Running For a 1000, and Into Forever (A history of the Bobby Mills 1000 Yard Club) - The “G” schools.

We now list all the 1000 yard rushers from the Nebraska prep football programs beginning with the letter “G”.

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

Not many high school football teams can boast as many 1000 yard rushers as Garden County. Now retired super coach Jason Spady loved to run the ball down his opponents throats and it must have worked like magic because the Eagles have made the playoffs EVERY single year since 2002. Garden County thousand yard rushers tend to come in pairs, so if you catch one of their games, you get two for the price of one. Steve Mikoloyck was my favorite back from the Oshkosh school, although I did see Kyle Krajewski in 2004 and was very impressed.

GARDEN COUNTY-27

Matt McCarthy - 1,711 - (2015)

Chad Dormann - 1,696 - (1992)

Steve Mikoloyck - 1,690 - (1978)

Kyle Krajewski - 1,605 - (2004)

Chesney Stanczyk - 1,513 - (2019, Sr)

Dustin Jasnoch - 1,401 - (2008)

Kyle Krajewski - 1,350 - (2003)

Nic Koppman - 1,228 - (2017)

Matt McCarthy - 1,224 - (2014)

Nathan Lloyd - 1,191 - (1997)

Austin Dormann - 1,189 - (2019, Jr)

Blake McCormick - 1,176 - (2017)

J D Leonard - 1,155 - (2011)

Dustin Jasnoch - 1,129 - (2007)

Jeff Fiscus - 1,111 - (1991)

Jess Paulsen - 1,091 - (2004, Sr)

J.R. Leonard - 1,089 - (2010)

Justin Waltman - 1,089 - (2005)

J D Leonard - 1,085 - (2010, Jr)

Tristen Jackson - 1,066 - (2012, Jr)

Nathan Lloyd - 1,058 - (1996)

Elliot Epp - 1,047 - (2015)

Chris Jasnoch - 1,028 - (1979)

Tyrel Moss - 1,025 - (2000)

Jess Paulsen - 1,024 - (2003, Jr)

Dave Zorn - 1,019 - (2002)

Joel Jasnoch - 1,001 - (2002)

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

When you set a single season rushing record for GENEVA that the great Mike Brower didn’t even reach, you must have been an amazing running back. I can personally tell you Casey Head WAS that good.

GENEVA-5 - (Fairmont joined in 2001 to form FILLMORE CENTRAL)

Casey Head - 2,515 - (1990)

Steve Kleinschmidt - 1,231 - (1986)

Chad Engle - 1,078 - (1997)

Mike Brower - 1,065 - (2000, Freshman)

Bob Taylor - 1,032 - (1978)

GENOA-3

Ken Miller - 1,244 - (1979)

Brad Turner - 1,111 - (1989)

Ken Baker - 1,090* - (1941) {*=verification pending}

GERING-5

Gage Smith - 1,253 - (2013)

Charles Muhr - 1,030 - (1957)

Josh Swanson - 1,076 - (2010)

Mark Pieper - 1,068 - (2011)

Logan Campbell - 1,015 - (2000)

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

I watched many of these guys play under the direction of Coach Mark McLaughlin and they were all tough as nails and most of them head-knocking, lay-the-wood linebackers. Jacob Tracy was my pick here.

GIBBON-11

Eli Van Matre - 1,547 - (2012, Sr)

Luke Van Metre - 1,357 - (1978)

Jeff Hall - 1,324 - (2014)

Jacob Tracy - 1,312 - (2016, Jr)

Jacob Tracy - 1,268 - (2017, Sr)

Tanner Gideon - 1,236 - (2015)

Sean Hampton - 1,197 - (2018, Soph)

Jeff Montgomery - 1,103 - (1989)

Eli Van Matre - 1,098 - (2010, Jr)

Luke Van Matre - 1,056 - (1977)

Marty Thoman - 1,043 - (1982)

Kevin McConnell - 1,021 - (1975)

Troy Power - 1,005 - (1987)

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

Saw them all since Giltner was just a stone’s throw away. Dave LaBrie really showed me a lot back in the ‘80s.

