KEARNEY — Having made the state football playoffs every year since 2010, Kearney High looks to keep its streak alive while facing an uphill battle this year.
The Bearcats return just one starter from last season’s 4-6 team in junior defensive back Zander Reuling. While the roster is turning a page, the expectations remain the same for the Bearcats.
“We want to make Foster Field one of the most difficult places in the state to play and try to go undefeated at home, which is our goal year in and year out.” Kearney head coach Brandon Cool said at a press conference on August 3.
With significant roster turnover, the team is adopting a new focus for the season, based on the collective strength of all 11 players versus just a singular superstar.
“We have a selfless team with good leaders.” Kearney quarterback Treyven Beckmen said.
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The close-knit nature of the group helps manage the pressure of keeping the playoff streak alive. The team isn’t crushed under the weight of past expectations, instead learning from the past cultures that helped the consistency, such as a focus on multi-sport athletes.
Two-way starters like junior wide receiver and defensive back Karter Lee and senior defensive and offensive lineman Aidan Poppe play baseball, and are expected to start this fall after impressing with their work in the offseason. Track-and-field athletes are also spread across the roster, particularly on the defensive side, where Cool touts the speed and athleticism as the defining strengths of the unit.
Although Reuling is the only returning starter, he isn’t the only returning player with game experience, keeping many starting opportunities up for grabs headed into camp.
Cool likes the progress he’s seen so far, setting his sights at being in the top echelon of the district, and making the state playoffs where “anything can happen”.
Several teams across Class A are dealing with major roster turnover, with Bellevue West and Omaha Westside losing seniors to Division I schools and appearing on Kearney’s schedule this season. Cool expects both programs to reload with talent, signaling out those games as the toughest on the Bearcats’ schedule.
Another matchup Cool noted was area rival Grand Island, who he ranked ninth in Class A and is coming off a successful season, finishing second in its district and winning a playoff game over Creighton Prep.
A player expected to take advantage of greater playing opportunities is senior linebacker Justin Murray, who performed well in the state playoffs last season.
“I’ve been working with my lineman to get around the lineman and make big plays.” Murray said.
Other players expected to fill the gaps this fall are junior Baker Bertrand, a high-motor offensive and defensive lineman, and junior Eli Randolph, an athletic defensive back and running back.
Beckmen is the expected starting quarterback for the Bearcats. Beckmen got game experience last year, including starting against Columbus. He’ll lead a Kearney offense that hopes to feature several different looks depending on its opponent, and not be stuck in its ways with a run-first or pass-first gameplan.
Cool says an emphasis will be put on running the football, as the top teams in Class A typically do, but also on run-pass option plays to keep the defense on its toes.
Defensively, the unit is adopting a similar approach, switching between different looks in-game to confuse the offense, while sticking with a 3-4 base.
Kearney opens the year with a Thursday game on the road at Lincoln East, who is similarly bringing in a new quarterback.
“If we can get that win we’ve got a pretty good shot (to make the playoffs),” Murray said. “It’ll give us a lot of momentum.”
Three of Kearney’s first four games are road contests on Thursdays, an unusual scheduling quirk for the team.
“We’re gonna fight through that and put a lot of time and effort in on the weekends to prepare for those games.” Cool said.
Its toughest stretch goes from the Sept. 15 game at Bellevue West to its Oct. 7 contest at Omaha Westside, where the Bearcats will face four 2021 playoff teams in a row. The regular season concludes at Norfolk on Oct. 21 in the Bearcats’ first trip there since their 31-0 win in 2019.