Northwest Football Season Preview

(Grand Island, NE) – The 2024 season is approaching fast as week one for the Northwest Viking football team will start out at home hosting the Scottsbluff Bearcats on Friday, August 30th. Northwest last season finished with a record of 5-5 falling in the first round of the Class B playoffs to Norris 50-14. The Vikings this season will be searching for their 10th straight playoff appearance.

The Vikings lost several key parts of last year's offensive production to graduation. Quarterback Cam Jensen threw 21 touchdowns on 2,210 yards. Pass catchers that have departed are Chase Wiegert (48 receptions, 742 yards, 8 touchdowns), Easton Bockman (47 receptions, 410 yards, 2 touchdowns), and Joe Stein (34 receptions, 367 yards, and 3 touchdowns).

Plenty of pieces are back for Head Coach Kevin Stein. Senior Cam Walker will jump in as the top wide receiver target for the Vikings. Last year Walker hauled in 49 receptions on 536 yards and scored 6 touchdowns. Defensively the Vikings will have senior Hayden Atkins returning with 77 tackles last year. Now a junior, Ethan Mader, who played a significant role in the secondary for over half of the season had 63 tackles in 2023.  Brandon Bykerk (senior) will play on the offense and defensive lines for the black and gold. Last year Bykerk had 36 tackles on defense. Other returners with plenty of varsity experience from last year include Trey Stoltenberg, Isaac Martinez Gilbert, Ashton Helgoth, Caejon Suttles, Tyler Collins, and Antonio Schroeder.

Northwest will have a true QB battle this pre-season as the Vikings will turn to juniors Caejon Suttles and Grand Island transfer Gavin Haubold to direct the Northwest offense.