Week Six Friday Night Lights Nebraska Prep Football Heroes - 8/6-Man

The Exeter-Milligan/Friend Offensive and Defensive lines are among the best in all of 8-Man football. Five-thousand-yard career rusher Breckan Schluter (#8/3rd from right) is certainly the beneficiary of that O-Line blocking.

*Breckan Schluter, Bobcat Offensive/Defensive Lines-EMF - Breckan Schluter, the magnificent Career 5000 yard rusher, ran for 196 yards and five touchdowns on 32 carries in EMF’s 44-8 win over previously unbeaten Thayer Central. The powerful Schluter, who has a lightning quick burst, followed his excellent offensive line right into the heart of the Thayer defense all evening, scoring on hard earned TD runs of 7, 37, 2, 2, and 7 yards. That raises Breckan’s 2023 rushing total to 1,327 yards and his Career total to 5,719 yards, moving him into the 22nd position on the All-Time Career Rushing List in Nebraska.

The THREE toughest runners I have seen live in high school football this season are Schluter, Conor Booth of Bishop Neumann and Drake Zimmerman from Ashland-Greenwood. Gee, funny thing about all three……they all have an extraordinary Offensive Line.

**1000 Yard Rusher Alert**

Ethan Latta-Dundy County/Stratton - An All-State defensive selection a year ago as a Freshman, Latta is developing into an offensive force in 2023. In the Tigers recent 62-22 victory over Loomis, the super sophomore rushed for 261 yards and 4 touchdowns on just 14 carries. Ethan’s TD scampers covered 52, 24, 72 and 52 yards. He also caught 4 passes for 133 yards, 3 of which went for scores covering 55, 60 and 19 yards.

Latta also made 6 tackles on defense and picked off a pair of Wolves passes in the game. Ethan now has 1,054 yards rushing with 12 touchdowns, 16 pass receptions for 296 yards and 6 more scores, 27 tackles and 5 interceptions.

This defensive wizard now has FIFTEEN career interceptions in just 16 games. Incidentally, the record for Career Interceptions in this state is 29, held by a pair of 8-Man players.

**1000 Yard Rusher Alert**

*Sam Sauerdyke-Thayer Central - Big Sam took some real punishment in that 44-8 loss to EMF, but absorbed it all and played like a MAN, rushing for 89 hard earned yards on 16 carries and a 55 yard scoring dash. Sauerdyke was also a brutal defensive force against ENF, recording 17 tackles in the loss.

This young man is a pure athlete who could be a BALLER at any level of football.

*Peyton Abbott-Bridgeport - Abbott, the Nation’s 8-Man Football Rushing Leader, had another monster night rushing for 257 yards and five touchdowns on only 12 touches in the ‘Dogs 68-17 win over Kimball. That raises Peyton’s 7 game total to 1,427 yards with 23 touchdowns, which leads the Nation right now.

Bridgeport has just one regular season game remaining, that against an 0-6 Morrill squad this coming Friday. Bridgeport currently sports a 5-2 record with only one win over a .500 record football team (3-3 Maxwell).

*Carter Nelson-Ainsworth - Eight-Man football’s Renaissance Man was everywhere in the Bulldogs 60-8 win over Elgin Public/Pope John. The future Husker took a ton of snaps for the QB position, completing 11 of 14 passes for 155 yards and a TD, ran the ball 16 times for 120 yards and three scores, had two receptions for 31 yards, made 10 tackles on defense, intercepted 2 passes, recovered a Wolfpack fumble, kicked off 7 times for 155 yards with three touchbacks and punted twice for 99 yards, putting them each inside the EPPJ 20 yard line.

Yep, that’s it, unless he drove the team bus back to Ainsworth (or ran alongside all the way).

