Week 9 Friday Night Lights Football Heroes - Part 3

Spalding Academy's Colton Leslie (far right) compiled over a 1000 yards rushing and passing this season. Former Spalding Academy 1000 yard rusher and now Asst. Coach Brock Leslie is standing next to Colton (green shirt) *(photo by Jody Hurlburt Whalen)

Let’s do some quick hits to wrap up the regular season and shine the bright lights on lots of Nebaska high school football talent.

**1000 Yard Rusher - 1000 Yard Passer Alert**

*Colton Leslie - Spalding Academy - 5-9, 185 pound senior quarterback has completed 80 of 117 passes for 1,306 yards, 25 TDs (4 INTs) and rushed just 98 times for 1,144 yards (11.7/per) and 15 TDs in 8 games for the 6-Man, 6th rated Shamrocks.

Leslie has 2,490 Total Yards, 105 tackles on defense, including 13 sacks and 5 recovered fumbles. 6-2, and 8th seed Spalding Academy will open the 6-Man playoff season with a home game against 6-2 and 9th seed Eustis-Farnam, who has 2,485 yard rusher, Christian Timm. Kickoff Friday in Spalding is set for 5:00 pm.

*Carson Oestreich - Pierce - 6-0, 185 pound junior RB rushed 14 times for 107 yards and 2 touchdowns in the Bluejays 49-7 route of Boone Central/NG. That gives the speed merchant 1,022 yards and 13 TDs for the season and may be the first of three 1000 yard rushers for the mighty Bluejays in 2018. Pierce opens the Class C-1 playoff season with an afternoon game versus 5-4 and 15th seeded Chadron. Kickoff will be at 2:00 pm. Pierce (9-0) is seeded #2 in the Class C-1 bracket.

*Linden Howe - Kearney Catholic - All-State canddate wrapped up his Kearney Catholic gridiron career in grandiose style in the Stars 74-28 romp over Holdrege. Howe carried 32 times for 408 yards and 6 touchowns (8, 4, 1, 11, 50 runs, 17 reception) and concluded his senior season with 1,382 yards, 16 TDs and 88 tackles (52 solos). Kearney Catholic finishes at 4-5.

*T.J. Urban - Millard South - Sophomore QB ran for 135 yards on 26 carries, completed 4 of 8 passes for 46 yards and had the Patriot Youth Movement in full force in their 14-13 win over Omaha Westside. In just 5 games, T.J. Urban has run for 571 yards (5 TDs), passed for 347 more with 3 TDs and is 4-1 as the starter with the lone loss coming at the hands of Millard West (34-27). Millard South (8-1, #2 seed) opens Class A playoff play with a home tilt against 5-4 and 15th seeded Lincoln Pius. Kickoff time is 4:00 pm at Buell Stadium in Millard.

*Alex Rodgers - Omaha Roncalli - 18 carries for 104 yards (5 TD run), 9 receptions for 212 yards (3, 4, 62 TD receptions) in the Crimson Pride’s 37-29 win over Blair. Alex Rodgers, one of the Nebraska’s top football talents, and a Husker Baseball recruit, has 896 yards rushing (16 TDs), 658 receiving (10 TDs), 161 yards passing (2 TDs), 114 tackles, 2 INTs, 3 recovered fumbles, a pick-six, a kick return TD, and a fumble return score. Roncalli hosts Elkhorn Mt. Michael in the opening round of the ClassB playoffs Friday at 7:00 pm.

Dylan Kautz - Norfolk Catholic - 158 yards on 14 touches and scoring dashes of 67, 50, 2 and 12 yards in the Knights 49-28 win over Ponca. Entering the Class C-2 playoffs, the 4 time 1000 yard rusher has 1,765 yards rushing with 30 TDs. Career wise; 6,602 rushing with 72 TDs. Dylan is now 5th on the All-Time Career Rushing List. The Knights host Fremont Bergan Friday at Memorial Field in the opening round of the C-2 playoffs. Norfolk Cathoilc is your defending Class C-1 State Champion.

*Jacob Keiser - Hartington Cedar Catholic - 24 carries for 246 yards and 4 TDs in Cedar’s season finale 36-8 win over Stanton. Keiser wraps up his junior season with 1,450 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns. Jacob gained 1,437 last season and now has 3,463 yards in his 3 year career for HCC. Cedar Catholic finished a 4-5 this season.

