There was no keeping the dog out of the photo. For real.

It was nine years ago and I was in beautiful Chappell, Nebraska to interview Ben Hansen, a senior at Creek Valley High School, home to what had been, shall we say, an under performing football program. Even so here at Huskerland we like to spread it around so we decided to interview Ben Hansen, team captain and all-district player, for our preview magazine.

Turns out it was a package deal.

When it came time to capture Ben’s portrait we went to the family farm located just east of town. Waiting for Ben was his faithful dog, Ross, named for then-Huskers running back Cory Ross, which was sort of cool.

Actually it was more like Ross. a Yellow Lab, was waiting for his photo to be taken. He jumped right into the frame and wouldn’t leave; when it was all said and done Ross got his way and was part of my favorite Huskerland portrait of all time.

Ben, it really was a great photo of Ross.

Flash forward to today. It is more than fair to say over the past decade Creek Valley football has continued to, shall we say, under perform. Pretty sure that’s what you call a 48-game varsity losing streak and suspension of the varsity program to play JV games for a season.

With all the football misery as a backdrop - and the fact Creek Valley kids, at least some of them, came out for the sport - it seemed time for another Creek Valley player interview. One of the kids who saw things through was the senior quarterback, a four-year starter, and he seemed a likely candidate.

Kid named Patrick Hansen. Yep, Ben’s little brother. And Ross’s master...that’s right, ol’ Ross is alive and kickin’, “doing great for being 12,” according to Patrick.

You can read his story in this week's printed edition of Huskerland Prep Report and on our website - it was posted yesterday. And for all the excitement around the rejuvenated Creek Valley program, which is 3-0 entering Friday big showdown with unbeaten Maywood/Hayes Center, I find myself very happy my old friend, Ross, is still alive and kicking and doing great for being 12.

* My son, Matthew, was in attendance at Ord and as we talked in the pregame he said he could sense the bigness of the game, the crowd was really buzzing. He also related to me somebody had brought their cat to the game on a leash and I have to admit that’s probably the worst idea since the filming of Caddyshack II.

Biggest long-term news of the night was the early-game injury to Pierce senior QB Dalton Freeman, an AC joint injury that will, sadly, keep him out 6-to-8 weeks. Another all-stater, erstwhile running back Carson Oestreich took over at quarterback and the Bluejays didn’t bother with a lot of passing in this game, rushing for nearly 500 yards. That said, it was only 6-0 Pierce at halftime before the Bluejays picked up a couple of third quarter touchdowns to stretch their lead before closing out a hard-hitting win.

Losing Freeman is a devastating blow to Pierce - it would be to any team - but there is plenty of depth among the Bluejays’ skill players and my guess is they will find a suitable, if unhappy, solution to his absence. Ord has something cooking with junior QB Zach Smith and senior wide receiver Riley Warner, its line play is still a shining light.

Both teams have substantial challenges next week - Pierce at unbeaten Columbus Scotus and Ord at Central City, with the Chants at unbeaten Adams Central the following week - and you know both are good enough to answer the bell.

* Friday’s Creek Valley v. Maywood/Hayes Center game is one of eight games featuring unbeaten opponents, which is pretty impressive for us being a third of the way through the regular season. They come in all shapes and sizes, including Class A battles between Elkhorn South and No. 1-ranked Bellevue West and the Battle of Millard, with No. 2 Millard South facing No. 3 Millard West. There are also games featuring unbeaten teams in Class B (No. 2 Scottsbluff at Sterling, Colo.), Class C-1 (Adams Central at Gothenburg) and No. 1-ranked Pierce at Columbus Scotus), Class C-2 (GI Central Catholic at North Bend Central), and in Class D-2 (Hartington-Newcastle at CWCE, postponed from Week 1).

My math isn’t real great but I am pretty sure that means this weekend there are the proverbial battle of unbeatens in all but one of seven classes of Nebraska football. That makes it the best weekend of high school football so far this season. I mean, the playoffs will be hard pressed to match this kind of schedule.