A handful of teams in the KCNI/KBBN coverage area appear in the Omaha World Herald’s preseason high school football top ten rankings. Sandhills/Thedford is preseason ranked #3 in the Class D2 ratings. The Knights look to make another run at a state title this season. Sandhills/Thedford made it to the Class D2 state championship game last season bringing home the state runner-up trophy. The Knights are ranked behind preseason #1 Kenesaw and #2 Falls City Sacred Heart. Joining Sandhills/Thedford in the Class D2 preseason top ten is Mullen. The Broncos are ranked #8. Mullen returns 7 starters from last year’s team that qualified for the state playoffs. The two open the season against each other August 27th in Mullen.
Burwell is top ranked in Class D1. The Longhorns were last year’s state runner-up in Class D1. Burwell has played in the last three Class D1 state championship games and in five of the last six winning the title in 2016. Arcadia/Loup City is ranked #10 in the Class D1 preseason poll. The Rebels open their season August 27th at Elm Creek and will host Burwell on October first.
In other notes from the OWH preseason rankings, four of Broken Bow’s opponents this season are ranked in the top ten of their respective class. In Class C1, St. Paul is ranked #6, Kearney Catholic #7, and Gothenburg #9 and Ord, the defending Class C2 state champion, is preseason ranked #3 in the C2 preseason top ten. The Indians will play three of those four games at home. Broken Bow plays at St. Paul on September 3rd, hosts Gothenburg for homecoming on September 10th, hosts Ord on September 17th, and will host Kearney Catholic on September 30th.
