2015 Nebraska Prep Running Backs to Watch - Class C-1

Posted Wednesday, July 22, 2015, at 11:19 PM

Columbus Scotus running back "Baeley be Nimble, Baeley be Quick" Pelster (#22) is Class C-1's most electrifying runner.

by Bobby Mills (1000 Yard Guy)

Like Class B, three runners who eclipsed the 1000 yard mark a year ago return for another go at it. Two seniors and one outstanding Junior make up this elite group. Why wait, let's have a look.

Class C-1 Returning 1000 Yard Rushers:

*Trevor Nichelson-Ashland-Greenwood (#34) - 5-10, 180, (Jr.) - 1,752-251, 28 TDs. **ALL-STATE**

Here is a common statement concerning Trevor Nichelson heard around the Class C-1 football circles; "Good grief, is he still there?" Bad news for Ashland-Greenwood opponents is that Nichelson's high school gridiron career is only half over.

Seems as though #34 has been around forever and one reason is that he has played in twenty six football games. Yes, 26 games in just two years. Only way to do that is for your team to make it to the state finals both years. The Bluejays did just that. They may have come up short both times but this team will be right in the thick of it again come August 28th of this year.

In just two seasons for A/G, Trevor Nichelson has carried the football 379 times for 2,420 yards and 36 TDs on the ground, 40 total. On defense, Nichelson has made 109 tackles, 19 of which were for losses. Number 34 has pirated 6 passes, blocked 2 punts, and recovered 2 fumbles. Considering those stats, you know how much the kid had to contribute as a freshman starting for a team that toiled in the brutal circles of Class C-1.

Last season, Trevor rushed 251 times and still came within a whisper of averaging 7 yards a pop. When the Bluejays played pass happy Central City a year ago, Nichelson ran for 294 yards and 3 scores, caught a TD pass, and made 9 tackles. The hard running sophomore played 13 games a year ago and was held under a 100 yards rushing only 4 times.

Let me describe Trevor Nichelson's football Friday nights for you. On offense, Nichelson is a slider and glider with terrific balance and an incredibly strong frame from head to toe. The Junior to be has tremendous balance, great lateral movement and simply mows defenders down, sometimes with a powerful stiff arm, on other occasions, simply plows 'em over with his upper body strength. Outstanding receiver out of the backfield and a ferocious blocker when the opportunity presents itself.

Sure-fire repeat all-state material in 2015. Should have three all-state honors under his belt before it's all over.

*Jake Palensky-Raymond Central (#9) -5-10, 200 (Sr.) - 1,600-214, 16 TDs

Well, the first thing I can guarantee you is that nobody from a C-1 school in Lincoln wants to see this guy again. Last season Palensky ripped through Lincoln Christian 45 times for 330 yards and 2 TDs. He then shredded Lincoln Lutheran's "D" to the tune of 358 yards on 43 carries and 5 touchdowns.......all of the TDs Raymond scored that night in a 32-30 nailbiter. As a sophomore, Palensky ran for 257 yards against Lutheran, so I know they are certainly tired of watching #9.

At this point in time, Palensky would check in 15 pounds heavier than he was a year ago. Ouch. Jake Palensky is just a pure football talent on either side of the scrimmage line and will play for a team returning 7 starters on either side of the ball. In addition to his 1,600 yards rushing, Palensky caught 13 passes for an additional 237 yards and another two TDs. On defense the 4.65 forty yard man logged a whopping 70 tackles and 44 of those were solo stops.

Here is what I saw when Jake Palensky took the handoff or pitch a year ago. For one thing, tremendous leg strength. In that Lincoln Lutheran game, Palensky broke 6 tackles on a 10 yard blast right up the gut before the 7th man, plus some buddies, drug him to the artificial turf. And yards after contact......good grief!

Last season, Raymond's line did an outstanding job of opening creases for Palensky. He doesn't have blinding speed, but can start moving toward the line and break to the outside quicker than you think. Hits the line of scrimmage with a full head of steam and just is not going to be stopped by one man on most occasions.

Should have a very successful year with lineman Pete McNally, Justen Hall, and Ian McIntyre opening gaps. Mr. Palensky will probably match or surpass his 1,600 yard rushing total this fall. Tough dude, man.

*David Engelhaupt-Norfolk Catholic (#33) - 6-4, 235 (Sr.) - 1,015-131

6 foot 4 and 235 pounds, runs a 4.55 and can vertical jump 31 inches.....are you kidding me? Wyoming grabbed another Nebraska dandy when they landed this guy. Nobody on this football team is going to get a ton of carries on offense because super coach Jeff Bellar spreads the ball around and that formula has worked for years at Catholic.

