NENextt Rankings 10/19/19

Class A

1.) Bellevue West 8-0 (def Omaha North 57-6; vs Omaha Central)

2.) Millard West 8-0 (def Lincoln East 43-14; @Lincoln North Star)

3.) Millard South 7-1 (def Creighton Prep 46-23; vs Omaha Westside)

4.) Omaha Burke 7-1 (def Millard North 28-14; @Papillion LaVista)

5.) Lincoln Southeast 7-1 (def PLVS; @Lincoln Northeast)

6.) Omaha Westside 7-1 (def Columbus 50-0; at Millard South)

7.) Grand Island 7-1 (def Lincoln SW 34-13; @Lincoln East)

8.) Elkhorn South 5-3 (def Omaha NW 76-6; @Creighton Prep)

9.) Omaha Creighton Prep 6-2 (def Columbus 16-13; vs Omaha Northwest)

10.) Kearney 6-2 (def Lincoln High 35-7; @North Platte)

Notes: Millard West has all but locked up the top seed in the playoffs. Appears that Millard South could potentially jump all the way to the 2nd spot with a win over Westside next week but the Warriors might be able to do the same thing. Bellevue West is simply one of the best teams this analyst has ever seen around here. People talk a lot about the 1985 Prep team, 1982 Westside and 2003 Millard North but if the T-Birds roll through the playoffs they have to be given strong consideration for the best team of all time in this state. Kearney makes an appearance in the ratings for the first time this year, replacing Omaha North who will still be a dangerous opponent early on for a higher seed. Think the winner between Millard North and Gretna is the last team in the playoffs.

Class B

1.) Omaha Skutt 8-0 (def Omaha Gross 47-6; vs Norris)

2.) Scottsbluff 8-0 (def Alliance 51-10; @McCook)

3.) Waverly 7-1 (def Plattsmouth 29-9; vs Ralston)

4.) Omaha Roncalli 5-2 (def Schuyler 49-7; at Blair)

5.) GI Northwest 7-1 (def Crete 34-27; @Hastings)

6.) Bennington 5-3 (def Blair 41-14; @Elkhorn MM)

7.) Hastings 7-1 (def Beatrice 64-56; vs GINW)

8.) Norris 6-2 (def Ralston 41-9; @Omaha Skutt)

9.) Seward 4-4 (def York 18-0; @Beatrice)

10.) Elkhorn Mount Michael 7-1 (def South Sioux City 38-6; vs Bennington)

Notes:

Scottsbluff appears locked in the top seed for the playoffs and will close out their year at Weiland Field playing a McCook team isn't traditional McCook-but it's still a great rivalry game. With a win it appears Bennington could vault to the 7th spot-they are battle tested with that schedule and with all the sophomores they play, could just be setting the stage for the next few seasons. Hard to conceive that both traditional powers Blair and York will likely be out of the playoffs barring major upsets in the final week-Blair hosts Roncalli and York goes to Crete. Three games between ranked teams this week to close out the year: Northwest at Hastings; Norris at Skutt; Bennington at Elkhorn MM.

Class C-1

1.) Pierce 8-0 (def West Point 60-6; @Boone Central)

2.) Adams Central 8-0 (def Kearney Catholic 37-14; vs Cozad)

3.) Wahoo 8-0 (def Columbus LV 69-14; vs Columbus Scotus)

4.) Aurora 5-3 (def Milford 21-0; vs Central City)

5.) Ashland-Greenwood 8-0 (def Nebraska City 53-13; @Lincoln Lutheran)

6.) Ord 6-2 (def Valentine 28-6; @Gothenburg)

7.) Gothenburg 7-1 (def Ogallala 44-6; vs Ord)

8.) Columbus Scotus 7-1 (def LVSS 42-22; @Wahoo)

9.) Bishop Neumann 5-1 (def Raymond Central 35-12; vs Wayne)

10.) Kearney Catholic 6-2 (loss Adams Central 37-14; @Holdrege)

Notes:

Adams Central should be the number one seed if they take care of business against a Cozad team that just beat Lexington last night. Wahoo should be the 2 seed with a win over Scotus but Ashland-Greenwood may be able to overtake Pierce with a win against 5-3 Lincoln Lutheran. Gothenburg and Ord will be as good of a game as you want to see this week. The Swedes have a brick wall defense and Ord has gotten back on track after that tough mid-season stretch. Gothenburg could well be the next best team behind the big 3.

