Friday Night High School Football Heroes-Week 3

Robbie Heesacker-Humphrey High - in a 68-40 win over Winside, Heesacker ran for 388 yards on a grueling 45 carries and scored 6 touchdowns. Just a week ago, the 6-1, 160 senior ran for 314 yds on 41 carries in the Bulldogs 84-50 route over Osmond and 4 Tds. So....in the past 2 weeks Robbie has run for 702 yards, carried the ball 86 times and scored 10 touchdowns.

That's a season total for some backs! Think he deserves to be our Athlete-of-the-Week?

*Michael Hansen and Travis Holcomb-Centura - Junior QB Hansen completed 13 of 19 passes for 306 yards and 3 touchdowns in a 39-0 win over Superior. Hansen also scored on runs of 7 and 13 yards in the win. Hansen's favorite target was Travis Holcomb, who caught 7 passes for 209 yards. Three of those receptions went for touchdowns of 30, 60 and 25 yards.

*Trevor Matson-McCook - Made it tough on Gering by scoring on runs of 20, 26 and 2 yards. Matson also had a pick 6 from 51 yards out. This guy is improving each week.

*Jake Palensky-Raymond Central - 5-10, 180 pound sophomore makes the list again with his 220 yards on 24 carries against Lincoln Lutheran. Palensky scored on a 49 yard run in the 42-20 victory and raised his rushing total to 421 yards for the year. This young man could be on his way to three 1000 yard rushing seasons before his career is finished.

*Evan Neville and Linden Kaliff - York Dukes - Neville ran 20 times for 160 yards and scored on a 58 yard jaunt in an impressive 27-0 win over rival Seward. Kaliff was money on 11 of 18 aerials for 197 yards and had a 44 TD toss to J.J. Schulz in the game.

*Bladen Ahl and Brady McMurray-Diller-Odell - This running duo caused Johnson-Brock some serious headaches in the Griffens 71-42 win over the Eagles last Friday. Ahl, a sophomore, ran for 159 yds on 29 carries and McMurray, a 190 pound junior, rushed for 157 yds on 12 carries. Ahl scored on runs of 12 and 14 yards while McMurray ran it in from 8, 19, 9 and 55 yards and caught a 7 yard TD pass.

*Alex Whipps and Austin Blume-Hitchcock County - This pass/catch twosome was too much for Bertrand last Friday. QB Whipps completed 13 of 22 passes for 240 yards and 4 TDs. Blume, a splendid all around football player, ran under 8 of those 13 aerials for 142 yards and three touchdowns. Blume's TD receptions were from 10, 10, and 42 yards out.

*Tyrell Younger-Bertrand - The outstanding sophomore went down at the end of the 3rd quarter in the Hitchcock game. Before the injury, Younger had gained 134 yds on 17 carries and had TD runs of 60 and 2 yards. His 2013 rushing total is already 524 so we wish him a swift recovery....Bertrand needs him and so does 8-Man FB.

*Buzz Neiderklein-Adams Central - Not a week passes by without Neiderklein making this list. Last week in limited action Buzz ran for 247 yards on only 9 touches and had scoring runs of 64, 24 and 50 yards in A/C's 55-0 route of Fairbury. Neiderklein has 612 yards already this season. What a player.

*Carson Huenefeld-Nebraska Christian - The 180 pound junior had 204 yds rushing and TD runs of 50 and 2 yards as the Eagles beat Elgin Public/Pope John 30-22. Carson's rushing output has increased each week this year going from an opening game total of 37 yards to 111, 125 and the 204 last Friday. 477 yards in 4 games.....not bad.

*Brandon Jackson-Meridian - How about this junior? In an 80-20 pasting of Hampton, Jackson scored TDs on 2 fumble returns, returned a punt 50 yards for a score, returned a kick off 73 yards for a TD and scored on runs of 35 and 3 yards. Jackson, an all-district player as a freshman and sophomore has gained a 100 yards rushing in EVERY game since his freshman year......up until the Hampton game when he had only 6 carries. We forgive you Brandon.