**1000 Yard Rusher Alert**

*Kyle Cox-Sandhills-Thedford - Holy cow can this Kye Cox play the game of football. In the Knights 63-36 victory over Anselmo-Merna, the junior QB rushed 16 times for 198 yards and SIX touchdowns. Cox also was good on 8 of 12 passes for 116 yards and logged 11 tackles and an INT on defense. Kyle joins the 2023 Bobby Mills 1000 Yard Club, currently standing at 1,001 yards with 22 trips to the end zone.

*Kolby Houchin-Bayard - Remarkable Dual-Threat quarterback did everything in his power to beat Hemingford, but came up just short, 44-42. Houchin was a gunslinger against Hemingford, completing 16 of 20 passes for 249 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for 130 yards and another three TDs on just 15 carries, made a monster 19 tackles with a monster 14 solo stops and punted twice for 37 yard average. All in a loss.

Bayard’s record is currently 2-4 so the Tigers will have to giddy up to make the rugged Class D1 postseason.

*Ryker Evans, Bulls Defense-Hi-Line - This Ryker Evans kid is so good. In the Bulls 44-0 victory over a previously unbeaten Arapahoe squad, Ryker broke loose for 189 yards rushing and four touchdowns on just 15 carries. The Class D 200 Meter Champion (:21.8) and 100 Meter Dash runner up (:10.64) currently has 896 yards on the ground with 22 TDs plus 494 passing yards with 9 TDs.

AND, talk about that Hi-Line Bulls defense! They held Arapahoe to NO yards passing and 111 yards rushing. Nuff said.

*Riley Sudbeck, Dayton Sudbeck-Hartington-Newcastle - The Sudbecks exploded again last week in a 48-8 win over Tri-County Northeast. The exceptional Riley Sudbeck, the Hartington-Newcastle quarterback, hit 10 of 15 pass attempts for 286 yards and FIVE touchdowns. The marvelous Dual-Threat QB also ran 12 times for 119 yards and another touchdown. He also made 10 tackles defensively. Dayton Sudbeck caught just 5 passes from Riley in the Tri-County SE game, but they added up to a gigantic 265 yards and FOUR touchdowns.

Check out the stats for these Sudbeck fellas; Riley Sudbeck; (6 games) 77-139 passing for 1,213 yards with 15 TDs and 3 INTs. 531 yards rushing with 9 more TDs and 65 tackles on defense. Dayton Sudbeck; 27 catches for 655 yards/8 touchdowns, 57 tackles defensively.

*Sloan Pelican, Chase Van Winkle, Hayden Gravatt-Johnson-Brock - Pelican and Van Winkle shook ‘em up in Shickley last Friday with their Pass/Catch combination magic. The senior classmates hooked up for three touchdowns in Johnson-Brock’s 38-6 win over a rugged BDS team. Pelican connected on 6 of 12 passes for 215 yards and those 3 scores. He also ran 7 times for 38 yards and another TD. Pelican also made 10 tackles in the game. Van Winkle caught 5 of 6 Pelican aerials for 210 out of Pelican’s 215 passing yards with those THREE touchdowns. Van Winkle ALSO had 10 tackles on defense.

And the Sophomore Hayden Gravatt? 15 big tackles on defense plus 42 yards and a touchdown on 7 carries on offense. This Johnson-Brock bunch is a really, really a strong Class D2 football team, leading the wild card standings with their spotless 6-0 record and 46.0000 NSAA point average.

*Wyatt Urkoski, Haden Helgoth-High Plains Community - Urkoski and Helgoth were part of a brutal 482 yard rushing attack in a 70-6 blasting of Palmer.

Urkoski, a good looking football player, rambled for 203 yards on 12 carries and two TDs while junior quarterback Haden Helgoth added 177 yards and FOUR touchdowns on only 11 touches. Helgoth also completed 1 of 3 passes, but that single bullseye went for a 22 yard TD to classmate Gage Friesen. Senior Gavin Morris also scored on a 43 yard run, as did freshman Aaron Brown, his coming on on a 32 yard dash.

About this High Plains football team. I saw them fall to 0-2 in a dominating 52-6 loss to a fantastic Central Valley team. BUT, there were flashes of talent, especially from Urkoski. Since that night, the Storm has gone 4-0, outscoring opponents 242 to 38 in the process.

