CENTRAL PLAINS HIGH SCHOOL
OILERS
Classification: Eight-Man Division-I
District: 5 (Canton-Galva, Ellinwood, Goessel, Little River, Solomon)
League: Central Prairie League
Head coach: Chris Steiner (entering fourth season)
Assistant coach(es): Brandon Wise, Dustin Robison
Base offense: Multiple formations
Base defense: 3-2
Roster
Bryce Miller, WR/DB, 5-foot-9, 133, Soph.; Brock Lawrence, RB/LB, 5-9, 177, Sr.; Layne Bieberle, WR/S, 6-3, 170, Sr.; Hunter Ingham, WR/DB, 6-0, 155, Jr.; Jacob Warnken, RB/LB, 5-11, 173, Jr.; Ethan Hubbard, FB/TE/DB, 5-7, 153, Soph.; Anthony Oberle, QB/DB, 5-8, 130, Fr.; Carson Kirmer, RB/DB, 6-0, 187, Sr.; Braedan Crites, QB/DB, 6-2, 197, Jr.; Clark Besthorn, RB/DB, 5-7, 157, Jr.; Michael Lamatsch, WR/DE, 6-0, 180, Jr.; Aaron Schneweis, FB/TE/LB, 5-10, 153, Soph.; Michael Ryan, OL/DE, 6-0, 180, Jr.; Dylan Lemieux, FB/LB, 5-6, 114, Fr.; Philip Donecker, OL/DE, 5-11, 148, Fr.; Dalton Beck, FB/LB, 5-6, 143, Fr.; Cameron Hekele, WR/DB, 5-6, 114, Fr.; Jacob McAtee, RB/LB, 5-7, 130, Fr.; Trustin Kreft, OL/DL, 6-0, 183, Jr.; Alex Barton, RB/DB, 6-2, 163, Fr.; Cody Price, OL/LB, 6-0, 177, Jr.; Brady Rugan, OL/LB, 6-1, 203, Jr.; Trey Schulte, OL/DL, 6-0, 233, Soph.; James Radenberg, OL/DL, 5-11, 233, Soph.; Lee Letourneau, TE/DL, 6-4, 171, Fr.; Matt Demel, OL/DL, 6-0, 237, Sr.; Gus Bain, OL/DL, 6-1, 318, Soph.; Kade Beck, WR/DB, 5-8, 137, Fr.; Deric Bentley, RB/DB, 5-5, 120, Fr.
Varsity Schedule
Sept. 5 — VICTORIA
Sept. 12 — KINSLEY
Sept. 19 — At Macksville
Sept. 26 — At St. John-Hudson
Oct. 3 — CANTON-GALVA*
Oct. 10 — LITTLE RIVER *
Oct. 17 — At Ellinwood*
Oct. 24 — SOLOMON
Oct. 30 — At Goessel
* — District games
All games at 7 p.m.
HOME GAMES IN ALL CAPS
Junior Varsity Schedule
Sept. 8 — At Victoria, 6 p.m.
Sept. 15 — At Kinsley, 6 p.m.
Sept. 22 — MACKSVILLE, 6 p.m.
Sept. 29 — ST. JOHN-HUDSON, 6 p.m.
Oct. 6 — At Canton-Galva, 6 p.m.
Oct. 13 — At Little River, 6 p.m.
Oct. 20 — ELLINWOOD, 6 p.m.
HOME GAMES IN ALL CAPS
For the Central Plains High School football team, the trick will be out-accomplishing last season.
The Oilers plowed their way through the regular season and finished with a 9-2 record.
This year, Central Plains will return a number of lettermen, including seven offensive players who contributed largely to the win category for the 2013 Oilers.
"We lost two starters from last year," Central Plains head coach Chris Steiner said. "They were a very big part of what we did last year. We didn't lose a lot of players, but we lost a lot of talent."
The Oilers lost Evan Liebl and Colton Zink. Both played on each side of the ball.
Even with the graduated talent, Central Plains is returning a lot of talent as well.
Chief among the returners is quarterback Braedan Crites.
He completed 108 of 196 passes for 2,051 yards, 38 touchdowns and a measly four interceptions.
Crites was honorable mention in the Central Prairie League and in District 5.
"He's been looking very good," Steiner said. "He and Layne Bieberle have gone to a bunch of camps over the summer. Braeden's went to a few throwing camps, KU, K-State.
"They both played in seven-on-seven over the summer, too, so they're in good shape."
Central Plains was the district champion.
Thanks to Crites and his army of receivers, the Oilers averaged 47.8 points per game and came within 14 of breaking into triple digits once last season.
Now, Crites is working in-sinc with his head coach.
"When he first started last year, there was a little growing period," Steiner said. "We weren't always on the same page, but this year, we're right there together.
"Now, I'll be giving a call and he'll finish it before me. It's like when my son played (quarterback). He'd do that, too."
Central Plains' leading receiver, Layne Bieberle, accounted for 46 receptions, 1,048 yards and 55 total TDs.
Both are returning this season, along with running back Carson Kirmer (second-team All-CPL), tight end Michael Lamatsch (second-team All-CPL) and offensive lineman Michael Ryan (second-team all-CPL).
This season, Central Plains starts off against the one league opponent that beat them last year, Victoria.
The Knights won 66-28 on Sept. 27.
"We needed that," Steiner said. "It was kind of a wake-up call for the team. We knew that we weren't where we wanted to be, but I think the team didn't think that, you know.
"It was like they were conceited, but they were in cruise control, maybe. They hammered us."
Now the Oilers get to get a chance to reconcile that in the season opener.
In the postseason, Central Plains has had success recently at home, beating South Central, 36-14 last year.
Hodgeman County eliminated the Oilers 44-36 in Jetmore.
