Nebraska
A History of Nebraska 8-Man Football – 2000 Class D-1/D-2 Playoffs, All-State Teams and Final Ratings.
*119 Nebraska High School Football Teams played 8-Man football again in 2000 and here is what the D-1 playoff field looked like at the turn of the Century.
For the first time in FIVE seasons, the playoff fields in all classes, Class B and below, shrunk from 32 to 16 teams. Yours truly, along with a ton of 8-Man football coaches, were not thrilled with this move and thank goodness the 16 team playoff fields in 8-Man football lasted just two years.
I have a ton of love and respect for high school football coaches,so let’s begin a new feature by adding who the head coaches were for all of these Class D1 playoff qualifiers in the year 2000. We’ll do the same for Class D2.
*Nebraska Christian (Jeff Hower), St. Edward (Rich Lemburg), Falls City Sacred Heart (Doug Goltz), Omaha Christian Academy (Tim Hamilton), Humphrey St. Francis (Tom Ridder), Sterling (Arlo Wusk), Howells (Mike Speirs), Cedar Bluffs (Mitch Egger) Pleasanton (Ricci Westland, Anselmo-Merna (Greg Wemhoff)), Kenesaw (Leland Skeen), High Plains Community (Andy Vrbka), Lawrence-Nelson (Gary DeBoer), Culbertson (Jeff Messersmith), Orchard (Don Sich), Hyannis (Lucas Lechman).*
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CLASS D1
First Round
East
(7-2) Nebraska Christian 23-20 St. Edward (7-2)
(9-0) Falls City Sacred Heart 38-14 Omaha Christian Academy (7-2)
(8-1) Humphrey St. Francis 41-16 Sterling (9-0)
(9-0) Howells 40-28 Cedar Bluffs (7-2)
West
(7-2) Pleasanton 34-20 Anselmo-Merna (8-1)
(8-1) Kenesaw 36-14 High Plains Community (8-0)
(8-1) Lawrence-Nelson 41-20 Culbertson (9-0)
(7-2) Orchard 52-2 Hyannis (9-0)
Quarterfinals
East
(10-0) Falls City Sacred Heart 68-20 Nebraska Christian (8-2)
(10-0) Howells 14-0 Humphrey St. Franics (9-1)
West
(9-1) Kenesaw 14-12 Pleasanton (8-2)
(9-1) Lawrence-Nelson 38-12 Orchard (8-2)
Semifinals
(11-0) Howells 42- Falls City Sacred Heart (11-0)
(10-1) Lawrence-Nelson 26-14 Kenesaw (9-1)
Championship Finals
(12-0) Howells 38-14 Lawrence-Nelson (11-1)
2000 Class D-1 State Champion; Howells. Head Coach: Mike Speirs
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Final 2000 Class D-1 8-Man Football Ratings (Omaha World-Herald)
1 Howells – 13-0, (568-197)
2 Humphrey St. Francis – 9-2, (438-176)
3. Lawrence-Nelson – 11-2, (5144-191)
4. Falls City Sacred Heart – 11-1, (568-178)
5. Kenesaw – 10-2, (448-144)
6. Cedar Bluffs – 7-3, (430-198)
7. Sterling – 9-1, (460-105)
8. Pleasanton – 8-3, (280-171)
9. Polk-Hordville – 8-1, (382-190)
10 Culbertson – 9-1, (473-143)
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2000 Class D-1 (Eight Man 1) All-State Teams
Offense
WR–Jeremy Hoefs-Bancroft-Rosalie, 6-1, 180, Senior
WR–Scotty McPeak-Nebraska Christian, 6-1, 165, Senior
OL–Jeremy Cordero-Omaha Christian, 6-0, 300, Junior
OL–Andy Wemhoff-Humphrey St. Francis, 5-11, 205, Senior
OL–Jerron Suck-Kenesaw, 6-4, 210, Senior
QB–Andrew Shanle-St. Edward, 6-1, 175, Senior
RB–Alan Bohaboj-Howells, 5-7, 148, Senior
RB–Brandon Hagen-Culbertson, 6-3, 240, Senior
Kicker-Brandon Bonk-Falls City Sacred Heart, 5-11, 230, Senior
Class D-1 All-State
Defense
DL–Brad Metz-Pleasanton, 6-1, 185, Senior
DL–Adam Eickman-Lawrence-Nelson, 5-6, 150, Senior
DL–Ted Straub-Waterloo, 6-1, 230, Senior
LB–Anthony Weaver-Falls City Sacred Heart, 6-1, 215, Junior
LB–Matt Mastny-Howells, 6-0, 182, Senior
LB–Ben Hansen-Cedar Bluffs, 6-0, 190, Junior
DB–Jake Weyers-Sterling, 5-10, 165, Senior
DB–Mitch Blum-Howells, 6-0, 175, Senior
Punter-Joel Grotrian-Johnson-Brock, 6-2, 185, Senior
———————————————————————————-
AND, here is a glance at the 2000 Class D-2 playoffs.
