Thayer Central Powerful Run Game, Brutal “D”, blustery winds too much for Heartland.

The Potent Thayer Central Offense: Front row (L-R) #31-Nate Bird (Jr), #81 Grant Wiedel (Sr), #42-Cameron Schulte, #72 Gunner Mumford (Sr)(directly behind me), #43 Cole Vorderstrasse (Freshman!), #60-Jayden Hissong (Jr). Back row (L-R)-#9 Sam Souerdyke (Soph), #44-Tristan Wells (Jr), #3-Will Heitmann (Jr), #11-Jordan Mariska (Sr).

HENDERSON, NE (Friday, September 10, 2022)

Wind has many benefits. It’s good for flying kites, powering sailboats or providing an economical way of producing energy. However, when you lose the opening coin toss in a high school football game on an extremely blustery evening, see Sam Souerdyke drive the opening kickoff into the endzone for a touchback, then see your normally fine punter have his punt held in air the by a stiff 35 MPH wind, then drop to the turf 10-15 yards downfield, creating a short field for a powerhouse Run Offense……..it’s not so good, especially when it happens TWICE in the opening quarter.

Such was the case with Heartland on a cool, blustery night in Henderson that saw the Huskies drop a 48-6 decision to an unbeaten Thayer Central squad who LOVES to gobble up huge chunks of real estate with a brutal ground attack.

The Huskies were behind the 8-ball from the start in this one and here’s how that ill-fated opening played out for Heartland in that opening quarter;

1st possession: Started at the 15, three and out, wind holds Langton Arbuck’s punt in the air and drops it at the Heartland 30.

Thayer Central scores 8 plays later to goe up 8-0.

2nd possession: Hit the Reset button. Drive starts at the 15, four plays later Arbuck’s punt is pushed back even further by the cruel wind, Thayer Central begins their 2nd drive at the Huskie 26.

It takes ONE play for the Titans to surprise Heartland with just their THIRD passplay in 3 games. This one results in a 26 yard Will Heitman to a wide open Grant Wiedel touchdown.

With 3:27 left in the 1st quarter, Heartland is down 14-0.

Now, the Huskies would answer the 2nd Thayer TD with a spectacular 65 yard Trev Peters touchdown gallop, cutting the Titans lead to 14-6.

Things actually were looking up when Arbuck drilled the ensuing kickoff into the Thayer Central endzone, INTO the wind no less.

But the Huskies momentum shift was short lived when Titans RB Jordan Mariska escaped on a 50 yard dash that carried all the way from the Thayer 15 to the Heartland 15 yard line. Two plays later, QB Will Heitmann blew through a gigantic opening for a 10 yard touchdown, a play that seemed to break the spirit of the hometown Huskies.

The 20-6 Thayer Central lead swelled to 42-6 with 1:08 left in the third stanza when the fleet-footed Mariska took a quick pitch to his right, then followed two brutally crunching blocks by surefire All-State candidate Gunner Mumford and Grant Wiedel, then proceeded downfield for a crippling 57 yard scoring jaunt.

The touchdown kicked in the 35 point lead, running clock and the game was basically history.

Mariska added his 3rd and final touchdown of the contest with a pair of 14 yard sweeps around the right side of the Titans O-Line, the latter resulting in a touchdown to complete the scoring.

…………………………………………………….

Jordan Mariska led Thayer Central’s strong rushing attack with 165 yards on 17 carries and 3 touchdowns covering 8, 57 and 14 yards. All-State candidate Sam Souerdyke, a splendid physical specimen for just a Sophomore, posted another 100+ rushing night with his 117 yards on 15 touches and one TD.

Thayer Central rushed for 323 yards as a team and 26 yards through the air, coming on the one pass attempted (and completed by Heitmann) on the night.

Heartland quarterback Trev Peters led the Heartland ground game with 113 yards on 14 totes and that 65 yard touchdown sprint. The senior QB was also 3 of 8 for 27 yards through the air.

On the defensive side for Thayer Central, it was the marvelous linebacker Gunner Mumford leading the way with a monster 21 tackles (4 solos). Super Sophomore Sam Souerdyke added 11 stops (3 solos) from his LB position, followed by hard-hitting Cameron Schulte, who logged 8 tackles.

Gunner Mumford, the 5-10, 185 pound senior linebacker, may be one of the top LBs I have seen in a long time. His lateral movement and nose for the football puts him in elite company in 8-Man football circles and stamps him as a prime candidate for huge success at the next level of football in the Central States area.

Next action for 3-0 Thayer Central is a home game against 3-0 Palmyra, who pulled off a shocking 52-28 victory over powerful Elmwood-Murdock Friday afternoon..

Heartland will try to get back on the winning side of things when they travel to McCool Junction (0-3), who was routed by Cross County 74-14 Friday night.

…………………………..........1…….2……..3……..4……..Final

Thayer Central (3-0)...20…….6…….16……..6……….48

Heartland (1-2)............6……...0……..0……...0………..6

1st Qtr……………………………………………………………………………………….TC-Hen

TC-Will Heitmann 1 run………PAT-Sam Souerdyke run (5:43)..8….0

TC-Grant Wiedel 26 pass from Heitmann…PAT-Run failed (3:27).................14…0

HH-Trev Peters 65 run………..PAT-Run failed (3:13)...............14…6

TC-Will Heitmann 10 run……PAT-Run failed (2:20)................20…6

2nd Qtr

TC-Jordan Mariska 8 run……PAT-Run failed (11:15)...............26…6

3rd Qtr.

TC-Sam Souerdyke 37 run…PAT-Mariska run (9:32).............34…6

TC-Jordan Mariska 57 run…PAT-Heitmann to Wiedel pass (1:08)...42…6

4th Qtr.

TC-Jordan Mariska 14 run…PAT-Pass failed (8:35)................48…6