Week Eight Friday Night Lights Football Heroes

11-Man

*****5000 Yard Career Rusher Alert*****

**2000 Yard Rusher Alert* - 2nd Time Around

*Conor Booth-Bishop Neumann - Unbelievable! THREE Nebraska high school running backs surpassing the 5000 yard career rushing mark the past three weeks. Just remarkable. In Neumann's 55-24 conquest of Lincoln Lutheran, Conor bolted for 260 yards and six touchdowns on 28 carries, raising his 2024 rushing total to 2,061 yards and 38 TDs, his SECOND straight season topping the 2000 yard rushing plateau. Booth has carried just 159 times for a mind-boggling 13 yards a pop this season..

Conor Booth’s Career Rushing Stats read: 5,198 yards on 38 carries in 35 games. NOW, he only played in 7 games as a freshman, carrying the ball 3 times for 14 yards.

So, in reality, Conor has run for all but those 14 yards (5,184) in THREE years/28 Games). Carrying THAT many times and still averaging 11.9 yards every single time he touches the ball is difficult to grasp. Unless you’ve seen him play.

I’ve seen Conor play twice and the yards after contact are something to behold. This young man is one of the finest 11-Man running backs I've seen in all my years of watching this game.

*Brady Eichelberger, Pryor Mathews-O’Neill - Senior Brady Eichelberger was sensational in O'Neill's 32-13 victory over Columbus Scotus. Eichelberger ran for 160 yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries in the Eagles big victory, which kept them undefeated going into the season closer at home against undefeated Columbus Lakeview. Pryor Mathews was also a force in the game, catching 2 passes for 35 yards, and making 11 tackles on defense, three of which were for losses, Pryor also had a 50 yard Pick Six that put the game out of reach with 1:21 left in the contest.

*Joseph Kolega-Omaha Skutt Catholic - It might be a safe assumption to say that Joseph Kolega did everything but drive the bus to the game and Skutt’s 38-30 victory over Bennington, a victory that snapped the Badgers 46 game win streak. Kolega caught 11 passes for a massive 215 yards with TDs covering 36 and 59 yards. He also kicked a 25 yard field goal which appeared to be the game winner at the time. BUT on Bennington’s next possession, Kolega picked off a pass and raced 25 yards for a touchdown and the ultimate win clincher. The Pick Six was one of two interceptions on the night for the SkyHawk standout.

This season Joseph has caught 47 passes for 1,025 yards with 15 touchdowns. BALLER!

*1000 Yard Rusher Alert*

*Kyler Boyles-Superior - 5-9, 195 pound junior ran for 130 yards on 21 carries and scored both touchdowns for Superior in a 42-14 loss to Wood River. Boyles 130 yards raises him over the 1000 yard rushing mark for 3-5 Superior. Kyler now has 1,066 yards. GICC is the only team to hold Boyles under a hundred yards rushing this season.

*1000 Yard Rusher Alert*

*Tay Tay Jenkins -Omaha Westside - 5-9, 170 pound sophomore exploded for 244 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries in Westside’s 47-7 victory over Omaha Creighton Prep. Jenkins big night lifts him over the 1000 yard rushing mark for the season. Tay Tay’s rushing total currently stands at 1,039 yards with one regular season game remaining.

*1000 Yard Rusher Alert*

*Tieran Cox-Syracuse - Eleven carries, 135 yards, and one touchdown raised Cox's season rushing total to 1,012 yards in a 21 to 14 loss to Auburn. Cox became the first 1000 yard rusher since the great Jake Weller set the school rushing record of 1,632 yards back in 2008..

*1000 Yard Rusher Alert*

*Orrin Kuehn-Minden - 16 carries for 53 yards and no touchdowns in a 32-0 loss to Gothenburg. Big deal right? It sure was to Orrin Kuehn, whose 53 yards raised him over the 1000 yard rushing mark for the season. Orrin’s rushing total now stands at 1,012 yards. Congratulations to Orrin Kuehn of Minden and welcome to the Bobby Mills 1000 Yard Club!

*1000 Yard Rusher Alert*

*Derek Jones-Papillion LaVista South - The Titans junior running back scampered for 180 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries in a 47-8 victory over Omaha Burke. Derek Jones now has 1,011 yards rushing for the season.

*1000 Yard Rusher Alert*

*Tristan Campbell-McCook - 70 yards on 19 carries in a 20-14 loss to Scottsbluff was enough to get the 5-9,155 pound junior over the 1000 yard mark, 1,006 yards to be exact.

