We have 50 days until our first game of the 2026-2027 football season against the Ohio Bobcats on 9/5/2026.
Yesterday we looked at Hayes County, Nebraska.
https://www.on3.com/boards/threads/51-days-until-gameday-–-day-43-hayes-county-nebraska.8896617/
Hitchcock County, Nebraska
Former Huskers and Spotlights (years are letterman years)
According to University of Nebraska-Lincoln records, there have been 3 letterman football players from Hitchcock County, NE.
Brendan Zahl – RE 1996, Stratton, NE.
Ben Eisenhart – S 2005-2007, Culbertson, NE.
Other Notable or Prominent People from/born in Hitchcock County:
Tom Baker – Born in McCook but grew up in Trenton and graduated from Trenton HS. Baker is a Nebraska alum and served in the Nebraska Legislature from 1999-2007.
Rita Bell – Born in Stratton, Rita was a soprano singer and actress on several Broadway musicals in the 1920’s. During WWI she began performing for wounded soldiers and continued performing for the USO during WWII. She performed over 2,000 performances in her career for the troops. She also travelled the world singing and playing the piano, making it to places like Netherlands, Germany, Austria, China, Hong Kong, and more.
Jim Lankas – Born in Stratton, Lankas attended high school across the border in Atwood, Kansas and would play college football for Saint Mary’s from 1938-1940. He would later play professional football for the Paterson Panthers, Jersey City Giants, and Newark Bears of the American Association and the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers of the NFL. He also played professional baseball for the Brooklyn Dodgers. While in high school, Lankas was a heavyweight boxer and considered the best in southwestern Nebraska.
George Sauer – All-State fullback out of Lincoln High School, but played his first year of high school at Stratton High School. Played at Nebraska from 1930-1933, lettering in 1931-1933. One of the most historic players from the 1930s under Dana Bible with the Huskers went 23-4-1 in his 3 seasons as a starter. He rushed for 1,570 yards, passed for 701 yards and also punted for the Huskers. He was a 1933 All-American and a member of the Nebraska High School Hall of Fame, Nebraska Football Hall of Fame, and College Football Hall of Fame. Played 3 years in the NFL for the Green Bay Packers before deciding to coach football, making stops at New Hampshire, Navy, Kansas, and Baylor. He later became the General Manager of the New York Jets where he signed Joe Namath
GO BIG RED
Resources:
https://storage.googleapis.com/husk.../ZD6pyAK8hFocPYXCFPaVccH8170tcm1uOYyc7u0R.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitchcock_County,_Nebraska
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massacre_Canyon
https://www.nebraskalife.com/blog/p...1pTNiNXtFItjPuwcRX_f3npwefia1IFx1TjdqHEWZMDoj
https://hitchcockcounty.ne.gov/
https://casde.unl.edu/history/index.php?county=hitchcock
https://www.strattonnebraska.com/vnews/display.v/SEC/Business & Rec|History
Yesterday we looked at Hayes County, Nebraska.
https://www.on3.com/boards/threads/51-days-until-gameday-–-day-43-hayes-county-nebraska.8896617/
Hitchcock County, Nebraska
- Established in 1873 and named after Senator Pineas Hitchcock.
- Trenton is the county seat but Culbertson is the largest village in the county, though Trenton is only a few families behind.
- License plate prefix #67.
- Population is ~2,450 (2025) and has been steadily declining since 1930, about 1/3 of what it once was.
- The Batlle at Massacre Canyon took place in Hitchcock County in 1873 near the Republican River. It was one of the last hostile actions between the Pawnee and the Lakota Sioux and the last battle between Great Plains Native Americans. Over 1,500 people in a Sioux war party attacked a band of Pawnee during a summer buffalo hunt where around 150 Pawnee were killed and mutilated, mostly women and children. Among the dead was the wife and children of Traveling Bear, a Medal of Honor recipient for his actions in the Indian Wars. He was the first Native American to be awarded the highest honor.
- There are 9 ghost towns in the county, most of which have no visible trace of their existence.
- Palisade is split between Hitchcock County and Hayes County, with most of the village lying in Hitchcock County.
- Culbertson was originally the county seat but due to Trenton’s location in the center of the county and its position along the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, Trenton was chosen as the county seat.
- Culbertson is named after Alexander Culbertson, a fur trader who explored the upper Missouri region.
- In the late 1800’s, cowboys driving cattle from Texas made Culbertson the “headquarters” of the open range since it was the only town in the region.
- German prisoners of war were held in Palisade during WWII where they worked on surrounding farms.
- Palisade hosts Palisade Pioneer Days each June, where the community celebrates its history with games, food, fun, and a parade.
