Fall Sports Preview: Neligh-Oakdale Warrior Football

From front, left to right, Nate Buck, Thomas Daniel, Andrew Herley, Austin Rice, Tucker Knust, Jayden Arehart, Beau Murray, Hunter Charf, Colby Sehi, Ashton Shabram, Cameron Wiseman, Kaleb Pofahl, Gage Dawson, Anthony Wright, Matthew Daniel, Neven Kline, Aiden Kuester, Garret Belitz, Julien Hearn, Andrew Jacobsen, Brock Kester, Dawson Kaup, Kolton Klabenes, Caleb Payne, Carson Whitesel, Bryson Gadeken, Dave Jacobsen, Gabe Steinmeier, Ron Beacom and Matt Parr.

Class: D1
Coach: Ron Beacom
2016 record: 8-0
2016 playoffs: N/A due to ineligibility

Returning starters: Three on offense, three on defense
Returning letter winners: Nate Buck, Sr., Thomas Daniel, Sr., Andrew Herley, Jr., Tucker Knust, Jr., Austin Rice, Jr., Jayden Arehart, Jr., Kaleb Pofahl, So., Hunter Charf, So.

Players to watch: Hunter Charf, Nate Buck, Tucker Knust, Austin Rice, Andrew Herley, Jayden Arehart

2017 outlook: “Our first line of players should compete very well with everyone on our schedule. We are very young with 16 of our 23 players being ninth and tenth graders, so our second group is very inexperienced. If we can stay healthy and continue to develop some depth with our young kids, it will be a really fun year and we may surprise a few teams.” - Coach Ron Beacom

​Our take: No doubt about it, losing that record-setting class from last year is tough. Fortunately, the Warriors were well in control early, allowing the young kids plenty of playing experience. Neligh-Oakdale has plenty of speed in the likes of Hunter Charf, Andrew Herley and Jayden Arehart. 8-0 again is likely a stretch, but five or six wins is reasonable at least.

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