We are only two weeks away from the 2026 season kicking off with some exciting Week 0 matchups. To get geared up for the start of the season, let’s dive into some “Class Previews,” where we look at some of the top players, teams, and games to look forward to.
Next up on our preview list is Class B:
Class B Preseason Rankings:
1. Waverly Vikings
- Preview: The reigning Class B champions return a lot of talent from their championship squad, which sets them up nicely as our preseason #1. One of their top strengths will be at the QB spot, where they retain South Dakota (FCS) commit Brockston Teply, who lit up opposing defenses with efficiency last season. He will also have his top weapon in two-way standout and North Dakota (FCS) DB commit Gavin McMillan. 2027 DL Sam Daake, 2027 OL Ethan Pospisil, and 2027 RB Payton Cleveland are some players to watch out for. The road to a repeat season will not be easy, as all nine of the Vikings’ opponents were playoff teams last season, including Northwest (GI), McCook, Gross Catholic, (#2) Gretna East, (#8) York, (#6) Gretna, (#3) Norris, Pius X, and Seward.
2. Gretna East Griffins
- Preview: Last season’s Class B runner-up, Gretna East, is also in great shape to run it back with a great nucleus of returning players. Starting at QB, dual-threat Wayne State commit Chase Grow will be back to tear up defenses in the air and on the ground. 2027 RB Quentin Malone, 2027 WR Carver Fritchen, 2027 WR Quinn Bera, and 2028 WR Sawyer Thompson are some of the weapons that will surround Grow. The Griffins will also be tough in the trenches with 2027 DL/OL Caden Boyer, Wayne State OL commit Logan Wilson, 2027 OL/DL Simon Schram, 2028 DL/OL Brogan Moyer, and 2028 OL/DL Landon Heinert part of a deep rotation. There are several highly-anticipated matchups along the way for the Griffins, including (#3) Norris, (#6) Gretna, (#1) Waverly, (#10) Gross Catholic, and (#4) Skutt Catholic.
3. Norris Titans
- Preview: Norris was one of the more exciting teams in the state last season with a high-powered offense that could score at will. Although they lost some key skill guys, the main catalyst remains in 2027, QB Evan Greenfield. 2027 WR Shane Holen, 2027 RB/ATH Greyson Addison, 2028 ATH Max Addison, and 2027 TE/DL Anden Papik are all looking ready to step up to keep this the Norris engine running. Wayne State 2027 DL/OL commit Carson Bell, 2027 DL Brycen Rhoades, 2027 OL/DL Easton Burenheide, 2028 OL Jalen Koehn, and rising 2029 Wade Brewster are key pieces that will solidify the trenches. Some big tests on the schedule include (#2) Gretna East, (#5) Scottsbluff, (#9) Aurora, (#7) Seward, (#1) Waverly, (#6) Gretna, and (#8) York.
4. Skutt Catholic Sky Hawks
- Preview: The Skutt Catholic Sky Hawks are a team looking to take over an open Class B as they try to add another title to their massive trophy case. The Sky Hawks will be headlined by 3-star Minnesota S commit Wyatt Liebentritt, who can affect the game in all three phases, and Harvard DL commit Beckham Werner, who can terrorize QBs coming off the edge. 2027 WR Lucas Heller, 2028 WR Hudson Friesen, and 2028 OL Oliver Rickett are some early names to watch for. Despite a somewhat favorable schedule, Skutt will still have some big games throughout the season, including (#6) Gretna, (#7) Seward, (#10) Gross Catholic, and (#2) Gretna East.
5. Scottsbluff Bearcats
- Preview: Despite the circumstances, the Scottsbluff Bearcats remain a perennial playoff contender who should once again be squarely in the playoff picture. They will have to replace some key long-time starters, but players like 2027 DB/ATH Daniel Young, 2027 LB Dylan Propp, and 2028 ATH Mason Schmer provide a solid foundation to work with. Some tough battles ahead for the Bearcats include (#3) Norris, (#8) York, (#9) Aurora, McCook, and GI Northwest.
6. Gretna Dragons
- Preview: The Gretna Dragons are another team that lost a good amount of production to graduation, but have the players in place to keep the ball rolling in 2026. Regardless of who the new QB1 is, having an RB duo consisting of sophomores Ayden Furstenau and Cayson Schlotfeld should help ease that transition. This secondary is also going to be a position of strength with a deep lineup including Northern State S commit Talon Daharsh, 2027 CB Zeke Jasa, and 2029 DB Nathan Thiellen. Some big-ticket games for the Dragons include (#4) Skutt Catholic, (#2) Gretna East, (#7) Seward, (#1) Waverly, (#8) York, and (#3) Norris.