Once again, here is a list of the D2 playoff field with their Head Coaches.
Lindsay Holy Family (Rusty Rautenberg), Prague (Gary Brown), Coleridge (Ken Swanson), Benedict (Lynn Jurgens), Nebraska City Lourdes (Andy Fedoris), Shickley (Gary Filipi), Greeley (Dennis Hurlburt), Silver Creek (Scott Porter)
Sargent (Mike Kozeal), Elgin Pope John (Mark Koch), Hayes Center (Jim Cole), Ansley (Mike Sorenson), Dunning Sandhills (Reggie Smith), Ewing (Jim Crilly), Dalton Leyton (Harlan Dormann), Petersburg (Mike Kennedy)
—————-
CLASS D2
First Round
East
(8-1) Lindsay Holy Family 53-6 Prague (5-4)
(6-3) Coleridge 54-8 Benedict (6-3)
(8-1) Nebraska City Lourdes 26-0 Shickley (8-1)
(9-0) Greeley 40-0 Silver Creek (5-3)
West
(9-0) Sargent 20-14 Elgin Pope John (8-1)
(5-3) Hayes Center 28-24 Ansley (8-1)
(8-1) Dunning Sandhills 54-22 Ewing (8-1)_
(9-0) Dalton Leyton 50-0 Petersburg (7-2)
Quarterfinals
East
(9-1) Lindsay Holy Family 46-0 Coleridge (7-3)
(10-0) Greeley 12-8 Nebraska City Lourdes (9-1)
West
(10-0) Sargent 36-24 Hayes Center (6-3)
(9-1) Dunning Sandhills 30-24 Dalton Leyton (10-0)
Semifinals
(10-1) Lindsay Holy Family 36-12 Greeley (11-0)
(11-0) Sargent 34-20 Dunning Sandhills (10-1)
Championship Final
(11-1) Lindsay Holy Family 28-24 Sargent (12-0)
2000 D-2 State Champion: Lindsay Holy Family. Coach: Rusty Rautenberg
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Final 2000 Class D-2 8-Man Football Ratings (Omaha World-Herald)
1. Lindsay Holy Family – 12-1 (510-159)
2. Sargent- 12-1 (465-166)
3. Greeley – 11-1 (510-87)
4. Dunning Sandhills – 10-2 (532-155)
5. Dalton Leyton – 10-1 (634-177)
6. Nebraska City Lourdes – 8-3 (362-144)
7. Elgin Pope John – 8-2 (346-150)
8. Ewing – 8-2 (362-200)
9. Shickley – 8-2 (392-132)
10 Hayes Center – 6-4 (333-263)
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2000 Class D-2 (Eight Man 2) All-State Teams
Offense
End-Levi Gray-Harrison, 6-4, 175, Senior
End-Jason Herbert-Verdigre, 5-10, 150, Senior
OL–Tony Kurtenbach-Lindsay Holy Family, 6-1, 225, Senior
OL–Wyatt Johnston-Dunning-Sandhills, 5-11, 225, Senior
OL–Matt Mitchell-Dalton Leyton, 5-9, 235, Senior
QB–Brandon Holtorf-Prague, 5-10, 165, Senior
RB–Jared Franzluebbers, Dodge, 6-0, 205, Senior
RB–Carl Jarecki-Lindsay Holy Family, 5-9, 175, Senior
Kicker-Brad Schlegel-Shickley, 5-10, 200, Senior
Class D-2 All-State
Defense
DL–Mike Smith-Sargent, 6-4, 205, Senior
DL–Kory White-Nebraska City Lourdes, 6-1, 205, Senior
LB–Mat Korth-Greeley, 5-9, 175, Senior
LB–Tyson Cox-Dunning-Sandhills, 6-0, 160, Senior
LB–Matt Woodward-North Loup/Scotia, 6-0, 185, Senior
LB–Reggie Twarling-Dalton Leyton, 6-2, 190, Junior
DB–Tim Wiese-Lindsay Holy Family, 5-10, 175, Senior
DB–Brian Selting-Elgin Pope John, 6-1, 180, Junior
Punter-Adam Schueth-Ewing, 5-10, 185, Senior
Nebraska
Former Nebraska wrestler AJ Ferrari wanted in Lincoln, accused of assaulting pregnant woman
LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – Former Nebraska wrestler AJ Ferrari is wanted in Lancaster County on suspicion of assaulting a pregnant woman in May.
An arrest warrant was filed for Ferrari on Thursday. He faces three felony charges which include first-degree false imprisonment and assault by strangling a pregnant woman.
