The start of district play brought plenty of mismatches and little movement in this week's rankings. Take a look to see what moves were made.
Class A
School (Rec.) | Pvs. | Last week
1. Millard South (4-1) | 1 | Lincoln Southeast, W, 56-12
2. Omaha Westside (5-0) | 2 | Omaha Central, W, 48-14
3. Elkhorn South (5-0) | 3 | Omaha South, W, 70-0
4. Papillion-La Vista (5-0) | 6 | Creighton Prep, W, 22-3
5. Kearney (4-1) | 4 | Lincoln East, W, 27-12
6. Omaha North (3-2) | 7 | Lincoln Northeast, W, 47-3
7. Creighton Prep (3-2) | 5 | Papillion-La Vista, L, 22-3
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8. Bellevue West (3-2) | 8 | Omaha Buena Vista, W, 62-0
9. Millard North (3-2) | 9 | Omaha Bryan W, 63-6
10. Omaha Central (2-3) | 10 | Omaha Westside, L, 48-14
Contenders: Lincoln Southeast, Millard West.
Comments: Papillion-La Vista was very impressive in taking down Creighton Prep, shutting out the Junior Jays 22-0 in the second half of a 22-3 win. That victory allows the Monarchs to leapfrog Kearney into the No. 4 position. Papio’s remaining schedule is extremely challenging, starting next week with No. 1 Millard South, which topped 50 points again last week. Three of Papio’s final four opponents are ranked in this week’s Top 10. Creighton Prep drops to seventh. Everything else stays the same after district play got underway with plenty of lopsided results.
Class B
School (Rec.) | Pvs. | Last week
1. Bennington (5-0) | 1 | Gretna, W, 56-35
2. Elkhorn North (5-0) | 2 | Blair, W, 21-7
3. Omaha Skutt (5-0) | 3 | Elkhorn, W, 35-7
4. Seward (5-0) | 4 | Lincoln Northwest, W, 41-6
5. Scottsbluff (4-1) | 5 | Lexington W, 56-7
6. Norris (3-2) | 6 | Lincoln Pius X, W, 24-14
7. Waverly (3-2) | 7 | Lincoln Standing Bear, W, forfeit
8. York (4-1) | 8 | Crete, W, 31-0
9. Hastings (3-2) | 10 | Beatrice, W, 49-7
10. McCook (4-1) | NR | Gering, W, 24-23
Contenders: Gretna, Elkhorn, Blair, Lincoln Pius X, Gering.
Comments: The only change here is McCook moving in for Blair. The Bears dropped to 2-3 after a 21-7 loss to Elkhorn North, and also have a loss to 2-3 Lincoln Pius X, in addition to not yet beating a team with a winning record. An extremely difficult finish is coming for the Bears, who play Bennington, Seward, Elkhorn and Omaha Skutt to end the regular season. McCook, at 4-1, moves in after a one-point win over previously undefeated Gering. It was Gering’s first game this season against a Class B school. Norris and Waverly have both won three in a row after 0-2 starts, and Bennington’s winning streak is up to 44 games.
Class C-1
School (Rec.) | Pvs. | Last week
1. Wahoo (5-0) | 1 | DC West, W, 50-0
2. Ashland-Greenwood (4-1) | 2 | Louisville, W, 48-7
3. Sidney (5-0) | 3 | Gothenburg, W, 21-10
4. Chadron (5-0) | 4 | Ogallala, W, 34-14
5. Columbus Lakeview (5-0) | 5 | Schuyler, W, 49-7
6. Cozad (4-1) | 6 | Broken Bow, W, 42-7
7. Central City (4-1) | 7 | Adams Central, W, 39-22
8. Auburn (4-1) | 8 | Wilber-Clatonia, W, 68-0
9. Boys Town (5-0) | 9 | Omaha Gross, W, 52-7
10. Fort Calhoun (4-1) | 10 | Mount Michael, W, 27-3
Contenders: Lincoln Christian, Omaha Roncalli, Scotus CC, O’Neill, Milford.
Comments: No changes here as the top 10 teams all won. Ashland-Greenwood’s trip to Boys Town this week will give us a better idea of how the Cowboys stack up after they rolled over another opponent last week in a 52-7 win over Omaha Gross. Lincoln Christian, coming off a 31-0 shutout of previously unbeaten Milford, makes the road trip to No. 7 Central City this week for another crack at a quality opponent and a fun clash in styles — Christian’s flexbone offense against Central City quarterback Parker Zikmund, who has thrown for 1,111 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Class C-2
School (Rec.) | Pvs. | Last week
1. Norfolk Catholic (5-0) | 1 | Ponca, W, 43-16
2. Bishop Neumann (4-1) | 2 | Palmyra, W, 74-0
3. Oakland-Craig (4-1) | 3 | Battle Creek, L, 45-38
4. Battle Creek (5-0) | 4 | Oakland-Craig, W, 45-38
5. Malcolm (4-1) | 5 | Conestoga, W, 57-7
6. Raymond Central (5-0) | 6 | Lincoln Lutheran, W, 32-21
7. Kearney Catholic (5-0) | 7 | Amherst, W, 31-7
8. Boone Central (3-2) | 8 | Cross County, W, 42-6
9. Cedar Catholic (4-1) | 9 | West Point-Beemer W, 49-14
10. Grand Island CC (4-1) | 10 | Centura, W, 61-0
Contenders: Doniphan-Trumbull, Wood River, Cross County, Amherst.
