It doesn’t take long standing on the sidelines at Lewis Central High School to understand why 4-star (HV Rating: 94.9) Husker tight end commit Thomas Fidone is a national recruit. He's knocking on the door of 5-star status for a reason. Every game he makes a “wow” play, which is more impressive from the tight end position.
24-yard TD catch for #Huskers commit @ThomasFidone. His second of the night. Good PAT and @lc_ftbll is up 34-7 with 8:33 left in the game. #iahsfb pic.twitter.com/jgz2a7QgkH
— Greg Smith (@GregSmithHV) September 12, 2020
Fidone has hauled in 17 passes for 382 yards and five touchdowns so far this season. The 22.5 yards per catch average is impressive and it speaks to his big-play ability that can come at any point. In the second game of the season, he set a school record with 236 receiving yards.
Fidone might get you to a Lewis Central game but it’s the rest of the team that gives them a legitimate shot at a state title. I’ve come away impressed with the overall team at Lewis Central at this point in the season.
The Titans have good balance on offense. The entire offense is not just throwing it up to Fidone and hoping for the best. That makes the offense more dangerous overall. Senior running back Logan Katzer has run tough all season. He's racked up 277 yards and four touchdowns on 5.8 yards per carry. Sophomore Jonathan Humpal has also chipped in 115 yards on the ground giving the team a good rushing attack. Humpal, who could be the next star at Lewis Central, has also tallied 137 receiving yards and two scores. He also has 196 yards and a touchdown returning kicks. He’s a great all-around weapon for the team. Quarterback Jonah Pomrenke has steered the ship on offense. He has not thrown an interception yet this season.
Of all the things I like about this Titans team, the defense has been the most surprising. It should not have been surprising given how coach Justin Kammrad describes his program. He wants the Titans to always be known for being good defensively and flying to the football. That is exactly what this team does.
The team speed on defense stands out. Pemrenke, Wyatt Hatcher, Braylon Kammrad and Logan Katzer fly around to make plays. The defensive line has been stout all season. It's built around 2022 defensive lineman—and Power 5 prospect—Hunter Deyo.
After the third game of the season, Hatcher explained the mindset the defense wants to come out with each game.
“I think the energy that we bring just sets the tone for the whole game,” Hatcher said. “We just come out and hit. It really affects the whole game, so we try to set the tone like at the beginning of the game or even in the locker room. It shows when we come out.”
The Titans will be tested more as the season goes along. They’re on the road this week against Carroll in their first away game of the season.
Greg is the Recruiting Analyst for Hail Varsity and has covered Husker athletics since 2013. He has always had a passion for sports while growing up in the Chicago area. As he got older and had to hang up his cleats and sneakers, he realized his passion for sports went beyond just watching and attending games. He has covered many events from the Rose Bowl to championship boxing matches. If he’s not talking sports, he’s hovering over his grill. He is married to an amazing woman, Kim, and they have a dog that barks when Greg yells at the TV during games.
