A Glance at The State's Top Runners in High School Football

1000 Yarders Seth Behrens (David City) and Kelby Seyl (Nor. Cath.) meet. *Photo courtesy of Journal-Star

Well, I finally had an opportunity to lay eyes on Ryan Randall in person and the 190 pound Junior pounded the Waverly middle with pretty good success to the tune of 178 yards on 33 carries. The Huskers should maybe take a page from the Blair playbook because Randall sitting 3 deep to the rear of the quarterback in that Maryland "I" formation works slick as can be. He possesses very good power skills and really only had the opportunity to get loose one time against a very good Waverly defense that has enjoyed great success all season in stopping the run. The Vikings had allowed only 72 yards per during a 10 game stretch and Randall more than doubled that and almost equaled it on his 51 yard outburst in the second quarter. Randall is not going to win the 100 or 200 at State Track, but has so many other qualities. He SHOULD be a lock for All-State honors, no questions asked.

An interesting point here is that I had a chance 2 days earlier to see Hartington C. C.'s 5000 yard rusher Chad Koch. I can tell you, Koch is every bit as good as Randall and runs much the same except that Chad may have 10 pounds on Ryan. Both are excellent backs and could play at any level in Nebraska high school football.

Here are the totals going into this weeks C-D quarterfinals and A-B Semis. Some final totals are in the process of being updated and will be done the next few days, but I felt the urge to get this baby out tonight.

(* = Official Total Season is complete unless otherwise indicated)

Class A

Ron Coleman-Omaha North......1,345

Kyle Erickson-Millard North..1,216*

Nick Mizaur-Creighton Prep...1,211

Zach Taylor-Lincoln SE.......1,205

Clwo Miller-Omaha Benson.....1,188*

Vincenzo Guido-Millard West..1,187 (Lincoln SW)

Jeff Seybold-Lincoln SW......1,158 (@Millard West)

Yusef Wade-Lincoln North Star.1,157

Aaron Roberg-Grand Island.............1,104

Antaries Daniels-Omaha NW...........1,001

Within Reach:

Trevor Roach-Elkhorn............992 (@Millard South)

Dane Eccles-Elkhorn.............944 (@Millard South)

Rylan Cotton-Lincoln SW.........847 (@Millard West)

CLASS B

Ryan Randall-Blair......(Jr)......2,553 (@O. Skutt)

Ryan Behmer-Hastings Ad. Cent.1,792 (@Aurora)

Brock Sherman-Crete..(Jr).....1,529* (281 carries)

Cody Anthony-Alliance.........1,420 (Repeater)

Derek Blessing-Ogallala.......1,353*

Kyle Emanuel-Schuyler.........1,318* (Repeater from '08)

Chase Wurdeman-Seward.........1,212

Jared Janssen-Waverly.........1,168

Jace Bohway-Beatrice..........1,145*

Brandon Stolz-S. Sioux City...1,141*

Ben Coenen-Omaha Gross........1,020*

Almost there:

Christian Dudzik-Omaha Skut.....987 (Blair)

CLASS C-1

Seth Behrens-David City...(Jr)........1,712

Dalton Sealey-Hast. St. Cecilia.1,383 (Crofton)

Dakota Schulenburg-Falls City...1,339*

Landon Haake-Gothenburg.........1,180 (Repeater)

Wil Brown-Chadron...............1,165 (Broken Bow)

Kelby Seyl-Norfolk Catholic.....1,045* (Bishop Neumann)

Jordan Nelson-Crofton...........1,031 (@ HSC) (missing last)

Has a chance:

Kevin Barrett-Boys Town.....................864 (Syracuse)

Class C-2

Chad Koch-Hartington C. C.....1,937 (Creighton) (2-year repeater)

Josh Crowell-Ravenna..........1,860 (repeater)

Jared Curry-Ponca.............1,621 (Elm-Mur) (missing last game)

Derek Foster-Elm Creek.........1,388 (repeater)

Joe Marshall-Malcolm...........1,208

Landon Pospisil-Creighton......1,185 (@HCC)

Randon McCain-Sutherland.......1,178 (Cambridge) (2-year repeater)

Tate Erbst-Stanton............1,144 (repeater)

Nick Turner-Perkins County....1,056 (awaiting last game total)

Justin Malleck-Southwest......1,020*

Has a chance:

Lance Hanzlicek-Humboldt-TRS....948 (@Aquinas) Missing last/probably over)

Gus Peterson-Cambridge...(Jr.)....892 (Sutherland) (missing Perkins game)

Nate Roh-D.C Aquinas......(Jr)......838 (HTRS) (missing Lewiston game)

CLASS D-1

Clint Belina-Howells.........1,801 (@Exeter-Milligan) (2-year repeater)

Jared Hodgsen-Overton........1,612 (@Giltner) (repeater)

Dustin Park-Arapahoe...(Jr)....1,431*

Trey Ramos-Hemingford........1,315* (All 240 lbs. Of him!)