GILTNER-11

David Preissler - 1,987 - (1987)

Derreck Eastman - 1,880 - (2010)

Dave Labrie - 1,866 - (1984)

Dave Labrie - 1,578 - (1985)

Mike Eastman - 1,338 - (1979)

Max Hawthorne - 1,187 - (1983)

John Cates - 1,183 - (2004)

Jim Smith - 1,104 - (1990)

Jim Smith - 1,058 - (1991)

Nathan Nauman - 1,058 - (1991)

Mike Eastman - 1,004 - (1978)

GORDON-3

Don Coleman - 1,696 - (1976, Sr)

Eric Halverson - 1,021 - (1984)

Don Coleman - 1,003 - (1975, Jr)

GORDON-RUSHVILLE-2

Korby Campbell - 1,658 - (2017)

Kalen Coats - 1,229 - (2011)

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

Well, Jeff Neujahr with his blinding speed was the best, but I have to give high props to Trenton Harbur, who played 6-Man, 8-Man and 11-Man football during his high school career. Harbur gained a thousand yards rushing for 6-Man Stapleton in 2016 then transferred to Gothenburg and pulled it off in the 11-Man game his senior season. Incredible.

GOTHENBURG-9

Jeff Neujahr - 1,910 - (2002)

Bump Novacek - 1,363 - (1984)

Matt Pramberg - 1,224 - (1986)

Landon Haake - 1,180 - (2009, Sr)

Trenton Harbur - 1,163 - (2018, Sr) {1000 for Stapleton/2016}

Justin Wilson - 1,153 - (2006)

Tyler Aden - 1,139 - (2011)

Landon Haake - 1,084 - (2008, Jr)

Zach Wolf - 1,067 - (2014)

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

So many stars for the Islanders over the years! For years I thought my friend Kevin Trosper was the 1st GI runner to break the 1000 yard rushing barrier, but some deadly accurate record keeping turned up the name CLAIRE BOROFF, a true legend as a player and a coach. It was rare that you found many high school rushing stats in this state prior to 1960. Another favorite of mine was the astonishing SCOTT SIEGEL, who knew he was going to get the ball a gazillion times a game…...just like every single Islander opponent. That’s what makes Scott’s school record 1,629 yards mind-boggling. Honest to goodness, Siegel may as well have announced “I’m carrying the ball this play!!” because all 11 players on the other side of the ball knew what was coming.

Last but not least was the spectacular Dusty Stamer, who ended up being one of the fastest humans in the history of this state. Stamer’s :10.21 hundred meters at the NCAA Midwest Regional Meet in 2004 was living proof of that. The biggest thing about Dusty’s 1999 GI football campaign was despite just “fair” blocking” in front of him, he still managed 1,284 rushing yards for a team that never even made the playoffs.

What convinced me of Stamer’s vast talents was his astonishing 182 yardson 19 carries in the 2000 Shrine Bowl. Nobody gains nearly 200 yards rushing in that game, let alone a “too small” 5-10, 165 pound Dusty Stamer. Put Dusty behind Lincoln Southeast’s O-Line in 1999 and he would have gained 2,800 yards.

GRAND ISLAND HIGH-12

Scott Siegel - 1,629 - (2002)

Claire Boroff - 1,299 - (1952)

Dusty Stamer - 1,284 - (1999)

Curtis Hudiburgh - 1,257 - (2008, Sr)

Pete Lewis - 1,188 - (2005, Sr)

Pete Lewis - 1,123 - (2004, Sr)

Jared Goodwin - 1,118 - (2000)

Kevin Trosper- 1,115 - (1984)

Aaron Roberg - 1,102 - (2009)

Ryan Rathjen - 1,069 - (1991)

Stewart Siegel - 1,067 - (1998)

Curtis Hudiburgh - 1,041 - (2007, Jr)

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

There were not many runners better than the amazing Gary Schmidt back in the early ‘70s. Schmidt could have been an All-State selection at ping pong had GICC sported a team back then. You get the picture.

