Week 8 Friday Night Heroes

Jake "The Snake" Paulsen of Cozad....headed for 2000 yards rushing and 5000 career?

***2000 Yard Alert***

***Record Setter Alert***

*Calvin Strong-Omaha North - The 5-8, 172 pound star became the first Class A running back in history to reach the 2000 yard mark during the regular season. Strong ran for 255 yards on 22 carries and scored on runs of 11, 80, 53 and 9 yards in the Vikings 38-17 win over Millard North. Strong's 4 touchdowns in the rematch of last year's State Championship game raised his season total to 33, one behind Danny Woodheads single season TD record of 34. Calvin also moved into 4th place on the single season rushing chart, just 140 yards behind Millard North QB John McCardle. Strong has now rushed for 2,215 yards. Omaha North entertains Bellevue East in Round one of the "A" playoffs Friday.

***2000 Yard Alert***

*Drew Klein-Papillion La Vista South - Senior sensation rushed for 255 yards on 38 touches, doing most of his damage in the middle two quarters in a 42-27 loss to Omaha Westside. Klein's rushing total for the year swelled to 2,010 with 24 touchdowns to go with it. Papio South will play at Creighton Prep Friday in Round 1 of the Class A playoffs.

***Record Alert***

*Isaac Wallace-Ralston - Wallace set a school record for single game rushing by bolting for 406 yards on only 23 carries in a wild 70-41 win over Omaha Roncalli. Wallace scored an eye opening 8 touchdowns in the game. His TD jaunts were 3, 22, 64, 32, 4, 70, 20 and 11 yards. His 48 points in one game apparently is a Class B record. Wallace now has 1,883 yards for the season. The Rams meet Elkhorn at home Friday in Round one of the playoffs.

*Evan Neville-York - Neville blasted his way to 138 yards on 27 carries in a 33-14 win at Aurora. Neville scored on a 20 yard run and caught a 55 yd scoring pass in the big win. Evan increased his 2013 rushing total to 1,264 yards. The Dukes will entertain Scottsbluff in the first round of the playoffs Friday at 6:00. The Dukes have a very dangerous football team that could get to Lincoln, believe me.

*Grant DeVries-Millard North - While Omaha North was holding Clay Fisher to 34 yards rushing, DeVries came through with 148 yards on 30 carries, but it wasn't enough as the Mustangs lost 38-17. Millard North entertains Lincoln East in the 1st Round of the playoffs Friday at Buell.

***1000 Yard Alert***

*Dalton Daeges-Omaha Christian Academy - Big 6-1, 240 pound senior bolted for 258 yards on 38 carries in a 58-16 regular season finale win over Cedar Bluffs. Daeges surpassed the 1000 yard mark in the win and ends his 2013 campaign with 1,161 yards. Daeges scored on runs of 5, 23, 11 and 50 yards in the game.

*Linden Kaliff and J J Schulz - York Dukes - Kaliff, Class B's leading passer, threw for 289 yards while completing 18 of 26 passes in that 33-14 win over Aurora. Sophomore Schulz caught 7 passes for 139 yards for 2 touchdowns and was a sparkler on defense. Kaliff now has thrown for 1,670 yards.

***1000 Yard Alert***

*J J Oltmer-Humphrey St. Francis - Oltmer hit the 1000 yard mark for the second straight season when he ran for 233 yards on 29 carries against Bancroft-Rosalie. Oltmer scored on runs of 3 and 67 yards and had a pick 6 from 25 yards out in the 34-14 win. Oltmer now has 1,114 yards rushing going into the 1st round of the D-2 playoffs. The Flyers again host Bancroft-Rosalie on Thursday.

*Christian Ellsworth-GINW - The 6-4 sophomore with the size 18 shoes completed 22 of 38 passes for 284 yards in a crazy 62-45 season ending loss to Columbus. Ellsworth had TD connections of 16, 70, 8, 34, and 19 yards and added 111 yards rushing on 18 carries with a 3 yd TD run in that loss.

*Pierre Koch-Boone Central/Newman Grove - Had 5 receptions for 150 yards in the Cardinals 35-7 win over GICC Thursday. Boone will host Valentine in the 1st Round of the C-1 playoffs Thursday.

