Week 1 High School Football Heroes

Grand Island's Pierce Almond came up big against Kearney last Friday.

The time is here once again to salute those young men that posted some outstanding performances in Week 1. All of the 11-Man teams were in action last week and a smattering of 8-man squads started their season. So how about it, flick the switch on those spotlights, take aim, and give out the honors for opening week.

*Tre Sanders-Omaha Central - Exploded for runs of 60 and 76 yards in the 1st half against Lincoln North Star. Aided by the blocking of the right side of that Central line, Sanders piled up 281 yards on just 22 carries as the Eagles held on to beat the Gators, 28-18. Sanders might just push Calvin Strong for Class A rushing honors in 2014. This kid is good.

*Pierce Almond-Grand Island - Big time players come through in big games and that's what Pierce Almond did on opening night against rival Kearney. The Islander standout completed 16 of 25 passes for 221 yards and 2 touchdowns. Almond also ran 14 times for 98 yards and scored on runs of 11 and 26 yards as the Islanders defeated Kearney 35-28. The senior QB was never better than the closing ticks of the 2nd quarter. Trailing 14-7, Almond his team 94 yards in 7 plays to score. After the GI "D" held to a 3 and out, Leighton Kier returned a Bearcat punt to the Bearcat 29 yard line. Pierce Almond had just 4.3 seconds left before the half and calmly drilled a TD pass to Keenan Kettleler to put the Islanders up by a TD. All this in 1:18. That's why Pierce Almond is a big time player.

*Noah Lazaro-Lincoln Southwest - 6-2, 225 senior punished rival Lincoln SE with 221 yards on 21 carries as Southwest edged the Knights 22-21 on a last second field goal by Isaac Armstrong. On the Silver Hawks winning final drive, Lazaro carries 7 straight times for 43 yards and admitted "the gas was about to run out of the tank". Lazaro scored on a 14 yard run in the contest and I think #24 has plenty of gas left to run for over a thousand yards this season. I wouldn't like the idea of tackling this dude one on one.

*Cameron Benes-Wahoo Neumann - Check this out. Neumann is trailing Syracuse 29-27...14 seconds left. Benes, a 185 senior, lines up to kick the field goal and misses. Game over? Not so fast my friends. Syracuse has too many men on the field. Second try, the ball is snapped over the holders head and a Neumann player slyly knocks it out of bounds. The Cavaliers have another down remaining and the 3rd time must have been the charm because Benes nails it and Bishop Neumann wins it 30-29. And now the biggest shock. Cameron Benes was just 2 days removed from a separated shoulder injury. Coach Tim Turman knows how to mold tough kids there.

*Tony Meusch-David City Public - Tough Tony rambled for 198 yards on 21 carries and scored on runs of 4-11-13, and 20 yards in a 33-0 whitewashing of Valley. The 160 pound senior has been a backfield starter since his sophomore season for the Scouts.

*Trevor Nichelson-Ashland-Greenwood - Without a doubt, one of my favorite players in the entire state. In a 46-10 win over traditional power Wahoo, the 5-10, 185 sophomore ran for 127 yards on 15 carries and scored on runs of 9 and 2 yards. This young man was a starter for an Ashland-Greenwood team that played in the C-1 state championship game a year ago. As a freshman, Nichelson rushed for 668 yards, scored 10 TDs and caught 19 passes for 219 yards. BUT....#34 started at strong safety as a freshman and made 45 tackles, intercepted 3 passes, one of which was an 89 yards pick six. He also recovered a fumble and blocked a punt, falling on it for a TD. What a player.

*Braedon Valentine-Hastings - Doggone it, anytime a player from Hastings High does something special I'm going to recognize it. Not all that often the Tigers have consistent great success on the gridiron, but last Friday Valentine completed 14 of 21 passes for 279 yards a 3 scores in a 34-0 thrashing of Gering. Valentine, a 193 pound senior, also scored a rushing TD in the win.

*Wyatt Mazour-Boone Central/Newman Grove - People are beginning to wonder if there is anything this kid can't do. In the Cardinals opener against tough Columbus Scotus, Mazour rushed 18 times for 171 yards and 2 touchdowns. He also completed 14 of 24 passes for 244 yards and 2 more scores. Of course his 2 rushing TDs were long runs of 54 and 56 yards. Mazour also returned 3 kickoffs for 110 yards. The 185 pound senior may be the most electrifying player in the state. Wyatt Mazour can single handedly turn a game around and I have witnessed that more than one time. His coach, Arnie Johnson is also one of the finest high school football coaches in the Midwest.

