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Alert Popular Top Story Hot Spotlight Topical PREP PICKS PREP PICKS: Week 2 slate is highlighted by D-3 showdown Spencer Thomas Sep 3, 2026 33 mins ago 0 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save The rhythms of fall are back. Each week is an orbit, circling round until it returns to the finish line: a Friday night on the gridiron.kA 5:ClQ=ECQm(66< @?6 24E:@? AC@G:565 DE2E6>6?E H:?D 7@C D6G6C2= E62>D :? E96 2C62[ DF49 2D ~C5[ H9:49 E9F>A65 r6?EC2= r:EJ[ cf\a_ E@ 46>6?E :ED6=7 2D 2 r\a 4@?E6?56C] k^AmkA 5:ClQ=ECQmt=D6H96C6 :? r\a[ s@?:A92?\%CF>3F== FD65 2? :?4C65:3=6 a\A@:?E 4@?G6CD:@? E@ 7@C46 @G6CE:>6 GD] !=2:?G:6H^~D>@?5[ 2?5 42>6 @FE a_\`c G:4E@CD] x? E96 D>2==6C C2?<D[ vC2?5 xD=2?5 {FE96C2? w:89 2?5 }63C2D<2 r9C:DE:2? 6249 62C?65 H:?D 7@C E96 7:CDE E:>6 D:?46 a_ac]k^Am kA 5:ClQ=ECQm%9:D H66< :D 2 C6=2E:G6=J =:89E D=2E6[ 6DA64:2==J =@42==J] ~?=J D:I 2C62 E62>D A=2J 2E 9@>6 @? uC:52J ?:89E[ 3FE E96C6 H:== 36 ?@ D9@CE286 @7 5C2>2] k^Am People are also reading… St. Libory man faces 5 charges, including DUI, in crash that seriously injured 3 teens ICE facial recognition software: Man arrested by Grand Island police gave false identity Couple arrested after report of suspicious activity at Grand Island convenience store 86-year-old man accused of sexually assaulting 9-year-old Grand Island girl Rankings: Nebraska high school softball, August 27 Grand Island man receives lengthy sentence for sexual assault, incest, child abuse and more Schneider and Grand Island Central Catholic handle Hershey on opening night Grand Island lawyer accused of tampering with witness Grand Island man arrested after fight outside Golden Towers apartments Kearney teens on electric scooter hurt — one severely — in collision with car After getting $400, fraudsters demand $25,000 more from Grand Island woman Husker grad wins State Fair Marathon; Gretna native repeats Nebraska high school football rankings: See who rose and fell after Week 1 Newborn baby found, rescued from Omaha alley Grand Island, Northwest superintendents weigh in on suspension law for pre-K to 2nd grade kA 5:ClQ=ECQmvC2?5 xD=2?5 H:== C6:8?:E6 :ED C:G2=CJ H:E9 }@CE9 !=2EE6 2E |6>@C:2= $E25:F>[ 2?5 6249 E62> :D D2=:G2E:?8 7@C 2 H:? 27E6C AFEE:?8 E@86E96C G2=:2?E 677@CED :? 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E@ g\>2? 7@@E32==]k^6>mk^Am kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDEC@?8m$E] |2CJVDk^DEC@?8m 2E qFCH6==k^Am kA 5:ClQ=ECQmk6>mtG6? :7 E96 {@?89@C?D =@D6 E9:D @?6[ 2 H:? @G6C p?D6=>@\|6C?2 =2DE H66< D9@HD E96J’G6 8@E 2 8C62E D62D@? 29625]k^6>mk^Am Spencer Thomas is a sports writer for The Independent. Last week, he went 18-6 (.750). 0 Comments Get in the game with our Prep Sports Newsletter Sent weekly directly to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Spencer Thomas Sportswriter Author twitter Author email Follow Spencer Thomas Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today Related to this story Most Popular Schneider and Grand Island Central Catholic handle Hershey on opening night With a 41-6 win over Hershey on Friday night, Grand Island Central Catholic showed it has reloaded off the back of a state championship appear… Nebraska high school football rankings: See who rose and fell after Week 1 Which teams made the biggest Week 1 statements? The updated Nebraska high school football rankings are here. Grand Island Central Catholic enters 2026 with No. 1 ranking GICC landed several big transfers and returns enough star power to build upon last season's historic run. Three stars from Grand Island's 8-man kickoff classic Some came out of nowhere, while others lived up to the sky-high hype. Here were the three biggest stars from the event: 8-man programs earn big wins in Grand Island's Saturday classic Eight-man football took over Grand Island Saturday, as Memorial Stadium hosted three games in the inaugural 8-man kickoff classic. 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Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today Schneider and Grand Island Central Catholic handle Hershey on opening night With a 41-6 win over Hershey on Friday night, Grand Island Central Catholic showed it has reloaded off the back of a state championship appear… Nebraska high school football rankings: See who rose and fell after Week 1 Which teams made the biggest Week 1 statements? The updated Nebraska high school football rankings are here. Grand Island Central Catholic enters 2026 with No. 1 ranking GICC landed several big transfers and returns enough star power to build upon last season's historic run. Three stars from Grand Island's 8-man kickoff classic Some came out of nowhere, while others lived up to the sky-high hype. Here were the three biggest stars from the event: 8-man programs earn big wins in Grand Island's Saturday classic Eight-man football took over Grand Island Saturday, as Memorial Stadium hosted three games in the inaugural 8-man kickoff classic. Here's ever… Pick Six Podcast: Talking season is over — bold predictions, Colandrea’s ceiling & Nebraska’s trust tree Pick Six Podcast: Talking season is over — bold predictions, Colandrea’s ceiling & Nebraska’s trust tree