When Engelhaupt does get the ball the man is one tough customer. Lined up deep in the Knights backfield, David is a daunting figure at 6-4 and 235 pounds. Whether taking the handoff or catching a pass, Engelhaupt can get to top speed in a hurry. Great vision following his blockers, this dude can plant and cut faster than you would think, sometimes with one foot, then the other. Attempting to tackle him high is not a real good idea. Engelhaupt has pretty decent breakaway speed for a 6-4 lad and his ability to reach top end speed so quickly makes him a constant threat to break a long run.

Defense is where Mr. Engelhaupt will most likely play at Wyoming. On that Norfolk Catholic defensive alignment, David will line up outside the tackle or end and simply overpower blockers to get to the running back or quarterback. Loves to eat QBs for lunch. Very impressive player on both sides of the ball. No small wonder he had a bunch of D-1 offers. I hope Nebraska doesn't live to regret making an offer on this kid.

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...And......the best of the rest:

*Austin Freeman-Pierce (#8) - 5-10, 160, (Sr.) - 872-84, 15 TDs

Awful tough kid for only weighing 160 pounds, but that's how they make 'em in Pierce. Freeman fits that Pierce Bluejay mold to a tee, coming at you from all directions on offense and defense. On defense, Freeman was a C-1 All-State selection at DB despite making only 35 tackles in 9 games. But you see, defensive backs shouldn't be making any more stops than that or your "D" is having problems if the opposition is getting past your line and backers. Simple fact was that Austin was just all over the field on defense with a keen eye on the football location at all times.

On offense, his versatility was demonstrated by the fact he had 13 rushing touchdowns, 4 receiving scores and a kick return for another. #4 is just tough to track on offense and might well well defined as a Renaissance man on that side of the ball, taking handoffs, catching passes, running as a decoy, or striking fear into the hearts of opponents as a punt OR kick return artist.

Austin Freeman is "Mr. Everything" for Coach Brahmer up there in God's country......aka, The Magic Circle.

*Jake Bos-Columbus Scotus (#38) - 5-11, 210, (Sr.) - 719-91, 13 TDs

Oooohhhhhh.......Tough Guy! Jake "The Boss Man" Bos has been a force for the Bonnies since his sophomore season. Carried the ball 155 times in 2 years and averaged 8 yards a pop. Made 74 tackles both years, averaging 8 crunches a game. Mr. Consistency. One of those pure football players who probably just can't wait for the season to start.

With the nucleus Scotus has coming back this fall, The Boss Man and his fellow 'Rocks just may lead my old school to places they haven't been in over 20 years. All-Stater a year ago with Freeman of Pierce, Bos is a guy that could play in Class A and impress folks.

I like this kid...... a lot.

*Ethan Stratman-Wahoo (#20) - 6-0, 190, (Sr.) - 744-135, 11 TDs

Tough kido here. Two years ago as a sophomore, he was pressed into service big time in a 1st round Halloween night playoff game against Ft. Calhoun. Stratman carried the ball 35 times that night, gained 222 yards and scored on TD runs of 3, 81 and 10 yards in the Warriors 27-15 victory. Two years later, the streamlined senior with a 34" vertical and 4.56 forty speed will lead Wahoo into 2015 with high hopes.

As a ball carrier, Ethan Stratman has very good speed and is a smooth weaver in and out of traffic. Number 20 has very good vision and makes short, soft plants when he cuts, but can get into the defensive secondary in a hurry. Nice stiff arm too.

Stratman is also a terrific linebacker who loves to prowl outside the tackle right up on the line and flood the backfield, getting to the ball carrier before he can get started. 60 tackles a year ago. Wahoo should have a decent O-Line this fall to clear the way for Stratman, but also has a brutal, hateful schedule to contend with.

*Jacob Johnson-Fairbury (#22) - 5-10, 170, (Soph.) - 721-147, 13 TDs

OK. This youngster weighed a 170 pounds a year ago, looked well developed, and started at running back as a 9th grader for a team that hasn't had a winning season in 7 years. Baptism by fire.....for sure. Well friends, check this out.

Despite 5 teams laying 42 points or more on the Jeffs, Jacob Johnson rushed for 721 yards and scored 9 touchdowns. The freshman also caught a usually high number of passes....23, for a whopping 407 yards (17.7/catch) and 4 more scores. Oh, that's not all folks. Johnson started at linebacker, and #22 made SEVENTY FIVE tackles of which 45 were solo stops.

Now stop and think about that. This is Class C-1, a class LOADED with football talent, and we are talking about Freshman! On a 57 yard jaunt against Lincoln Lutheran, I swear nearly every defender touched this kid before he was finally shoved out of bounds at the Lutheran 5.

Better keep an eye on this lad. This fall Johnson will check in at 190 pounds! Put this guy in something like an Ashland-Greewood backfield and you'd have another Trevor Nichelson. But I think Mr. Johnson is proud to be a Fairbury Jeff and probably isn't going to leave town anytime soon.

