Eleven 1000 yard rushers return in Class D-1, 8-Man football in 2024 and two of those Friday Night heroes even rushed for over TWO THOUSAND yards a year ago. Defending D1 Champion Stanton returns a pair of 1000 yarders as does Crofton.
They simply do not come much better than Stanton quarterback Barrett Wilke and his backfield buddy, RB Becker Pohlman. Between the two of them, they chewed up 3,871 yards rushing last season, enroute to a State Championship. In addition, both Wilke and Pohlman are two of the best linebackers in 8-Man football.
Not Many sophomores crack the 2000 yard rushing mark, but Dundy County/Stratton’s spectacular Ethan Latta pulled it off last season for the Tigers. And that Tiger football team is guided by one of the states top coaches regardless of class, Mike Spargo.
Another sensational quarterback is Sandy Creek's Ethan Shaw, son of former Husker football standout Brian Shaw.
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Ethan has been the starting quarterback for the Cougars since day one of his
Freshman season and can do it all. It comes as no surprise this young man is so extraordinary because I consider Dad Brian Shaw one of the most phenomenal all-around athletes to ever come out of Nebraska.
The overall talent coming back in 8-Man One as far as running backs go, is just top notch. A good example is Thayer Central 6-3, 205 pound Sam Souerdyke, one of D1’s finest all-around athletes.
I’ve been following Sam since his freshman season and this young man is fast, powerful, and will have a 2024 season that will be one to remember. This dude is a Baller.
Another back that impressed me is Plainview’s 5-11, 195 pound Jacson King. The rock solid powerhouse Pirate sheds defenders that bounce off like pinballs skipping off those rubber bumpers in a pinball machine.
Oh, and by the way, a word of advice here concerning Mr. King.
You’re wasting your time trying to tackle him high with aspirations of stripping the football. Jacson doesn’t fumble and he will either run over you or drag you for a ton of extra yards.
Overall, there are over 40 running backs to watch in this class and certainly some others who will seemingly appear out of nowhere like magic.
Magic indeed, and it's known as the Magic of high school football and it happens every Friday in the Fall.
It is called Friday Night Lights and there is nothing like it.
CLASS D-1 (8-Man) Backs to Watch in ‘24.
Barrett Wilke-Stanton- 6-0, 205, Sr. (2,140 Yds/33 TDs)
Ethan Latta-Dundy County/Stratton- 6-0, 160, JR (2,002 Yds/34 TDs)
Becker Pohlman-Stanton- 6-0, 195, Sr. (1,731 Yds/32 TDs)
Sam Souerdyke-Thayer Central- 6-3, 205, Sr. (1,675 Yds/28 TDs)
Wyatt Tramp-Crofton- 5-11, 185, Sr. (1,611 Yds/28 TDs)
Ethan Shaw-Sandy Creek- 6-2, 185, Sr. (1,322 Yds/28 TDs)
William Cacy-Arapahoe - Sr. (1,2401 Yds/24 TDs)
Matthew Schindler-Wausa/Osmond-SOPH (1,045 Yds/13 TDs){D2 last year}
Jace Panning-Crofton- 6-0, 180, JR. (1,021 Yds/18 TDs)
Gavin Hardeman-Lyons-Decatur NE- 6-0, 195, Sr. (1,010 Yds/11 TDs)
Hudson Hoffman-Boyd County- 5-8, 160, Sr. (1,004 Yds/13 TDs)
Jacson King-Plainview - Sr. (947 Yd/17 TDs)
Conner Paulsen-South Loup - Jr. (919 Yds/14 TDs)
Paydon Rinkol-Twin River - Sr. (813 Yds/11 TDs)
Weston Ohrt-Sutton - Sr. (707 Yds/9 TDs)
Cody Galles-Hemingford - 6-0, 180, Sr. (705 Yds/14 TDs)
Mikey Bartu-EMF - Sr. (674 Yds/7 TDs)
Ryelan Kingston-Pleasanton - Sr. (674 Yds/5 TDs)
Eston Ohrt Sutton - Sr. (600 Yds/4 TDs)
Ty Diedrichsen-Plainview - Sr. (585 Yds/8 TDs)
Mason Nitz-Elkhorn Valley - Sr. (579 Yds/10 TDs)
Connor Rempe-Sandy Creek - Sr. (550 Yds/8 TDs)
Landon Cooper-Lyons-Decatur NE - Sr. (541 Yds/5 TDs)
Quinn Carritt-Mead - Sr. (520 Yds/9 TDs)
Wyatt Pollett-Sutton- Soph.(QB/519 Yds/10 TDs)
Brian Goforth-Sandhills Valley - Sr. (508 Yds/5 TDs)
Ben Jorgensen -Tri-County NE - Sr. (506 Yds/8 TDs)
Josue Munoz-Homer - Sr. (504 Yds/9 TDs)
Ben Sullivan-Sandy Creek - Sr. (503 Yds/8 TDs)
Caeden Schmidt-Sandy Creek - Jr. (497 Yds/7 TDs)
Brody Marsh-Elmwood-Murdock - Soph. (494 Yds/10 TDs)
Brodey Flynn-Nebraska Christian - Sr. (469 Yds/8 TDs)
Brayden McCorkindale-Tri-County Northeast - Sr. (FB/473 Yds/8 TDs)
Graysen Briggs-Bancoft-Rosalie - (468 Yds/8 TDs)
Trevis Halsey-Elkhorn Valley - Sr. (QB/464 Yds/4 TDs)
Cooper Warford-Southern - Sr. (QB/458 Yds/9 TDs)
Ethan Roberts-Homer - Sr. (427 Yds/3 TDs)
Jesse Reyes-Maxwell - Jr. (417 Yds/12 TDs)
Eli Haisch-Laurel/Concord/Coleridge - Sr. (411 Yds/7 TDs)
Dierks Sayer-Cambridge - Sr. (410 Yds/3 TDs)
Alec Schindler-Summerland - Sr. (388 Yds/6 TDs)
Nikolas Weibert -Bridgeport - Jr. (QB/384 Yds/14 TDs)
Carter Siebert-Heartland - Sr. (375 Yds/6 TDs)
Michael Koenig-Summerland - Sr. (QB/370 Yds/13 TDs)
