HASTINGS, Neb. – Final preparations for players in the annual Sertoma 8-man football all-star game are in full swing with the game just around the corner this weekend.

Athletes and coaches have spent the entire week learning new plays and making new bonds on and off the field.

The East team is looking to defeat the West team for the first time since 2021. They have a plentiful amount of talented faces on the roster, and some of them will be lining up against or even with old rivals from the fall high school season.

"The EMF guys beat us my junior year in the playoffs, the Summerland boys beat us twice my senior year," said Running Back Wyatt Tramp of Crofton. "I know these guys, they're pretty chill, they're all pretty cool."

The East team QB is Barrett Wilke of Stanton, who’s playing in his third all-star classic this summer. after playing in the Shrine Bowl and the Northeast Nebraska All-Star games. 

He like the other players is preparing for victory this Saturday, while also making lifelong connections during this short week.

"The goal is to definitely get the win, beat the West side," said Wilke. "But most of all its to have fun, actually most of all to win, but I want to have a lot of fun and hopefully put up a lot of points, put up some records, but most of all we want to win the game."

East Team Head Coach Rusty Fuller from Hartington-Newcastle wants the guys to remember this week, but also to remember that the West team has dominated the annual match for the past three years.

"That was one of the first things we addressed in our team meeting. Even though we're here to have fun and meet kids, our overall goal is to win this game." said Fuller. "I saw a lot of smiles and a lot of kids that are serious about winning, and so hopefully we can get that flipped. 

Tramp played in the 2025 Northeast Nebraska All-Star game and was on the losing team, which is providing some motivation for him. 

"I'd like to win this all-star game since we got whooped up on in the last one," said Tramp. "I think this one we definitely have the guys to go win this, but gotta have fun here to."

The 48th annual Sertoma 8-man all-star game is this Saturday at Hastings College’s Lloyd Wilson Field at 6:00 p.m. which will also features the induction of the 2025 8-man football hall of fame class.