The Superior Express -

In case you are wondering, the L-N football team has been in existence for 24 years. That's from 1999 to 2023. In those 24 years, the Raider football team has played in the state football playoffs on 22 of the 24 years.

Thirty-two teams qualify for the Class D-2 system and teams are divided with 16 teams in the east and 16 teams in the west (in an effort to reduce distances between teams). After this first round of play, the remaining teams will fill one, 16 team bracket.

The Raider's first game will be this today (Thursday) against Elgin Public-Pope John High School. It will be played in Elgin starting at 5 p.m. During the 13 years, the two schools have been playing together, they have a very respectable history as they have a couple of state championship in their early years. They have made the playoffs in nine of their 13 years.

In the point system over all for class D-2, EP-PJ was No. 6 in terms of points earned for the year, L-N was No. 16 overall. However, in dividing the teams up into an East divisions and a West division, EP-PJ was rated No. 6 and L-N No. 11.

Considering the district competition the Raiders compete in, four of the six teams qualified for the playoffs. Kenesaw and Axtell are in the West division and L-N and Silver Lake are in the East division.

This reporter has never been to Elgin and it looks like we'll be having nice weather for a colorful autumn drive.

The first round games for the 2023 Class D-2 Playoffs are list below, the West 16 teams are list first.

No. 1 Dundy County Stratton (8-0), 44.8750 H

Thursday, Oct. 19, 5 p.m. MT No. 16 Elm Creek (3-5), 36.7500

No. 9 Anselmo-Merna (4-4), 39.6250 Thursday, Oct 19, 5 p.m. CT

No. 8 Boyd County (5-3), 39.7500 H

No. 5 Axtell (6-2), 41.8750 H

Thursday, Oct. 19, 7 p.m. CT

No. 12 Loomis (4-4), 38.0000

No. 13 Overton (4-4), 37.7500

Thursday, Oct. 19, 4:30 p.m. CT

at Sandhills HS in Dunning

No. 4 Sandhills-Thedford (7-1), 43.0000 H

No. 3 Ainsworth (8-0), 44.1250 H Thursday, Oct. 19, 6 p.m. CT

No. 14 Kenesaw (4-4), 37.2500

No. 11 Hitchcock County (4-4), 38.7500

Thursday, Oct. 19, 7 p.m. CT

at Sargent

No. 6 Twin Loup (5-3), 40.2500 H

No. 7 Mullen (5-3), 39.7500 H

Thursday, Oct 19, 6 p.m. MT

No. 10 Hyannis (4-4), 38.8750

No. 15 Ansley-Litchfield (3-5), 36.8750

Thursday, Oct. 19, 5 p.m. CT

at Arnold

No. 2 South Loup (8-0), 44.3750 H

No. 1 Johnson-Brock (8-0), 45.5000 H Thursday, Oct. 19, 4 p.m. CT

No. 16 Winside (3-5), 36.5000

No. 9 Howells-Dodge (6-2), 41.5000 Thursday, Oct 19, 7 p.m. CT

No. 8 Bloomfield (6-2), 42.1250 H  

No. 5 Lourdes Central Catholic (7-1), 43.0000 H

Thursday, Oct 19

No. 12 High Plains Community (5-3), 40.2500

No. 13 Fullerton (4-4), 39.1250

Thursday, Oct 19, 7 p.m. CT

No. 4 Humphrey St. Francis (7-1), 43.7500 H

No. 3 Central Valley (8-0), 44.3750 H Thursday, Oct 19, 7 p.m. CT

at Wolbach

No. 14 Wausa (4-4), 38.5000

No.11 Lawrence-Nelson (6-2), 41.0000

Thursday, Oct 19, 5 p.m. CT

at Elgin

No. 6 EPPJ (6-2), 42.3750 H

No. 7 Osceola (7-1), 42.2500 H

Thursday, Oct 19, 3 p.m. CT

No. 10 BDS (6-2), 41.1250

No. 15 Silver Lake (5-3), 38.0000 Thursday, Oct 19, 2:30 p.m. CT No. 2 Wynot (8-0), 45.0000 H