Week 4 Friday Night Lights Football Heroes - Part One

Burwell junior running back Caleb Busch (white uniform/with ball) leaves a trailing group of Ravenna defenders in the dust during the Longhorns 57-12 win over the Bluejays last week. *(photo courtesy of the talented Yohn Gideon of Burwell)

*Caleb Busch-Burwell - 6-0, 180 pound Longhorn junior stepped into the role as featured back when three time 1000 yard rusher Jase Williams departed via graduation this spring. It’s a ‘next man” up deal at Burwell as far as that role is concerned, and Busch has embraced the opportunity and is off an running in 2020.

In the ‘Horns’ 57-14 win at Ravenna, Caleb rambled for 236 yards on just 12 carries, hitting the end zone five times on runs of 27, 50, 72, 1 and 26 yards. Unofficially, the powerful junior has 593 yards rushing after 4 games.

Eight-Man One is absolutely loaded with quality football teams this season, but this Burwell team has to be a concern for anyone in that class and this current group is especially scary……..and YOUNG.

*Micah Moore-Fremont - Junior running backs 203 yards on 27 carries plus touchdown runs of 1 and 65 yards, helped Fremont beat Grand Island 22-21 in overtime last Friday. The marquee win was the first over Grand Island since 2009. Ironically, that 19-0 shutout over the Islanders was Fremont’s only win of ‘09. GI ended up 6-3 that year.

Micah Moore keeps improving his rushing total every single week of this 2020 season. After rushing for 106 yards in the season opener, the 6-0, 170 pounder has reeled off rushing performances of 157 (North Platte), 185 versus Bellevue East and this 203 against Grand Island.

Moore ran for 799 yards as a sophomore with trio of hundred plus rushing games to his credit. The Fremont junior is already at 651 yards rushing this season.

*Koa McIntyre-Fremont Bergan - There is another junior in the city of Fremont that is tearing it up and he would be Archbishop Bergan quarterback, Koa McIntyre. In the Knights easy 56-6 over Omaha Concordia, the speed demon carried the ball 3 times and scored three times, rushing for 161 yards. McIntyre also threw 5 passes and completed 5 passes, good for 59 yards and touchdown tosses to Cal Janke (24 yards) and Zane McIntyre (18 yards). Koa also had 3 tackles on defense and a 68 yard Pick 6.

For the season, McIntyre has rushed for 636 yards on just 47 touches (13.6/carry) and scored 10 times. The junior sensation has also completed 36 of 63 passes for 457 yards with 9 touchdowns with just 2 picks. His total yardage figure after 4 games this fall- 1,095 yards.

And, remember Koa McIntyre placed 2nd in both the 100 and 200 meter dashes as a FRESHMAN two years ago at the State TRack Meet to the great Dylan Kautz of Norfolk Catholic. McIntyre blazed to times of :10.9 and 22.1 respectively at Omaha Burke that Saturday in 2019. Yes, he IS indeed a speed demon on the football as well.

*Aiden Young-Elkhorn - Rambled for 235 yards on 28 carries with touchdown runs of 8, 5 and 81 yards in the Antlers 38-28 win over Blair. Young is one of the key pieces of this 2020 Elkhorn team, who is currently 3-1 and rated #3 in Class B by the Omaha World-Herald’s Stu Pospisil.

*Matthew Schuster, Nick Carroll, Lane Zimmerman-Ashland-Greenwood - This offensive trio, along with Grant Buller defensively, were key figures in the Bluejays 28-20 overtime victory over Class C-1, #1 Wayne last Friday. Schuster, son of former Fullerton Warrior and Nebraska Cornhusker great Bryan Schuster, ran for 153 yards 23 carries and scored touchdowns on runs of 31, 27 and 4 yards in the huge win. It was Schuster’s 4 yard run in overtime that clinched the win.

