From the Bench: The new Huskerland Prep Report is here

Many of us remember the scene from Steve Martin's movie "The Jerk" where he's so happy to get his new phone book.

"The new phone books are here -- I'm somebody."

I don't know if the kids who get featured in Huskerland Prep Report -- Bob Jensen's annual labor of love published just before football season -- feel the same way.

But there are a lot of somebodies out there in "Huskerland" and Jensen has once again tried his darndest to feature as many and many of the state of Nebraska's best football players and teams are highlighted.

The McCook Daily Gazette will once again be distributing Huskerland Prep Report. Copies cost $10.

The Gazette sports department just recently received its copy of HPR. The edition includes HPR's Preseason All-State Team, Statewide Top Tens, Top 225 Players and Top 30 Games to See.

Several area teams, players and games are included in the selections.

The McCook Bison, who finished 11-1 last year and lost in the Nebraska Class B semifinals, are HPR's preseason No. 1-ranked team in Class B. The Bison have won 61 of their last 64 games and 86 games in coach Jeff Gross' 10 seasons as head coach.

Four Bison players were named to HPR's Class B All-State Football Team.

Dillon Goltl, a 6-foot-1, 165-pound junior speedster who caught six touchdown passes last season for the Bison, is on the First Team Offense.

Making the First Team Defense are J.D. Stone, 6-2, 215 senior; Tyrone Sellers, 6-4, 220 junior; and Sam Frazier, 6-2, 220 senior. Stone and Sellers are projected at defensive end and Frazier is an inside linebacker and a potential 1,000-yard rusher at fullback.

Frazier is also one of the many players profiled in feature articles by Bob Jensen.

Cambridge's Lance Shifflet, 6-0, 180 senior, is on the Class C2 Defense.

Hayes Center's Levi Tyan, 5-11, 160 senior; and Jake Rowley, 6-0, 175 senior; are on the Class D1 Offense. Wauneta-Palisade's Taylor Dixon, 5-10, 175 senior, is on the Class D1 Defense.

Frazier and Stone are ranked third and 10th in HPR's list of the Top 30 seniors in Class B. Sellers, Matt Berry and Goltl are ranked second, third and fourth on HPR's Top 10 Underclassmen list in Class B.

Chase County's Rony Sieperda (5-10, 165 RB/LB) is No. 13 in Class C1 Top 30 Seniors. Shifflet is ranked No. 14 in Class C2 Top 30 seniors.

Tyan and Dixon are ranked third and fifth in the Class D1 Top 30 Seniors. Arapahoe's Jordan Spaulding (6-2, 195, E/DB) and Dundy County's Kyle Glidden (6-5, 215, QB/LB) are 23rd and 25th.

The Top 10 Underclassmen in Class D1 include No. 2 Matt Gohl, Hayes Center (6-2, 180, E/LB); and Dylan Breining, Arapahoe (6-4, 200, L/DL).

The Top 30 games of 2007 include No. 9 Hayes Center at Leyton, Oct. 19; and No. 29 McCook at Ogallala, Sept. 7.

McCook is No. 1 in HPR's Preseason Top 10 for Class B, Chase County is No. 10 in Class C1 and Hayes Center is No. 9 in Class D1.

Area teams picked to win district titles in 2007 are McCook, Class B-5; Cambridge, Class C2-9; Hayes Center, Class D1-10. Chase County is picked to place second in Class C1-10 behind Chadron. Wauneta-Palisade is picked to place second behind Hayes Center in Class D1-10.

Of course, HPR doesn't cover Kansas. The St. Francis Indians are one of the traditional strong teams in Kansas Class 2-1A and Rawlins County-Atwood, under first-year coach Scott Noble, hope to return to prominence.

Both Oberlin and Cheylin hope to be much improved in 2007.

All the somebodies in Nebraska and Kansas will start fall sports practice on Monday.

Comments on this column can be made to sports editor John J. Mesh at sports@mccookgazette.com or read it online at http://www.mccookgazette.com