7. Seward Bluejays
- Preview: The Seward Bluejays will have some re-tooling to do after graduating a strong class, but the cupboard is not bare with several great prospects on the roster. WR/ATH Kade Benson should make life easier for the new QB1. 2027 LB Kolten Green is a highly productive defensive playmaker with the tools to play at the next level. 2027 OL Barrett Wiesen brings experience and consistency to the trenches for the Bluejays. On top of working out some growing pains, Seward will also have a tough road ahead of them with matchups set against (#9) Aurora, (#4) Skutt Catholic, Northwest (GI), McCook, (#6) Gretna, (#3) Norris, Pius X, (#8) York, and (#1) Waverly.
8. York Dukes
- Preview: York is another team that always seems to field a solid squad and earn a postseason spot. Offensively, 2027 RB Colt Eimermann and Wayne State TE commit Dax Peterson should help put up points after combining for double-digit scores last season. 2028 two-way standout Max Erickson, 2027 LB Zach Alt, and 2027 LB Ashtyn Demuth return a great chunk of defensive production from last season. Some games to circle on the calendar include (#5) Scottsbluff, (#1) Waverly, Pius X, (#6) Gretna, (#7) Seward, and (#3) Norris.
9. Aurora Huskies
- Preview: The Aurora Huskies are on the move back to Class B after a few seasons in C1, but look ready to compete off the bat. They will be led by dual-threat 2027 QB Wyatt Pollett, who looked solid in his first season with the Huskies. He will have some huge weapons around him in towering 2029 TEs Micah Shannon, Davis Nachtigal, and Maddex Dummer. Defensively, players like 2027 LB Tucker Theriot, 2027 LB Malakai Camacho, and 2027 LB Hudson Decker should give opposing teams fits. (#7) Seward, (#3) Norris, (#5) Scottsbluff, GI Northwest, and McCook are some of the big games to watch out for.
10. Gross Catholic Cougars
- Preview: The Gross Catholic Cougars are another team returning to Class B and have an underrated roster that should help them make a run. When watching tape during the ranking process, I was very impressed with 2027 QB Colton Sweetmon, who has the tools to shine at the next level. Another big name to watch is 2028 rising OL Gage Mettscher, who has the physical makeup of an FBS prospect. 2027 LB Kemper Skryja, 2027 LB Connor Tweedy, and 2027 Brady Shepoka have had a solid summer on the camp trail that should translate to the field this fall. It won’t be an easy transition back into Class B with games against (#1) Waverly, GI Northwest, (#4) Skutt Catholic, and (#2) Gretna East.
Elite 8 Regular Season Matchups:
1. #2 Gretna East at #1 Waverly – Week 4
- Quick Note: This Week 4 matchup will give us a rematch of last year’s championship as #2 Gretna East visits the reigning champions, #1 Waverly Vikings. As I mentioned earlier, both teams return a great amount of production from last season’s squad, including their star QBs, weapons to get the ball to, dogs in the trenches, and playmakers on defense.
2. #6 Gretna at #3 Norris – Week 7
- Quick Note: The Dragons and Titans meet up in week seven to give us a rematch of one of the more exciting games of last year’s season, resulting in Gretna eliminating Norris 46-45. The Titans will look to get their revenge this go-around and will have the experience to do so. Or will a young Dragons team make a statement with another win over a Class B contender?
3. #1 Waverly at #3 Norris – Week 7
- Quick Note: Expect a track meet in the middle of October with this matchup! Waverly and Norris were two of the more explosive offenses last season, showing they can put up points at will. With both teams returning their star QBs and athletes at the skill positions, this could be a very high-scoring affair.
4. Gretna Bowl (#6 Gretna at #2 Gretna East) – Week 3
- Quick Note: The Gretna Bowl is always a game to mark on your calendar as both rosters are filled with next-level talent and the players always pack some extra juice for this matchup. The Griffins enter the 2026 edition of this matchup on a three-game win streak and as the favorites, but never count out a team of young guns in a rivalry game.
5. #2 Gretna East at #4 Skutt Catholic – Week 9
- Quick Note: This is a matchup between two championship hopefuls who will have to close the regular season out in what should be a gritty, physical battle. The matchup between Gretna East’s high-powered offense and a stingy Skutt Catholic defense will be interesting to watch.
6. #5 Scottsbluff at #3 Norris – Week 2
- Quick Note: A long drive is never a challenge for a ready-to-go Bearcats team; however, the #3-ranked Titans greeting them at the entrance will be. This should be a clash of playing styles as the Scottsbluff Bearcats love to wear down defenses with a physical run game, while the Titans can go 0-60 at the drop of a hat.
7. Grand Island Northwest at #9 Aurora – Week 5
- Quick Note: The Aurora Huskies return to Class B with a talented roster and some tough challenges on their schedule. One game that is always circled is when the Huskies meet the Northwest Vikings in a game that always has the pads popping. Aurora returns their QB and a plethora of weapons, while the Vikings will have a new QB1, but the weapons will be there to ease the transition.
8. #7 Seward at #8 York – Week 8
- Quick Note: This late-season matchup is one that should carry big playoff seeding implications for the Bluejays and Dukes. Seward and York are teams that have the talent to make deep playoff runs and close the season against #1 Waverly and #3 Norris the following week, so locking in a win here would be massive.
