@HuskerlandBob Sez: Today's Throwback revolves around the 2012 Huskerland Top 225, or at least the Class C-1 seniors for that season. Lots of great names on this list but for me I tend to start at the bottom and go up, basically to see how badly I missed on some of these rankings. Ugh.
For instance, nobody needs to remind Wahoo superstar Tyler Kavan he was only third on this list. Nobody, OK?
Great memories, hope you enjoy...Huskerland Bob
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1. Jordan Bellar, QB-P, Norfolk Catholic. 6-0, 165. Other stats NA. The defending C-1 player of the year, Bellar has quarterbacked NC to consecutive state titles and has lost one game in his high school career, that in a state final as a freshman. Last season passed for 1,460 yards and 11 TDs, rushed for 563 more and punted for a 40.1 average.
2. Jake Fowler, RB, Adams Central. 5-10, 190. Bench - 225, Squat - 430, 40 - 4.7. After leading the Patriots to the 2011 Class B playoff semifinals, Fowler takes his show to C-1 where he should be a dominant runner, just like last year. Finished the season as an all-stater, rushing for 1,764 yards and scoring 21 touchdowns.,
3. Tyler Kavan, RB-DB, Wahoo. Bench - 285, Squat - 315, 40 - 4.6. Wahoo was one of great stories of last football season - one returning starter, nine wins - and Kavan was the ringleader. A returning all-stater he finished 2011 with 1,895 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns. Great burst and tough to bring down on the first hit.
4. Preston Luedtke, RB-DB, Columbus Lakeview. Bench - 240, Squat - 250, 40 - NA. There might not be a player in any class who can hurt you more ways than Luedtke. Not only did he last year lead the team in rushing (945 yards), scoring (121 points) and interceptions (6), he was second in tackles (92) and was the team’s punter and kicker. Oh, and he’s the best return guy in C-1. Other than that, he’s worthless.
5. Conner Ketter, TE-DE, Norfolk Catholic. 6-5, 220. Bench - 260, Squat - 400, 40 - 4.8. A returning all-stater, Ketter has great size and ball skills, making him a prime target in the Knights passing attack. Also strong on the edge defensively, where he’s seldom blocked.
6. Nate Meier, RB-QB-LB, Pierce. 5-10, 195. Bench - 285, Squat - 400, 40 - 4.6. Rub-some-dirt-on-it tough, Meier is a classic high school football star. Not headed to Division I, not likely, but has great instincts, vision and desire, says head coach Mark Brahmer. Will play mostly running back but gets snaps at quarterback, too. “He may be the best all-around player I’ve coached,” says Brahmer, and at Pierce, that means a lot.
7. Riley Shoemaker, QB-DB, Grand Island Central Catholic. 6-0, 180. Bench - 235, Squat - 370, 40 - 4.6. Maybe the quickest to the hole of any skill player in C-1, Shoemaker is an explosive runner (1,022 yards, 14 TDs), who can pass (713 yards, 4 TDs) and is a great tackler at DB (57 solos in 2011).
8. Jesse Ackerman, TE-LB, Adams Central. 6-2, 210. Bench - 250, Squat - 480, 40 - 4.8. Strong and aggressive, Ackerman is going to control the middle of the field from his linebacker position, last year finishing with 111 solo tackles on his way to making Class B all-district. Could well make that Class C-1 all-state in 2012.
9 . A l e x Lowe, TE-LB, Kearney Catholic. 6-1, 215. Bench - 235, Squat - 450, 40 - 4.7. Class C-2’s leading tackler in 2011 (128 solos, 322 total points), Lowe is an excellent athlete with great instincts for the position of linebacker. “Alex also has good speed and gets to the football with an attitude,” says KC head coach Dave Colling.
10. Austin Powell, L-DL, Lincoln Christian. 6-3, 250. Other stats NA. A returning all-district player from Lincoln Christian’s Class C-2 state semifinal team, Powell really came into his own in 2011. “He’s an intense, dominant player who will out-work anybody he comes up against,” says LC head coach Matt Farup.