Sophomore quarterback Nick Carroll completed 14 of 25 passes for 151 yards, which included a 7 yard scoring pass to Lane Zimmerman. The senior wide receiver ended the night with 7 receptions for 119 yards. Grant Buller led the Ashland-Greenwood defensive charge with a whopping 15 tackles (5 solos).

Matthew Schuster, a Cozad transfer, now has 414 yards (6 TDs) for the 2nd rated Bluejays. Nick Carroll, the sophomore QB, was a real gamer with his passing game against Wayne, having thrown only 12 total passes the previous three games (six completions)

*Noah Walters-Lincoln East - The Spartans QB and his Millard North counterpart Jimmy Quaintance, put on quite a dazzling display of contrasting styles last Friday at Buell Stadium in Millard.

Millard North came up with the controversial 46-41 victory over Lincoln East, but Noah Walters tore up the Mustangs defensive secondary to the tune of a 448 yards passing and five touchdowns night. Walters, who completed 21 of his 40 passes, threw two of his scoring passes to Carter Glenn (22, 71 yards). Glenn had 3 receptions for 123 yards in the game.

Brayan Van Meter who caught 3 aerials for 53 yards, also had a 32 scoring grab. Austen Schneider (5 catches/119 yards) had a 34 yard TD reception and Luke Greisen (4 receptions/99 yards) reeled in a 50 yard scoring strike from Walters.

Noah Walters has been nothing short of remarkable in his first four games of 2020, stringing together passing yardage totals of 309 (3 TDs), 409 (5 TDs), 283 (4 TDs) and the recent 448 yards/5 touchdown performance against Millard North. Thus far, the 5-11, 175 pound JUNIOR has 1,459 yards with 17 TDs and just 3 INTs this season after throwing for 797 yards and 9 scores all last season.

…..And lest we forget, Lincoln East will face #5 Lincoln Southeast this Friday (7:00) at Seacrest Field in Lincoln. That’s a home game for the Spartans, folks.

*Jimmy Quaintance-Millard North - 6-3, 185 pound QB ran 40 times for 240 yards and five touchdowns in Millard North’s 46-41 win over Lincoln East. It was Jimmy’s 1 yard scoring plunge with no time showing on the clock that lifted the Mustangs to the victory, their first of the 2020 season. Quaintance other four short TD runs covered 3, 3, 1 and 4 yards. That gives him 549 yards rushing for the season.

So where did Jimmy Quaintance come from when the quarterback position race prior to the season, seemed to be between Ben Weindel and Brandon Lundquist? Well, I’m not sure where Weindel went, but Lundquist broke his collarbone in 2019 and decided to concentrate solely on baseball. Then, if you recall, Quaintance was called upon last season in the Papio game after Ben Weindel absorbed that big hit in the 2nd quarter against the Monarchs.

Quaintance went on to lead Millard North to a 24-18 win, rushing 12 times for 100 yards and a 31 yard touchdown. He also threw a 58 yard pass to Gabriel Terry. And now, he is THEE GUY for Fred Petito’s Millard North offense.

*Rylan Aguallo-Mitchell - Tiger speed burner exploded for 301 yards on 19 carries and scoring dashes of 75, 9 and 36 yards in Mitchell’s 56-8 thumping of Chase County. He also had 7 tackles in the game. For the season, Aguallo’s rushing total stands at 710 yards on just 64 totes (11.1/carry) with 8 TDs. Rylan has also caught a pair of passes, both of which were touchdown catches (32, 34 yards).

By the way, Mitchell is currently 4-0 and averaging 48.8 ppg while allowing their opponents an average of just less than a touchdown a contest.

*Blake Brown, Justin Erg, O-Line-Wakefield - QB/RB duo combined forces to rush for 351 yards in the Trojans 40-8 win over a fine Lutheran High NE team Saturday afternoon at Veterans Field in Norfolk. Brown, who has been virtually unstoppable this season, escaped for 216 yards on 22 touches and scoring runs of 27, 30, 69 and 16 yards in the win.