GRAND ISLAND CENTRAL CATHOLIC-12

Gary Schmidt - 1,696 - (1971)

Brady Harrington - 1,510 - (2005)

Joe Liske - 1,289 - (1983)

Tim Golka - 1,217 - (1993)

Steve Nelson - 1,164 - (1980)

Riley Shoemaker - 1,146 - (2012, Sr)

Andrew McCarty - 1,113 - (1998)

Don Daugherty - 1,077 - (1975)

Tim Golka - 1,036 - (1994, Sr)

Riley Shoemaker - 1,028 - (2011, Jr)

Zach Starostka - 1,009 - (2008)

Grant Pfeifer - 1,001 - (1995)

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

How do you pull off Back-to-Back thousand yard rushing seasons for a school that is one year old? Jacob Kreutzer did it. Not only that, but Heartland Lutheran won just TWO games during Kreitzer’s junior and senior seasons for the Red Hornets. Unbelievable. Heartland Lutheran played 8-Man football in those days.

GRAND ISLAND HEARTLAND LUTHERAN-4

Jacob Kreutzer - 1,058 - (2008, Sr)

Jacob Kreutzer - 1,030 (2007, Jr)

Justis Bader - 1,005 - (2019)

Quinston Larsen - 1,004 - (2019, Jr) {1000 yds/Red Cloud/2018}

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

Obviously I’ve seen every thousand yard rusher GI Northwest play live and one common thread exists among them all….physical toughness. Kirk Berggren was obviously the best but had ungodly blocking, the likes of which I haven’t seen in years, but Aaron Cooksley was my fav.

GRAND ISLAND NORTHWEST-10

Kirk Berggren - 1,697 - (1981)

Aaron Cooksley - 1,250 - (2004)

Zach Mader - 1,210 - (1996)

Rich DeMary - 1,112 - (1979)

Adam Cooper - 1,106 - (2017, Jr)

Mark Sims - 1,096 - (1983)

Scott Manning - 1,070 - (1987)

Aaron Cooksley - 1,068 - (2003)

Cody Raile - 1,048 - (2005)

Ty Johnson - 1,022 - (2014)

GRANT-10 - (Now Perkins County)

Elliot Carlson - 1,727 - (2012) {Perkins County}

Wes Fortik - 1,673 - (1985)

Brian Holoway - 1,522 - (1986)

Barry Hansen - 1,499 - (2001)

Tim Schilling - 1,342 - (1979)

Craig Olsen - 1,174 - (1989)

Kris Lueck - 1,161 - (1997)

Kevin Poppe - 1,099 - (1975)

Carey Lowe - 1,063 - (1988)

Wes Fortik - 1,017 - (1986)

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

Mat Korth’s statistics speak for themselves, but the most impressive back I’ve ever seen in a Greeley uniform was the great Gerald Foltz, who was the first back in the entire state to reach a thousand yards rushing in 1977. Also consider the fact, Foltz and friends practiced and played on a football field that was a mixture of dirt with several sandbur patches, which were as close to grass as it got. No wonder Gerald is still a tough son-of-a-gun.

GREELEY-13

Mat Korth - 1,587 - (1998)

Mat Korth - 1,522 - (2000)

Mike Nordhues - 1,393 - (1978)

Tim Burkby - 1,382 - (1980)

Gerald Foltz - 1,337 - (1977)

Chad Sullivan - 1,322 - (1990)

Mat Korth - 1,147 - (1999)

Bill Ryan - 1,028 - (1979)

Gary Murphy - 1,024 - (1984)

Ben Graham - 1,021 - (1996)

Tyler Dugan - 1,021 - (1995)

Larry Wood - 1,020 - (1984)

Kenny Nordhues - 1,009 - (1994)

GREELEY-WOLBACH-2-(w/North Loup/Scotia to form Central Valley)

Dustin Nordhues - 1,746 - (2010)

Damon Poss - 1,164 - (2008)

GRETNA-10

Tanner Tierney - 1,815 - (2017)

Tom Lunzman - 1,624 - (2006)

Michael Krajicek - 1,508 - (2004)

Grant Bruner - 1,432 - (2016)

Brady Nolan - 1,363 - (2003)

Emmitt Knight - 1,348 - (2015)

Tom Lunzman - 1,137 - (2005)

Jesse Calabretto - 1,117 - (1998)

Josh Pleiss - 1,111 - (2000)

Mike Carl - 1,056- (1981)

GUIDE ROCK-4 - (Closed)

Rick Giger - 1,494 - (1981)

Dave Bangert - 1,414 - (1987)

Ryan Conin - 1,176 - (1997, Sr)

Ryan Conin - 1,156 - (1996, Jr)