Football · Preview · Class D1
Elkhorn Valley at Lutheran High Northeast: playoff stakes for Elkhorn Valley
Elkhorn Valley (5-3) at Lutheran High Northeast (1-7), Thursday, Oct. 22. Playoff picture, season stats, charts and history before the Week 9 game.
Game-day information: Kickoff reported by the Game Center: 7 p.m. Central. This article’s schedules and statistics are dated reporting, not live score updates.
Scores are NSAA finals. Points and ranks are NSAA wildcard standings, checked Oct. 21, 2026. Projections are not official seeds.
Elkhorn Valley goes into the final week of the regular season close to the playoff line, 12th in Class D1's NSAA point standings. Both play in District D1-5: Elkhorn Valley is 2-2 in district games and Lutheran High Northeast is 0-4.
Thursday, Oct. 22, at Lutheran High Northeast, 7 p.m.
The playoff picture
In Class D1, the seven district champions and the nine best remaining averages qualify.
Elkhorn Valley is 12th in Class D1's NSAA point standings at 40.625. It is 2-2 in District D1-5 games.
Lutheran High Northeast is 32nd in Class D1's NSAA point standings at 34.750. It is 0-4 in District D1-5 games.
Projections are not official seeds. NSAA sets the field after Week 9.
How they got here
Elkhorn Valley (5-3) opened with a 44-8 win at Homer (0-8). All three of its losses came against teams with winning records: Wisner-Pilger (7-1), 34-30; at Hartington-Newcastle (7-1), 56-8; Crofton (7-1), 60-16. Its best win by opponent record was a 44-6 win at Creighton (6-2). Last week it had a 30-14 win at West Holt (5-3).
Lutheran High Northeast is 1-7. Its season began with a 30-6 loss at Wisner-Pilger (7-1). Its losses: at Wisner-Pilger (7-1), 30-6; Stanton (8-0), 76-0; Ponca (5-3), 60-28; Crofton (7-1), 68-0; at West Holt (5-3), 44-20; Hartington-Newcastle (7-1), 63-6; at Gordon-Rushville (2-6), 50-36. Its best win by opponent record was a 38-14 win at Wakefield (1-7). It comes in on a 4-game losing streak, most recently a 50-36 loss at Gordon-Rushville (2-6).
By the numbers
| Elkhorn Valley | Lutheran High Northeast | |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 5-3 | 1-7 |
| Class and NSAA rank | D1, 12th (40.625) | D1, 32nd (34.750) |
| Coaches poll (Oct. 18) | Not ranked | Not ranked |
| Points scored per game | 34.5 | 16.8 |
| Points allowed per game | 26.6 | 50.6 |
| Average margin | +7.9 | -33.9 |
| Current streak | Won 2 | Lost 4 |
Shared opponents
These two have played five of the same teams. It's a rough guide, since the games came in different weeks and places.
| Opponent | Elkhorn Valley | Lutheran High Northeast |
|---|---|---|
| Crofton | L 16-60 | L 0-68 |
| Gordon-Rushville | W 54-22 | L 36-50 |
| Hartington-Newcastle | L 8-56 | L 6-63 |
| West Holt | W 30-14 | L 20-44 |
| Wisner-Pilger | L 30-34 | L 6-30 |
Editorial update, Oct. 21: Program-history claims from the supplied school-history mapping are withheld pending school-identity verification. This does not change the current-season results, records or statistics above.
What to watch
- Elkhorn Valley's offense. It averages 34.5 points. Lutheran High Northeast allows 50.6.
- Lutheran High Northeast's streak. 4 straight losses.
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