*Isaac Frerichs and Jacob Buhr-Freeman - 6-1, 170 pound senior QB Frerichs guided the Falcons as they made the jump from 8-man to 11-man football. In that 15-14 win over an improved Fillmore Central team, Freirichs 254 total yards of offense. Buhr ran 22 times for 121 yards to pace the running attack. Isaac Frerichs is also one of the finest place kickers in the state, kicking 41 XPs and 5 field goals a year ago.

*Jacob Hand-Valentine - 5-8, 160 pound senior ran for 193 yards and caught 5 passes for 85 more as he led the Badgers to a 19-16 heart pounding win over rival Ainsworth.

*Jadyn Kowalski-Bellevue West - 6-4, 180 junior took over the QB slot from graduated Brad Brazeal and responding in his 1st game by 22-31 passes for 249 yards a 3 TDs as the Thunderbirds crushed Omaha Westside 41-0. OK, so he does have CJ Johnson and Malik Hluchowecky as wide receivers but he still has to be accurate. Kowalski also punted the ball 4 times and averaged.....are you ready for this.....averaged 47.3 yards a boot. That's NFL good friends. Nice start, son.

*Bruce Schulenberg-Scribner-Snyder - Absolute perfect size for a quarterback, the 6-5, 220 pound Schulenberg ran for 152 yards on 10 carries and scored 3 TDs in a 62-18 route of Omaha Christian Academy. The lanky QB rushed for 1,073 yards a year ago and is a force at defensive end for Scribby.

*Gunner Fuelberth-Norfolk - Gave South Sioux City a rude welcome to the Class A ranks by completing 8 of 11 passes for 156 yards and 4 TDs and ran for a 6 yard score as the Panthers bolted to a 34-0 halftime lead over the visiting Cardinals. Yeah, this was all in the 1st half. Better keep an eye on junior scat back Ethan Mittelstadt. All he did was 15 times for 142 yards and score on runs of 8 and 80 yards. Norfolk routed South Sioux 48-7. Only negative was the Panthers losing senior linebacker Connor Goode on an injury. Stay tuned for his status, Goode is a captain and an impact player for Coach Tom Olson.

*Montana Reicken and Jon Christansen-Lyons-Decatur NE - This pair of sophomores literally ran Lincoln Parkview Christian ragged. Reicken, the QB, rushed 23 times for 241 yards and 3 scores, while halfback Christansen rushed for 235 yards on 23 carries and 3 TDs. Together they accounted for 476 of the Cougars 495 total rushing yards in the 40-14 win. Keep in mind that Lyons-Decatur NE returning 1000 yard rusher Chevy Henneman apparently did not play in this game. Henneman, who ran for 1,228 yards and 18 TDs a year, was to be the starting QB for the Cougars. Coming into 2014 Henneman was listed at QB, Reicken as a RB and Christansen as a wide receiver. How's that for a revamped backfield on opening night!

*Dash Cameron-Tekamah-Herman - How's this for a magic act? Last season Cameron was one of the leading Receivers in the entire state, catching 50 passes for 771 yards and 13 Tds. Against Wisner-Pilger last Friday, Dash Cameron turned into a running back and ran for 197 yards on 10 carries and scored on runs of 55, 65, and 80 yards to lead his team to a 20-14 win over Wisner-Pilger. Yep, he scored all three touchdowns. The "wide receiver" ranks among the top rushers in Nebraska 11-Man football. Hmmm. Oh yeah, the 5-10, 190 Cameron did have 2 receptions.....worth 4 yards. Wouldn't you know it.

*Jonathan Withrow-Kimball - The 5-8, 165 pounder took up where he left off a year ago in a 30-16 win over Gordon-Rushville. Withrow, who ran for 1,412 yards in 2013, rushed for 169 yards on 16 totes in the Longhorns win. He also scored on a 21 yard scamper.

