Week 6 Friday Night Lights Football Heroes - Part 1

Laurel-Concord-Coleridge RB Evan Haisch surpassed the 1000 yard rushing mark for the 2nd consecutive season when he ran for 308 yards against Plainview last Friday.

**1000 Yard Rusher Alert - 2nd Time Around**

*Evan Haisch-Laurel-Concord-Coleridge - Bears star running back averaged 16.7 yards a pop in the Laurel-Concord-Coleridge 58-8 victory over Plainview. Haisch rambled for 300 yards on 18 carries with touchdown sprints of 79, 38, 49, 24 and 31 yards. That vaults the powerful LCC star over the coveted thousand yard rushing mark for the second consecutive season. Evan’s 2021 rushing total now stands at 1,128 yards with 16 TDs.

Last season the Laurel-Concord-Coleridge phenom ran for 1,823 yards with 32 touchdowns. Only one team has held Haisch under a hundred rushing yards in a game the past two years and that’s Stanton.

*1000 Yard Rusher Alert*

*Easton Mains-Elkhorn North - Well, it certainly didn’t take long for this new school to produce a 1000 yard rusher. In just it’s 2nd year of existence, Elkhorn North quarterback Easton Mains cracked the one thousand yard rushing mark with a 329 yard explosion in the Wolves 35-21 win over Ralston. Mains ran the ball 31 times to get to that 329 yard rushing outburst which included touchdown runs of 66, 8 and 80 yards.

Mains proved to be a good dual-threat QB a year ago for a 1-8 Elkhorn North squad, passing for 608 yards (5 TDs) and running for an additional 463 big ones with 5 scores.

After 6 games in 2021, Mains has 1,040 yards rushing with 10 touchdowns and has completed 56% of his 89 passes for 514 yards (3 TDs).

*Zane Flores-Gretna - Junior quarterback had a banner night in the Dragons 49-14 victory over Omaha Skutt with nearly all the damage coming in the first half. Flores torched the SkyHawk defense to the tune of 14 of 17 passes for 300 yards and SIX touchdowns. The more shocking news is that 287 of those 300 yards came in the opening half, with 193 in the first quarter, no less.

Zane Flores threw TD strikes to Bradyn Chaney (80, 7 yards), Mick Huber (25, 66 yards), Caleb Schell (11 yards) and Joe Roll (7 yards). That gives Flores 1,306 yards passing through 6 games with 14 TDs and just 2 picks. More importantly, his Gretna Dragons are now 6-0.

The amazing Zane Flores has started for Gretna from Day One of his Freshman season. I mean, the dude wasn’t even old enough to have a driver's license when he opened his career against Millard South. That 2019 season, Flores still completed 60% of his passes for 1,235 yards and 7 touchdowns. Yes there were 7 interceptions that freshman season, but those are a thing of the past these days.

Flores led his team to the playoffs a year ago, losing a heartbreaker to Kearney in the 2nd round after posting a 5-1 regular season record which earned them a first round BYE. Flores completed 70% of his passes for 1,926 yards, 18 TDs and just 3 INTs.

Thus far in 2021, the talented junior sharpshooter has hit 74% of his 128 aerials for 1,306 yards, 14 TDs and only 2 INTs, both coming in the season opening win over Lincoln SW.

This week Gretna is rated #6 in Class A by Stu Pospisil (Omaha World-Herald).

*Noah Walters-Lincoln East - If you thought Zane Flores had a night to remember, Noah Walters even topped that with his 380 passing yards and 6 touchdowns against Millard West. The All-State Spartan QB completed 15 of his 20 passes, and like Flores, led his team to a commanding halftime lead (34-10).

There’s no doubt about it, Cooper Erikson was Noah’s favorite target in the Millard West game. Erikson grabbed 6 of Walters 15 completions, good for a whopping 230 receiving yards and 3 TDs. Aj Seizys, Kamdyn Roebke and Luke Greisen latched onto the remaining 3 scoring passesissued by Walters.

