Week Six Friday Night Lights Nebraska Prep Football Heroes - 11-Man

*Quinton Archer, Peyton Sandmann, Badger Defense-Bennington - Quinton Archer bolted for 178 yards and two touchdowns on 24 totes in Bennington’s 34-7 victory over Blair. That ups Archer’s 2023 rushing total to 801 yards with 5 TDs. Badger quarterback Peyton Sandmann also had a big game, hitting 15 of 29 passes for 230 big ones with a pair of scores. AND, that stingy Badger defense held Blair’s high octane offense to just 163 total yards in the win.

*Drake Zimmerman, Dane Jacobsen-Ashland-Grenwood - Powerhouse, bulldozing runner Drake Zimmerman bulled for 170 yards and 3 TDs on just 12 touches in the Bluejays 56-20 triumph over Fort Calhoun. The rushing outburst elevated Zimmerman’s year-to-date total to 842 yards with 15 touchdowns. All-State quarterback candidate Dane Jacobsen was nearly perfect through the air, connecting on 8 of 9 aerials for and three TDs. Thus far in 2023, the talented senior gunslinger has completed 54 of 87 throws for 1,035 yards and a dozen touchdowns.

*Maverick Binder-Auburn - All-State Basketball star has no trouble shifting his talents to the gridiron. In the Bulldogs 40-26 triumph over Lincoln Christian, Binder exploded for 242 yards rushing and FIVE TDs on 22 carries. Maverick’s scoring runs covered 1, 2, 41, 2 and 67 yards. Ironically, Binder more than doubled his rushing and touchdowns total for the last FIVE games combined. The senior RB had previously rushed for 200 yards and 4 touchdowns through Auburn’s first five games, but the Bulldog coaching staff must have decided to turn Maverick loose against Christian and if so, it certainly worked like a charm.

*Conor Booth, Connor Schutt-Wahoo Neumann - Booth twisted, turned and bowled over defenders to the tune of 242 yards and 4 touchdowns on 19 carries in the Cavs 56-23 win over North Bend Central. The big (normal) rushing total inflates Booth’s 2023 rushing total to 1,296 yards.

Connor Schutt is back at his old position at quarterback and Neumann is a much more dangerous team offensively with him stationed there. Schutt kept the Tigers defense honest with his 9 of 14 passing for 157 yards and a pair of Cavalier TD passes.

*Blake Macklin-Norris - Three year starter made Beatrice happy that last Friday was the last time they would have to face him on the gridiron. Macklin's parting gift to the Orange was a 274 yard, four touchdown rushing performance in the Titans 63-20 win. Among Macklin’s 16 carries were a quartet of scoring scampers covering 54, 17, 40 and 24 yards.

The jet propelled senior now has compiled 798 rushing yards for the 3-3 Titans. If Macklin is given just a tiny sliver of daylight, the dude is long gone to the house.

*Quinn Bailey-Chadron - Returning thousand yard rusher was a standout in the Cardinals 40-21 loss to a very fine Sidney team. The 5-8, 175 pound junior rushed 27 times for 142 yards with a TD, caught a pair of passes for 27 yards and made 16 tackles on defense, including 8 solos.

*Tresten Hess-Seward - 6-3, 182 pound quarterback had a whale of a game in the Bluejays 61-12 win over Lincoln Northwest. Hess, a two-way starter as a freshman (WR/CB), completed 7 of 12 passes for 143 yards and 3 touchdowns and rushed 10 times for an additional 111 yards.

Hess now has 1,147 yards through the air with 6 TDs and another 410 on the ground with 5 more scores. The young man is becoming a nice Dual-Threat Quarterback for Seward because of his quick decision making abilities in the backfield/pocket.

*Caden Rezac, Harry Caskey-Ogallala - Quarterback Caden Rezac ran the ball 14 times for 200 yards and two touchdowns, while Harry Caskey chipped in 125 yards on 19 carries in the Indians HUGE 34-14 win over McCook. Rezac now has 789 rushing yards for the season.

How BIG was this win by Ogallala over McCook? Well, the two teams have met just 9 times during the regular season over the past 20 years. Ogallala had beaten McCook just ONCE during those 9 games before last Friday, that coming in a 13-7 overtime win in 2009. The playoff meetings follow a similar pattern. The teams have met six times the past 20 seasons, with Ogallala winning just once, a 27-19 triumph in 1998. YEAH, this win over the McCook Bison was a BIG TIME accomplishment for the Indians..

*Jett Thomalla, Gabe Prucha, Amerion Jackson, Isaac Jensen-Millard South - The Millard South SOPHOMORE Movement was in full force last week when the Patriots rallied to turn back Lincoln East 45-21. Sophomore QB Jett Thomalla completed 17 of 27 passes for 278 yards and 3 touchdowns. Sophomore Gabe Prucha rushed for 94 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries and pulled in 5 receptions for an additional 79 yards. Sophomore Amerion Jackson caught 2 passes for 81 yards and with a TD and returned a pair of punts for 83 yards, and a 4th Sophomore Isaac Jensen, reeled in 5 pass receptions for 56 yards including a touchdown.

Most fans are aware of the SOPHOMORE thing when it comes to Millard South, but if you didn’t prior, you kind of get it now.

