Week Six Friday Night Lights Football Heroes - Part Two

Norfolk Catholic RB Karter Kerkman (white jersey/left) and his teammates have sights set on a return trip to the Class C-2 State Championship Game at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln.

*Karter Kerkman-Norfolk Catholic - The Knights starters were able tostay on the field for an entire game in Norfolk Catholic’s 28-7 victory over Battle Creek. First time in three weeks that’s happened.

All-State RB Karter Kerkman zipped for 184 yards 19 carries which included touchdown runs of 37 and 54 yards.

The Knights senior also caught a 63 yard touchdown pass on a flat pattern where 3 Ballte Creek defenders had a shot at Karter near the line of scrimmage, but ended up viewing the number on his back as he rocketed the remainder of the way untouched.

Kerkman, who sprinted for 1,852 yards a year ago, upped his 2022 rushing total in the win.

Sophomore Max Hammond notched a highlight for his film clip collection when he pirated a Battle Creek pass and turned it into a 63 yard Pick 6.

*Zane Flores, Caleb Schnell, Blayke Moore, Cameron Bothwell-Gretna - Flores orchestrated one of the most ferocious come from behind victories in years when the Dragons overcame a 37-14 deficit to defeat Bellevue West 40-27 last Friday.

There was exactly 7 minutes, nine seconds left in the game when Zane Flores trotted back on the field trailing by 23 points to juggernaut Bellevue West with the ball resting on the Gretna 30 yard line.

Entering the 4th quarter, the Thunderbird defense had done a decent job keeping Flores under control, limiting the Oklahoma State pledge to 10 of 21 passing for 156 yards. But, lightning was about to strike at this baby and here is how the last 7:09 played out……………..

7:09..Zane Flores escorts his team 70 yards downfield in one minute, 12 seconds, culminating with a 35 yard touchdown strike to Blayke Moore. Score is now Bell West 37-21 Gretna.

5:57..Cameron Bothwell recovers his own onside kick and the dragons are back on offense.

4:48..Flores scores from the one culminating a 65 yards drive, Blayke Moore then snares a Flores pass for the double PAT. Bell West 37-29 Gretna

2:32.. The Gretna defense stops Bellevue West a foot short at the Dragons 24.

1:30.. Flores hits Blayke Moore with a 45 yard TD pass. Moore again snags a pass for two point PAT. Bell West 37-37 Gretna

1:00..Dragons “D” forces a Bellevue West punt from the T-Bird 28. A Gretna defender gets a paw on the punt and the Dragons take over at the BW 42 yard line.

Final One Minute..Flores moves Gretna down to the Bell West 8 yard line after completing passes to Tyler Bogonowski and Colin Sims.

0:04..Cameron Bothwell trots on the field and boots the Winning FG

Final: Gretna 40-37 Bellevue West.

*Brody Pederson-Millard West - The Wildcats back rushed 14 times for 148 yards and a 54 yard TD in the Millard West 40-13 win over Millard North.

*Broc Berry, Quinn Bailey-Chadron - In the Cardinals big 19-13 win over Sidney, QB Broc Berry completed 11 of 15 passes for 121 yards including a 25 yard scoring toss to Malachi Swallow. Berry also scored a rushing touchdown on a 3 yard run. Sophomore Quinn Bailey carried 34 times for 153 yards and a score.

Bailey now has 713 yards rushing this season.

*Tony Palmer-South Sioux City - Palmer reeled off 216 yards with TD runs of 1 and 57 yards, on 24 totes, but it wasn’t enough as the Cardinals fell just short to Omaha Bryan in a 23-21 loss. Tony increased his season-to-date rushing yards total to 649.

*Simon McFarland-Crofton - Had quite the special game in the Warriors 82-14 win over Homer. The senior rushed for 144 yards on 14 carries, but SIX of those carries went for touchdowns covering 1, 42, 4, 23 20 and 28 yards during the rout. The Crofton QB was also 5-6 passing for 94 yards with TD strikes to Jace Panning (48 yards) and Braxton Foxhoven (12 yards)

*Spencer Albers-Hartington Cedar Catholic - Albers, who had rushed 3 times for 37 yards in the Trojans previous 5 games, exploded for a massive 198 yards on 17 carries with touchdown runs covering 5 and 90 yards in Cedar’s 42-0 win over West Holt.

*Corbin Horner-Dundy County/Stratton - The 2021 1000 yard rusher carried 13 times for 99 yards and TD scampers of 10, 10, 14 and 19 yards and completed 3 of 5 passes for 70 yards and a pair of touchdowns, both going to Alex Englot (18, 39 yards) in the Tigers 52-0 win over Loomis.

*Jakin Neal, Ryan Kermoade-Alma - Was red hot through the airwaves, completing 20 of 26 aerials for 195 yards and a pair of TD tosses to Ryan Brugh (27 yards) and Alex Malzhan (14 yards) in Alma’s 68-32 thrashing of Cambridge. Ryan Kermoade paced the ground attack with 106 yards on 17 carries and touchdowns covering 22 and 22 yards. In addition, he caught 6 passes for 53 yards and a TD.