*Brett Kinney-Elgin/Elgin Pope John - In that loss to Christian, Kinney blasted his way for 196-30 carries. Kinney's highest out prior to this was a 54 yds on 6 carries. I do believe E/EPJ has a new running star.

*Logan Gier-Omaha Burke - Another back that has made this list every week. Gier bolted for 129-15 touches in the Bulldogs 35-0 win over Lincoln NE. Gier, who scored on a 19 yard run, now has rushed for 568 yards in 4 contests.

*Omaha Burke Defense - That's right DEE-FENCE spelled with a capital "D". The 'Dog "D" held Lincoln Northeast to 81 total yards and 4 1st downs in that 35-0 win a week ago Friday. Stingy chaps are those 'Dog defenders.

*RJ Urzendowski-Creighton Prep - Check this out: Urzendowski caught only FIVE passes but 3 went for touchdown receptions of 81, 10, and 97 big ones. Junior Jay QB Easton was 10-15 for 271 in the 35-27 win over Lincoln SE. RJ now has 29 catches for 481 yards this year.

*Calvin Strong-Omaha North - Leading rusher in 11-man football ripped Lincoln Southwest's defense for 241 yds on 24 touches. Strong scored on 45 and 2 yard runs and has swelled his 2013 rushing total to 929 yards. Is Strong the best Class A back since Ahman Green? If he "ain't" he's gotta be close.

*Yohanna Shokai-Lincoln High - Had 127-14 tries and scoring jaunts of 62, 16 and 3 yards in the Links 34-12 win over Omaha Bryan. Yohanna has 581 yards in 5 games. Shokai's Omaha Bryan counterpart J.J. Williams ran for 146-15 carries and scored on a sparkling 80 run for the Bears.

J.J has 382 for the year.

*Isaac Wallace-Ralston - This Friday night hero kicked it in high gear against Nebraska City last week and rambled for 263 yds on 17 carries. Wallace scored 4 touchdowns and has now rushed for 654 yards in 2013.

*Kyle Gierhan-Centennial - Bronco QB ran for 155 yards, passed for 84 more in a 56-7 pasting of Palmyra. Gierhan had scoring runs of 75 and 34 yds and tossed a 57 yard TD pass to Logan Clonce.

*Alex Preslicka-McCool Junction - 6-2, 175 pound do-it-all man for the Mustangs ran for 54 yds on 11 carries and scored on runs of 1, 8 and 1 yard out in McCool's 44-6 win over Pawnee City. Oh yea, Preslicka had 7 pass receptions totaling 146 yards which included a 40 yd TD catch. Dude can do it all.

*Trevor Povlika-Lincoln Parkview Christian - In a wild 52-42 loss to powerful Sterling, the junior QB rushed for 215 yards on only 10 touches. Half of those carries went for touchdowns on runs of 21, 3, 65, 44, and 65 yards. Povlika also tossed 2 TD passes for the Patriots.

*Chris Wenzl-Sterling - 1000 yard man from a year ago tore apart Parkview Christian with 262 yards on 42 carries and scored on short runs of 1, 3 and 9 yards in the 52-42 win. Wenzl....BIG DUDE, think twice before tackling him head-on.

*Trevor Travernicht-Sterling - Say that name three times in rapid succession. Sophomore ran for 127 yds on 19 carries and scored on a 39 yard run and a 34 yd pass reception. 2 point conversions made the difference in the Sterling/Parkview game. The Jets converted 5 of 7.....Parkview went 0-7. Think Larry Frost will have his troops running some 2 pt. conversion plays in practice before they hit the Osceola turf Thursday?

*Travis Carnahan-Wahoo Neumann - 175 pound junior, who missed all of 2012 with an injury, ran for 120 yds on 12 carries, and passed for another 83 to lead the Cavs to a nail biting 31-24 two overtime win over Columbus Scotus.