Comments: Battle Creek won a shootout against Oakland-Craig to swap spots with the Knights in the top four. Oakland-Craig’s 45-38 defeat was the only loss in the Top 10. Battle Creek’s reward for a tough win is a game this week against No. 9 Cedar Catholic. Raymond Central continues to rack up victories. The Mustangs will get their chances to move up in the coming weeks, with games against Malcolm and Bishop Neumann still on the schedule. Kearney Catholic opened its wonderful new athletic facility with a 31-7 win over a quality Amherst team.
Class D-1
School (Rec.) | Pvs. | Last week
1. Stanton (5-0) | 1 | Lutheran High Northeast, W, 62-8
2. Sandy Creek (5-0) | 2 | Thayer Central, W, 43-8
3. Arapahoe (5-0) | 3 | Dundy County-Stratton, W, 26-20
4. North Platte SP (5-0) | 4 | Hi-Line, W, 50-14
5. Dundy Co.-Stratton (4-1) | 5 | Arapahoe, L, 26-20
6. Summerland (4-1) | 6 | Plainview, W, 60-42
7. Crofton (4-1) | 7 | Hartington-Newcastle, W, 34-14
8. Shelby-RC (4-1) | 8 | East Butler, W, 42-12
9. Guardian Angels CC (5-0) | 9 | Wakefield, W, 54-19
10. Pleasanton (5-0) | 10 | Arcadia-Loup City, W, 35-6
Contenders: Thayer Central, Plainview, West Holt, Elkhorn Valley, Bloomfield, Sutton, Hartington-Newcastle, David City, Ravenna.
Comments: Another class with no changes. The only loss among the ranked teams was Dundy County-Stratton’s 26-20 defeat at the hands of No. 3 Arapahoe which could very well be a rematch late in the playoffs. David City is the lone unranked, undefeated team. The Scouts, 1-8 last season in C-2 with the only victory coming by forfeit and without a winning season since 2011, have found new life in their first year of 8-man football, with a 5-0 record that accounts for the most wins in a season since that 2011 team went 7-3 with a playoff victory. Enrollment numbers will keep David City out of the playoffs, but it’s always fun to see programs pick themselves up.
Class D-2
School (Rec.) | Pvs. | Last week
1. Sandhills-Thedford (5-0) | 1 | Maxwell, W, 61-14
2. Central Valley (4-1) | 2 | Burwell, W, 64-6
3. Humphrey Archangels (5-0) | 3 | Nebraska Christian, W, 50-12
4. Howells-Dodge (5-0) | 4 | Fullerton, W, 46-8
5. BDS (5-0) | 5 | High Plains, W, 34-20
6. Overton (5-0) | 6 | Maywood-HC W, 65-27
7. Bancroft-Rosalie (5-0) | 7 | Randolph, W, 74-38
8. Loomis (5-0) | 8 | Cambridge, W, 36-16
9. Riverside (3-2) | 9 | Osceola, W, 44-0
10. Hitchcock County (4-1) | 10 | Bertrand, W, 38-6
Contenders: Lawrence-Nelson, Cambridge, Mullen, High Plains, Fullerton, Weeping Water.
Comments: Once again, it’s a clean sweep for the ranked teams. Howells-Dodge blasted Fullerton in a matchup of undefeated squads, leaving Weeping Water as the only unranked, undefeated team left in D-2. The Indians have yet to play a team with a winning record, but that changes this week with a trip to D-1 Lourdes Central Catholic (4-1). Riverside faces its third top-4 opponent of the season when the Chargers travel to Howells-Dodge on Friday. Riverside has already lost to Central Valley and Humphrey Archangels.
Class D-6
School (Rec.) | Pvs. | Last week
1. S-E-M (4-0) | 1 | Medicine Valley, W, 56-31
2. Arthur County (4-0) | 2 | Minatare, W, 81-13
3. Pawnee City (4-0) | 3 | Parkview Christian, W, 60-16
4. Stuart (3-1) | 4 | Santee, W, 90-27
5. Hay Springs (4-0) | 5 | Sioux County, W, 69-19
6. Red Cloud (4-0) | 6 | Meridian, W, 53-20
7. Garden County (4-0) | 7 | South Platte, W, 65-14
8. Paxton (3-1) | 8 | Wauneta-Palisade, W, 35-27
9. Hampton (3-1) | 10 | Heartland Lutheran, W, 59-8
10. Wallace (3-1) | NR | Southwest, W, 67-45
Contenders: Southwest, Diller-Odell, Silver Lake, Leyton.
Comments: Southwest drops out to make room for Wallace, which defeated the Roughriders 67-45 last week. Next up for the Wildcats is a trip to No. 8 Paxton, which improved to 3-1 with a win over Wauneta-Palisade. Loser buys dinner at Ole’s in that one. Other than that, you guessed it, no changes. It be more of the same next week as most of the ranked teams will be favorites once again. S-E-M has won 16 consecutive games, and 26 of its last 27 with the only loss in that stretch coming on the road to eventual state champion Parkview Christian in the 2022 state semifinals.