Ryan Kermoade is a true Dual-Threat for the Cardinals. He is a terrific running back and a pass catching beast out of the backfield as witnessed by his 31 receptions for 432 yards and 7 TDs this season.

*Trey Connell-South Loup - Punished Hyannis with his 165 yards and 5 touchdowns on just 11 carries in South Loup’s 54-6 win over Hyannis. Trey’s touchdown rambles came from 25, 4 and 5 yards out in the opening quarter, then from 54 and 40 yards away during the 2nd stanza.

*Bryson Eledge-Randolph - Was a shining star in the 28-14 loss to Osmond, as he rambled for 171 yards on 33 carries and a 43 yard touchdown scamper for the Cardinals .

*Jordan Mariska, Will Heitmann, Jayden Hissong-Thayer Central - The Bears, who pass as infrequently as Howells-Dodge, shocked Exeter-Milligan-Friend by having QB Will Heitmann take to the air a massive 7 times. Not a big deal, you say?

It certainly was, as Heitmann completed 5 of those 7 throws for 77 yards and FOUR touchdowns in Thayer Central’s 46-14 win.

Jayden Hissong grabbed 3 of those TD tosses (21, 22 17 yards) while Grant Wiedel pulled in the other covering 13 big ones.

The hard running speedster Jordan Mariska escaped for 194 yards on 24 carries and three TDs in the game, increasing his season rush total to an unofficial 979 yards.

This Thayer Central bunch is GOOD!

*Davyn Jones-Papillion LaVista South - Talented RB scooted for 144 yards on 15 carries and 4 touchdown runs covering 30, 1, 11 and 8 yards, in the (5-1) Titans 66-8 romp over Omaha South.

*Wiley Ziegler-Bloomfield - The fleet-footed, shifty Bees RB carried just 7 times, but shook loose for 257 yards and 5 touchdowns (65, 46, 63, 31, 19 and 36 runs) in Bloomfield’s 56-12 win over Creighton. The multi-talented junior also caught 4 Braeden Guenther passes, good for 36 yards and a 19 yard TD grab.

That puts Ziegler at 989 yards rushing for the season and I’m telling you right now Wiley Ziegler is one of the most electrifying runners in all of Nebraska 8-Man football.

Ziegler flat out dances when he has a football in his hands, and is as quick as a sneeze through a screen door. I’m liking this kid.

*Carson Glunz-Wallace - This young man makes it look easy, folks. In the Wildcats 56-14 win over Wauneta-Palisade, Glunz ripped out 300 yards on just 17 carries and 5 touchdowns. Carson also caught one pass, a 25 yard scoring grab, and posted 7 tackles on defense. The Wallace star is now just 210 yards shy of his second thousand yard rushing season.

*Brady Cook-Fullerton - Rushed 22 times for 148 yards (mostly in the opening half) in the Warriors 66-36 loss to Osceola. A 1,400+ rusher in 2021, Cook has 638 yards entering the final two Thursdays of the regular season for Fullerton and yours truly will be on the sidelines for both.

*Slate Micheel-Twin Loup - 6-0, 195 pound senior fullback had an outstanding game in the Wolves 38-14 conquest of Burwell. Micheel rushed 25 times for 163 yards and 3 TDs, caught a 26 yard scoring pass, and had 7 tackles on defense.

Slate now has 643 yards rushing for the year for the 5-1 Twin Loup Wolves for future Hall-of Famer, Coach Mike Kozeal, one of the roughest, toughest 8-Man players I ever saw. Ever.

*Mario Lesiak-High Plains Community - 5-10 senior rambled for 135 yards and three TDs on 16 carries in High Plains (Polk-Hordville-Clarks) 48-20 win over Palmer. Mario Lesiak now has 665 rushing yards in this 2022 season.

*Cash Wickersham-Niobrara-Verdigre - The 5-4, 150 pound Wickersham certainly did his part in the Cougars 30-28 loss to Boyd County. Cash hit 14 of 19 passes for 190 yards and TD tosses to Walker Kutrous and Donte Justo. Wickersham also rushed for 69 yards and a touchdown (1 yd run) in the contest.

*Quentin Morris-Centura - After out gaining the entire David City team last week, not much dropped off for the hard-running Centura back. This week Gibbon took the gut punch from Morris, who rushed for 236 yards and 3 touchdowns on 33 carries in the Centurions 33-0 whitewashing of the Buffaloes.

Not only is that 436 yards and 8 TDs the past two games for Quentin Morris, but that gets him just 65 yards away from the coveted One Thousand Yard Rushing mark with THREE regular season games to go.

*Hayden Umble, Cael Peters-Mitchell - 5-11, 200 pound senior RB carried 9 times for 136 yards with a pair of touchdown runs in the Tigers 53-12 win over Alliance. Umble now has 796 yards rushing with 16 TDs for unbeaten Mitchell. QB Cale Peters, who ran for 48 yards and three scores in the 41 point victory, has 635 yards rushing with 9 TDs, plus another 409 yards through the air, although Mitchell only throws around 4 times a game.

The Howells-Dodge or Thayer Central of 11-Man football?