so Boeve wore number 54 and Steve Buss had #52.

I saw Cookie’s Adams team play that season (in Elgin for the 8-Man Final) and it looked strange to see the two backs wearing #54 and #52, which the NSAA permitted back then.

**Here is an extra treat for everyone, the actual STARTING LINEUPS for the very first NSAA 8-Man Championship game between Adams and Elgin.

……………………....Offense…………………..

ADAMS………….Position……......ELGIN

Rapp (160)..................E………........Mickelson (185)

Buhr (175)...................G………........Thunker (155)

Gronewald (160).........G……….........Kuester (185)

NA……………………........C……….........NA

Busboom (155).............E……….........Anderson (150)

Veerhusen (140)……....QB……….......Sutton (140)

S. Buss (180).................B...……….....Beckman (175)

Boeve (190)...................B……….........Heithoff (170)

……………………..Defense………….………..

ADAMS…………Position…….....ELGIN

Boeve (190)................E…………...Mickelson (185)

Thomas (175).............G…………....Legate (170)

Adams (164)...............G……….......Durre (168)

Buhr (175)...................E…………....Heithoff (170)

Gillette (200)………….LB……….......Cr. Meis (148)

S. Buss (180)..............LB...…….......Dozier (148)

Miller (155).................LB……….......Cl. Meis (153)

Veerhusen (140)…….....S………….....L. Meis (140)

*1975 Eight-Man Football All-State Team Final Rankings*

*Final 8-Man Top 10 (1975)*

1. Adams (11-0)

2. Elgin (10-1)

3. Sidney St. Pats (9-1)

4. Odell (8-1)

5. Wilsonville (8-1-1)

6. Thedford (7-0-1)

7. Shelby (8-1)

8. Trumbull (8-1)

9. Chambers (7-1-1)

10t. Decatur (8-0)

10t. Ruskin (8-1)

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*1975 8-Man All-State Offense*

End---Greg Bellamy-Farnam, 5-11, 175, Senior

End---Randy Fahey-Sidney St. Pats, 6-4, 160, Senior

Guard-Rod Crook-Rising City, 5-9, 170, Senior

Guard-Howard Brown-Farnam, 5-11, 181, Senior

Center-Rod Baker-Decatur, 6-2, 215, Junior

QB--Randy Presler-Wilsonville, 5-11, 165, Senior

RB--Kent Beckman- Elgin, 5-11, 160, Senior (1,748/State Rushing Leader)

RB--Kelly Ficken-Davenport, 6-1, 175, Senior (1,200 rushing)

Kicker--Greg Bellamy-Farnam, 5-11, 175, Senior

*1975 8-Man All-State Defense*

DE-Brad Nutter-Thedford, 6-2, 175, Senior

DE-Mark Tegtmeier-Lewiston, 6-3, 195 Senior

MG-Dan Leisinger-Trumbull, 5-9, 165, Senior

LB-Steve Buss-Adams, 6-0, 185, Senior (1,370 rushing)

LB-Bill Bruhn-Dawson-Verdon, 6-2, 215, Senior (1,743 rushing)

LB--Terry Vitosh-Odell, 5-11, 170, Senior

DB--Ron Gross-Bartlett, 6-1, 180, Senior

DB--Mike Morgan-Shelby, 5-11, 170, Senior