Week 0 Schedule

Class A
No. 3 Bellevue West at No. 7 Creighton Prep (Burke Stadium)
Columbus at Fremont
North Platte at No. 9 Papillion-LaVista South

Game of the Week
Columbus at Fremont

It’s about time these Highway 30 foes locked heads again, with both teams taking the opportunity to play each other in Week 0 rather than being a shorted a game. The rivals have not met since 2019, a game where Columbus triumphed 33-13. After growing up in Fremont and returning to the area after just over 25 years away in Europe, South Dakota, Oklahoma, and Texas, playing Columbus in the opener and in Week 0 just made too much sense to make it the Game of the Week.


Columbus (Columbus Telegram team Preview)
Columbus is led by Preseason All-State honoree Liam Blaser, who will be the focal point of the offense with the potential to have a 1,000-yard season. Up front, Santino Gonzalez (6’2/290) should provide leadership along with strong junior class that includes Joel Thomas (6’3/270) and Carter Fedde (6’1/230). Senior WR/DB Adoriyan Daniels could provide some further explosiveness in the offense for the Discoverers. Columbus is coming off back-to-back appearances in the postseason and won a playoff game in 2020.


Fremont (Fremont Tribune Team Preview)
As for Fremont, its strength will be on the offensive and defensive lines which is good news for QB Hudson Cunnings and RB Benny Alfaro. Titus Richardson (6’1/275) and Caleb Wagner (6’3/255) are the leaders up front for the Tigers, while Brayden Reeder and junior Dakota Coon (6’1/245) will also boost Fremont up front. DB Jackson Cyza and Cunnings will lead the Tigers in the secondary and what should be an above average defense in 2022. The Tigers just missed out on the postseason a year ago after qualifying in 2020, but managed to put together a 5-4 mark.

The game will be televised over-the-air on NewsChannel Nebraska. (Channel 16.1 in Columbus/Unknown in Fremont as writer currently cannot get it over-the-air despite having suitable indoor antenna) The game is also available on NFHS Network via streaming at nfhsnetwork.com for those outside Nebraska. The online stream from NCN will not be available due to NFHS Network owning the rights.

Dae’Vonn Hall
(Photo by Mchael Bruntz/247Sports)

No. 3 Bellevue West vs. No. 7 Creighton Prep at Burke Stadium
– This matchup between Preseason Top 10 teams definitely get the most eyes statewide due to the amount of star power on display for both teams. Headliners include Bellevue West juniors Daniel Kaelin and Dae’Vonn Hall, who are both bona fide Power 5 prospects. Kaelin has offers from Nebraska, Arizona State, Florida State, and Michigan State to name a few, while Hall has a list that includes the likes of Nebraska, Arkansas, and Wisconsin. The Thunderbirds averaged 50 points per game a year ago.

A team a lot of pundits across the state like entering the 2022 season is Creighton Prep due to the amount of top-level talent and returning starters from a 7-3 team. The Junior Jays feature Nebraska pledge Sam Sledge as part of the top offensive line in the state, Princeton DL verbal Rocco Marcelino, and North Dakota State RB commit and returning 1,200-yard rusher Marty Brown. Creighton Prep is a team that could see its defense become its identity with college prospects filling the unit in multiple positions.

North Platte at No. 9 Papillion-LaVista South
– North Platte was the last team out in the Preseason Top 10 and have a valid complaint in being left out. One of the last teams in the Top 10 at No. 9 was Papillion-LaVista South. North Platte has a Preseason All-State honoree in DL Caleb Kinkaid, return 1,100-yard rusher Brock Roblee, and electrifying ATH Kolten Tilford at its disposal. Papillion-LaVista South has college prospects available, led by RB Devyn Jones and DL Ayden Barnby. Returning at QB for the Titans is Brady Fitzpatrick, who showed success as a junior. North Platte has every chance to make a long bus journey pay off.