11. Trey Scott, RB, Boys Town. 5-11, 195. Other stats NA. Another case where this ranking could look pretty silly by year’s end. In part-time action last year Scott, who has a great combination of speed, strength and elusiveness, says head coach Kevin Kush, rushed for 443 yards, including an 81-yarder. He will be the Cowboys’ main man in 2012 and could easily triple that yardage figure.
12. Jonathan Abbott, QB-DB, Wahoo. 6-1, 175. Other stats NA. Made it count his first year at the controls, rushing for 609 yards and 15 touchdowns, passing for 923 yards and 11 TDs, and showing great leadership skills as Wahoo advanced to the playoff quarterfinals. Also a ball hawk on defense, he picked off five passes.
13. Jacob Kramer, C-DL, Boys Town. 6-2, 250. Bench - 305, Squat - 485, 40 - NA. Injured, he missed the 2011 season but he’s a strong, outstanding athlete who should be a dominant player on both sides of scrimmage. “We feel like Jacob should be one of the best centers in C-1,” says Boys Town head coach Kevin Kush.
14. Nathan Hinrichs, T-DE, Adams Central. 6-4, 240. Bench - 295, Squat - 440, 40 - 4.9. Improved by leaps and bounds in 2011, to the point where at season’s end he was maybe the best lineman for the Class B semifinalist, earning all-state honorable mention.
15. (tie) David Squiers, L-DL, Kearney Catholic. 6-3, 260. Bench - 250, Squat - 450, 40 - 5.1. A returning C-2 all-stater, Squiers has a good combination of size and strength and agility, which makes him an outstanding lineman on both sides of the ball. 15. (tie) Austin Lowery, L-DL, Kearney Catholic. 6-0, 250. Bench - 250, Squat - 385, 40 - 4.9. A strong defender in the middle of the line, Lowery has great hands and feet, able to fend off blockers to make the play, even when double-teamed. He’s also an outstanding guard on offense.
16. James Rathjen, RB, Fort Calhoun. 6-0, 190. Bench - 260, Squat - 385, 40 - 4.6. Rathjen last season set a school record by rushing for 1,431 yards and scored 12 TDs in the process, earning first-team all-district. “James has breakaway speed for a big back, plus he’s got great vision,” says Fort Calhoun head coach Michael Huffman. “He rarely gets tackled by the first defender.”
17. Anthony Graesser, RB-LB, Sandy Creek. 6-1, 200. Other stats NA. Powerfully built and fast enough to turn the corner, Graesser last year rushed for 1,246 yards and 16 TDs last season, earning first-team all-district honors. Also a strong linebacker, he totaled 70 tackles last season.
18. Aaron Hanlin, G-DE, Pierce. 5-11, 190. Bench - 270, Squat - 390, 40 - 4.8. Fast, tough and dependable, you’d be wise to not short-change Hanlin based on his lack of lineman size. Fact is, he’s a great blocker who uses great technique and leverage to get the job done.
18. Chandler Folkerts, T-DE, Milford. 6-7, 245. Other stats NA. We could be too low here, too, as Folkerts has become a force in both lines. A returning all-district and all-state honorable mention player in 2011, there’s no reason to believe he won’t be one of the very best in C-1 this fall.
19. Tanner Mazour, QB-DB, Boone Central. 5-8, 165. Bench - 260, Squat - 440, 40 - 4.6. Quick and athletic, Mazour also has great football instincts, says Boone head coach Arnie Johnson. Mazour goes for three thousand-yard passing seasons in a row, after last year throwing for 1,250 yards and eight TDs, to go with his 409 rushing yards and seven touchdowns.
20. Zach Reeves, L-DL, Central City. 6-3, 270. Bench - 300, Squat - 400, 40 - 5.0. A dominant defensive player - it’ll take two guys to move him - Reeves played at an all-state level last season, helping the Bison to just their second playoff berth since 1989. Remember this name, it’s gonna come up later...
21. Cord Huettner, RB-DL, Falls City. 6-2, 215. Bench - 250, Squat - 420, 40 - 4.8. Off most radars, down there in the southeast corner of the state on a winless team, Huettner played like a champ again last season. Earning all-district honors for a second straight season, he’s another guy worth keeping your eye on this fall.