Jon Houser-Creek Valley......1,297*

Cody Calhoun-Maxwell.........1,186 (1000 yd. Receiver/'08)

Jordan Pella-Freeman.........1,183*

Seth Hoffman-Shelby..........1,176 (Freshman)

Jordan Gall-Clarkson.........1,164*

Skyler Strope-Clearwater.Orch....1,147* (repeater)

Travis Johnson-Crawford......1,138

Ryan Meier-Meridian..........1,129* (repeater)

Aaron Davis-Franklin.........1,106*

Jacob Kreinert-Osmond........1,045

Garrett Kolling-Alma (Soph)..1,028*

Almost there:

Clint Damme-Johnson-Brock......993 (Ban. Ros.)

Dillon Glause-Palmer...........981 (Amherst)

Has a chance:

Hayden Jensen-Palmer...........776 (Amherst)

Tyler Wichmann-Palmer..........727 (Amherst)

CLASS D-2

Todd Walz-Stapleton............1,812* (repeater)

Sean Campbell-Pleasanton.......1,773 (Sargent) (repeater) (4,922 Career)

Keifer Messersmith-Hayes Center.1,716 (Chambers)

Wayne Brugeman-Bloomfield.......1,714*

Bryan Ferguson-Hyannis.(Jr).....1,659 (need last game)

Matt Korus-Humphrey St. Francis.1,488 (EPJ) (repeater)

Mark Swerczek-Cedar Rapids......1,466*

Alex Dose-Hampton...............1,458 (Ewing) (2-year repeater) (4,946 Career)

Dustin Bryant-Cody-Kilgore......1,429* (repeater)

Matt Hoffman-Chambers...........1,354 (@Hayes C.) (missing 2 playoff games)

Colton Rush-Anselmo-Merna.(Jr)..1,334

Sean May-Wallace................1,300 (7 game schedule)

Tyler Melnick-N. L./Scotia......1,282*

Zach Call-Mullen......(Jr)..........1,213* (repeater)

Andrew Kurtenbach-Lindsay H.F...1,152*

Steven Schmeits-Sp./Sp. Aca.....1,113 (missing Hayes Ctr. Game)

Heath Lee-Hay Springs...(Jr)......1,098*

with a chance:

Jed Fenske-Sargent...(Soph)..........829 (@Pleasanton)

Down to the nitty gritty now in the playoffs. Looks like a great opportunity for a double-header for me this Tuesday when Ewing visits Hampton at 3:00 and then Giltner-Overton or Howells-Exeter/Milligan go at 7:00. It is starting to look a repeat for Kurt Peterson's Millard West boys in Class A to this guy. Still have to be concerned about Millard South's "D" and the Wildcats can definitely keep up the scoring pace with MS.

Will anybody beat Howells in D-1? I don't think Bancroft-Rosalie will duplicate the earlier "W" now that Howells QB Prusha is back at the controls. The team I can see that may have a shot at giving them a game is Palmer. I would love to see Ponca/Hartington Cedar Catholic in C-2, but BEWARE of Sutherland. Will it be St. Frans/Pleasanton in D-2. or can former GI standout Scott Jorgensen's veteran Hayes Center squad make it all the way to Memorial Stadium? Can Blair beat Skutt? I predict they WILL be able to run on the Skyhawks, but there is more to it than that. How about Adams Central? Will Bill be able to figure out how to put FOUR of those 1st quarters together like the last first stanza against Aurora?

Oh boy, I can't wait for Tuesday and Saturday, can you? Lest we not forget, the 6-Man State Final at UNK is also Thursday night at 7:00 between defending Kings, Greeley-Wolbach and the Arthur Wolves. Can't wait to see Arthur coaches Scott Trimble and good old Rod Boots!

See you on the sidelines...........It's the Holy Season.