- Lake Swanson is a nearly 5,000 acre reservoir that is popular for boating, fishing, camping, and hunting.
- Stratton is named after Mary Stratton, who owned the land where the town was built.
- In 1990, an F4 tornado tore through Stratton towards McCook clearing a 1.5-mile wide path for 28 miles. It sucked up water from Lake Swanson and threw thick mud all along its path.
- Stratton got its first ambulance in 1974 for $16,000.
- The last graduating class of Stratton HS was in 1999. Stratton, Culbertson, and Trenton entered into a unification agreement to consolidate to 1 high school. Then in 2007, they combined with Dundy County to form Dundy-County Stratton Schools.
Former Huskers and Spotlights (years are letterman years)
According to University of Nebraska-Lincoln records, there have been 3 letterman football players from Hitchcock County, NE.
Brendan Zahl – RE 1996, Stratton, NE.
- 6’3” 240lb rush end wearing #38.
- Honorable Mention All-State player out of Stratton HS.
- Played at Nebraska from 1993-1997, lettering in 1996.
- 3x National Champion.
- A reserve along the defensive line, he saw action in 3 games in his career.
- Member of the inaugural Brook Berringer Citizenship Team.
Ben Eisenhart – S 2005-2007, Culbertson, NE.
- 5’11” 200lb safety wearing #46
- 2x All-State player out of Culbertson HS.
- Set the all-class playoff record with 445 yards rushing vs Banner County.
- Tied the Class D2 playoff record with 7 rushing touchdowns vs Banner County.
- Played at Nebraska from 2003-2007, lettering from 2005-2007.
- Former walk-on turned scholarship player.
- Academic All-Big 12.
- Played a key role on special teams throughout his career while also serving as the backup safety getting in the rotation on the field.
- Played in 41 games in his career with 1 start, making 67 tackles and 2 TFLs.
- Nebraska Eight Man Football Hall of Fame member.
- 6’1” 195lb fullback wearing #17.
- Played at Nebraska in 1942.
- The 1942 team would go 3-7 in Glenn Presnell’s first and only season at Nebraska. Bob Devaney was a coach for the freshman team under Presnell this season.
- Prior to the beginning of the season, the team faced roster and coaching attrition due to WWII including the loss of Head Coach Biff Jones who left to serve.
Other Notable or Prominent People from/born in Hitchcock County:
Tom Baker – Born in McCook but grew up in Trenton and graduated from Trenton HS. Baker is a Nebraska alum and served in the Nebraska Legislature from 1999-2007.
Rita Bell – Born in Stratton, Rita was a soprano singer and actress on several Broadway musicals in the 1920’s. During WWI she began performing for wounded soldiers and continued performing for the USO during WWII. She performed over 2,000 performances in her career for the troops. She also travelled the world singing and playing the piano, making it to places like Netherlands, Germany, Austria, China, Hong Kong, and more.
Jim Lankas – Born in Stratton, Lankas attended high school across the border in Atwood, Kansas and would play college football for Saint Mary’s from 1938-1940. He would later play professional football for the Paterson Panthers, Jersey City Giants, and Newark Bears of the American Association and the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers of the NFL. He also played professional baseball for the Brooklyn Dodgers. While in high school, Lankas was a heavyweight boxer and considered the best in southwestern Nebraska.
George Sauer – All-State fullback out of Lincoln High School, but played his first year of high school at Stratton High School. Played at Nebraska from 1930-1933, lettering in 1931-1933. One of the most historic players from the 1930s under Dana Bible with the Huskers went 23-4-1 in his 3 seasons as a starter. He rushed for 1,570 yards, passed for 701 yards and also punted for the Huskers. He was a 1933 All-American and a member of the Nebraska High School Hall of Fame, Nebraska Football Hall of Fame, and College Football Hall of Fame. Played 3 years in the NFL for the Green Bay Packers before deciding to coach football, making stops at New Hampshire, Navy, Kansas, and Baylor. He later became the General Manager of the New York Jets where he signed Joe Namath
GO BIG RED
Resources:
https://storage.googleapis.com/husk.../ZD6pyAK8hFocPYXCFPaVccH8170tcm1uOYyc7u0R.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitchcock_County,_Nebraska
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massacre_Canyon
https://www.nebraskalife.com/blog/p...1pTNiNXtFItjPuwcRX_f3npwefia1IFx1TjdqHEWZMDoj
https://hitchcockcounty.ne.gov/
https://casde.unl.edu/history/index.php?county=hitchcock
https://www.strattonnebraska.com/vnews/display.v/SEC/Business & Rec|History