*Austin Miller-St. Edward - Ran for 223 yds on 22 carries in a Beaver 53-12 win against Walthill in a 6-Man contest last week.

*J.J. Oltmer-Humphrey St. Francis - Big junior bulldozed his way to 144 yds on 14 carries and scored on a 43 yard run as the Flyers blasted Cedar Valley 60-13.

*Clay Fisher-Millard North - Fisher returned from an injury to lead the Mustangs to a tough 19-6 win at Kearney. Fisher rushed 31 times for 169 yards and scored a TD. MN running back Adrell Taylor rushed 11 times for 106 yds and had scoring runs of 17 and 6 yards.

*Jordan Slough, Riley Wiltfong and Creighton Buhr-Doniphan-Trumbull - Trio was tough on Wood River last week. Slough ran 13 times for 169 yards and scored on runs of 34 and 73 yards. He also had TD receptions of 5 and 81 yards. Wiltfong completed 10 of 17 passes for 255 yards and 3 TDs. Two of those touchdown catches went to Buhr who ran in from 11 and 73 yards out. Buhr finished the game with 3 receptions for 124 yards. Cardinal QB Riley Wiltfong has completed 22 of 39 passes for 535 yards in D-T's "run first" offense this season.

*Jake Paulsen-Cozad - Jake the Snake is probably waiting to break loose like he did in the opener against Adams Central. Last week in their 26-13 win over Broken Bow, Paulsen carried 10 times for 118 yards and had 63 yards receiving. Paulsen has 431 yards rushing in 2013.

*Jon Murray-Waverly - Ran for 209 yards on only 15 carries as the Vikings crushed Schuyler 48-7.

The 6-0, 160 pound junior scored on 22 and 32 yard runs.

*Travis Hoover-Hyannis - State's leading rusher with 950 yards through 4 weeks. Hoover ran for 145 yds on 29 carries in Hyannis 42-24 loss to tough Sioux County. So, what does the game by game stat line on a State Leading Rusher look like:

Banner County - 174-7 carries (3 TDS)

Arthur County - 221-21 carries (3 TDS)

Wauneta-Palisade - 410-28 (7 TDS)

Sioux County - 145-29 (2 TDS)

There you have it.....950 yards and 15 touchdowns

*Jonathan Withrow - Kimball - 160 pound junior rushed 26 times for 214 yards and scored twice in the 'Horns 40-8 win over Dundy County/Stratton. Withrow is on his way to a 1000 yards in 2013. He already has 591 yards.

*Jessup Workman-Beatrice - Regular visitor to this list, Workman ran for 148 yds on 29 totes and scored a touchdown in a hard earned 12-0 win over Blair. Workman has 717 yards in 4 games this season and he's a junior. 1000 yards here we come.

*Jakson Reetz-Norris - Husker baseball recruit threw for 230 yards and 2 TDs in his first game this season for Norris. Reetz also had 65 yards rushing and 2 scores. Welcome back Jakson.

*Wyatt Pankowski-Bridgeport - Punished Mitchell by rushing for 293 yards on only 14 carries. Bridgeport blasted Mitchell 75-16. The sophomore has run for 489 yards on 40 carries thus far.

***Wild Game of the Week***

Bellevue West 34-24 Papillion La Vista South

*Brad Brazeal-Bellevue West - QB completed 22 of 42 passes for 294 yards and a TD.

*C.J. Johnson-Bell West (WR) grabbed 6 of those passes for 112 yards and now has 22 catches for 462 yards for 2013.

*Malik Hluchoweckyj-Bell West (WR)- Had 10 receptions for 125 yards in the game. He now has 28 catches for 337 yards. Take a crack at that pronounciation.

*Drew Klein-Papillion LVS - This shaker and baker had 221 yds on 28 carries and scored on dashes of 4 and 24 yards. Klein has rushed for 685 yards thus far in 2013. This young man is very, very exiting to watch.

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Thursday night we'll head to Osceola to watch the Bulldogs take on a very good Lincoln Parkview Christian squad. Friday night's trip is still in the works.