Week Zero High School Football Heroes - Part II

Maxwell' Ryan McKeeman (#21) splits 2 Sutherland defenders in the 'Cats 54-34 win last Friday.

Week Zero High School Football Heroes - Part II

by Bobby Mills (1000 Yard Guy)

Up we go with Part II of a wild statistical 1st opening week in Nebraska prep football. Most 8-Man teams didn't even open the season last week, so imagine what it may have been like if that would have taken place.

Let's get right to these remainder of the outstanding performances for Week 0. This group of athletes are just as impressive as the previous bunch.

*Ryan McKeeman-Maxwell - Tell me, how does a guy replace a back that rushed for 2,823 yards a year ago? Well, Ryan McKeeman didn't seem to have a whole bunch of concerns about it. In a 58-22 win over Sutherland, the 5-9, 150 pound dynamo exploded for 297 yards rushing and 7 touchdowns. McKeeman scored on runs of 51, 44, 1, 8, 58, and 22 yards in the route. Of course the 51 yard TD was on the first play from scrimmage. Ryan actually rushed for 479 yards a year ago backing up the unbelieveable Jaylon Sturdivant. Man, do they ever raise running backs in Ryan Jones country!

*Milton Sargbah-Omaha North - The two-time defending Class A champions turned to this 5-8, 165 pound sophomore after Jordan Strong went down and Tavion Seals already injured. Sargbah stepped in and twisted, turned, churned, and broke tackles for 134 yards on 27 carries and a 27 yard TD ramble. The sophomore's performance will add superior depth to Omaha North's already top notch backfield.

*David Englehaupt-Norfolk Catholic - In Catholics opening night 48-8 win over Arlington, the Wyoming recruit ran for 169 yards on 21 touches and scored on runs of 3, 3, and 80 yards. Englehaupt was also a force at linebacker.....so what else is new. The 6-4, 225 guy that wears the headband is just simply a man. What a player.

Dylan Kautz-Norfolk Catholic - This young man was first brought to my attention by my son Rob, who is the assistant basketball coach at GICC. His father-in-law and many others in Gothenburg stage the very fine Nebraska Middle School Track Championships in May. Dyan Kautz swept the 100 and 200 with times of :11.34 and :22.91. This is an 8th grader.

So, Friday evening at the beginning of the 2nd quarter mind you, Jeff Bellar sends Kautz, a freshman, into the Arlington game. First carry of his varsity career, Kautz takes the toss, sweeps the right side....15 yard gain. Stay with me. Then Dylan gets the handoff and heads right into the heart of the Arlington defense....15 more yards. Next play, another toss/sweep play....15 more yards.

The Knights eventually scored on the 73 yard drive when Englehaupt took it in from 3 yards out.

Next possession, Kautz fumbles the ball on his first carry after Englehaupt carried the ball 34 yards to the Arlington 23. Dylan Kautz is very concerned about it. Remember he's only a freshman and this is Norfolk Catholic folks. After holding Arlington to a 3 and out, the Knights take over on their own 16 yard line following a punt.

Without blinking an eye, Jeff Bellar reinserts Dylan Kautz and the freshman's number is called the first play. Kautz take the pitch, sweeps to his right, senses the exact time to cut upfield and turns on the track jets to sprint 84 yards untouched for a score. Norfolk Catholic gets some breathing room with the freshman's touchdown and takes a 21-0 lead.

How about that sports fans. Hate to jinx the lad, but what a career Kautz has ahead of him, especially with incomparable Jeff Bellar coaching him.*****

*Lane McCallum-Norfolk - Do-It-All athlete was a standout in the Panthers 49-6 win at South Sioux City Friday. McCallum rushed for 158 yards and scored 4 TDs on runs of 4, 22, 16, and 70 yards. Lane also logged 116 receiving yards in the opening night route of the Cardinals.

*Drew Gilliland-Mitchell - Tiger quarterback was a huge difference in Mitchell's 28-20 win over Bayard. Gilliland escaped for TD runs of 88 and 54 yards in the first quarter, and followed those up by zipping 54 yards for a 2nd quarter score. Gilliland simply lines up at QB back in the gun, takes the snap, waits a few seconds for his line to clear out the defenders, and takes off, turns on the afterburners and is gone, baby.

*Trevor Nichelson-Ashland-Greenwood - Blasted for 206 yards on 34 carries and scored 5 touchdowns in the Bluejay's 45-52 overtime loss to Wahoo. Nichelson also made 9 tackles on defense. Expect 2,000 yards rushing from this dude in 2015. He'll be a Division One recruit before it's all said and done.