Noah Walters already has 2,045 yards through the air with 28 touchdowns and just one pick. During his 26 game career, the Lincoln East magician has thrown for 5,595 yards and 65 touchdowns.

So, are we talking about Noah Walters approaching the great Cedric Case of Lincoln High and his single season mark of 3,253 yards (2017)? Walters already has a pair of 400+ passing games under his belt in the past 3 weeks, so things could materize with a deep Lincoln East playoff run.

Stay tuned.

*Gibson Kennedy, Austin Payne-Grand Island Northwest - Kennedy exploded for 240 yards on 26 carries and long distance touchdown runs of 56 and 65 yards in the Vikings 33-14 win over previously unbeaten Seward. And then there’s Austin Payne, who performed like a pro with his 78 rushing yards and two TDs (1, 20 yards) and 72 yards passing while filling in for All-State QB candidate Sam Hartman (concussion protocol)

The 185 pound Kennedy, who had previously gained just 195 yards in his entire career, was nearly unstoppable, thanks to the crisp blocking of the Northwest O-Line. Same deal with Payne, who had previously completed 9 of 17 passes in 2021 and rushed for 82 yards, but jumped at his opportunity to shine like a star against a 5-0 Seward team.

Makes you wonder how many other under the radar guys Coach Kevin Stein has out there at Northwest?

*Paxton Olson-Sutton - Logged his third 200 plus rushing game of 2021 in the Mustangs Friday afternoon 45-16 win at Sandy Creek. Olson rab 28 times for 222 yards with touchdown journeys of 2, 18 and 6 yards. That performance lifts the smart running Mustang senior’s 6 game rushing total to 993 yards (13 TDs).

*Koa McIntyre, Kade McIntyre-Fremont Bergan - All-State brothers hooked up for 130 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the Knights 40-0 win over a fine David City Aquinas team. Even more shocking was the fact Bergan jumped to a 33-0 halftime lead on the Monarchs. Folks, that rarely, if EVER happens to a Ron Mimick football team.

Koa McIntyre, the University of Wyoming pledge, not only hit 14 of 26 passes for 249 yards and 3 touchdowns, but also did major damage with his 166 yards rushing and 2 scores on just 13 carries.

Koa’s touchdown runs covered 63 and 37 yards while the two scoring tosses to young bro Kade were each 34 yards in length. To date Koa McIntyre has thrown for 1,005 yards with 15 touchdowns and added another 493 rushing yards with 7 additional scores. Brother Kade, who is incidentally 6-4, 180 pounds, has already compiled 494 receiving yards on just 16 receptions, with7 TDs. That’s 30 yards a grab, friends.

And don’t forget, Kade McIntyre has 34 tackles on defense with 6 TFL, 4 sacks and recovered fumbles in 6 games.

Can anyone beat this Bergan team in C-2 this year?

*Dylan Mostek-Bennington - The spectacular Mostek reeled off 276 yards and 5 touchdowns on 17 carries…….in the first half, in the Badgers 56-21 win over South Sioux City. Mostek’s touchdown gallops covered 60, 4, 36, 1 and 11 yards before he retired from action at the end of the 2nd quarter. To date, Dylan has compiled 1,482 yards and 21 touchdowns in just 6 games.

The elusive senior, who has been clocked at :10.8 in the hundred meters, explodes for the majority of his touchdown runs from long distances, thanks to the blocking of the best offensive line in Class B. That line includes Carter Lerch, Nate Schaefer, Cody Harris, Jake Stier and Jameson Krayneski.

And lest we forget, Dylan Mostek is still the 6th ranked running back in the nation with his 1,482 yards.

