Leading up to the Nebraska high school football season, NEPrepZone.com will be looking at the top teams in each class, based on last year’s rankings. This week, Eight Man-1 will be in the spotlight with a new post each day. Let us know in the comments how you think each team will finish, as well as players you’ll be watching.

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No. 10 BURWELL

Coach: Luke Gideon, 12th season

Returning starters: Alec Galvon, senior, RB/S; Sage Gideon, senior, QB/DB; Austin Suckedo, senior, TE/LB; Blake Jeffires, senior, G/DE; Nate Nelson, senior, FB/LB

Player to watch: Galvon. The 6-foot, 170-pound running back rushed for 1,134 yards and 21 touchdowns a year ago. On defense, he had 86 tackles and five interceptions.

Coach’s quote: “We have pretty high expectations this year. I think that if we can get our line play to work together, combined with our returning skill players and athletes, we have a chance to be pretty good. We just have some really good football players. We’re pretty excited.”

— Connor Schuessler

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No. 9 SOUTH LOUP

Coach: Andy Schwarz, 13th season

Returning starters: Garret Dockweiler, senior, C/LB; Derek Hildebrandt senior, RB/DB; Haden Geiser, senior, RB/DB; Eamon Schwarz, junior, LB; Levi Loper, senior, DE; Charlie Blowers, senior, OL; Kyle Pierce, junior, TE

Player to watch: Dockweiler. The 5-foot-10, 160-pound center and linebacker will lead the Bobcats, who finished 9-2 last season. He’s very aggressive in an offense that needs quality lineman to get their run heavy attack going.

Coach’s quote: “We start every year trying to be competitive. We lost a lot of key players from last year’s team, so we’ll just have to see how it goes. If we stay healthy and the team comes together well, we should be able to make the playoffs and do pretty well. There’s some good teams around.”

— Connor Schuessler

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No. 8 ALMA

Coach: Isaac Frecks, seventh season

Returning starters: Brady Stuhmer, junior, TE/DE; Canaan Janicek, senior, TE/DB

Player to watch: Stuhmer. The 6-foot-4, 175-pound junior was injured at the end of last season. But he is a weapon on offense — perhaps the team’s No. 1 receiving threat.

Coach’s quote: “We lost 10 seniors from last year’s team. We’ve got to find some key kids to take over those roles. We should be competitive — the main key probably is to stay healthy. I think that will dictate how good of a team we will be.”

— Connor Schuessler

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No. 7 OVERTON

Coach: Paul Heusinkvelt, second year

Returning starters: Matt Aten, senior, QB/S; JD Callahan, junior, OL/DL; Brad Davey, junior, RB/LB

Player to watch: Aten. The 6-foot, 145-pound quarterback and safety will lead the backfield with returning running back Davey.

Coach’s quote: “We’re going to be young with a lot of speed but not a lot of size. We still should have a good year.”

— Emily Gregor

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No. 6 BRUNING-DAVENPORT-SHICKLEY

Coaches: Mark Rotter and Chris Ardissono, 11th year

Returning starters: Ryan Tegtmeier, senior, QB; Luke Christensen, senior, athlete; Dylan Lauenstein, senior, OL/DL; Wyatt Schoenholz, junior, RB/DB

Player to watch: Tegtmeier. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound quarterback returns after rushing for over 1,000 yards and 13 touchdowns last season to go along with 806 yards and 15 touchdowns through the air.

Coach’s quote: “We will have three very good players. How the others on the field with them do will determine how we do.”

— Emily Gregor