22. Kyle Schaefer, RB-LB, Norfolk Catholic. 5-10, 195. Other stats NA. An honorable mention all-state and all-district linebacker last season, he will become the defending state champs’ go-to back and should put up big numbers.
23. Trent Osnes, FB-LB, Valentine. 6-1, 210. Bench - NA, Squat - 400, 40 - 4.8. A leader and all-district performer on one of C-1’s best defenses last fall, Osnes has led Valentine in tackles each of the past two seasons. He finished last season with 152 tackles, nine for loss and three sacks.
23. Foster Zlab, QB-LB, Wilber-Clat4nia. 6-2, 190. Bench - 240, Squat - 375, 40 - 4.6. After an injury-riddled 2011, Zlab is fully healthy and ready to resume his role as an outstanding two-way player. “Foster has tremendous physical skills and is an incredible hitter on defense; he could play either side in college,” says W-C head coach Lynn Jurgens.
25. Brian Husmann, WR-CB, Kearney Catholic. 6-0, 190. Bench - 245, Squat - 375, 40 - 4.7. Lots of Kearney Catholic guys on this list but, honestly, how do you leave a guy with 11 INTs off the list? Husmann is also an outstanding receiver, having caught 23 passes for 381 yards and five TDs.
26. Riley Knake, WB-LB, Norfolk Catholic. 6-4, 185. Other stats NA. An outstanding all-around athlete - he was all-state honorable mention in both football and basketball - Knake covers a lot of ground as a linebacker and as a receiver he caught 26 passes for 333 yards.
27. Austin Havlena, RB-DB, David City. 5-10, 180. Bench - 220, Squat - 385, 40 - NA. A first-year starter in 2011, Havlena had the proverbial breakout season, rushing for 1,311 yards and 11 TDs, and also proving to be a good kick returner.
28. Clayton Lange, L-DL, Ord. 6-2, 265. Bench - 330, Squat - 450, 40 - NA. A two-time all-district player who is getting some Division I attention, Lange is a dominant player at the line of scrimmage. “He is physical, strong and has a great motor,” says Ord head coach Mark Hagge. “And just as important he’s a great leader for our team.”
29. Eli Van Matre, RB-LB, Gibbon. 5-8, 140. Bench - 165, Squat - 335, 40 - 4.8. Now would be a good time to remind you all this list isn’t designed for just Division I prospects. Van Matre ain’t big but he’s all football. A fearless runner between the tackles, he’s rushed for over 2,000 yards in his career and has twice been named all-district.
30. (tie) Dylan Jaskulski, L-DL, Wahoo. 6-2, 230. Other stats NA. All-district and all-honorable mention in 2011; somebody had to be blocking, with Kavan and Abbot doing all that damage. “Dylan is a true warrior, somebody we see as a dominant lineman on both sides of the ball,” says Wahoo head coach Chad Fox.
30. (tie) Ryan Chramosta, RB-DB, Minden. Other stats NA. Overshadowed by last year’s brilliant senior class, Chramosta went about his business, earning all-district honors as a defensive back on a Whippet team which reached the C-1 semifinals. This season he becomes more of an offensive factor, where he should excel.
30. (tie) Pat Knott, RB-LB, Ogallala. 6-1, 205. Bench - 315, Squat - 405, 40 - 4.9. An excellent two-way player, an all-district pick in 2011, Knott has the potential be dominant on both sides of the ball this fall, says his head coach, Jeff McBride.
30. Marshall Oetting, QB-DB, Lincoln Lutheran. 5-9, 155. Other stats NA. OK, so he’s small, but he makes big plays in an offense bent on passing the football. Last season Oetting passed for 1,883 yards and 22 TDs, with only eight interceptions.
30. (tie) Beau Bremer, T-DE, Boone Central. 6-6, 220. Bench - 240, Squat - 400, 40 - 4.9. OK, this is a little ridiculous, a six-way tie for 30th, but I just couldn’t leave these guys off the list. As for Bremer, he’s tall, rangy, country strong. “Beau has the capability to block anybody he comes up against and is a force in the defensive line,” says Boone Central head coach Arnie Johnson. See, how can I leave a guy like THAT off?! 2012 Nebraska High School Football Preview
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