*1000 Yard Rusher Alert*

*Carson Glunz-Wallace - The 5-7, 140 pound junior ripped through the SEM defense for 308 yards and 5 touchdowns on 28 totes on the Wildcats 61-28 win over the Mustangs. That vaults Gluntz over the 1000 yard rushing mark and puts the junior at 1,031 yards and 13 touchdowns for the 5-1 and 8th rated (6-Man) Wallace football team.

*CharMar (Marty) Brown, Jack Stressman-Creighton Prep - The incredibly built Brown ran for 148 yards and two touchdowns (1, 10 yards) with Stressman not far in the rear view with 92 rushing yards and three TDs covering 1, 61 and 6 yards in Prep’s 42-21 conquest of North Platte. This Brown kid just destroys people when he has the football in his hands. Speed, power, stops on a dime, and the ability to change direction in a hurry, this dude is a Baller!

I hope some D1 schools are looking at this young man. Good Lord!

*Gavin Pokorny-Wahoo - Senior running back stepped to the forefront in the Warriors 52-7 pounding of Louisville. Pokorny, who has played in the shadows of Colin Ludvig. Exploded for 232 yards and 4 trips to the house on just 14 carries. Gavin’s house calls came from 45, 30, 42 and 11 yards away.

*Karter Kerkman, Brennen Kelly-Norfolk Catholic - Kerkman rambled for 177 yards and two TDs on 23 carries as the Knights rallied in the 4th quarter to edge a tough Wayne squad 18-14. Brennen Kelly’s timely interception with 4:50 left in the game, set up Kerkman’s Tommy Frazier/Citrus Bowl-type highlight reel run for the winning 54 yard touchdown run with 3:25 left in the contest.

Kerman’s other scoring was from 6 yards out as Norfolk Catholic registered their 22nd straight win over Wayne under Head Coach and Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Famer Jeff Bellar.

*Caden Rezac, Cameron Bush-Ogallala - Sophomore quarterback Caden Rezac, who missed Ogallala’s first 5 games with what was initially thought to be a fractured knee, was ready to go in the 2nd half against 6th rated Cozad. Caden responded with a pair of touchdown passes to 6-1, 190 pound senior Cameron Bush. Rezac’s touchdown passes to Bush covered 45 and 15 yards.

An initial analysis on Caden Rezac’s knee apparently showed a fracture, but a second opinion proved otherwise and the sophomore, who has bloodlines in the form of Dad (and Ogallala AD/Assistant Principal, Scott Rezac), was back at it against Cozad. You may recall Scott was on that fine Grant team with Dan Jackman, Al Poppe and Ryan Young that played O’Neill St. Marys in the Class C-2 state championship game. In fact, Scott scored Grant's first TD of that contest.

Bloodlines, baby!

*Sam Souerdyke-Thayer Central - Good looking Freshman running back ran for 175 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries in Thayer Central’s 40-22 loss to Heartland (Henderson). Souerdyke has rushed for 734 yards and 11 touchdowns for the 2-4 Titans This lad is a very fine football talent for a youngster and needs just 266 yards to become just the 12 freshman in history to crack the thousand yard rushing mark.

Thayer Central has regular season games remaining with Southern (1-5) and Tri-County (4-2) but would have to giddyup to make the postseason at this point in time.

*Trev Peters, Kale Wetjen-Henderson Heartland - Junior Dual-Threat quarterback Trev Peters ran for 137 yards and 3 touchdowns on 25 carries in the Huskies 40-22 win over Thayer Central. Peters hit paydirt from 3, 3 and 22 yards out for the 3-2 Huskies. Trev also completed 5 of 10 passes for 105 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Senior running back Kale Wetjen caught both of Peters TD passes (46, 22 yards) and was on the receiving end of 4 of Trev’s pass completions.

Wetjen, who had 92 yards on those 4 catches in the Thayer game, is one of 8-Man football’s most dangerous receivers out of the backfield in addition to being a fine running back. The 180 pound senior has 450 yards (7 TDs) rushing, but has accumulated 318 receiving yards out of that Heartland backfield with 6 more TDs.