RAVENNA, Neb. — Ravenna dominated its way through the 2025 regular season, winning eight consecutive games, capturing a district championship and outscoring opponents 416-130.
The Bluejays’ reward was a first-round playoff matchup against Stanton, where their unbeaten season abruptly ended with a 62-44 loss.
Nearly 10 months later, that defeat remains a source of motivation for a Ravenna team returning most of its offensive and defensive production. However, head coach Dan Bolling does not want his players spending too much time looking backward.
“Everybody keeps bringing that up, so it’s definitely a motivating factor for us,” Bolling said. “It drove us this offseason, but now we’re starting a new season. We’re starting 0-0, and we’ll continue to take things one game at a time.”
The Bluejays graduated only a small portion of last year’s roster and return an experienced group of seniors and juniors. That continuity has helped Ravenna begin the season ranked among the top teams in Class D-1.
Bolling said the preseason recognition reflects what the Bluejays accomplished last fall, but it does not guarantee them anything in 2026.
“They want it. They have a chip on their shoulder, which is a great thing to have,” Bolling said. “They’ve been coming together as a team. We talk about being unselfish all the time and doing what’s best for our team, and they’re buying into that.”
Ravenna’s returning experience starts with senior quarterback Trenton Wedemeyer. As a junior, Wedemeyer threw 21 touchdown passes and averaged more than 119 rushing yards per game.
Wedemeyer accounted for more than 2,000 yards of total offense and had a hand in 35 touchdowns. In Ravenna’s playoff loss, he completed 14 passes for 303 yards and two touchdowns.
Bolling has already seen growth from his quarterback beyond the statistical categories.
“Trent’s athletic, so he knows how to run, and he knows how to throw,” Bolling said. “I think the big thing with him is being a leader. He’s being a vocal leader, and he’s leading by example. I’m not sure if there’s been a conditioning session that he hasn’t gotten first in.
“You can tell the kid wants it.”
Wedemeyer is joined in the backfield by senior running back Kobe Chamberlin, who rushed for 1,264 yards and 23 touchdowns last season. Chamberlin averaged 7.3 yards per carry and more than 140 yards per game. He finished the season with 25 total touchdowns.
Together, Wedemeyer and Chamberlin give Ravenna two runners who each surpassed 1,000 yards last fall. Their production helped the Bluejays average 52 points during the regular season.
“They both run really hard,” Bolling said. “They run angry, which is awesome. But I think the biggest thing is the offensive line. Those two aren’t going anywhere without those guys.”
Bryce Rasmussen and Manix Martin will anchor that offensive front, while Bolling expects several sophomores to compete for playing time at center.
Junior tight end Jack Kucera provides another dimension to the offense. Kucera caught 12 touchdown passes last season and finished with 13 total scores. His biggest performance came in the playoff loss to Stanton, when he caught six passes for 179 yards.
Kucera’s value, Bolling said, extends beyond his receiving numbers.
“We don’t just put Jack in to run the ball, and we don’t just put Jack in to pass the ball,” Bolling said. “You’ve got to guard both the pass and the run with him, and it really helps our play-action game. Jack has worked hard this summer to make his body look right, and man, he looks like a dude.”
Defensively, Ravenna brings back several of its leading tacklers, including Wedemeyer, Rasmussen and Kucera. Wyatt Wroblewski also returns after leading the Bluejays with four interceptions as a sophomore. Donaven Pringle added two interceptions last season.
Bolling wants the defense to build its identity around pursuit and physicality.
“We’re going to fly around and be fast and physical,” Bolling said. “That is the motto, and that’s what we’re going to go by.”
Ravenna finished 5-0 in district play last season, placing ahead of Arcadia/Loup City and West Holt. The Bluejays won five of their eight regular-season games by at least 30 points, including a 68-12 victory over Sandhills Valley, a 52-8 win against Arcadia/Loup City and a 46-8 victory over South Loup.
The challenge now is carrying that regular-season dominance deeper into October.
Ravenna begins the 2026 season at home Aug. 28 against Amherst, which is returning to eight-man football after competing in the 11-man game. The unfamiliarity surrounding the Broncos has created an unusual preparation process for Bolling and his staff.
“The last time we played them was back in 2021, so we’ve been looking at a little bit of that film just to see if we can get an idea of something,” Bolling said. “We’re kind of going in blind, but we’ll roll with the punches and figure things out on the run.”
The Bluejays will travel to Gibbon in Week 2 before hosting Nebraska Christian. They then visit Cross County to close the opening non-district portion of the schedule.
District play begins at home against Centura and also includes Hastings St. Cecilia, Alma, Arcadia/Loup City and Sandy Creek. The final two games against Arcadia/Loup City and Sandy Creek could play a major role in determining the district champion. Ravenna’s complete schedule is listed by the NSAA.
Bowling said the Bluejays cannot afford to look ahead, regardless of their experience, ranking or expectations.
“Every game is important,” Bolling said. “I’m a big proponent of taking it one game at a time, so we’re not overlooking anybody. Once you do that, you start to get beaten. We don’t want that to happen.”
Ravenna may not possess the largest roster in Class D-1, but Bolling believes the Bluejays’ speed, experience and willingness to play for one another can make them difficult to handle.
“We’re not very big, but we play hard,” Bolling said. “It doesn’t matter who we put out there. They’re going to go 100 miles an hour and do their job to help their team win.”
