A History of Nebraska 8-Man Football - 2001 Class D-1/D-2 Playoffs, All-State Teams and Final Ratings.

*129 Nebraska High School Football Teams played 8-Man football again in 2001 and once again, the playoff fields for Classes D1 and D2 included just 16 teams.

Following the introduction of this nice feature for inquiring minds a year ago, we will continue to let you know who was handling the head coaching duties for the playoff teams in both Class D-1 and D-2.

*Adams Freeman (Craig Walz), Friend (Jim Pfeiffer), Falls City Sacred Heart (Doug Goltz), Omaha Christian Academy (Tim Hamilton), Humphrey St. Francis (Jeff Korus), Mead (Jon Dahl), Howells (Mike Speirs), Eustis -Farnam (Travis Brouilliette) Harvard (Jeff Ashby), Anselmo-Merna (N/A), Spencer/Naper (Ken Jensen), Bancroft-Rosalie (Andy White), Bruning-Davenport (Mark Rotter), Crawford (Casey Walker), Elwood (Kevin Mahlberg), Bloomfield (Gary Walling).*

CLASS D1

First Round

East

(9-0) Humphrey St. Francis 48, Adams Freeman 14 (5-4)

(9-0) Friend 52, Bancroft-Rosalie 28 (8-1)

(8-1) Howells 40, Omaha Christian Academy 14 (6-3)

(9-0) Falls City Sacred Heart 42, Mead 22 (6-3)

West

(9-0) Eustis-Farnam 51, Harvard 6 (8-1)

(9-0) Bloomfield 48, Bruning-Davenport 0 (8-1)

(8-1) Spencer-Naper 28, Crawford 26 (9-0)

(8-1) Anselmo-Merna 42, Elwood 22 (7-2)

Quarterfinals

East

(10-0) Humphrey St. Francis 27, Friend 20 (10-0)

(9-1) Howells 36, Falls City Sacred Heart 23 (10-0)

West

(10-0) Bloomfield 38, Eustis-Farnam 12 (10-0)

(9-1) Spencer-Naper 12, Anselmo-Merna 8 (9-1)

Semifinals

(10-1) Howells 22, Humphrey St. Francis 20 (11-0)

(11-0) Bloomfield 54, Spencer-Naper 22 (10-1)

Championship Finals

(11-1) Howells 34, Bloomfield 20 (12-1)

2001 Class D-1 State Champion-Howells-12-1. Head Coach: Mike Speirs

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Final 2001 Class D-1 8-Man Football Ratings (Omaha World-Herald)

1 Howells - 12-1, (552-209)

2 Humphrey St. Francis - 11-1, (549-129)

3. Bloomfield - 12-1, (603-196)

4. Falls City Sacred Heart - 10-1, (515-148)

5. Friend - 10-1, (501-123)

6. Spencer-Naper - 10-2, (412-269)

7. Eustis-Farnam- 10-1, (415-140)

8. Anselmo-Merna - 9-2, (436-192)

9. Crawford1 - 9-1, (380-133)

10 Elwood - 7-3, (446-206)

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2001 Class D-1 (Eight Man 1) All-State Teams

Offense

QB--Taylor Huettner-Humphrey St. Francis, 5-0, 170, Senior

RB--Travis Mlady-Bloomfield, 5-11, 190, Senior

RB-**Ben Hansen-Cedar Bluffs, 6-0, 190, Senior

WR--Justin Cannady-Elwood, 6-0, 175, Senior

WR--Adam Frey-Nebraska Lutheran (Waco), 5-8, 147, Senior

OL--Mike Strong-Eustis-Farnum, 6-2, 241, Senior

OL--Carsten Mlady-Bloomfield, 6-2, 225, Senior

OL--Justin Ramm-Stuart, 6-1, 205, Senior

Kicker-Clinton Haynes-Anselmo-Merna, 6-1, 170, Senior

Class D-1 All-State

Defense

DL--Gerad Brichacek-Howells, 6-3, 216, Senior

DL--Lance Pfeiffer-Eustis-Farnum, 6-5, 252, Senior

LB--Matt Doerr-Bloomfield, 6-0, 235, Senior

LB--Jared Stutzman-Friend, 6-4, 195, Junior

LB--Anthony Weaver-Falls City Sacred Heart, 6-1, 235, Senior

DB--Dan Anderson-Omaha Christian, 5-11, 185, Senior

DB--Matt Sells-Falls City Sacred Heart, 6-2, 180, Junior

DB--David Wegener-Humphrey St. Francis, 6-2, 175, Senior

Punter-Eric Wiemann-Howells, 6-3, 207, Junior

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AND, here is a glance at the 2001 Class D-2 playoffs.

