HASTINGS, Neb. — Nebraska’s best eight-man football players are hitting the field for the final time in their prep careers.

The 48 high school graduates are split up into east and west teams for the Sertoma Eight-Man All-Star Football Classic in Hastings. The East Team’s Carter Ruse of Freeman says the players aren’t taking the week of practice for granted.

“Football’s one of those things that you get a really short period of time to be able to strap up and go at it," Ruse said. "One last chance and learning a new offense, a new defense, it’s been a challenge but it’s been a lot of fun for sure.”

Teammate Vance Smith of Sutton says it’s a different experience to play on a team of all-stars.

“It’s a different game," Smith said. "You gotta be on your A game everyday, even in practice. I mean, we’re competing.”

East Coach AJ Burki of Wisner-Pilger likes his team’s competitiveness but works to make sure the team stays loose.

“They’re jokesters. They keep it pretty light," Burki said. "They keep everybody not only (with their) head in the game, but they also keep everybody nice and loose.”

Zach Lewandowski of Ravenna plays for the West Team. That squad has built strong bonds, too.

“Curfew is at 11:30. We try to push it a little bit just to hang out with each other more and more,” Lewandowski said.

Ron Beacom is head coach of the West. He gets to coach two of his Neligh-Oakdale players for the final time, including quarterback Aiden Kuester, who owns the national eight-man record for career yards.

“To have an opportunity not just to coach them in a game one last time and have practice with them, but just actually stay, you know we’re all out here for a week," Beacom said. "Now that they’ve graduated, they probably feel like they’re getting to know me a little bit different, more as an adult.”

As far as the football, the West has an identity. 

“We play fast," Beacom said. "We’re running our offense, we score a lot of point, or at least we try to score a lot of points. I’m not patient, I don’t like 10-12 play drives.”

The East team will offer a contrasting style with ball control as a priority. Regardless of their preferred tempo, the players and coaches are eager for one final game.

“Just kind of milling around them today, they’re ready to go," Burki said. "They said they’re kind of done practicing and they want to go on Saturday.”

The game kicks off at 6:00 p.m. Saturday at Hastings College. You can listen to the game on ESPN Tri-Cities.