With Nebraska's high school football season winding down, and the playoffs looming, we have decided to take a look at which districts, through their collective toughness, are best preparing their members for the grind of the postseason.
Using the MaxPreps Nebraska Football Rankings, we calculated the average power rating for each district, and that calculation is the basis for this week's Top 10.
It does make sense that any district featuring a top-ranked team would have the upper hand at weighing in as a Top 10 district, and that is certainly the case this season. Class A's Elkhorn South, Class B's Bennington, Class C1's Aurora and Class C2's Norfolk Catholic, the Cornhusker State's top-ranked 11-Man clubs, all made this week's Top 10 as did the districts they reside in.
Three of Class C1's Top 10 football teams have been battling it out for supremacy in the C1-5 district, and to date, top-ranked Aurora reigns supreme with two opponents remaining on its schedule. Ranked fifth in Class C1 is Hastings Adams Central while Central City (10th, C1), St. Paul (17th, C1) and Fairbury (31st, C1) fill out the rest of the Cornhusker State's Top 11-Man district.
The A-3 District claims three Top 10 teams and sits in the No. 2 spot this week. To date, second-ranked Omaha Westside leads the way along with No. 4 Kearney and tenth-ranked North Platte, all with two games left on their schedules. Norfolk (14th, A) and Lincoln Northeast (29th, A) round out the Cornhusker State's second-best district. The C1-4, C1-1 and A-2 Districts round out the Top 5 in the Nos. 3-4-5 spots respectively.
All four 11-Man classifications are represented in this week's Top 10. Combined, the A-2 District, featuring Gretna, Bellevue West, Papillion-LaVista South, Bellevue East and Omaha South, has produced the top won-loss record of 24-12 for the districts represented in this week's Top 10.
Below, listed on the top line, is the district that is being ranked, its average MaxPreps power rating and the district's collective won-loss record. Listed on the second line and beyond is the MaxPreps classification ranking for each team competing in that district as well as the name of the school and that school's current won-loss record in parenthesis.
Nebraska's Top 10 toughest football districts
1. C1-5 District | Average MaxPreps Rating (21.7400) | Collective Record (22-13)No. 1
Aurora (7-0), No. 5
Adams Central (Hastings) (6-1), No. 10
Central City (4-3), No. 17
St. Paul (2-5), No. 31
Fairbury (3-4).
2. A-3 District | Average MaxPreps Rating (14.6400) | Collective Record (20-15)No. 2
Omaha Westside (Omaha) (6-1), No. 4
Kearney (5-2), No. 10
North Platte (4-3), No. 14
Norfolk (5-2), No. 29
Lincoln Northeast (Lincoln) (0-7).
3. C1-4 District | Average MaxPreps Rating (14.6200) | Collective Record (20-15)No. 2
Pierce (7-0), No. 4
Boone Central (Albion) (6-1), No. 25
Wayne (2-5), No. 29
O'Neill (3-4), No. 32
West Point-Beemer (West Point) (2-5).
4. C1-1 District | Average MaxPreps Rating (11.4667) | Collective Record (23-19)No. 3
Ashland-Greenwood (Ashland) (6-1), No. 7
Roncalli Catholic (Omaha) (6-1), No. 12
Platteview (Springfield) (5-2), No. 20
Boys Town (3-4), No. 23
Fort Calhoun (2-5), No. 36
Concordia (Omaha) (1-6).
5. A-2 District | Average MaxPreps Rating (11.3800) | Collective Record (24-12)No. 3
Gretna (7-0), No. 7
Bellevue West (Bellevue) (5-3), No. 8
Papillion-LaVista South (Papillion) (5-2), No. 21
Bellevue East (Bellevue) (4-3), No. 28
Omaha South (Omaha) (3-4).
6. C1-6 District | Average MaxPreps Rating (8.1400) | Collective Record (16-19)No. 9
Broken Bow (5-2), No. 15
Minden (4-3), No. 22
Cozad (3-4), No. 24
Gothenburg (3-4), No. 28
Holdrege (1-6).
7. B-1 District | Average MaxPreps Rating (8.0500) | Collective Record (25-17)No. 1
Bennington (7-0), No. 3
Elkhorn (5-2), No. 7
Blair (4-3), No. 12
Elkhorn North (Elkhorn) (5-2), No. 16
Mount Michael Benedictine (Elkhorn) (3-4), No. 24
Westview (Omaha) (1-6).
8. A-5 District | Average MaxPreps Rating (7.0600) | Collective Record (19-17)No. 1
Elkhorn South (Omaha) (7-0), No. 5
Grand Island (5-2), No. 11
Omaha North (Omaha) (6-1), No. 23
Fremont (1-7), No. 31
Omaha Northwest (Omaha) (0-7).
9. C2-4 District | Average MaxPreps Rating (6.5200) | Collective Record (18-17)No. 1
Norfolk Catholic (Norfolk) (7-0), No. 7
Battle Creek (5-2), No. 8
Cedar Catholic (Hartington) (5-2), No. 26
Ponca (1-6), No. 35
West Holt (Atkinson) (0-7).
10. A-1 District | Average MaxPreps Rating (6.3000) |Collective Record (15-20)No. 9
Millard South (Omaha) (4-3), No. 15
Lincoln East (Lincoln) (4-3), No. 19
North Star (Lincoln) (3-4), No. 20
Lincoln High (Lincoln) (3-4), No. 22
Columbus (1-6).