High Plains is ranked 20th in the D2 wild card standings right now with a pair of tough games remaining with unbeaten Osceola and an always tough 3-3 Fullerton team. I’d like to see this team in the playoffs.

*Saylor Rhodes-Weeping Water - Standout Senior ran for 196 yards and touchdown, caught three passes for 19 yards with another TD, and made a dozen tackles and recovered a fumble in the Indians 34-8 win over Mead. Rhodes' rushing total is now at 776 yards 6 games into the regular season.

Also remember that Saylor Rhodes is also one of 8-Man football’s most dangerous return men, having returned TWO kickoffs for touchdowns and ONE punt to the house in Week 5 in a 50-6 victory over Omaha Brownell-Talbot. That’s almost unheard of at ANY level of football.

*Ryland Garritson-McCool Junction - Senior RB had to shoulder the running load due to the injury of Mustang QB Carson McDonald. Garritson was a MAN, carrying 29 times right into the heart of a hard-hitting Sutton defense for 173 yards and McCool’s only score in a 40-6 loss to the other Mustangs. Ryland now has 734 rushing yards (8 TD) for the 1-5 the McCool Junction Mustangs.

*Weston Ohrt-Sutton - Senior RB had his best game to date in the Mustangs 40-8 win over McCool Junction’s Mustangs on a hot Friday afternoon contest a week ago. Ohrt galloped for 138 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries in Sutton’s initial victory of the year. Ohrt was also a beat on defense, making 13 stops.

*Quincy Ryker-Twin Loup - Blew up Burwell’s defense with 326 yards and FIVE touchdowns on 26 carries in Twin Loup’s 48-26 win over the Longhorns. Ryker inflated his 2023 rushing total to 888 yards with 12 touchdowns and appears to be headed for a 1000 yard rushing year.

*Cale Gustafson-Osceola - Osceola All-State football and basketball star carried the rushing load in the Bulldogs 60-30 win over Fullerton. The O-Town Quarterback opened up the ground game to the tune of 315 yards and FOUR touchdowns on 34 carries. Gustafson also completed 3 of 9 throws for 79 yards, which included a 21 yard scoring strike to Matt DeMers. The do-it-all senior also made 5 stops and recovered a Fullerton fumble on defense.

Kale Gustafson is definitely one of 8-Man football’s finest players for sure.

*Caden Frey, Wyatt Frey, Gage Ely-Red Cloud - This Warrior trio made life tough for an injury riddled Shelton 6-Man football team last Friday afternoon. Division One South Dakota University commit Caden Frey caught 9 passes for 159 yards and FOUR touchdowns in Red Cloud’s 57-31 win over the Bulldogs. Freshman Wyatt Frey (bro, cousin?) completed 14 of 20 passes for 261 yards and 5 touchdowns. Sophomore Gage Ely rushed 16 times for 152 yards and a touchdown, was one for one through the air with a TD pass to Caden Frey, caught 3 passes for 80 yards and a pair of scores, made 4 tackles and intercepted two passes on defense. So goes the game of 6-Man football. You are expected to do it all.

*Houston Billiter, Nathan Rippe, Trenton Williams-Southwest Roughriders - 6-0, 150 pound FRESHMAN quarterback Houston Billiter pierced the hot afternoon Bartley, NE sky, connecting on 15 of 26 passes for a gigantic 324 yards and three touchdowns against defending 6-Man champion Arthur County. Trouble was, those defending champion Wolves outscored the Roughriders 71-36 in the game. Nonetheless, it was a remarkable performance by Billiter, who threw for 886 yards and 6 touchdowns through Southwest’s first five contests.

Senior Nathan Rippe caught 5 passes for 188 yards, catching all three touchdown passes from Billiter. He also rushed for 30 yards and an additional score. Junior Trenton Williams hauled in 10 passes for 147 yards to augment the passing game.