2024 NEMFCA 8-Man Hall of Fame Inductee Salutes - Chris Carpenter

CHRIS CARPENTER – FALLS CITY SACRED HEART H.S.

(Here is our 3rd of twelve 2024 NEMFCA Hall of Fame inductees. Today we feature three time All-Stater, Chris Carpenter.)

In a program chock full of greats, Chris was one of the Irish’s all-time best. From 1991 to 1994, he never lost a high school football game (52-0) while playing for Hall of Fame Coach Doug Goltz. In that same span, Chris played a major role in winning four consecutive state titles and also helped build upon the legendary Falls City Sacred Heart winning “Streak”. The record-setting 87 game win streak established the Irish of that era as one of Nebraska Eight-Man’s All-Time historic programs.

In his prep career, Chris was a 3-time 1,000 yard rusher- amassing over 4, 000 total yards and scoring over 80 career TD’s. He was honored as a 1st Team All-Galaxy Conference and 1st Team All-State selection on 3 separate occasions, while also being named captain of the All-State team as a senior. Chris was then chosen as the Huskerland Prep Report Class D2 Offensive Player of the Year for 1994 and was later selected to play in the 1995 Eight Man All-Star Game and named to the All-Decade team of the 1990’s.

After high school, he received a football scholarship to play for the University of Nebraska-Omaha. The NEMFCA is honored to now welcome him into the Hall of Fame Class of 2024.

1000Yard Guy’s observations…..When you are one of Falls City Sacred Heart’s best players in history, you HAVE to be something special. Carpenter, along with sophomore classmate Nate Froeschl, made up two thirds of a legendary backfield that boasted THREE one thousand yard rushers, one of only two in history in the 8-Man ranks. Senior Chris Darnell completed the All-Star backfield. Carpenter really made his presence known in that 1992 D-2 44-14 title win over SEM on a muddy Jug Brown field surface. The 6-2, 208 pound Sophomore blasted his way to 225 yards rushing and three touchdowns, all coming in the 3rd quarter. Carpenter, who rambled for 169 yards in that third period ALONE, scored on TD runs of 1, 53 and 55 yards and ripped off a non-scoring jaunt covering FIFTY yards.

It was onward and upward for Chris Carpenter after that, as he became one of 8-Man 2’s most feared players. Whether he was punishing tacklers as a ball carrier or gobbling up opposing ball carriers from his defensive end slot, nobody wanted to feel the sting of Chris Carpenter.