Class C-2

1.) Oakland-Craig 8-0 (def Yutan 66-7; @BRLD)

2.) St. Paul 8-0 (def Centura 57-7; @GICC)

3.) BRLD 8-0 (def Archbishop Bergan 42-36 OT; vs Oakland-Craig)

4.) Archbishop Bergan 6-2 (loss BRLD 42-36 OT; vs Tekamah-Herman)

5.) Aquinas Catholic 6-2 (def Twin River 83-14; vs Shelby-Rising City)

6.) Sutton 7-1 (def Superior 54-0; vs Hastings SC)

7.) Centennial 5-3 (def David City 33-14; vs Twin River)

8.) Battle Creek 7-1 (def Hartington CC 21-18; vs Crofton)

9.) Wilber-Clatonia 6-2 (def Conestoga 76-0; @Malcolm)

10.) North Bend 7-1 (def Shelby-Rising City 16-13; @David City)

Notes:

A crazy last few weeks with teams playing the triangle of beating each other-so the bottom part of the ratings is really hard to figure. Oakland-Craig and their machine of an offense continues to be as unstoppable as any team we've seen at this level-think Aurora from a year ago. A huge showdown against the wizard Will Gatzemeyer this week at BRLD. Sutton is still holding the top overall seed based on points but they could be eclipsed by the winner of the big game. How dangerous of an opponent will Hartington CC be in the first round? With Jacob Keiser back, this team looks vastly different-they should get in with a win over Stanton this week and probably be a 15 or 16. Shelby-Rising City drops out but they have proven they can beat anyone in the middle of the ratings.

Eight Man 1

1.) Howells-Dodge 5-0 (def Laurel Concord Coleridge 28-20; vs Madison)

2.) Cambridge 7-0 (def DCS 40-22; vs Hitchcock County)

3.) Dundy County-Stratton 6-1 (loss Cambridge 40-22; @Southwest)

4.) Elm Creek 7-0 (def Ansley-Litchfield 42-16; vs ALC)

5.) Fullerton 6-1 (def Heartland 54-14; vs Shelton)

6.) Arcadia Loup City 6-1 (def Amherst 42-6; @Elm Creek)

7.) Lutheran High NE 5-2 (def Madison 76-28; vs Neligh-Oakdale)

8.) BDS 7-0 (def Cross County 34-20; @Thayer Central)

9.) Elmwood Murdock 6-1 (def Brownell Talbott 76-24;

10.) Osceola-High Plains 5-2 (def East Butler 57-22; vs Nebraska Lutheran)

Notes:

Cambridge used some great defense to shut down DCS last night-Paxton Ross proved he's not just a passer either, as he was able to hurt Dundy County with his legs as well. Creighton drops out after their loss to West Holt-they should get Zimmerer back for the playoffs and cause problems for a higher seed. Arcadia Loup City might be behind Elm Creek in the rankings but don't be surprised if they get the win this week. They're playing as well as anyone in this class right now. Osceola High Plains is back on track after some early season struggles and you won't want to see these guys in the playoffs.

Eight Man 2

1.) Humphrey St. Francis 7-0 (def Riverside 50-0; vs Plainview)

2.) Sacred Heart 7-0 (def Pawnee City 50-6; vs Johnson-Brock)

3.) Central Valley 7-0 (def CWCE 44-33; @Stuart)

4.) Johnson-Brock 6-1 (def Meridian 58-8; @Sacred Heart)

5.) Garden County 7-0 (def Medicine Valley 44-8; Bye Week)

6.) Sandhills/Thedford 7-0 (def Brady 59-20; @Medicine Valley)

7.) Plainview 7-0 (def Winside 72-8; @Humphrey St. Francis)

8.) Bloomfield 7-0 (def Wynot 54-28; vs Hartington Newcastle)

9.) Kenesaw 6-1 (def Blue Hill 45-0; vs Giltner)

10.) Overton 5-2 (def Bertrand 68-22; @Elwood)

Notes:

Dare we say we're about to find out what Humphrey St. Francis is really about? As dominant as the Flyers have been, they have only played two quality teams-Clarkson/Leigh and Riverside. Here comes unbeaten Plainview, who has dominated everyone but beaten only one team with a winning record. The annual Sacred Heart and JB game is also going to tell us much more about the Irish who don't have a single game against an opponent with a winning record.