As we move forward with our greetings to the NEMFCA Hall of Fame, I am honored to introduce to you our tenth of 14 NEMFCA Class of 2022 Hall of Famers.
Our 10th salute goes to Lindsay Holy Family High School great Casey Bender, a force for three straight seasons for the Bulldogs. Thanks to players like the mammoth 6-6, 240-pound Bender, Holy Family made their third straight appearance in the D-2 class final the charm.
What made it even sweeter was the championship victory over Steven Dent and Mullen, the team that beat Bender and company the year before in that same D-2 final at Memorial Stadium.
This Saturday, Mullen’s Big Casey and Steven Dent can look back on their pair of encounters on the Huskers’ home court for all the marbles back in the day. You see, both players are inducted into our NEMFCA Hall of Fame on the same day.
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How much better can it get than that?
And now we proudly present the legendary NEMFCA Hall of Fame biography of Casey Bender;
CASEY BENDER – LINDSAY HOLY FAMILY HS
Casey was a standout player for coach Rusty Rautenberg’s legendary Holy Family teams in the early 2000s. From 2001-2004, he anchored both sides of the line of scrimmage for the Bulldogs, while leading the program to State Runner-Up finishes in 2002 and 2003.
He eventually led his team to the top during his senior season when they won the 2004 Class D-2 State Championship.
During that span, Casey was selected to the All-District Team three times and was named 1st Team All-State on two other occasions. After graduating, he was selected to play in the 2005 Shrine Bowl, the Nebraska vs. Oklahoma All-Star Game, and the 8-Man All-Star Game – where he was chosen the game’s Most Valuable Defensive Player.
Casey became a 3-year winner as an offensive lineman for South Dakota State University. There, he helped the Jackrabbits win their first conference title in 44 years and become eligible for the Division 1-AA playoffs for the first time in school history.
After college, Casey spent 2 seasons playing in the National Football League with the Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions and Indianapolis Colts. Huskerland Prep Report will later name Casey to the 2000s Class D2 All-Decade Team and NEMFCA is honored to now welcome him to the Hall of Fame Eight-Man Class of 2022.
