With the 2022 Nebraska high school football season half over, several of the Cornhusker State's top talents are playing at a high level.
South Sioux City and Omaha South lit up the scoreboard last weekend when the Cardinals edged the Packers 67-60. This week, the pinball numbers produced in that contest are lighting up our Top 10 Nebraska high school football performances on offense.
Omaha South signal-caller Daeshawn Tolbert, who sits No. 2 in this week's Top 10, and his Cardinal counterpart No. 3 Darrius Helms entertained fans by throwing for 924 yards and 11 touchdowns collectively in that 127-point showdown. On the other end of 20 aerials collectively were Omaha South's Aric Thomas, our No. 5 selection, and No. 10 Josh Sheard, also a Packer, who combined for 501 yards in receptions and seven scores.
Helms went through the air by committee, connecting with four different Cardinal receivers that reeled in at least 90 yards of receptions each and five scores collectively.
A pair of running backs grabbed the No. 1 and No. 5 spots when Exeter-Milligan/Friend star Breckan Schluter rambled for 460 yards and eight touchdowns and Keaton Karr of Silver Lake raced for 354 yards and five scores respectively. Thomas is the only athlete to grab two spots this week after he caught nine balls for 244 yards and four scores in Omaha' South's 48-7 win over Council Bluffs Jefferson (IA) Sept. 2.
Two athletes that were not included in this week's Top 10 that certainly produced high enough on the gridiron to be considered were Grayson Bouwman of Fort Calhoun, who caught seven passes for 228 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Nebraska City, and Raymond Central's Isaak Fredrickson who reeled in six aerials for 206 yards and three scores in a loss to Wayne.
Classes A, C1, C2, D1 and D2 are all represented in this week's Top 10. But plenty of Class B and Class D6 athletes performed at a high level as well. Northwest signal caller Austin Payne completed 29 of 43 passes for 400 yards and a pair of touchdowns in a 21-16 loss to Omaha Skutt Catholic Sept. 2 to headline Class B while Harvard's Xavier Marburger represented Class D6 with 14 carries for 262 yards and seven touchdowns in a 55-25 win over Santee Sept. 2.
Daeshawn Tolbert, Omaha South
Photo: Samuel Mfinanga
1. Breckan Schluter, Exeter-Milligan/Friend (Exeter)
36 Carries | 460 Yards | 12.8 Average Per Carry | 8 Touchdowns
In a 74-61 win over Freeman, Sept. 16.
2. Daeshawn Tolbert, Omaha South (Omaha)23 Completions | 47 Passes | 497 Yards | 21.6 Yards Per Completion | 6 Touchdowns
In a 67-60 loss to South Sioux City, Sept. 16.
3. Darrius Helms, South Sioux City 23 Completions | 33 Passes | 427 Yards | 18.6 Yards Per Completion | 5 Touchdowns
In a 67-60 win over Omaha South, Sept. 16.
4. Keaton Karr, Silver Lake (Roseland) 36 Carries | 354 Yards | 9.8 Yards Per Carry | 5 Touchdowns
In a 60-36 win over Palmer, Aug. 26.
13 Catches | 282 Yards | 21.7 Yards Per Catch | 4 Touchdowns
In a 67-60 loss to South Sioux City, Sept. 16.
6. Caleb Paulk, Wood River7 Catches | 271 Yards | 38.7 Yards Per Catch | 4 Touchdowns
In a 44-20 win over Gibbon, Sept. 2.
7. Aric Thomas, Omaha South 9 Catches | 244 Yards | 27.1 Yards Per Catch | 4 Touchdowns
In a 48-7 win over Jefferson, Sept. 2.
8. Jackson Martin, Fairbury 10 Catches | 217 Yards | 21.7 Yards Per Catch | 4 Touchdowns
In a 62-6 win over Schuyler, Sept. 9.
9. Wyatt Jelinek, Raymond Central (Raymond, Neb.) 15 Completions | 28 Passes | 427 Yards | 28.5 Yards Per Completion | 4 Touchdowns
In a 27-26 loss to Wayne, Sept. 16.
10. Dylan Sheard, Omaha South7 Catches | 219 Yards | 31.3 Yards Per Catch | 3 Touchdowns
In a 67-60 loss to South Sioux City, Sept. 16.
