Published Aug 19, 2017
Class D-2 No. 1: Falls City Sacred Heart
Bob Jensen  •  HuskerlandPreps
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2017 Falls City Sacred Heart Top Players To Watch
NameHt/Wt/GradePosition@HuskerlandBob Sez

Drew Bippes

6-0/155/11

Quarterback

Returning all-stater, great dual threat.

Theo Rohrer

6-3/210/12

Lineman

Best lineman in D-2? I'm OK with you saying that.

Brandon Scheitel

6-1/220/12

Lineman

Second best lineman in D-2? That's not a stretch.

Christian Harring

5-10/170/12

Running Back

Leading rusher, outstanding playmaker.


Overview

Gotta be about time to add a shelf to the Sacred Heart trophy case. For the eighth time in program history the Irish are defending state champion, having gone 12-1 to last fall win the Class D-2 title. Head coach Doug Goltz returns four starters on offense and five on defense.

“We need to replace four all-state players and we have a number of areas of concern where we will need players to step up,” says Coach Goltz, who led the Irish to all of their state titles, piling up a 288-49 record in the process. “We will need to build depth in both our offensive and defensive lines.”

Offense

What the Irish do return is as good a quarterback as you will find in the eight-man game, junior all-stater Drew Bippes (6-0, 155), who last season passed for 1,524 yards and 27 TDs and rushed for 624 yards and 11 TDs. Also lining up in the backfield will be a pair of versatile athletes, seniors Christian Harring (5-10, 170) and Sean Arnold (5-10, 165), both of whom will be in the all-state conversation again this season. Harring last season rushed for 800 yards and 15 TDs and caught 15 passes for 195 yards and four TDs while Arnold added 436 yards rushing and 10 TDs and caught 24 passes for 318 yards and five touchdowns. Senior Will Morehead (5-10, 165) will add depth at running back, last season rushing for 174 yards and a TD.

Leading the line play for the Irish will be senior all-stater Theo Rohrer (6-3, 210) with senior center Brady Keller (6-0, 255) another returning starter and senior Brandon Scheitel (6-1, 220) stepping in at the other guard position. Junior Tanner Cromer (6-0, 170) a leading candidate to add some depth in the line with senior Tristen Keithley (6-0, 175) expected to play tight end.

Defense

Scheitel (75 tackles, 10 TFL, 4 FR), Rohrer (52 tackles, 11 TFL) and Keller (20 tackles, 5 TFL) will comprise one of the Class D-2’s top defensive lines with Harring (88 tackles, 6 TFL), Keithley (63 tackles) and senior Ryker Hoy (6-0, 180), who last season had 36 tackles including four for loss, doing the same at linebacker. Arnold (66 tackles, 2 INT) and Morehead (57 tackles, 2 INT) give the Irish a terrific set of DBs, too.

Season's Prediction

Will Sacred Heart be as good as it was last season? Maybe not but even so that doesn’t rule out 10 or 11 wins and a state semifinal. Or final, let’s be honest.