Week 5 Friday Night Lights Football Heroes - Part One

Omaha Westside QB Cole Payton threw for three touchdowns and ran for two more in the Warriors 42-0 shutout win over Grand Island last Friday on the Islanders home turf.

*Cole Payton, Dominic Rezac, Warriors “D” - North Dakota State commit threw three touchdown passes and ran for another pair of scores in top rated Omaha Westside’s 42-0 win over Grand Island. The 6-3, 215 pound quarterback completed 10 of his 12 pass attempts for 141 yards, with scoring strikes to Avante Dickerson (23 yards), Grant Guyette (23 yds) and Husker commit Koby Bretz (9 yds). Payton also hit paydirt with rushing TDs of 1 and 3 yards.

That brings Payton’s 5 game stats to; 52 of 74 yards passing (71.3%) for 743 yards and 10 TDs plus 347 yards rushing on 47 touches with another 10 touchdowns.

Dominic Rezac, the hard-running junior flyer and one of Class A’s finest running backs, carried 15 times for 106 tough, up-the-gut yards, which included a 7 yard TD run. The 6-1, 175 pound sparkler has 610 rushing yards to date.

And the Omaha Westside defense? All they did was hold Grand Island to 146 yards of total offense with the goose egg on the scoreboard.

And…….all of these stats against Grand Island came in the opening half when the Warriors built a 42-0 lead, which rested the starting offense for the entire 2nd half.

*Bryson Schultz, Connor Hausman, James Carnie-Norris - Well, it appears Class B’s number 2 rated Norris football team has just gained another weapon that should open up their already potent offense. 190 pound RB Bryson Schultz, who has been rehabilitating from a weightlifting injury suffered 10 months ago, made his return known immediately in the Titans 35-7 win over Beatrice.

Schultz outran the Orangemen defense to haul in a miracle 68 yard touchdown toss from QB Connor Hauseman, who somehow managed to get the pass off on his way to the ground. Bryson also scored on a 5 yard option pitch from Hausman.

Speaking of Hausman, the junior signal caller also fired a 19 yard TD strike to CJ Hood and found Division One recruit James Carnie for a terrific 17 yard end zone crossing pattern. Carnie also recovered a pair of Beatrice fumbles.

Hausman, who seemed to be “in the zone” against the Orangemen, completed 10-14 passes for 251 yards and those three TDs.

*Creighton Prep Miracle Comeback - *See the amazing details at the conclusion of this article. It is the biggest comeback in Prep’s storied history*

*Matthew Schuster, Logan Sobota-Ashland-Greenwood - Schuster, the senior transfer from Cozad, was huge in the late going during Ashland-Greenwood’s 21-6 victory over undefeated Raymond Central. Schuster, who had scored on a 12 yard run right before halftime, broke loose for 135 second half yards and iced the game with his 21 yard scoring dash with 3:52 left in the 4th. That gives the senior, who is son of former Nebraska great Brian Schuster, 635 rushing yards and 8 TDs through five games.

Logan Sobota, a 5-11, 170 pound sophomore linebacker, had 10 tackles, 2 sacks and a blocked field goal in the Raymond game. The hard-hitting Sobota has registered 10 tackles in each of the Bluejays last three ball games and is leading tackler on the team with 42 stops (18 solos) this season.

*Edgar Rodriquez-West Point-Beemer - I wonder if Columbus Scotus had any idea Edgar Rodriquez would have a big rushing just one week after Battle Creek’s Reece Bode went off for 266 against them? I’m thinking not. Well, Edgar Rodriquez did it some better by exploding for 305 yards on 26 carries and 4 touchdowns covering 11, 60, 30, 36 yards in the Cadets 53-27 win over the Shamrocks. That increased Edgar Rodriquez 2020 rushing total to 648 yards on a sparse 63 carries (12/per game).

West Point-Beemer sports a 3-2 record after 5 outings, with losses coming to toughies Battle Creek and Wayne.

*Bryce Reed, Carson Watts, Kyle Sterup-Osceola - Reed shook loose for 321 yards on 26 carries and six touchdowns in Osceola’s 74-36 scoring explosion win over a good Palmer team. The 5-11, 170 pound speed merchant scored on runs covering 65, 46, 56, 18, and 9 yards and caught a 41 yard TD strike from sophomore QB Isaiah Zelasney, another Bulldog speedster.

Carson Watts, the Bulldog’s punishing runner, added 130 yards on 15 totes with TD runs of 34 and 23 yards. Watts, who is a also terror on defense, can flat out hurt you when he’s carrying a football, and seemingly never runs out of gas. And the scary thing is that Reed and Watts are not the best football players on this Osceola football team.

That honor goes to returning All-State TE/DE Kyle Sterup, who may catch a pass or two every game, but more importantly administers a ton of pancake blocks and makes a gazillion tackles on defense. Do Not call this guy a name and run. Was definitely the defensive star of Osceola/High Plains state championship game a year ago,

*Cole Ballard, Dilan Krause, Trevor Winterstein-Elkhorn South - QB Krause and RB Cole Ballard combined for over 230 of the Storms 407 total yards, as super coach Guy Rosenberg’s Elkhorn South team took down Papillion LaVista 41-17. Ballard, just a sophomore, ran for 154 yards on 19 carries and scored a TD from 12 yards away.

Dilan Krause added 80 yards on 13 totes with scoring runs of 23 and 15 yards. Ballard, by the way, nearly bettered his top rushing output of 2020 by nearly a hundred yards in the win. Joey Falk, one of Class A’s finest players at the safety position, also got into the scoring parade by returning a fumble 74 yards for a touchdown.

