NORFOLK – With no live sports taking place for at least a couple months, officials with an All-Star football classic organization announced their Red/White rosters.
According to a release in late March from president of the Board of Directors, Mike Sunderman the Eighth annual Northeast Nebraska All-Star Football Classic is scheduled for Saturday, June 13. The game would be played at Veteran’s Memorial Field, located at 309 North 5th Street in Norfolk with kickoff slated for noon.
In a statement from Sunderman, “The Board is continuing to plan for the game. A final decision will be made closer to that date.”
Wayne selections include running back/defensive back Blake Bartos, quarterback/defensive back Tyrus Eischeid, lineman Cade Janke and tight end/lineman Gunnar Jorgensen.
The Wayne High football team capped off their best finish to a season making it to their first-ever Class C1 semifinal falling to the eventual champions of #2 Wahoo, 21-7. Wayne High won six straight to end the season 9-2 which included a first-round upset at #11 Kearney Catholic (28-21) and handing #3 Ashland-Greenwood their only loss of the year (28-13) in the quarterfinals.
Past Blue Devil records that still stand for the NEN All-Star Classic are most pass receptions (10), most yards receiving (275) and most touchdowns/receiving touchdowns (three) in 2018 from Mason Lee. TD receptions were of four, 12 and 84 yards while Lee also had two kickoff returns for 43 yards, one carry for five yards and four tackles. Tayib Toussaint (2015) was listed as one of 19 to record a rushing touchdown throughout the years as he finished with 100 yards off eight carries and an 11-yard rushing touchdown. Toussaint also added two receptions for 22 yards, three kickoff returns for 42 yards and five tackles.
Both Lee and Toussaint were also selected as the Red Team Offensive Player of the Game.
The NEN White team has won the past two years over Team Red (20-13) last year and 40-35 in 2018. The last Red win came in 2017 by the score of 14-7 as Team White won back-to-back in 2015 (28-21) and 2016 (49-14). Team Red won the opening All-Star classics in 2013 (20-10) and 2014 (20-14).
Steve Neptune of West Holt High School will be heading up the Red NEN All-Star team assisted by Justin Jordan of Lutheran High Northeast, Joe Kvidera of Emerson-Hubbard, Chris Nemetz of West Holt, Colin Schurman of Stuart and Cody Volk of Pender.
Dan Maresh of Bancroft-Rosalie/Lyons-Decatur will lead the White NEN All-Star team. His staff will include Mason Alitz of BRLD, T.J Hilsinger of BRLD, Shon King of Norfolk Public School, Rusty Rautenberg of Elkhorn Valley and David Stricklin of Humphrey St. Francis.
This year’s football official are Bryan Daum, referee (Battle Creek), Jeff Keagle, umpire (Wakefield), Chris Barry, head linesman (Battle Creek), Brian Chapman, line judge (Battle Creek) and Nate Hahne, back judge (Norfolk).
For more information or any questions, contact Ashley Jansen, activities development director with the Norfolk Area Sports Council at 402-371-2932 or by emailing info@nenallstarfootballclassic.com. Volunteers are always welcome as further details can be found at nenallstarfootballclassic.com or by liking Northeast Nebraska All-Star Football Classic on Facebook.
The mission of the Northeast Nebraska All-Star Football Classic is to provide graduating seniors an opportunity to promote football, recognize athletes for all their hard work and allow northeast Nebraska area coaches the opportunity to interact at a professional level.
Among the two rosters, 37 schools will be represented as they include Allen, Battle Creek, Bloomfield, Boone Central/Newman Grove, BRLD, Chambers, Clarkson-Leigh, Creighton, Crofton, Guardian Angels Central Catholic, Hartington Cedar Catholic, Hartington-Newcastle, Homer, Howells-Dodge, Humphrey, Humphrey St. Francis, Logan View/Scribner-Snyder, Lutheran High Northeast, Madison, Neligh-Oakdale, Norfolk High, Norfolk Catholic, Oakland-Craig, O’Neill, Orchard, Pierce, Plainview, Ponca, Pope John Central Catholic, South Sioux City, Stanton, Tekamah-Herman, Wakefield, Wayne, West Holt, Winnebago and Wisner-Pilger.
Area athletes from our northeast Nebraska football spotlight booklets:
Allen (Red): Brogan Jones
Hartington Cedar Catholic (Red): Rex Becker, Peyton Haahr, Eric Hoesing and Jacob Keiser
Hartington-Newcastle (Red): Dylan Dendinger and Shaye Morten
Pierce (Red): Dalton Freeman, Kage Heisinger, Carson Oestreich and Brett Tinker.
Ponca (Red): Brandon Kneifl
Wakefield (Red): Evan Donner
Wayne (Red): Blake Bartos, Tyrus Eischeid, Cade Janke and Gunnar Jorgensen
Wisner-Pilger (White): Mason Dimon and Colby Heller