CENTRAL CITY — The scene at 6:00 on Thursday evening in Central City never used to happen.

Over 45 high school players rallied around their head coach. In the south end zone, junior high kids finishing up practice around their coach. And, to the north, elementary school kids getting their turn on the new field turf at Preferred Popcorn Field.

When coach Troy Huebert broke the team huddle he sent his seniors down to encourage the young ones for a little bit.

“It’s been very humbling to see how we have grown,” Huebert said. “Our numbers are up in junior high football. They are up in our tackle football league for elementary.

“But it’s not just football. We have a very supportive community and an innovative and pro-active superintendent. The whole school has really taken off. It’s a real exciting time.”

Senior Jordan Paup is a man among boys on this new and improved field. His nearly 6 foot, 4 inch, 245-pound frame makes him standout, just as much as his long blond locks. He is also, coach Huebert says, one of the “two fastest kids on our team.” Yet, he plays strong tackle and defensive end.

He holds full scholarship offers from FCS powers Northern Iowa, South Dakota and South Dakota State. Earlier this summer, he was invited to a late June ‘Friday Night Lights’ camp at Nebraska. He was featured on a Nebraska football Twitter video and ran a 4.75 second 40-yard dash.

He can remember a time when Friday nights were spent watching his brothers.

“Mom and dad brought us to the games on Friday nights,” Paup said. “It was fun doing that as a kid.”

The kids pay attention to these games even more, now, in Central City. The stands are full on Friday nights. Some dad’s hug the fence near the track. They have come to watch Jordan and his buddies.

After going 2-6 in Huebert’s initial season, the Bison have followed that with 6-4 and 9-2 seasons. Their playoff win last year over Broken Bow was a first for the school since 1989.

Huebert hopes, now, that getting better and seeing the results of hard work is a given in his program. He said this year’s senior class — his first group of freshman — have learned from the classes before them.

“This group has done a great job of stepping up and leading so far,” Huebert said. “And, they know they have some big shoes to fill. We had some really good football players and leaders on our team last year.”

For his part, Paup leads a group of five returning starters on offense and three on defense from last year’s team. He and fellow senior returnees Colton Drage and Ethan Nelson will anchor the line in Huebert’s spread that will have plenty of new faces.

Paup said that his fellow seniors learned plenty during these last two playoff runs.

“When coach got here, we really stressed unity,” Paup said. “But these last couple of years that really turned into team bonding. We spent a ton of time together. That transfers to the field.

“Those guys last year, they left everything they had on the field. They were fully focused all the time.”

Receivers Mikey Murray and Will Wagner also return on offense. Wagner is in a battle to play quarterback with junior Dale Jones, who is a three-year defensive starter. You sense Huebert — who loves the competition — likes both players and that both will like be on the field together this season.

“We told them it would be an open battle all the way through camp and we wouldn’t name a starter until game week,” Huebert said. “We like both of them. They really compliment each other.”

The defense also returns its top cover man in senior Vincent Ohlman, who Huebert expects to be a dual threat this year as a receiver. He was all-district last year and had six interceptions.

A drop from Class C-1 to Class C-2 has this year’s Bison playing some new opponents. They’ll start on the road with Logan View and Centennial before the home opener on the new turf September 9th against 2015 semifinalist Battle Creek.

Paup said last year’s 41-34 playoff loss to Wilber-Clatonia has fueled their offseason.

“It was a tough way to end last year,” Paup said. “But, we learned we can play with anyone at this level. We spent a bunch of time in the weight room. We got buy-in from everybody.

“We think we can compete at a championship level.”

Now, with a community that has supported a brand new field and some kids in the stands who look up to him and his teammates, Paup and his teammates are ready to keep the Bison moving forward.

“It’s truly an honor to put on the jersey on Friday nights,” he said. “When those stands are full and the crowd is behind you, that’s an amazing feeling.”

Getting to Know: Jordan Paup
Jordan-Paup-300x250-Card

Sports: football, basketball, track

Measurables: 6’4”, 245 pounds. Ran a 4.75 40-yard dash at Nebraska camp in June.

College offers: South Dakota, South Dakota State, Northern Iowa

Social Media Go-To: Instagram

Pre-Game Meal: Pasta

Pre-Game Playlist: “Whatever the guys put on.”

Favorite Friday Night Memory: A 20-17 win over Kearney Catholic last season. “Just a fun game. Close all the way until the end.”

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