According to an arrest affidavit, a woman from California contacted police in Lincoln on May 8 just after midnight. She told officers her daughter called for help and pointed them to Ferrari’s apartment.
Police arrived at the apartment and knocked on the door. A pregnant woman came out after several minutes of knocking with no answer. Officers said the woman was visibly upset.
She told officers that Ferrari tried taking her phone away after an argument, but she wouldn’t let him take it. The arrest affidavit shows Ferrari then dragged her off a bed by her feet.
Police think Ferrari then got on top of her and strangled her, likely until she was unconscious. The woman told police that she felt as though her throat “collapsed” and that she was “breathing through a straw.”
Once regaining consciousness, police said the woman tried hiding in a closet and contacting her mother on another device. But Ferrari followed her, pushed her onto a bed and sat on her until she apologized, according to the affidavit.
She apologized in order to be released, police said. The woman then tried to leave the apartment, but police said Ferrari dragged her by the arm back inside. She found her phone and contacted her mother, yelling “help!”, prosecutors wrote.
Ferrari grabbed the phone and hung up, according to the affidavit. The woman’s mother tried calling several more times before calling police.
Authorities transported the woman to Bryan West for treatment. Officers said she sustained injuries consistent with strangulation, including bruising around her neck and other abrasions.
Last weekend, Ferrari was arrested in Lincoln County on suspicion of flight to avoid arrest, willful reckless driving and obstructing the police. He was cited after a trooper chased a Corvette in the North Platte area.
Lincoln County authorities told KOLN that Ferrari is out on bond. His current whereabouts are unclear.
Court records show that the woman has filed for a protection order against Ferrari. A hearing has been set for July 7 to give him an opportunity to show the court why one should not be issued.
Previously, Ferrari was booked in Lancaster County, Nebraska for an outstanding warrant in January of this year, but those charges were dismissed later that week.
Ferrari parted ways with the Huskers in April of this year.
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Copyright 2026 KOLN. All rights reserved.
The Nebraska State Fair is celebrating America’s 250th anniversary with a special 72-hour flash sale on Season Passes.
From July 3 through July 5, fans can purchase a 2026 Season Pass for just $50—a significant discount from its regular value of $132.
The pass includes one admission per day for all 11 days of the 2026 Nebraska State Fair, making it ideal for visitors who plan to attend multiple days.
Fair officials say the promotion is one of the biggest Season Pass discounts offered in years and will not be extended.
After July 5, Season Passes will remain available at a higher discounted price.
OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – Legalizing online sports betting has met with resistance in the Nebraska Legislature for years.
Tax Relief Nebraska, a group backed by Nebraska casinos and online sports betting groups, took the issue to the people of the state through a petition drive.
Those petitions are now in, and casino officials say they expect to have enough signatures to make the November ballot — but also expect pushback through Election Day.
The case for online betting
Currently, legal sports bets cannot be placed on a phone in Nebraska. Casino operators say people who choose to wager are finding other ways to do it.
“They’re just doing it illegally through a virtual private network, or they’re driving over to the first exit between Iowa and Nebraska, placing a bet and then driving back to their home,” said Lynne McNally of Warhorse Casino.
Nebraska casino operators say the state has already collected millions of dollars in state taxes and property tax relief from casino gambling, and that online sports betting would add to that total.
A majority of Nebraskans voted for casino gambling to enter the state in 2020, and casino operators expect similar support if the online betting petition makes the November ballot.
“As you know, we got 65% on the constitutional amendment and actually got nearly 70% on the tax portion of the statute when the casinos were legalized in 2020. I think that we’ll be in that area, if not maybe a little higher than that,” McNally said.
“There’s always going to be a sector of the public that doesn’t want to gamble. They don’t want to go to our facilities and that’s just fine. I guess I have an objection with trying to tell other people what to do,” McNally said.
The opposition
The Nebraska Family Alliance stands against online gambling and plans to campaign against the initiative across the state. The nonprofit group issued a statement that reads in part: “Online sports betting has been a massive public policy failure that benefits national sportsbooks at the expense of kids, student-athletes, families and businesses. While they have more money, they don’t have the truth.”
Pat Loontjer, director of Gambling with the Good Life, has opposed expanded gambling in Nebraska for 30 years.
“They’re telling the same lie — property tax relief. Well in Nebraska you say property tax relief and everybody says where do I sign,” Loontjer said.
Loontjer also raised concerns about the impact on young people.
“Sports betting on the phone is the most addictive thing for young people, young men especially. You’ve got kids that are going to lose their scholarships, lose their future,” Loontjer said.
What comes next
If enough signatures are verified and the issue is placed on the November ballot, Warhorse Casino officials say Nebraskans could be able to make sports bets on their phones by spring of next year.
Copyright 2026 WOWT. All rights reserved.
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