Iowa & Nebraska: Omaha North, Regina teams to watch in high school football

Outlook: The Vikings consistently field one of the best teams in the city of Omaha, winning at least seven games each of the last five seasons, including 10-win campaigns in 2006 and 2008. With five starters back on each side of the ball, Martin expects the 2010 squad to be one of the best he has coached. He says the team is blessed with great speed and is a very competitive group. The go-to ball carrier figures to be Logan-Martin, a member of North’s state-qualifying 4x100 meter relay team. On the outside, Jones’ size and speed makes him a prime pass receiving threat. Up front, the offensive line has the makings of good group with the return of Broom and Childs – who were honorable mention all-district last season. Green should be the Vikings’ leader on defense. A Division I prospect, he is a good athlete and a big hitter from the free safety position.

Prediction: Only once in the last 25 seasons has a public school from within the city limits of Omaha captured the Class A state football championship. That’s a lot of history working against North. Even so, the Vikings should have enough experienced athletes on the field to put together another winning season and be a tough out come playoff time.

Regina (Iowa City)
Coach: Marv Cook (31-5, three seasons)
Last season: 10-2, lost in Iowa Class 2A quarterfinals
Key players: TE-DE Braden Lehman (6-7, 220, Sr.); QB Jack Verducci (6-1, 200, Sr.); RB-LB Anthony Halsch (5-11, 190, Sr.); LB Jacob Vollstedt (6-0, 195, Jr.); DB-WR Zach Pechous (5-11, 160, Sr.)

Outlook: With as much talent and experience returning as any team in Class 2A, Regina could be the team to beat this season. "If we can strive to have everyone be a great teammate, we have a chance to be pretty good," said Cook, a former Pro Bowl performer in the NFL. He expects a great senior season out of Lehman, a fellow tight end with great size and potential. Verducci, son of former NFL and college assistant coach Frank Verducci, is a talented signal caller who threw for 1,367 yards and ran for 571 yards with 18 total touchdowns as a junior. With leading rusher Halsch back, the Regals’ running game should also be strong. Defensively, Vollstedt returns after finishing one tackle shy of the team lead in the category as a sophomore. Pechous is a gamebreaker who returned four kicks and one interception for touchdowns last season.

Prediction: Three of Regina’s five losses under Cook are to Solon, which is moving up a class after winning three straight titles in Class 2A. With the Spartans out of the way and a talented roster at his fingertips, look for the Iowa Hawkeyes legend to lead Regina to its second state title in the last six seasons.

Marian (Omaha) (17-3) broke a six-year state championship drought Monday when it defeated Omaha Westside, 1-0, for the Class A title at Creighton University. It was the Crusaders’ 10th championship in the event’s 23-year history. They won six in a row from 1998-2003. Senior midfielder Monica Bosiljevac scored the only goal of the game in the first half off a rebound of her own missed shot.

Skutt Catholic (Omaha) captured the Class B championship for the second year in a row and third time since 2006. The top-ranked SkyHawks (17-3) blanked No. 2 Gretna, 3-0. Senior Mayme Conroy scored two goals in the match, giving her 27 for the season.

Darius Stokes, son of Iowa’s third all-time leading scorer Greg Stokes, announced he accepted an opportunity to play for the Hawkeyes next season as a walk-on. Stokes, a 6-8 forward, averaged 5.6 points and three rebounds per game for Linn-Mar last season . . . One of the state’s top overall athletes, Max Martino of Cedar Rapids Kennedy will be joining the Northern Iowa basketball program next year as a walk-on. Martino, who was also a Drake Relays track champion and an all-state selection in football, averaged 8.3 points and 2.8 assists per game last season for the Cougars on the hardwood . . . Des Moines Roosevelt wrestler Blake Meeks accepted a scholarship offer from the University of Nebraska. Meeks – who was also recruited by Arizona State, Iowa State and Minnesota – finished second at the 2009 state meet at 140 pounds as a junior but missed much of his senior season with a shoulder injury.