*Austin Bridges-Malcolm - Another wide-receiver turned quarterback and what a debut. The Clippers senior star leaped into the spotlight by rushing 201 yards on 31 carries and 4 TDs (3, 10, 29, 1 yard) and just for good measure was 5 of 9 passing for 49 yards. Malcolm beat Elmwood-Murdock 27-6. Don't think this football team isn't top notch. Last season the Clippers beat Aquinas 14-12 the final game of the regular season on their way to a 9-3 campaign. Those Clipper know how to play some football.

*Calvin Strong-Omaha North - First Nebraska schoolboy to rush for over 3,000 yards a year ago, Strong was "held" to just 167 yards on 26 carries in a hard fought 20-14 win over Millard West. Calvin's substitute, 5 foot 5 inch Tavion Seals scored on a 20 yard run in the final minute to seal that win. Strong broke loose for only one long run against the 'Cats and that was a non-scoring 59 yard dash.

*Ty Benson-Scottsbluff - Returning thousand yard man rushed for 126 yards on just 12 carries and scored twice in the 'Cats 37-0 win over Lexington. One of Bensons TD runs was a 62 yard dash.

*Trevor Matson-McCook - The young man with the twinkle toes and dancing feet carries the ball 16 times for 124 yards in a Bison 23-0 win over Alliance. Matson scored on runs of 2 and 36 yards. McCook will be at Northwest this Friday. Want to watch a magic player? Go out and see Matson. this Bison team is goooood.

*Zac Borrenpohl-Johnson County Central - Steamrolling 6-1, 230 back bolted for 151 yards on 21 carries and scored on a 43 yard run in a 21-14 loss to Omaha Concordia. He also recovered a fumble. I think he picked the RB up by the toes, held him upside down and shook the ball loose. Well maybe.

*Nathan Howe-Kearney Catholic - The Stars new featured running back did just fine in KC's opening game 30-14 win over Ord. Howe rushed for 140 yards on 17 carries.

*Austin and Brennen Keller-Arapahoe - Brothers? Cousins? Father/Son? Rule out #3 but anyway Austin carried the ball only 11 times on his way to 157 yards and TD runs of 9 and 50 yards. Brennen scored TDs on runs of 41, 15 and 31 yards in the 40-29 win over Alma. Help me out on the relationship of these two fellas.

*Seth Montag-Norfolk Catholic - Rushed for 122 yards on 9 carries in Catholics 28-0 win over Arlington. Most of Montags yards came on his 80 yard touchdown run.

*Trey Taubenheim-Amherst - Tossed 4 TD passes in Amherst's 58-12 win over Shelton. Three of those TDs came on 17, 23 and 40 yard receptions by Breyden Eckhout. Is Amherst ever going to run out of Taubenheims and Eckhouts? This is a good football team by the way.

*Jacob Bressman and Tristen Nicks-Bennington - Badger runner made life miserable for Platteview in a 20-2 win. Bressman escaped for 133 yards on 16 touches while Nicks rushed 13 times for 133 yards. Nice 1-2 punch.

*Ben Still-Ashland-Greenwood - Defensive stalwart had 9 tackles, 6 of which were solos and 3 sacks in that 46-10 Wahoo win.

*Jackson Hartman-Falls City - QB only threw 5 passes and completed 3. The 3 completions all went for touchdowns receptions of 23, 25 and 60 yards in a 42-0 drilling of Lincoln Lutheran.

*Connor O'Toole-Wilber-Clatonia - 10 rushes, 126 yards and TD sprints of 45 and 20 yards in the Wolverines 35-0 win over Columbus Lakeview. Wilber-Clatonia has a very good football team friends.

*Turner Bowman-Cross County - Rushed for over 200 yards in a 34-22 win over McCool Junction. Scored 3 TDs....all in the second quarter on runs of 1, 5, and 35 yards. Good to see Cross County on the win trail. They'll have to be good this Friday when Howells-Dodge rolls into town.

*The Quarterback Battle in Aurora*: In Crete's 36-29 overtime win at Aurora, Cardinal QB Alex McGinnis completed his first 8 passes en route to a 12-21-277 yard night. McGinnis also ran for 93 yards in the win. Aurora QB Jake Kittle threw for 271 yards on 18 of 30 passing and rushed for 46 yards on 18 carries. Alex McGinnis TD passes were of 19 and 26 yards. Kittle threw scoring strikes of 44, 12 and 14 yards. Classic battle. Always is.