Week Four Friday Night Lights Football Heroes - Part 1

Lutheran High NE quarterback Jaxson Kant was outstanding in the Eagles heartbreaking 70-66 loss to Wakefield. *(photo courtesy of Lutheran High NE high school)

Some crazy games last week. A few scoreboards around the state may have shorted out after the scoring explosions they experienced.

One scoreboard they’d certainly better check is located at Memorial Field in Norfolk, where Wakefield defeated Lutheran High Northeast 70-66. The two teams combined for 1,036 yards of total offense and it just so happens our featured athlete in this Friday Night Heroes Part 1 played in that shootout

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*Jaxson Kant - Lutheran High Northeast (Norfolk) - I wonder if Jaxson Kant knew it would be this much offensive fun to drop down from 11-Man to 8-Man football? Kant had the game of his life in that 70-66 loss to Wakefield and his team still came up on the losing side of the 70-66 scoring explosion.

Kant, the Lutheran High NE junior QB, rushed 24 times for 229 yards and hit paydirt five times with runs of 65, 4, 16, 13 and 21 yards. Jaxson also completed 14 of 24 passes for 227 yards and two more touchdowns. Kant’s favorite receiver was Ben Gebhardt, big time.

Gebhardt, Jaxson’s 6-1, 170 junior classmate, caught 12 passes for a gigantic 247 yards and a pair of TDs (39, 19 yards).

And as for Jaxson Kant, 456 yards of total offense for a night’s work isn’t too bad.

*Dylon Harder - Wakefield - The 5-9, 155 pound Trojan back was one of the keys to Wakefield’s 70-66 win over Lutheran High NE. Harder busted loose for 191 yards on 23 carries and TD runs of 1, 57 and 53 yards. The 57 and 53 yarders came on back to back carries on successive possessions.

Wakefield QB Solomon Peitz (6-5, 195 pounds) added 117 yards on 14 touches and a pair of scoring scampers covering 47 and 23 yards. And talk about being efficient in the passing game, Peitz aired it out only 5 times, but competed 4 of those, 2 of which were touchdowns. Both TD passes (39, 19 yards) were gathered in by Ben Gebhardt, who finished the game with 12 receptions for 247 yards.

*Cole Payton - Omaha Westside - Sophomore signal caller completed 11 of 16 passes for 273 yards and 3 TDs in the Warriors 49-13 win over Gretna. Senior Dylan Packett latched onto a pair of Payton’s TD tosses, covering 27 and 46 yards, while Dylan’s classmate Joseph Stegman hauled in the other TD reception, a dandy going 75 yards.

Stegman and Cal Weideman each had 4 catches for 96 yards in the big win, while Dylan Packett had two catches for 73 yards, and as we said in the previous paragraph, were both TD grabs.

Cole Payton has really been cool under pressure this season for 4-0 Omaha Westside. The sophomore has completed 47 of 65 passes (68%) for 662 yards and 7 touchdowns. Head Coach Brett Froendt has to smiling from ear to ear, knowing he has this kid for two more years after this season.

*Jarod Epperson - Omaha Skutt Catholic - How much bigger could Jarod Epperson be in that SkyHawks Class B state title game rematch with York? Here’s how big. The 5-10, 185 pound senior ripped through the Dukes defense for 194 yards on 23 carries and three touchdowns in Skutt’s 42-37 win over the defending Class B Champs.

Epperson, who is just the complete football package, scored on runs of 34, 3 and 5 yards. And how about basketball standout Tyson Gordon?

The dude, who usually alternates with starting QB Ryan McCormick every two series, told head coach Matt Turman to stick with McCormick, who had the hot hand in that York game.

Well, when Ryan McCormick was forced to leave the game with cramps for one play, Tyson Gordon calmly steps in and promptly breaks free for a 69 yard touchdown run. Mr. Clutch. Hold on, Mr. Clutch wasn’t finished just yet.

The Tyson Gordon touchdown put the SkyHawks up 42-30 with 3:43 left in the game. That should be enough of cushion, right? Wrong. This is York, and they have Garrett Snodgrass. In less than a New York minute, York came back and scored with a Snodgrass to Jeb Lucas 22 yard TD pass. Now it’s 42-37, Skutt with 2:43 remaining.

The Skyhawks need a first down to run out the clock. Didn’t happen. Skutt punts, York gets the ball and has one last shot with 25 ticks left and…….Tyson Gordon picks off the Garrett Snodgrass pass to seal the win for Omaha Skutt.

This is a HUGE win for this Skutt program. If you recall, York defeated Skutt Catholic in BOTH the Class B football and Class B basketball championship games. Sweet win.