*Baeley Pelster-Columbus Scotus (#22) - 5-8, 160, (Sr.) - 692-62, 13 TDs

I'm going to tell you right here and now, this young man is one of the most exiting, electrifying runners in the state, regardless of class. Yeah, he only rushed for 692 yards, but he twisted, turned, squirted out of masses of humanity, and sped like a bullet to the tune of 10 yards a pop. Considering the fact Baeley had only 7 touches for 15 yards the last 2 games of 2014, you're still talking big time yards. "Baeley be Nimble, Baeley be Quick" Pelster. That be him.

Here's why this guy will easily have a 1000+ yards if he gets at least 100 carries. The 'Rocks have NINE players returning on either side of the ball, the best FB in C-1 along side of Pelster in the backfield, and an offensive line that blows defenders off the line with gale force. If you get a chance to watch this little guy play, you are in for a rare, rare treat, trust me.

First and foremost, Baeley Pelster is hard for a defense to keep on their radar. Once he gets the ball, a multitude of things can happen. Number 22 is like greased lightening when he gets the ball. He can twist and turn in a micro second, leap over tacklers, landing on his feet at full speed, and still have multiple moves at his disposal to make defenders look silly.

Pelster can change directions faster than the weather in Nebraska, plant, cut, and hip fake in one blinding move, and have the speed to leave all but the swiftest in Class C-1 in his trail. Some of Baeley Pelster's moves are mind boggling. You just have to see this kid to believe it.

Only fault, if you can list it as a fault, is his disregard for his 160 pound frame. Pelster's motor is in shooting star mode from the time the game starts 'till the clock hits 0:00. On defense, he'll take your head off and can knock you off your feet as a lead blocker. Remember, he only weighs a buck 60.

Honest to goodness, I say my prayers this kid stays healthy this fall. The game of high school football will be much better with the mere presence of Baeley Pelster. Yes, I like this young man a lot, could you tell? And we already REALLY like his backfield buddy, Jake Bos. Think Scotus will be good come late August despite a killer schedule? OH YEAH.

*Connor O'Toole-Wilber-Clatonia (#10) (QB) - 6-2, 195, (Sr.) - 691-90, 8 TDs

Very nice sized high school QB is O'Toole, who led his team to an unbeaten 9-0 regular season a year ago before losing a heartbreaking 35-34 home playoff game vs. GICC. Completed 52% of his throws for 790 yards and 10 Tds with only 2 INTs. Makes good decisions throwing and on the option plays. He may feel like the lone ranger at Wilber-Clatonia with only 2 starters returning on either side of the ball.

*Noah Vedral-Wahoo Neumann (#11) (QB) - 6-2, 180, (Jr.) - 640-116, 10 TDs

Junior-to-be drawing some recruiting interest. The good news is he threw for 1,033 yards and ran for 640 more plus 10 TDs. Not so good stuff is that Vedral completed only 43% of his passes and had more interceptions (8) than touchdowns (6). This could change the next two seasons with a good class coming up at Neumann, which usually never has a so-so football season.

Vedral, a solid All-Stater in basketball, has tons of raw talent as witnessed by his 81 tackles on defense and 3 interceptions. His passing will improve. Good athlete with 4.6 forty speed and a 30" vertical. Cavs have produced countless great football players. Vedral is next.

*Drew Gilliland-Mitchell (#3) - 5-9, 140, (Sr.) - 632 Rushing

*Dylan Johnson-Columbus Lakeview (#7) (QB) - 5-11, 180, (Sr.) - 612-153

This kid made it threw a rare 2-7 season for Lakeview and that school has super coach Kurt Frenzen, who is without a doubt, one of the best there is. Johnson, who threw for 1,023 yards and ran for 612 and is simply a very good dual threat QB. You'd be crazy to expect another losing season at Lakeview. Not happening despite a rough schedule. If Johnson gets some help, he could be a 1000 yard runner AND 1000 yard passer. Not many of those roaming the green fields in this state.

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*Caden Fritson-Holdrege (#6) - 5-11, 165, (Sr.) - 579-112, 7 TDs

Tough customer for a guy that is not very big. Made 61 tackles last year and 8 were for losses. The Dusters are loaded with experience this fall and super sprinter Cooper Rogers will be back healthy to join Fritson in the backfield after missing nearly all of 2014. Also helps having a lineman like 6-3, 225 Blake Schroeder blocking for you.

*Seth Bayless-Syracuse (Jr.) - 544-80, 6 TDs

*Dawson Graham-Gothenburg (#5) (QB) - 6-1, 170, (Jr) - 501-80

I like this kid because he stepped in as a Freshman and took every snap at QB after the Swedes top 2 quarterbacks went down with injuries. Not even old enough to get a drivers license and still good enough to lead a Class C-1 football team to an 8-3 record and a quarterfinals appearance in the playoffs. Good enough for me. Swedes are ALWAYS ready come playoff time. Bank on it.

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..........Up Next, Class C-2's returning 1000 yard runners and best of the rest.