Nebraska high school football rankings, Sept. 2 (2024)

As usual, plenty of changes after Week 1 as we learn more about teams across the state. Six of 7 No. 1 teams won, with the only defeat being Millard South's at national power Basha (Ariz.).

Class A

School (Rec.) | Pvs. | Last week

1. Omaha Westside (1-0) | 2 | Omaha North, W, 22-7

2. Millard South (0-1) | 1 | Basha (Ariz.), L, 39-25

3. Elkhorn South (1-0) | 4 | Lincoln East, W, 38-5

4. Kearney (1-0) | 5 | North Platte, W, 20-0

5. Omaha North (0-1) | 3 | Omaha Westside, L, 22-7

6. Bellevue West (1-0) | 6 | Omaha Central, W, 28-27

7. Millard North (1-0) | 7 | Millard West, W, 29-21

8. Lincoln Southeast (1-0) | 10 | Grand Island, W, 35-20

9. Omaha Central (0-1) | — | Bellevue West, L, 28-27

10. Millard West (0-1) | — | Millard North, L, 29-21

Contenders: Papillion-La Vista, Lincoln North Star, Grand Island, Creighton Prep.

Comments: Things went largely as expected in the season’s first weekend. Omaha Westside and Millard South, who are essentially co-No. 1s, swap spots for this week. Millard South fell behind 19-7 at halftime against national power Basha out of Arizona, but made the game competitive in the second half. Westside won its 20th in a row, shutting out Omaha North until the fourth quarter. Bellevue West and Millard West enter with close losses after Lincoln East and Creighton Prep lost lopsided games.

Class B

School (Rec.) | Pvs. | Last week

1. Bennington (1-0) | 1 | Waverly, W, 23-0

2. Gretna (1-0) | 3 | Elkhorn, W, 38-28

3. Elkhorn North (1-0) | 4 | Lincoln Pius X, W, 24-21

4. Omaha Skutt (1-0) | 5 | Norris, W, 29-13

5. Waverly (0-1) | 2 | Bennington, L, 23-0

6. Seward (1-0) | 7 | Gretna East, W, 41-24

7. Norris (0-1) | 6 | Omaha Skutt, L, 29-13

8. Scottsbluff (1-0) | 10 | GI Northwest, W, 31-6

9. Elkhorn (0-1) | 8 | Gretna, L, 38-28

10. York (1-0) | — | Hastings, W, 17-14

Contenders: Gretna East, Hastings, Blair, Lincoln Pius X.

Comments: Bennington was mighty impressive in winning its 40th straight. It looks like it’s going to be tough to catch the Badgers yet again. Gretna scored 24 second-quarter points against Elkhorn in its return to Class B. Seward outscored Gretna East 27-7 in the second half of its season-opening win. Elkhorn North needed a field goal in the final seconds to avoid overtime against Pius X. York replaces Hastings after clawing past the Tigers on the road to open the season.

Class C-1

School (Rec.) | Pvs. | Last week

1. Wahoo (1-0) | 1 | Nebraska City, W, 62-0

2. Pierce (1-0) | 3 | Aurora, W, 41-28

3. Ashland-Greenwood (1-0) | 4 | DC West, W, 7-3

4. Aurora (0-1) | 2 | Pierce, L, 41-28

5. DC West (0-1) | 6 | Ashland-Greenwood, L, 7-3

6. Auburn (1-0) | 8 | Mount Michael, W, 32-7

7. Sidney (1-0) | 10 | Cozad, W, 22-13

8. Central City (1-0) | NR | Ord, W, 48-20

9. Minden (1-0) | — | Adams Central, W, 18-15

10. Chadron (1-0) | — | Broken Bow, W, 28-8

Contenders: Columbus Lakeview, Adams Central, Broken Bow, Cozad, Omaha Roncalli, Omaha Gross, Scotus Central Catholic.

Comments: Five ranked teams lost in Week 1, leading to plenty of changes. Central City, with a four-touchdown win over C-2 power Ord, leaps to No. 8, followed by Minden, which edged previous No. 5 Adams Central and Chadron, which downed previous No. 7 Broken Bow by 20. Douglas County West moves up a spot despite a loss to Ashland-Greenwood after leading the Bluejays until the final 10 seconds. Pierce is the new No. 2 after downing Aurora.

Class C-2

School (Rec.) | Pvs. | Last week

1. Norfolk Catholic (1-0) | 1 | Bishop Neumann, W, 28-21

2. Bishop Neumann (0-1) | 2 | Norfolk Catholic, L, 28-21

3. Malcolm (1-0) | 3 | North Bend Central, W, 34-14

4. Oakland-Craig (1-0) | 5 | Yutan, W, 34-14

5. Battle Creek (1-0) | 6 | Cross County, W, 41-0

6. Boone Central (1-0) | 9 | Cedar Catholic, W, 14-0

7. Mitchell (1-0) | 10 | Wheatland (Wyo.), W, 53-6

8. Raymond Central (1-0) | — | Fillmore Central, W, 28-8

9. Kearney Catholic (1-0) | — | St. Paul, W, 19-7

10. Ord (0-1) | 4 | Central City, L, 48-20

Contenders: Cedar Catholic, Fillmore Central, Yutan, Doniphan-Trumbull.

