Several schools change classes for new football season

HARTINGTON — A tough football schedule just got tougher for Cedar Catholic, thanks to cooperatives, consolidations and declining enrollment.

The Trojans will face two defending State champions next fall.

Boone Central, the 2023 Class C1 State champion, is moving down to Class C2 this season. Cedar Catholic will open the 2024 campaign against the Cardinals at Albion.

The Trojans will close the regular season by hosting 2023 Class C2 state champion Norfolk Catholic at Russ Hochstein Field.

In all, Cedar Catholic will face four teams that made the 2023 playoffs, as Oakland-Craig and Battle Creek are on the schedule again this season.

The Trojans will compete in District C2-3 this year along with Mid-State Conference foes Battle Creek, Norfolk Catholic and Ponca. Oakland-Craig and West Point-Beemer, which is moving down from Class C1, have also been moved into the district.

Another Mid-State foe, Wayne, is also moving down to Class C2. Cedar Catholic will host the Blue Devils in the second week of the season.

Hartington-Newcastle will once again compete in Class D1 next season.

The Wildcats will compete in District D1-3 this year along with Bloomfield, Boyd County, Crofton, Niobrara/Verdigre and the new Wausa-Osmond co-op.

Hartington-Newcastle will open the 2024 campaign by hosting Ainsworth. Its final regular-season game comes in week eight at Bloomfield.

Cedar Catholic 2024 Schedule: Week 1 at Boone Central Week 2 Wayne Week 3 Archbishop Bergan Week 4 at Tekamah-Herman Week 5 at West Point-Beemer Week 6 Battle Creek Week 7 at Ponca Week 8 at Oakland-Craig Week 9 Norfolk Catholic HNS 2024 Schedule:

Week 1 Ainsworth Week 2 at Wakefield Week 3 Luth. High NE Week 4 at Niobrara/Verdigre Week 5 Crofton Week 6 at Wausa-Osmond Week 7 Boyd County Week 8 at Bloomfield Wynot will compete in District D2-2 this season along with Bancroft-Rosalie, Lyons-Decatur Northeast, Randolph, Walthill and Winside. The Class D2 state runnerup Blue Devils open the 2024 campaign by traveling to Crofton. Wynot hosts Creighton in the second week and Humphrey St. Francis in the third week.

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