Pass-Catchers to Watch During Sub-State: Class 3A-Eight-Man

While Classes 6A through 4A do boast some of the top pass-catchers in the state, the talent doesn't stop at those classification levels. There are still several skilled wideouts from the lower classification levels that will be fighting to help lead their teams to Championship Saturday. Here's a preview of some from Class 3A all the way to the 8-Man ranks.   Class 3A Sub-State   [player_tooltip player_id='1115098' first='Matt' last='Newhouse'] - Wellsville, 5'6”, 140, Class of ‘25   Our staff has recognized Newhouse a few times this year for his kicking ability, but his play at receiver hasn't been talked about enough. He's the leading receiver for undefeated Wellsville with 31 receptions for 558 yards and five touchdowns. Look for him to make an impact in all three phases of Wellsville's matchup against Hayden.   [player_tooltip player_id='716116' first='Jensen' last='Schrickel'] - Hayden, 5'9”, 145, Class of ‘25   That same matchup between Wellsville and Hayden features one of the top pound-for-pound playmakers in the state. Schrickel has been an intricate piece in Hayden's offense the past few seasons, and his Sectional Round performance was yet another example of that. The senior caught five passes for 192 yards and chipped in 124 yards on the ground. He also accounted for seven total touchdowns.   [player_tooltip player_id='1433319' first='Cooper' last='Cranston'] - Holcomb, 6'0”, 180, Class of ‘28   One Holcomb pass-catcher was featured earlier this week during our site's Sub-State previews, but there's another to look out for as well. Freshman wideout [player_tooltip player_id='1433319' first='Cooper' last='Cranston'] has been a nice surprise for the Longhorns this season, as he's quietly been their leading receiver. He heads into his first state semifinal game with 18 catches for 390 yards and six scores.   Class 2A Sub-State   [player_tooltip player_id='1366516' first='Landon' last='Dody'] - Council Grove, 5'10”, 180, Class of ‘25   Not only does Dody lead Council Grove in total tackles, but he's also their leading receiver. Through 11 games Dody has racked up 521 yards on 30 receptions and has scored three times. The Braves will need the senior to shine on both sides of the ball in order to take down reigning Class 2A state champion Nemaha Central.   [player_tooltip player_id='1229114' first='Caleb' last='Strathman'] - Nemaha Central, 5'10”, 160, Class of ‘26   Outside of [player_tooltip player_id='780500' first='Carter' last='Hajek'], another junior that could help lead Nemaha Central to their third straight state title appearance is Strathman. He's the Thunder's leading receiver with 30 catches for 387 yards and four scores. Strathman has also rushed for nearly 180 yards on 16 carries this season.   [player_tooltip player_id='1552996' first='Tucker' last='Thaxton'] - Southeast of Saline, 6'0”, 170, Class of ‘25   SE of Saline has been one of the more dominant programs from Class 2A the past two seasons, but they've unfortunately not been unable to advance to Championship Saturday. However, this could be the year they get over the hump, and Thaxton is a player that can help lead them to the promise land. The senior's led Saline in receiving by a wide margin this season. He enters a Sub-State matchup against Beloit with 66 catches for 868 yards and 13 touchdowns.   Class 1A Sub-State   [player_tooltip player_id='1229118' first='Jack' last='Donovan'] - Rossville, 5'11”, 165, Class of ‘26   While most Class 1A programs favor their ground game, Rossville is one that also likes to test defenses with their passing attack. Donovan has been Rossville's top target this season, and he'll be key in the Bulldogs' matchup against Centralia. He didn't see much work in Rossville's first two postseason victories, but he did come up big during Sectionals with five catches for 130 yards and one score.   8-Man Sub-State   [player_tooltip player_id='1215327' first='JT' last='Prusa'] - South Central, 5'9”, 165   Prusa has had a phenomenal senior campaign, and is a big reason why the South Central Timberwolves head into Sub-State unbeaten. He's amassed over 1,500 yards of total offense this season, with 539 of that coming from catching passes. His dual-threat ability has been pivotal in South Central's improvement the past few seasons, and he's determined to help lead the Timberwolves back to state.   [player_tooltip player_id='1616000' first='Connor' last='Wilson'] - Dighton, 6'1”, 170, Class of ‘27, Unranked   The Dighton Hornets will be looking for payback when they face Victoria in the 8-Man D-II Sub-State Round. Victoria got the best of the Hornets in 2023, but this year could be different thanks to the emergence of sophomore, [player_tooltip player_id='1616000' first='Connor' last='Wilson']. Through 11 games Wilson leads Dighton with 353 receiving yards and nine receiving touchdowns. The sophomore has recorded the second most total tackles for Dighton this season as well.

While Classes 6A through 4A do boast some of the top pass-catchers in the state, the talent doesn't stop at those classification levels. There are still several skilled wideouts from the lower classification levels that will be fighting to help lead their teams to Championship Saturday. Here's a preview of some from Class 3A all the way to the 8-Man ranks.