Once again, here is a list of the D2 playoff field with their Head Coaches.

Lindsay Holy Family (Rusty Rautenberg), Lewiston (Neil Woofter), Sterling (Arlo Wusk), Coleridge (Ken Swanson), St. Edward (Rich Lemburg), Elgin High (Carlie Wells), Shickley (Gary Filipi), Greeley (Dennis Hurlburt), Sargent (Mike Kozeal), Elgin Pope John (Mark Koch), Culbertson (John Kershaw), Clearwater (Rod Brummels), Dunning Sandhills (Reggie Smith), O’Neill St. Marys (Tony Allen), Hayes Center (Jim Cole), Hay Springs (Pat Ningen),

CLASS D2

First Round

East

(7-2) Lewiston 22, Sterling 18 (9-0)

(5-4) Lindsay Holy Family 36, Coleridge 9 (7-2)

(8-1) St. Edward 50, Elgin 30 (6-3)

(9-0) Elgin Pope John 13, Shickley 0 (7-2)

West

(7-2) Greeley 27, Hay Springs 20 (8-1)

(8-1) Clearwater 20, Sandhills 6 (7-2)

(9-0) Sargent 54, Culbertson 32 (7-2)

(7-2) O’Neill St. Mary’s 50, Hayes Center 32 (8-1)

Quarterfinals

East

(8-2) Lewiston 52, Lindsay Holy Family 28 (6-4)

(10-0) Elgin Pope John 36, St. Edward 30 (9-1)

West

(8-2) Greeley 43, Clearwater 8 (9-1)

(10-0) Sargent 34, O’Neill St. Mary’s 14 (8-2)

Semifinals

(9-2) Lewiston 44, Elgin Pope John 7 (11-0)

(8-2) Greeley 26, Sargent 22 (10-0)

Championship Final

(10-2) Lewiston 34, Greeley 32 (OVE) (9-2)

2001 Class D-1 State Champion-Lewiston-11-2. Head Coach: Neil Woofter

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Final 20001 Class D-2 8-Man Football Ratings (Omaha World-Herald)

1. Lewiston - 11-2 (590-346)

2. Greeley- 10-3 (493-168)

3. Sargent - 11-1 (525-173)

4. Elgin Pope John - 7-1-1 (497-148)

5. St. Edward - 9-2 (491-272)

6. Sterling - 9-1 (500-155)

7. Shickley - 7-3 (369-75)

8. Clearwater - 8-2 (387-219)

9. Hay Springs - 8-2 (415-120)

10 Lindsay Holy Family - 6-5 (362-293)

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2001 Class D-2 (Eight Man 2) All-State Teams

Offense

QB--Dion Parks-Lewiston, 6-2, 225, Senior

RB--Ben Eisenhart-Culbertson, 6-0, 165, Junior

RB--Chris Bartels-Sterling, 5-10, 170, Senior

WR--Randy Leetch-Sargent, 6-0, 150, Senior

WR--Ben Ideus, Lewiston, 6-2, 175, Senior

OL--Justin Dowding-Shickley, 6-1, 207, Senior

OL--Luke Siems-Elgin, 6-2, 280, Senior

OL--Dusty Tallant-Sterling, 6-0, 230, Senior

Kicker--Tom Wemhoff-Coleridge, 5-11, 175, Junior

Defense

DL--Derek Ryan-Greeley, 6-0, 190, Senior

DL--Jesse Korell-Hayes Center, 5-10, 208, Senior

LB--Jami Klein-Sargent, 6-3, 225, Senior

LB--John Pelster-Elgin Pope John, 6-0, 185, Senior

LB--Cole Liska-Verdigre, 6-1, 185, Senior

DB--Andrew Shanle-St. Edward, 6-1, 198, Senior

DB--Brian Selting-Elgin Pope John, 6-0, 185, Senior

DB-**Brandon Holtorf-Prague, 5-10, 165, Senior

Punter-Tyler Kester-Cambridge, 6-0, 180, Junior