*1000 Yard Rusher Alert*

*Isaiah Morgan-Omaha Bryan - Hard running senior snuck over the 1000 yard mark by gaining 118 yards on 26 carries in the Bears 28-8 loss to Lincoln East. Morgan becomes the first Omaha Bryan running back to break the 1000 yard mark since Jeremy Wallace turned the trick in 2007 ( 1,171 yards). Isaiah is at 1,001 yards for the 2-6 Bryan Bears. I’m impressed.

8-Man/6-Man

*1000 Yard Rusher Alert* - 2nd Time Around

*Jack Molt, Chargers “D”-Riverside - Swiss Army Knife Jack Molt went over the 1000 yard rushing mark in Riverside’s 54-6 win over Fullerton. The Riverside speed burner rushed 11 times for 122 yards with a 65 yard touchdown. That raises his 2024 rushing total to 1,092 yards with 16 touchdowns. On defense, he made 7 tackles, blocked a punt, intercepted a pass and took a 45 yard punt return to the house. Speaking of defense, Riverside's defense held Fullerton to 156 total yards for the game.

Riverside, the #4 seed in the D-2 East, will host 4-4 Winside Thursday at 5:00.

*Jace Schukar-Loomis - Rushed for 180 yards and 3 TDs in the Wolves 28-26 win over then unbeaten Overton. Unbeaten Loomis, the #1 seed in the Class D-2 West Playoff division opening round, will host 3-5 Twin River this Thursday at 7pm

*Quin Oberg-Elm Creek - 5-10, 170 pound junior rushed 33 times for 197 yards, caught 3 passes for 75 yards with two touchdowns, returned a kickoff 75 yards for a score and made 11 tackles on defense in the Buffaloes 34-30 win over Wilcox-Hildreth. Elm Creek (3-5//#14 seed) will travel to Wolbach Thursday to meet 8-0 Central Valley at 7:00 in the opening round of the D- 2 playoffs.

**1000 Yard Rusher Alert*

*Luke Bailey, Owen Cunnigham-Ansley-Litchfield - 6-4, 180 pound senior QB Luke Bailey did it all in Ansley-Litchfield’s 67-37 win over Hampton. Bailey rushed for 140 yards on 14 carries with touchdown runs of 4, 5 and 42 yards, raising his 2024 rushing total to 1,012 yards. The talented quarterback also completed 8 of 13 passes for 174 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught a touchdown pass covering 11 yards. On defense Bailey had 7 tackles and FOUR interceptions and on special teams he returned to punt 56 yards for a touchdown..

Owen Cunningham rushed for 108 yards on 14 carries with touchdown runs of 6, one, and 48 yards. He also was 2 for 2 passing for 22 yards and a touchdown and caught 4 passes from Bailey for 99 yards including a sparkling 68 yard touchdown reception. Cunningham was also a menace on defense to Hampton, making 18 tackles.

*School Rushing Record*

*Paydon Rinkol-Twin River - Talented senior concluded his career with a 230 yard on 30 carries and two touchdowns rushing performance in Twin River’s 40-0 victory over Humphrey Lindsey. Rinkol finished this season with 1,597 yards on 216 carries and 23 TDs. Paydon set the single season rushing record at Twin River with those 1,597 big ones and also set a new Career rushing mark with his 2,790 yards and 38 TDs.

NOW, we know that no runner eclipses that magic 1000 yard rushing mark without an O-Line that opens those holes. So let’s salute that Titan offensive line!

Left End: Braedyn Ramaekers (6-0, 165, Soph), Left Guard: Dominick Dohmen (6-0, 165, Soph) and Chayse Brandenburger (6-2, 210, Sr) (They rotate every play), Center: Carter Green (5-11, 210, Sr),

Right Guard: Garret Alexander (6-0, 230, Sr) and Right End: Lane Lund (6-1, 175, Sr).

And a special shout out to Head Coach Kalin Koch, former Winside standout who rushed for 1,067 yards back in 2008. Coach Koch led Twin River to their first winning record( 5-3) in school history. It is unfortunate the Titans are not eligible for post-season play this season.

*Coy Wickersham, Cash Wickersham-Niobrara-Verdigre - Junior QB Cash Wickersham score both N/V touchdowns on runs of one and three yards, plus a double PAT in Niobrara-Verdigre’s 16-14 victory over Wausa/Osmond. Bigger yet was Coy Wickersham’s blocked punt that rolled out of Wausa/Osmond’s endzone for a SAFETY, the margin of victory in the game The season finale win raised the Cougars record to 3-5 and secured the FINAL playoff slot in the Class D-1 East playoff field.