Hail Varsity was on the scene Friday night at Papillon-La Vista High School as the Monarchs took on the Elkhorn South Storm. Papio entered the game with a 2-2 record, but won its last two games. Elkhorn South, the fourth-ranked team in Class A, entered with a 3-1 record. Unfortunately for the home team, the game ended up not being close. The Storm won 41-17 behind a powerful running attack.
Here are five thoughts from the matchup.
Elkhorn South Offensive Line has Jelled
I saw the Storm play their season opener about a month ago. Their line was good that night, but against Papillion-La Vista? They dominated the game. The team racked up over 400 yards on the ground and were in true grind-out mode. By my count, the team only passed the ball seven times all game. The way the rushing attack was humming it didn’t need to throw it that many times. The Storm scored on five of six drives that the first-team offensive line was on the field.
Many Ball Carriers Contributed
Most times when teams have a powerful rushing attack like the Storm displayed, there is just one feature back doing most of the damage. That was not the case for the team on Friday night. Sophomore Cole Ballard set the tone, leading the team in rushing, but Trevor Winterstein, Bo Wieseler, Makhi Nelson-Douglas and quarterback Dilan Krause all did damage. Check out this nice touchdown run from Winterstein.
Really nice 12-yard TD run for Trevor Winterstein for the Storm. Good PAT and @ESStormFootball leads it 28-17 with 1:33 left in the half. #nebpreps pic.twitter.com/bpPOS9rxjE
— Greg Smith (@GregSmithHV) September 26, 2020
Money is the Real Deal
There is a new name to watch for the 2022 recruiting class in Nebraska: wide receiver Tyson Money from Papillion-La Vista. He is a good football player. Standing at 5-foot-11 and 175 pounds, he made his presence felt right away with a 78-yard touchdown on a go route. In the second quarter he did it again with an 81-yard touchdown catch. Keep an eye on Money’s development. The Huskers are in contact with him and continue to check his film.
Nelson-Douglas is a Difference Maker
The first time I saw the Storm play, they were without senior linebacker Makhi Nelson-Douglas. He’s their best defender so it makes sense that the defense should look much improved with him out there. Nelson-Douglas, a Northern Illinois commit, is disruptive out there as an outside linebacker. He sets the edge well and is active in pass rush. He’s a well-built player too at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds. He could have a great career for the Huskies in college.
Prochazka Dominates on Offensive Line
Nebraska 4-star offensive tackle commit Teddy Prochazka played less defense tonight than I’m used to seeing when I check out the Storm. I think keeping him fresher for the offensive line allowed him to dominate the game more. Prochazka is an imposing player standing at 6-foot-9 and 300 pounds. The thing that impressed me most about him on Friday night was his ability to pull. He’s quick for his size which is a real asset in the run game for his team. That’s also part of the scheme at Nebraska so it will help him down the road too.
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.