*Corbin Kyes, Bison Defense-Central City - Sophomore running back erupted for 244 yards and FIVE touchdowns in Central City’s 62-6 win over Fairbury. The Bison defense was also a force in the game, limiting the Jeffs to just 75 total yards.

*Jahmez Ross, Anthony Rezac, Beau Ryan-Omaha Westside - In a 63-0 win over North Platte; Jahmez Ross ran for 173 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries, star quarterback Anthony Rezac completed 9 of 13 passes for 125 yards, a third of those going for touchdowns. The multi-talented Rezac also rushed 3 times for 68 yards and another score while defensive standout Beau Ryan logged 11 stops, with 9 of those being solos.

*Mason Chandler, Chieftains “D”-Bellevue East - 6-1, 200 pound quarterback completed 13 of 15 passes for 204 yards and three touchdowns in a 55-0 thrashing of Omaha Benson. Chandler also ran the ball just one time in the contest, but that one went for 4 yards and a score. The Chieftains defense also held the Bunnies to 32 total yards in the game.

*Dominic Vercillino-Plattsmouth - 170 pound senior RB rushed for 123 yards and 4 touchdowns on 19 carries in the Blue Devils 55-21 win over Omaha Gross. Vercillino has 273 yards/6 TDs the past two games for once beaten Plattsmouth.

*Dez Smith-Mitchell - Shifty junior blasted for 246 yards and FIVE scores on 20 carries in the Red Raiders 65-30 win over Alliance, who by the way, led this football game 30-28 with 7:18 left in the 3rd quarter. Smith also made three tackles on defense, intercepted a Bulldog pass and broke up four passes in that Tigers defensive backfield.

Dez Smith now has 858 yards rushing with 15 touchdowns in six outings.

*Brady Singer, Kelan Behlen, Ryker Wohlers-Douglas County West - Singer ran 21 times for 166 yards and a score in the Falcons impressive 24-6 win over Columbus Scotus. Brady also recorded 8 tackles in the contest. The big night pushes Singer’s 2023 rushing total to 754 yards (10 TDs) and tackles total to 42 thus far.

QB Kelan Behlen completed 11-15 passes for 115 yards and two TDs, while the multi-talented Ryker Wohlers caught 4 passes for 64 yards and a touchdown, made 7 tackles on defense where he also intercepted a pass and recovered a pass. For good measure, Wohlers also returned two punts for 60 yards.

This Douglas County West football team is VERY GOOD. Ask Boone Central.

*Camden Jensen, Chase Wiegert-GI Northwest - One of the top Pass/Catch duos in the state was at again in the Vikings nail biting 29-28 win over Hastings High. The dynamic duo hooked up 6 times for 115 yards and a touchdown in the squeaker, but it was the versatile Jensen who found his rhythm, connecting on 20 of 40 aerials for 227 yards and three TDS. He also ran for 83 yards on 13 totes, keeping the Tigers defense honest.

Camden Jensen’s stats to date; 1,189 yards passing/12 TDs, plus 227 rushing yards with three touchdowns and a ton of heavy hits absorbed during the process. And the speedy, sure handed Chase Wiegert; 27 catches/465 yards/5 TDs and there’s more where those yards came from. Incidentally, this Wiegert kid is nearly impossible to cover on a pass route. The dude is that good.

*Grayson Sack, Jack Steenson, Connor Haney-Grand Island Central Catholic - 5-9, 160 pound Crusader gunslinger Grayson Sack completed 15 of 29 passes for 281 yards and a pair of touchdowns in GICC’s 28-14 win over Wood River. Senior Jack Steenson latched on to five of Sack’s aerials for a fat 154 yards and two TDs. Two-way standout Connor Haney grabbed 3 passes for 53 yards and a touchdown and made 5 tackles on defense, knocked down a pass and caught a two point conversion toss.

*Braxton Glines, Trenton Ernst, Micah Prachell-Lincoln Lutheran - Young Sophomore QB Braxton Glines lit up the late September night sky with his 18 of 25 passing for 343 yards and 3 TDs in a 38-13 win over Centennial. Classmate Trenton Ernst nabbed 11 of Glines 18 completions in the game, good for 212 yards and ALL three touchdown receptions. Junior Micah Prachell was perfect in the kicking department, converting 5 of 5 PAT attempts. Prachell also nailed a 41 yard field goal in the win.

*Luke Kimbrough, Trevor Roach, Trevin Stassines-Fillmore Central - Three-Headed Rushing Monster ground out 350 yards on 47 carries and FIVE touchdowns in the now 6-0 Panthers come from behind 41-20 win over Doniphan-Trumbull. Stassines, the three year starter at QB, led the ground attack with 129 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries. Roach, a 6-2, 175 pound Sophomore, was right behind with 128 yards and two scores on 20 touches, and Kimbrough, the 5-10, 185 pound senior and leading rusher in this season, followed with 93 yards and two TDs on 13 totes. ALL THREE of these gentlemen also excel on defense. Roach had 9 tackles in the DT contest, Stassiness 7, and Kimbrough followed with six.

I have a news flash folks. This Fillmore Central football team is GOOD.