*Eli Larson - St. Paul - Big, quick sophomore ran 11 times for 116 yards and TDs of 30, 1, 25 yards and a 32 yard fumble return. Larson now has 1,026 yards for the season. St. Paul (7-2, #6 seed) entetains Hastings St. Cecilia (6-3, #11 seed) in the 1st round of the Class C-2 playoffs at 7:00 pm Friday.

*Joe Dworak - Lincoln Christian - 160 yards on 27 totes and scoring jaunts of 4, 1, 61, and 18 yards in the Crusaders 56-53 loss o Nebraska City. Dworak’s 1st three TDs came in the opening quarter. Lincoln Christian closes their 2018 season at 0-9.

*Tommy McEvoy - Clarkson-Lehigh - Sophomore sensation ran 31 times for 246 yards and 3 TDs and made 17 tackles on defense, in the Patriots 22-20 loss to Emerson-Hubbard. The son of Asst. Coach Bob McEvoy has 1,475 yards and 27 TDs going into 5-3 Clarkson-Lehigh’s 1st round D-2 playoff game at Hartington-Newcastle (5-3). Kickoff is slated for 6:00 in Hartington.

*Jared Minnick - West Point Guardian Angels Central Catholic - In the Bluejays 36-0 win over Winnebago, the 3 time 1000 yard rusher had 167 yards on 29 carries plus 2 TDs. For the year Jared is at 1,503 yards/23 TDs, career wise; 4,569 ground yards and 73 touchdowns. West Point GACC (7-1, #3 seed) will play host to 4-4 (14th seed) Thayer Central this Thursday in a D-1, 8-Man East Bracket game at the Beemer City Park. 5:00 pm kickoff.

*Jesus Maganda - Schuyler - Had touchdown sprints of 12, 38 and 45 yards in the Warrior’s 35-20 win over South Sioux City. Maganda also caught a 27 TD pass, as well as throwing a scoring toss to Elmer Salazar. Schuyler finishes at 1-8.

*Jake Twogood - Nebraska Christian - 281 yards on 21 carries, 6 touchdowns, plus 12 tackles in the Eagles 64-22 win over playoff bound Palmer. Jake has 1,182 yards rushing entering 8-0 Nebraska Christian’s 1st round Class D-1 playoff game vs. 2-6 Ainsworth. The afternoon game will kick off at 2:30 on Central City high school’s artificial surface, Preferred Popcorn Field. Big time, baby!

*Justus Bader, Daniel Warneke - Grand Island Heartland Lutheran - Bader, a 6-3, 160 junior quarterback, completed 16 of 20 passes for 370 yards and 7 TDs in the Red Hornets 78-12 route of Silver Lake. Daniel Warneke (5-11, 175, Sr.) a wide receiver, caught 7 passes for 271 yards and 5 TDs in the win. Justus Bader finishes the season with 1,613 yards passing, 23 TDs (3 INTs) and a 68% completion percentage. Warneke finishes with 37 receptions for 1,064 yards with 16 TDs. Heartland Lutheran concludes the 2018 season with a 4-4 record, just missing the 6-Man playoffs.

*Caden Kusek - Arcadia/Loup City - Junior rambled for 242 yards on 31 carries and 2 TDs in the Rebels 40-12 in over Elm Creek. Kusek’s rushing total now stands at 1,320 yards (17 TDs) entering the 4-4 Rebels Thursday’s opening round Class Eight Man-1 playoff home game with Elm Creek (3-5). 6:00 pm kickoff in Loup City.

*Bryston Warren - Diller-Odell - 5 receptions for 147 yards and touchdown grabs of 38, 54, and 15 yards in Diller-Odell’s 47-26 win over Meridian. The 5-3 Griffens qualify for the Eight-Man 2 playoffs and will travel to 6-2 Osmond Thursday to meet the Tigers in a 5:00 pm kickoff.

*Austen Jaeger - South Platte - Do-It-All senior rushed for 114 yards in a 46-6 loss to Cody-Kilgore, giving him 1,450 yards for the season. South Platte finished 3-5 and will miss the 6-Man playoffs, but Austen Jaeger has really been an outstanding 6-Man football talent for South Platte.

*Bradyn Hutto - Hitchcock County - 6-0 178 pound Freshman finished his maiden voyage 6-Man football season with 928 rushing yards and 11 TDs, and made 114 tackles (50 solos), and 3 recovered fumbles for the Falcons on defense, who finshed 2-6 on the season.