Building a program and maintaining a program are both difficult tasks, but one could easily argue the second of those to be much harder than the first.
The Syracuse-Dunbar-Avoca football program didn’t have much of a tradition at all until 2002, when the Rockets began a playoff streak that continued through last year and now includes a trip to the semifinals and two trips to the quarterfinals in the last three years.
Fans now expect the Rockets to not only make the playoffs, but make a run in the playoffs. Graduation makes that tough.
Adam Vogt, the Rockets do-it-all quarterback, and super receiver Nick Reed headline a class of seniors that helped keep the tradition going.
Coach Rick Nordhues said the Rockets found themselves in a similar situation last year. A decorated class of seniors left, leaving fans to wonder if the Rockets would be as good in 2009-10 as they had been in the past.
“We pulled through,” Nordhues said.
The 2010-11 season will be different without the likes of Reed and Vogt, but Coach Nordhues said the Rockets will simply play to their strengths and push forward.
“Every team is new and will have a new identity,” Nordhues said.
The Rockets will also have a new district.
Platteview dropped from the ranks of Class B to C1 and Conestoga, which has been playing eight-man football, is back to the 11-man game and back on the Rockets’ schedule.
Long-time foe Lincoln Lutheran won’t be on the schedule.
Coach Nordhues said the addition of Platteview is noteworthy. In past years, Nordhues said Platteview has struggled in Class B, but added that he doesn’t think those previous struggles mean the Trojans won’t be competitive in their new class.
“Anytime there is a change there is some excitement and there is some uncertainty,” Nordhues said, adding that he hopes the Rockets will see the addition of Platteview as a new challenge.
Wish list
While the district slate is set, the rest of the Rocket schedule was filled out today. The Rockets were allowed to fill out a wish list of teams for the Nebraska School Activities Association to consider when filling out that schedule.
Wish list teams for the Rockets were Lincoln Lutheran, Bishop Neumann, Fort Calhoun and Wahoo.
Nebraska City put the Rockets on their wish list, but S-D-A didn’t put the Pioneers on their list.
Coach Nordhues said he attempted to contact the school to gauge interest about both schools agreeing to add the other on the NSAA wish list, but received no response and, as a result, didn't put the Pioneers down on thier list.
