It was a pair of success season last year with 8-Man teams in Hanover and Axtell making deep runs in the playoffs but both falling just a bit short of the ultimate goal a State title. This year both teams came into the season with question marks but are expected to be contenders. 

For the Hanover Wildcats having eight new starters on offense wasn't a problem as they looked like strong athletic team continuing the winning ways of last year as they beat Axtell for the eighth straight time, winning 48-22 to open the season. 

The game started off with a bang as Will Bruna hit Trey Loshe for a 65-yard touchdown last just a little over 10 seconds into the game, on Hanover's first offense play. After a Axtell fumble late in the first quarter Bruna hit Adam Zarybnicky for seven-yard touchdown pass and made it 16-0 with the two-point conversion. Axtell bounced back and put together a quick drive to end the first quarter taking the goose egg off the score board with 7.8 seconds left in the first as Colton Buessing hit Caleb Heiman for a 25-yard touchdown pass, making it 16-8. 

Another turnover hurt Axtell's chance to draw closer in the second quarter as Devin Jueneman intercepted a Buessing pass in the endzone. Hanover added a Bruna to Zarybnicky 25-yard touchdown pass and 44-yard touchdown run on a fourth down by Bruna to the scoreboard before the half and lead 28-8 going into intermission. 

The lead grew in the third as Bruna aired it out again this time hitting Jueneman for a 36-yard touchdown and with the two-point conversion making it 36-8. Axtell did respond with solid drive and Colton Buessing notched a 10-yard touchdown run, but Hanover answered with a seven-yard touchdown pass from Bruna to Matthew White before the end of the third quarter.

Bruna added a two-yard touchdown run in the fourth, while Kaleb Buessing chipped in an eight-yard score for Axtell but it came too late as Hanover picked up the 48-22 win.

Will Bruna lead the Wildcats on the night going 23-31 for 328 yards and five touchdowns to go with 93 yards rushing and two scores earning him Community National Bank "Player to Bank" honors on 92.1 KMZA. Loshe and Zarybnicky each caught four passes for 99 yards each with Loshe snagging one score and Zarybnicky two along with his strong defensive showing. 

Axtell in the loss was led by Colton Buessing who finished 15-34 for 145 yards a touchdown and interception, while rushing for a score. Kaleb Buessing ran for 71 yards on 15 carries with a touchdown and Heiman caught five passes for 71 yards and a score. But three turnovers and early mistakes hurt Axtell as they got down early and were unable to recover. 

The 1-0 Hanover Wildcats continue the season next Friday at Frankfort (game on 92.1 KMZA), while the Axtell Eagles travel to Lewiston (Neb) to continue their season.