Falk, Trevor Winterstein and Guy Hunt also had interceptions in the contest, picking off passes from Papios Freshman QB, Octavian Pyrtle. Winterstein, who also had 60 yards rushing on 4 carries, plus 9 tackles on defense, added a 12 yard touchdown late in the 3rd quarter. The Winterstein score gave the Storm a little breathing room at the time (28-17).

*Alex Prim, Jackson Clausen-Norfolk Catholic - Clausen set the tone for the Knights 38-20 win over Ponca last Thursday night by returning the opening kickoff 78 yards for a touchdown. Clausen would later add scoring runs of 2 and 65 yards.

The golden toe (and leg) of kicker Alex Prim kept the Knights scoring going and pinned Ponca back on six of their 7 offensive possessions. Prim, a starting linebacker Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame Coach Jeff Bellar, booted 6 of his 7 kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks, kicked 5 PATs, and knocked down a 41 yard field goal in the Norfolk Catholic win.

*Nick Blevins-Weeping Water - The 5-7, 140 pound quarterback rushed for 157 yards on 5 carries in the Indians 62-14 victory over Cedar Bluffs. Blevins found the end zone on 4 of those five touches, going 5, 55, 70, and 23 yards for the TDs.

Blevins, a senior, now has 425 yards this season for 4-1 Weeping Water after rushing for 877 yards a year ago.

*Cody Marcus, Drew Lewandowski, Ty Calleroz-Arcadia/Loup City - Quarterback Cody Marcus hooked up with Drew Lewandowski for a pair of touchdown passes in the resurgent Rebels 46-18 victory over Ravenna. Lewandowski had touchdown receptions of 6 and 58 yards from Marcus, while RB Ty Calleroz gained 85 yards on 21 attempts and powered his way for short TD bursts of 2, 3 and 2 yards.

*Kale Jensen-Central City - It doesn’t get much better than Central City’s Kale Jensen when it comes to passing yardage in this state. Columbus Lakeview found that out when Jensen tore up the Vikings by hitting 25 of 33 for 346 yards and 5 TDS in the Bison’s 57-8 win. The 6-0, 185 pound JUNIOR also ran for 87 yards on 14 carries and another touchdown in the Bison win.

Unofficially, Kale has completed 150 of his 215 passes for 1,747 yards and 20 TDs this season in just 5 games. You are probably asking yourself “Is that all Central City does is pass the football?” The answer? Pretty much. I have not seen the Bison line up in anything but an empty backfield with 5 wide-outs. If there is a run, Jensen does the honors or a flanker will carry on a jet sweep. Thats it.

I can see this football team being a nightmare for any opposing defensive coordinator because you have to be on edge the entire game with Central City’s ability to strike from anywhere on the field at any given time. The team is just NEVER out of a football game until the final gun sounds and remember their only losses are to Ord and Battle Creek.

If you haven’t seen Troy Huebert’s Central City team play this year, it would be worth the drive just to watch this aerial show, especially if the Bison are playing at home at Preferred Popcorn Field, one of Nebraska high school’s finest facilities.

*Creighton Prep Miracle Comeback - How, in the name of Tom Jaworski, do you come back from a 26-0 deficit to Millard West with just 9 minutes 40 seconds remaining in the 4th quarter? I’ll bet Millard West would like to know because it’s the biggest comeback in Prep’s long and decorated gridiron history.

Here is how the miracle unfolded at Omaha Westside’s Phelps Field, where Prep ironically plays their home football games this year. (Considering the fact Prep and Westside are longtime and sometimes bitter rivals).

These are the Creighton Prep scoring plays and the location to begin those drives. One of the plays is a defensive touchdown, another a turnover, so those Millard West drive location origins will be noted……

3rd Qtr. 0:16 1-10 for Creighton Prep at their own 36 (following 34 yard return by Carson Bartek. Millard West leads 26-0.

4th Qtr. 9:13 - 1-10 Creighton Prep at the Millard West 28 - Jack Stessman 28 yard TD run. PAT-Pat Foley kick) Millard West 26, Creighton Prep 7 (7 play drive)

4th Qtr. 7:38 - 1-10 Creighton Prep at the Millard West 47

4th Qtr. 7:11 - 1-10 Creighton Prep at Millard West 31 - Max Sanders 31 yard TD run (PAT-Sam Meysenburg to Alex Bullock pass is good for two). Millard West 26, Creighton Prep 15 (6 play drive)

4th Qtr. 5:08 - 1-10 Creighton Prep on the Millard West 37

4th Qtr. 4:08 - 3rd & 9 at the Millard West 13 - AJ Rollins 13 yard TD pass from Sam Meysenburg (two point pass attempt fails.) Now it’s Millard West 26, Creighton Prep 21

4th Qtr. 2:58 - 2nd down and 6 for MILLARD WEST at the Creighton Prep 35.

4th Qtr. 2:00 - 3rd & 3 for MILLARD WEST at the Creighton Prep 32. A Millard West fumble is picked up by Creighton Prep’s Ryan Kearney and returned 65 yards for a TOUCHDOWN. (Max Sanders run in for the double PAT. Creighton Prep 29, Millard West 21.

4th Qtr. 1:19 - 2nd & 9 for MILLARD WEST at their own 21. QB Brady Brau pass is intercepted by Creighton Prep’s Alex Bullock. TURNOVER.

4th Qtr. 1:19 1-10 for Creighton Prep at Millard West 24.

4th Qtr. 0:06 1-10 Creighton Prep at Millard West 4 after Alex Bullock catches a 20 yard pass from Sam Meysenburg.

4th Qtr. 0:00 1-10 for Creighton Prep at Millard West 4. Game Ends, Miracle complete. Creighton Prep 29, Millard West 21.