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Bryce Zimmerer stepped in for his injured cousin Brayden Zimmerer during last fall's Class D1 state football championship and turned in one of the memorable individual performances in a state championship battle in any Cornhusker State sport.
Normally, the Creighton running back, Zimmerer carried the ball an all-class state championship game record 54 times in his first attempt under center, and ran the ball for 320 yards and two of the Bulldog's final three touchdowns in a 32-30 conquest of Burwell.
Following the narrow win, Zac Kliment's squad garnered a high enough MaxPreps power ranking to finish the season as Nebraska's third best 8-Man football squad since 2004.
"Our center, JD Kuhlman, looked at me and said, ‘You're going to quarterback' and I said, ‘I am?'" Bryce Zimmerer told the Omaha World Herald following the contest.
"So I went to (coach) Kliment and said I'm going to quarterback. And we ran quarterback motion up the middle the rest of the game. If you're a team that can do that in a state championship game, I think you deserve to win."
Creighton wasn't the only 2018 squad to creep into this week's Top 10. Class D2 state champion Johnson-Brock nearly unseated Howells from the top spot and Class D2 semifinalist Humphrey St. Francis nestled into the No. 9 spot this week. Unfortunately for the Flyers, the Humphrey St. Francis squads from 2005 and 2015 dropped out of the Top 10 as a result of the fall of 2018's movement. Hemingford (2014) also dropped into Next Five status.
Since MaxPreps began ranking 8-Man football teams in 2004, no other Nebraska squad has posted a higher MaxPreps power ranking than Howells' 88.7 in 2005, which landed the Bobcats in the No. 2 spot nationally. Last year's Johnson-Brock club now sits second after posting an 88.0 in December.
Creighton (2018) and Bruning-Davenport/Shickley (2017) played their way into the No. 3 and 4 spots, while Howells (2010) rounds out the Top 5. Howells leads the way with three different clubs in the Top 10, and its 2009 squad played its way into the Top 15. Humphrey St. Francis did land four clubs in the Top 15, as well, but only the 2018 edition of Flyer football bullied its way into the Top 10.
Howells' 2004 and 2005 squads did not win national championships, but came oh so close after finishing second following their respective seasons. Every member of this week's Top 10 finished in the Top 20 nationally at the conclusion of its fine football season.
Nebraska's Top 10 8-Man football teams since 2004
1. Howells (2005)Head Coach: Mike Speirs
Overall Record: 12-1
Scoring Differential: 598-175
Rankings: Nebraska (1st), Nationally (2nd)
2005 Bobcat Greats: Michael Bazata, Justin Sindelar, Scott Bayer, Eric Burenheide, Bryon Janata.
2. Johnson-Brock (Johnson) (2018)
Head Coach: Mitch Roberts
Overall Record: 13-0
Scoring Differential: 856-215
Rankings: Class D2 (1st), Nebraska (1st), Nationally (6th)
2018 Eagle Greats: Ty Hahn, Kaden Glynn, Cole Fossenbarger, Seth Moerer, Dylan Rowe, Shane Westhart.
3. Creighton (2018)
Head Coach: Zac Kliment
Overall Record: 13-0
Scoring Differential: 797-287
Rankings: Class D1 (1st), Nebraska (2nd), Nationally (10th)
2018 Bulldog Greats: Brayden Zimmerer, Bryce Zimmerer, Travis Tyler.
4. Bruning-Davenport/Shickley (Bruning) (2017)
Head Coach: Christopher Ardissono
Overall Record: 13-0
Scoring Differential: 668-202
Rankings: Class D2 (1st), Nebraska (1st), Nationally (16th)
2017 Eagle Greats: Garrett Schardt, John Christensen, Karson Dickson, Holden Stengel, Caden Norder, Thomas Mick.
5. Howells (2010)
Head Coach: Mike Speirs
Overall Record: 13-0
Scoring Differential: 600-173
Rankings: Class D1 (1st), Nebraska (1st), Nationally (6th)
2010 Bobcat Greats: Trent Mastny, Jordan Brichacek, Brian Bayer, Nathan Bazata, Cory Brester, Sam Schlautman.
6. Howells (2004)
Head Coach: Mike Speirs
Overall Record: 13-0
Scoring Differential: 631-115
Rankings: Nebraska (1st), Nationally (2nd)
2004 Bobcat Greats: Steven Bazata, Scott Bayer, Craig Brester.
7. Giltner (2012)
Head Coach: Jeff Ashby
Overall Record: 13-0
Scoring Differential: 825-240
Rankings: Class D2 (1st), Nebraska (1st), Nationally (9th)
2012 Hornet Greats: Blake Findley, Kyle Hawthorne, Dillon Gartner, Garrett Poppen, Dustin Hastings, Jake Findley, Ryan Kleier.
8. Pope John (Elgin) (2007)
Head Coach: P.J. Book
Overall Record: 13-0
Scoring Differential: 649-130
Rankings: Nebraska (1st), Nationally (7th)
2007 Crusader Greats: Jay Reicks, Dean Veik.
9. St. Francis (Humphrey) (2018)
Head Coach: Eric Kessler
Overall Record: 11-1
Scoring Differential: 629-242
Rankings: Class D2 (2nd), Nebraska (3rd), Nationally (18th)
2018 Flyer Greats: Dylan Wemhoff, Jarrett Weidner, Trevor Pfeifer
10. Sargent (2011)
Head Coach: Mike Kozeal
Overall Record: 13-0
Scoring Differential: 837-141
Rankings: Class D2 (1st), Nebraska (1st), Nationally (17th)
2011 Bulldog Greats: Jed Fenske, Tyke Kozeal, Ryan Mosier, Guy Fenske.
The next five: Humphrey St. Francis (2005), Hemingford (2014), Humphrey St. Francis (2015), Howells (2009), Humphrey St. Francis (2009).