Yes, Omaha Skutt is still your #1 rated team in Class B, currently riding along at 4-0

*Garrett Snodgrass, Brady Danielson - York - You knew this had to be coming. In the 42-37 loss to Skutt, Snodgrass had another stellar performance, rushing 24 times for 112 yards and TD dashes of 2, 56 and 2 yards. The Husker recruit also completed 11 of 21 passes for 182 yards, including that 22 yard touchdown to Jeb Lucas. No surprise that Brady Danielson caught 6 passes for 80 yards. Normal for Brady.

York drops to 2-2 for the season, but remains #3 in this week’s Omaha World-Herald Class B ratings. This team is still a favorite to repeat as Class B champions. Stay Tuned.

*Tyler Chadwick, James Burks - Omaha Burke - 3 time State Wrestling champion James Burks shredded the Omaha North “D” for 192 yards on just 18 carries in the Bulldogs 41-24 win over Vikings. The fabulous senior hit the endzone once with a 66 yard TD sprint. QB Tyler Chadwick went 12 for 17 passing for 172 yards and 4 TDs and staked his Burke team to a 28-0 lead before Omaha North even hit the board.

New Nebraska commit Chris Hickman caught a 9 yard scoring pass, Michael Payne added a 39 yard touchdown reception, and Xavier Watts reeled in two TD passes from Chadwick, among his 9 total receptions for 121 yards. Watts also picked off a Viking pass and returned it 60 yards for a TD.

*Cole Fossenbarger - Johnson-Brock - The slender senior quarterback made life tough for a very good Lawrence-Nelson football team. Fossenbarger was on target with 17 of his 25 passes for 288 yards and seven touchdowns in Johnson-Brock’s 66-14 win over L-N.

I heard from one source that every single one of Fossenbarger’s scoring tosses came in the first half, as the Eagles sprinted to a 50-6 intermission lead. All-State Ty Hahn caught 3 TD passes (19, 5, 7 yards), freshman Caleb Fossenbarger had a pair of scoring catches (18, 4 yards), sophomore Kaden Glynn had 3 receptions for 106 yards and a 55 yard TD, while Dylan Rowe grabbed the other reception of 35 yards.

In just a trio of games this Fall, Cole Fossenbarger has been deadly when he throws the football. He has completed 40 of 55 passes (71%) for 691 yards 16 TDs and No interceptions. Ty Hahn is the leading receiver for the Eagles with 18 catches for 270 yards and 7 scores.

*Isaiah Alford, Cedric Case - Lincoln High - Big night for the Dual-Threat Alford in the Links cliffhanger 19-16 win over Lincoln Pius X. The 5-9, 185 pound senior RB bolted for 163 yards on 22 carries and two touchdowns and caught 5 passes for an additional 72 yards and another TD.

For the year, Isaiah has rushed for 497 yards (9 TDs), caught 13 aerials for 158 yards and a score, and has made 19 tackles and recorded an INT on defense.

Cedric Case didn’t fire a scoring pass in the 19-16 conquest over the Thunderbolts, but he did complete 16-24 passes for 259 yards for a just another normal day at the office. Case has already hit 65% of his 145 passes in 2018 for 1,223 yards and 6 TDs.

The remarkable 6-2, 195 pound senior has hit 427 of 634 career passes (68%) for 6,352 yards, 60 touchdowns and only 1 INTs. No words.

Bryce Kitrell - Ashland=Greenwood - 17 carries, 227 yards and 4 touchdowns in the 54-14 pounding of Boys Town. Kitrell’s scoring sprints covered 25, 12, 1 and 17 yards. The junior flash now has 543 yards and 8 TDs for the season. Bloodlines here, baby!

Taylor Ruhl - Centura - 6-2, 200 pound junior Norris transfer pummeled Hershey with 220 passing yards and 160 yards rushing in the Centurians 43-20 win. Eli Wooden was also outstanding in the win with his 136 receiving yards.

*Curtis Miller - Twin River - 5-9, 165 pound back ran for 138 yards on 14 carries and a pair of touchdowns in the Titans 39-19 win over Crofton. Sophomore Chase Buhl added 110 yardson only 10 touches and 3 TDs in the victory, which puts Twin River at an even-steven 2-2 for the year.

*Garrett Hustreet, Sid deMayo - Elkhorn Mt. Michael - Hustreet, a 6-2, 220 pound, four year starter for the Knights, was a royal pain for Plattsmouth in Mount Mike’s 27-13 win over the Blue Devils last week. Big Garrett recorded 11 tackles and three sacks and disrupted things all night long for Plattsmouth.

Sid deMayo was just Sid deMayo, pitching for 230 yards and two touchdowns. Cliff Roepke caught both of Sid’s TD passes covering 1 and 43 yards.

*Eddie Gonzalez -Minden - Junior speed merchant ran 22 times for 171 yards and four TDs (9, 1, 66, 20 yards) in the Whippets 41-7 conquest of Fillmore Central. Remember, Gonzalez had 1,065 yards as a sophomore for Minden. Dangerous player.