Justin Erg carried 29 times for 133 yards with short TD blasts of 5 and 2 yards in the 32 point victory. Brown has rushing games of 134, 174, 177 and 216 yards for a total of 701 yards on just 55 totes in four games this fall. Egr, who ran for over 1,500 yards in 8 games a year ago, has 522 yards rushing so far this season

Now, about that top notch Wakefield offensive line. It consists of: Dillon Borg (5-9, 150, Sr), Rylan Weaver (6-4, 220, Sr.), Couy Johnson (6-0, 185, Sr,), Mitch Fischer (5-9, 150, Sr.) and Gio Salcedo.

*Kale Jensen-Central City - Completed 30 of 44 passes for 306 yards with five touchdowns and rushed 14 times for 87 yards in the Central City’s 49-0 replacement game win over Lexington. Jensen, who has thrown for 1,401 yards and 15 touchdowns this season, fired touchdown passes to sophomore Ashton Gragg, Tanner Schneiderheinz, Jake Twiss, Charles McGinnis and Cole Kunz.

Gregg led all receivers with 8 receptions for 111 yards. Schneiderheinz was next with 10 catches for 73 yards.

*Cole Price-Papillion-LaVista - 2019 thousand yard rusher ran for 139 yards on 30 carries with touchdown scampers of 1, 5 and 17 yards in the Monarchs 36-7 triumph over Norfolk. Price has an unofficial 441 yards on the ground after four games this season. This young man, by the way, is a very good Class A running back. Really good.

*Jack Holsing, Cole Siems-Tri-County - The pair combined for 325 yards rushing and six touchdowns in the Trojans 60-6 blasting of Exter-Milligan/Friend. Holsing, the 5-10, 165 pound senior RB, escaped for 187 yards on just 11 carries and scored TDs from 72, 16 and 64 yards out. Senior QB Cole Siems, who rushed for 1,015 yards and threw for 924 a year ago, added 138 yards on only 8 totes and hit paydirt from 40, 28 and 36 yards away.

Thus far in 2020, Jack Holsing has rushed for 572 yards with 12 TDs, while Siems has run for 331 yards on just 25 carries (13.2/carry) with 5 TDs. The senior signal caller has also thrown for 204 yards and 6 YDs with no interceptions. Siems has also caught a touchdown pass, made 19 tackles and pirated two passes in four games for the Eight-Man One, 4th rated and 4-0 Trojans.

*Easton Becker, Tate Thoene-Hartington Cedar Catholic - Becker ran for 111 tough yards on 28 carries and scored all three touchdowns (1,1 and 4 yards) in the Trojans 21-13 win over a good David City Public team last Thursday. Quarterback Tate Thoene added 87 yards on 17 carries in the hard fought win.

Becker also had 8 tackles with 2.5 sacks in the game. The powerful junior RB now has 649 yards in four games for super coach Chad Cattau’s 4-0 and 10th rated (Class C-2) Cedar Catholic squad.

*Sutton Pohlman-Stanton - Six foot, 190 pound QB rushed for 235 yards on 22 carries and scoring runs of 1, 55, 24 and 11 yards in the Mustangs huge 42-20 win over highly touted, but banged up Clarkson-Leigh. Stanton led by just an 8-6 count at halftime.

Pohlman, who actually moves around on that Stanton offense, has run for 510 yards and 8 TDs in 4 games, but has also caught 3 passes for 96 yards, which includes a 76 yard scoring grab. The versatile Pohlman also has completed 2 of 3 passes for 18 yards and a TD, plus making 17 tackles on defense with 14 solo stops.

The Mustangs have just cracked the crowded, talent-rich Omaha World-Herald Eight-Man One ratings, entering this week at #8, sporting a 3-1 record.

-------------------------------------------------------------

…..up next in Friday Night Lights Football Heroes-Part Two; Isaac Noyd’s (Cross County) huge night, plus Alec Langan of McCook, Bell West’s L.J. Richardson and much more.