*Sean Lambert-Fremont - Thousand yard runner from a year ago was right back at it against Omaha Northwest in the Tigers curtain raiser. Lambert ran for 169 yards on 24 tries, and scored 4 TDs of jaunts of 64,1,1,and 7 yards. And.....you guessed it, the 64 yarder was on the first play from scrimmage. Are you kidding me?

*Barrett McDonald-Millard South - Was a menace in that Millard North backfield from his linebacker slot in the Patriots 14-10 loss to the #1 Mustangs. McDonald had 3 unassisted tackles, 5 assisted stops and 2 tackles for a loss Friday. The 6-2, 220 pounder recorded 74 tackles a year ago, 46 of them were solos. Keep your eye on #35 this season.

*Tyrus Shuler-Millard South - McDonald's teammate was ready to go against Millard North after rushing for 600 yards in the Patriots first 5 games last year before going down with a season ending injury. Shuler escaped for 159 yards on 31 carries in the loss and this isn't the last you'll be hearing about this fine runner. Shuler should be a 1000 yard rusher before 2015 is over.

*Travis Holcomb-Centura - You might say the 6-4, 210 pound Holcomb carried the load for the Centurions in a 36-28 win over Bump Novacek's Sand Creek Cougars. Holcomb toted the pigskin 40 times for 231 yards, scoring 3 touchdowns. Holcomb also recorded 21 tackles, intercepted a pass, returned 2 kicks for 32 yards and averaged 37 yards a boot on 6 kick-offs. And here's the, pardon the pun, "kicker"...

Holcomb is a two time All-District player..........at Wide Receiver.

*Dillon Ruelas-Waverly - How about this completion percentage. The Viking QB completed 17-19 passes for 272 yards and 3 TDs in Waverly's 34-6 win over Seward. Ruelas connected with eight different receivers in the contest......Air Raid Waverly?

*Emmitt Knight-Gretna - The "Knight Rider" ran for 129 yards on 25 carries and scored 2 times in the Dragon's 34-14 road win at Lincoln Pius X. In coach Dave Schrader's first game at the controls, Knight also caught 3 passes for 42 yards and added a 3rd touchdown.

*Logan Duryee-Omaha Westside - After missing much of last season with a horrible broken jaw injury, Duryee was ready to go against Bellevue West. Despite losing to the Thunderbirds 42-22, Duryee stood out by by rushing for 140 yards on 25 carries.

*Jaidon Policky-Milford-Dorchester - 6-0, 165 pound back broke loose for 197 yards on 23 carries and 2 TDs in a 28-13 win over Louisville. Policky's scoring runs were from 51 and 3 yards out.

*Jake Hubschman-Omaha Roncalli - In the Crimson Pride's 40-0 win over Elkhorn MM, the 5-10, 160 junior carried the ball 10 times, and scored 4 TDs. One of the touchdowns was a spectacular 35 yard cut back against the grain dandy for the speedy Hubschman. The Roncalli defense held Mount Mike to 29 yards of total offense.

*Blaine Kennedy-Boone Central/Newman Grove - 6-2, 160 pound senior nailed 16 of 28 passes for 287 yards in a losing effort (14-31) against powerful Columbus Scotus.

Kennedy also rushed 14 times for 66 yards and scored both of Boone's touchdowns in Coach Mark Hudson's coaching debut.

*Gage Orton-Plattsmouth - 5-11, 190 pound "man" was an absolute terror in the Blue Devil's impressive 28-7 win over Ralston. Orton rushed for 173 yards on 26 carries and scored twice to serve notice that Plattsmouth is for real in 2015.

*Cody Feist-Yutan - "Benny The Jet" as they call him, ripped up Weeping Water with 186 yards on only 17 carries, while scoring 4 touchdowns. "The Jet" rushed for 1,081 yards a year ago for the Chieftains.

*Braden Schuppan-Doniphan-Trumbull - In a mild upset win at North Platte St. Pats, the swift Schuppan rushed for 130 yards on 22 carries and had an important 21 yard TD run. Schuppan also recorded 5 unassisted tackles and returned 3 kick-offs for 82 yards (27.3/per) The Cardinals are also for real in 2015.

*Brandon Theewen-David City - Returned the opening kick-off of the season for a touchdown, the proceeded to rush for 203 yards on 26 carries and 2 more scores in the Scouts 21-13 win over DC West.