Comments: Bishop Neumann stays at No. 2 after a one-score loss to No. 1 Norfolk Catholic that might well turn out to be a preview of a postseason game. Ord’s 48-20 loss to previously unranked C-1 squad Central City sends the Chanticleers tumbling to 10th. Fillmore Central (to Raymond Central) and Cedar Catholic (to Boone Central) also lost as ranked teams, allowing Raymond Central and Kearney Catholic to move in. Norfolk Catholic and Boone Central meet this week in a matchup of the defending C-2 and C-1 state champions.

Class D-1

School (Rec.) | Pvs. | Last week

1. Stanton (1-0) | 1 | Bloomfield, W, 42-16

2. Sandy Creek (1-0) | 2 | Johnson-Brock, W, 60-8

3. Crofton (1-0) | 3 | Wynot, W, 36-12

4. Shelby-Rising City (1-0) | 4 | Freeman, W, 66-24

5. Arapahoe (1-0) | 5 | Cambridge, W, 44-14

6. North Platte SP (1-0) | 6 | Bridgeport, W, 21-8

7. Dundy Co.-Stratton (1-0) | 7 | Perkins Co., W, 20-16

8. EMF (1-0) | 8 | Clarkson/Leigh, W, 50-20

9. Thayer Central (1-0) | — | Heartland, W, 66-6

10. Plainview (1-0) | — | Pender, W, 32-21

Contenders: Perkins County, Ravenna, West Holt, Bridgeport, Elkhorn Valley, Bloomfield, Arcadia-Loup City.

Comments: Defending champion Stanton made quick work of ratings contender Bloomfield, leading 30-8 at halftime of an easy win. In fact, the top eight teams all won, with Dundy County-Stratton’s 20-16 victory over Perkins County the only game in that group not decided by at least two touchdowns. Thayer Central and Plainview enter for Bridgeport and Elkhorn Valley after the latter two lost as ranked teams. No. 4 Shelby-Rising City at No. 2 Sandy Creek highlights the slate this week.

Class D-2

School (Rec.) | Pvs. | Last week

1. Sandhills-Thedford (1-0) | 1 | Anselmo-Merna, W, 58-16

2. Central Valley (1-0) | 2 | Riverside, W, 50-42

3. Archangels Catholic (1-0) | 3 | Winside, W, 54-8

4. Howells-Dodge (1-0) | 4 | Lawrence-Nelson, W, 36-8

5. Riverside (0-1) | 6 | Central Valley, L, 50-42

6. BDS (1-0) | — | Elmwood-Murdock, W, 38-6

7. Overton (1-0) | NR | Axtell, W, 60-36

8. Hitchco*ck County (1-0) | 10 | Brady, W, 68-0

9. St. Mary’s (1-0) | — | Twin Loup, W, 42-33

10. Wynot (0-1) | 5 | Crofton, L, 36-12

Contenders: Neligh-Oakdale, Lawrence-Nelson, Maxwell, Elmwood-Murdock, Axtell, Cambridge, Mullen.

Comments: Nos. 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 all lost, leaving room for plenty of movement. Riverside actually moves up a spot after a loss, pushing No. 2 Central Valley in a 50-42 loss. BDS, which beat previous No. 7 Elmwood-Murdock 38-6, joins the top 10 at No. 6. Right behind is Overton, which blasted previous No. 9 Axtell 60-36. St. Mary’s is the third new team in the rankings after beating Twin Loup. Wynot, last season’s state runner-up, hangs on at No. 10 after a loss to D-1 No. 3 Crofton. An intriguing matchup out west awaits this week as No. 8 Hitchco*ck County hosts Maxwell in a matchup of teams who combined to outscore their opponents 158-6 last week.

Class D-6

School (Rec.) | Pvs. | Last week

1. S-E-M (1-0) | 1 | Ansley-Litchfield, W, 52-20

2. Arthur County (1-0) | 2 | Wallace, W, 71-20

3. Pawnee City (1-0) | 3 | Meridian, W, 57-6

4. Stuart (1-0) | 4 | Cody-Kilgore, W, 46-20

5. Hay Springs (1-0) | 5 | Paxton, W, 28-14

6. Hampton (1-0) | 8 | Parkview Christian, W, 72-28

7. Potter-Dix (1-0) | 9 | Peetz (Colo.), W, 62-43

8. Silver Lake (1-0) | — | Shelton, W, 13-12

9. Garden County (1-0) | — | Crawford, W, 59-13

10. Sterling (1-0) | — | Dorchester, W, 40-8

Contenders: Red Cloud, Creek Valley, Diller-Odell, Cody-Kilgore, Shelton, Southwest.

Comments: The top five teams all took care of business, while Hampton and Potter-Dix both cruised to each make a two-spot jump. Silver Lake joins at No. 8 after edging previous No. 7 Shelton 13-12. Garden County and Sterling also join after each won blowouts to open their seasons. Red Cloud, a ratings contender, had a bye week to start the year. No. 4 Stuart hosts No. 1 S-E-M this week in an early litmus test for both teams.