BEATRICE - In about three weeks, fans will pack the House of Orange for Beatrice's home opener with Gross Catholic and the Big Orange are using last year as a learning opportunity as they get set for 2022. 

On Tuesday, Jeff Kezeor, along with seniors Tucker Timmerman and Luke Feist spoke with the media at Pinnacle Bank Media Days. Head coach Jeff Kezeor is getting set for his second year at the helm and discussed last season. 

"Last year was a big turning point for us," Kezeor said. "We got back to old school Beatrice football offensively and defensively. We saw a lot of progress in the weight room during the school year and that's translated into a great summer so we're real excited."

The Orangemen did lose their starting quarterback as Austin Burroughs graduated last year. Kezeor said the competition for under center this year has been between junior Crew Meints and senior Shelton Crawford. 

After last year's playoff blowout loss at Scottsbluff, the team is hoping to win close games that could lead to playoff games at home. Timmerman and Feist say they feel confident in their senior class since many have played sports together their whole lives and have a bond off the field. 

"I think we've all been friends for forever and have played sports together since we can remember," Feist (WR/DB) said. "We've grown up together and keep playing together and having fun."

Timmerman echoes that sentiment. 

"We're together off the field too," Timmerman said. "And that helps us on the field because we know each other's tones and how to communicate together. Our senior class has that great chemistry because we've just been together for so long."

Jeff Kezeor has been in Beatrice for six years, and this will be his second as head coach of the Orangemen. In recent years, Beatrice has made the playoffs in football, won state titles in basketball and baseball, and seen playoff runs in several sports. Kezeor believes the support from the community has bred that success.

"One of the things I noticed when I got here was the support," Kezeor said. "When we do fundraisers and things like that, you see that support and I think that leads to success in all our sports. You know on Friday night the House of Orange is going to be rocking and that's a translation of the product the kids put out there and the hard work they put in."