*Tyler Fear-Sutherland - Ran only 7 times in a 56-22 win over Morrill but gained 109 yards and completed only 4 of 10 passes but three went for scores of 35, 16, and 29 yards. Fear will bring his 1,091 yards rushing and 991 passing to Palmer Thursday for the 1st Round of the D-1 playoffs.

*Jake Paulsen-Cozad - Sensational runner exploded for 244 yards on 25 carries and had TD runs of 20 and 25 yards in the Haymaker's 57-12 route over Ogallala. Paulsen increased his season total to 1,437 yards and his career total to an even steven 4,500 yards. Cozad will entertain Minden Thursday in the C-1 playoffs.

***1000 Yard Alert***

*Colton Brdicko-Fremont Bergan - Tough running senior punished Centennial by rushing for 240 yards on 28 carries.....in the first half.....Brdicko had TD runs of 1 and 11 yards and has now gained 1,179 yards for the season. Knights host Weeping Water in the C-2 playoff opener Thursday.

*Jake Hasty-Elkhorn - Came through when it mattered most against Elkhorn South. The great two-way player rambled for 162 yards on 22 carries and scored 3 of the Antlers 4 touchdowns in the 28-21 victory. Lose that game and the Antlers may not have made the post season. One of my favorite Class B players.

***1000 Yard Alert***

*Brandon Pick-Plattsmouth - Powerful runner notched his 2nd 1000 Yard season when he gained 146 yards in the Devils 27-14 victory over Nebraska City. Pick now has 1,055 yards to go with his 1,338 last year. Plattsmouth will go to Aurora for the 1st Round of the Class B playoffs Friday.

*Reece Groenwald-Beatrice - Picked up the slack in a 19-14 loss to Crete when the Cardinals held 1000 yard rusher Jessop Workman to 67 yards. Groenwald ran for 123 yards on 17 carries and scored on a 15 yard run. Orangeman hit the road in the playoffs this Friday when they visit Elkhorn South.

*Jesse Windham-David City - Senior bolted for 271 yards on 38 tries in his last football game for the Scouts. Windham had only 12 yards in the first 3 games of the season but has rushed for 751 of his 850 yards in 2013 the last FOUR contests.

*Corey Robinson-Alliance - Robinson led his team to a 35-16 win over Gering by running for 187 yards on 20 carries and a TD. Corey scored 4 of his team's 5 touchdowns on 5, 65, 1, and 67 yard runs.

***Career Closing Night***

*Gage Smith-Gering - Outstanding athlete closed out a fine football career for the 'Dogs by rushing for 141 yards in that loss to Alliance. Smith ended the season with a stellar 1,253 yards, pushing him past Mark Schmeekle (1965) on the Gering all time single season rushing list. Gering will miss #3.

*Austin Rose-Lincoln North Star - D-1 recruit, whose season was marred by injuries, ran for 148 yards on 21 carries in the Gators 53-10 pasting of Fremont. Rose hit pay dirt from 1, 1, 2 and 10 yards out. North Star fell just short of the playoffs.

*Brett Haisch-Laurel-Concord/Coleridge - Led L-C to it's 1st win of the season by rushing for 211 yards and scoring 3 touchdowns. Haisch also made 10.5 tackles on defense. Brett's teammate

Dillan Wolfgram added 143 yards and a TD in the 54-18 win over Homer.

*Brandon Jackson-Meridian - In an 82-0 route over Lewiston, Jackson rushed for 213 yards on 22 carries and scored TD's on runs of 1, 9, and 15 yards and also caught a 30 yard TD pass. The 6 foot, 175 junior had a 1,113 yards as a sophomore. 5-3 Meridian gets a home playoff game in the D-2 first round as they host Alex Brehmer, Chevy Henneman and Lyons-Decatur NE. Game is Thursday.

*Ty Snyder-Syracuse - The boys in green unleashed a 200 yard runner against Lincoln Lutheran when Snyder rushed for 200 yds on 15 carries in the 53-7 win. Syracuse gets the #1 seed in the C-1 East bracket which starts Thursday. The Rockets get 3-5 Raymond Central Round One, the Scotus-Lakeview winner if they should advance. In case you hadn't noticed, this is an awfully good football team. Rick Nordhues is an excellent football coach.

The Holy Season is here! Playoff Time.