PRZNE Midseason Report: Class A

Get 30% off your first billing cycle with code: OscarGalindo30 in the coupon code area.   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   Rankings After Week 5:   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/09/11-1.jpg?w=819" alt="" class="wp-image-1921558" style="width:312px;height:auto" /></figure>   Rankings Breakdown:   1 - Millard South (4-1): It has looked extremely easy for the Millard South Patriots, who have not been beaten on a football field this season; however, an NSAA ruling requires the forfeiture of their Week 1 win over Arbor View of Las Vegas (49-7). Through five games, the Millard South Patriots have outscored their opponents 333-14 and have outgained their Nebraska opponents 2,066-72 in total offensive yardage. Alabama commit [player_tooltip player_id='476963' first='Jett' last='Thomalla'] has continued his record-setting ways, recently breaking the All-State passing touchdowns record with his 100th career score. The weapons around him have been virtually unguardable with a great blend of pass catching, RB, and OL talent. The defense is on pace to be one of the best the state has ever seen. Millard South has been the heavy favorite to repeat all season, and with them firing on all cylinders and only one playoff team left on the schedule, it looks like they should cruise into the playoffs.   2 - Elkhorn South (5-0): Riding behind one of the best backs in the state and a stifling defense, the Elkhorn South Storm has rolled to a 5-0 record at the midway point of the regular season. They weathered a tough early-season stretch against 2024 playoff teams, opening with a 30-7 win over Lincoln East, snatching a close 24-17 victory over Bellevue West, and beating North Star 34-6. Since then, they've outscored Grand Island and Omaha South 108-6 in consecutive wins and will face a big test in two weeks when they host Omaha Westside. Senior Fresno State commit [player_tooltip player_id='488108' first='Jaydon' last='Sutko'] has shown that when fully healthy, he's as good as any back in the state with 94 carries for 892 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns, including an insane 300+ yard & 3 TD game against Bellevue West. The passing game has yet to fully find its groove, with split reps between junior [player_tooltip player_id='1581445' first='Charlie' last='Buller'] and sophomore Luke Valasak, but it will have time to establish this aspect before the playoffs get rolling.   3 - Creighton Prep (5-0): The Jr. Jays have been one of the more impressive teams in Class A with a 5-0 record and a strong resume to back it. They have a 42-35 win over De Smet Jesuit of Missouri, a 31-10 win against Lincoln Southeast, and just handed the Papio La Vista their second loss with a 21-10 victory. RB [player_tooltip player_id='1113969' first='Angelo' last='Walker'] has been a workhorse for the Prep offense, carrying the ball 115 times for 601 yards and 11 touchdowns. Senior QB Jack Lammers and senior WR Shelden Goliday have established a solid connection early, with 12 receptions for 154 yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, the Jr Jays are playing complementary ball between the secondary and the front seven that can provide pressure and produce turnovers on the backend. The Jr Jays will have a big matchup with #4 Omaha Central, who is coming off a big win.   4 - Omaha Central (4-1): The Central Eagles are coming off one of the biggest upsets of the season as they took down #2 Omaha Westside with a 31-28 victory that handed the Warriors their first home loss since 2019. This win showcased the high ceiling this team possesses when it can limit mistakes and play to its full potential. Senior QB [player_tooltip player_id='487569' first='BJ' last='Newsome'] has been solid so far this season, having thrown for 631 yards and 10 touchdowns, with only one interception. I was able to watch them in Week 1 against Bellevue West and was impressed with the poise he showed, even when they were down multiple scores, eventually leading them to a win. The trio of [player_tooltip player_id='402156' first='Kaprice' last='Keith'], [player_tooltip player_id='1590700' first='Yasir' last='Grixby'], and [player_tooltip player_id='422820' first='Tory' last='Pittman III'] has given defenses fits with their playmaking ability while also being able to flip around and be key players on defense. Central will still have a few more tests before playoff time as they take on #3 Creighton Prep this week, a fiery Papio-La Vista team, Millard North, and a Fremont team that is outplaying expectations.   5 - Omaha Westside (4-1): The Westside Warriors are looking to reset after suffering an upset loss to #4 Omaha Central and their first regular-season loss since Week 6 of the 2022 season. However, there is no reason to panic as they still have one of the more talented rosters in the state and will now carry a chip on their shoulder from here on out. Westside's MVP through five games has been the electric [player_tooltip player_id='1085158' first='TayTay' last='Jenkins'], who is having another stellar season with 962 rushing yards, 190 receiving yards, 11 rushing touchdowns, and two receiving touchdowns. His shifty running has helped spark the Westside offense and gives them a home run threat whenever he has the ball in his hands. The road won't be easy as the Warriors continue their march towards the playoffs with all four of their remaining opponents having winning records (Fremont, Elkhorn South, Creighton Prep, and Papio La Vista).   6 - Omaha North (3-2): The North Vikings are a team that has a high ceiling but is still looking to find consistency on offense. The Vikings hold impressive wins over Omaha Central (51-20) and Papillion-La Vista South (27-21), but have also dropped games to Westside and a heartbreaker against Kearney. They feature one of the best RB duos with All-State candidate [player_tooltip player_id='487804' first='Jaron' last='Cannon Jr'] and rising sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1590688' first='Michael' last='Valencia Jr'], with Cannon recording 911 yards/11 TDs and Valencia with 205 yards/5 TDs. Their secondary has also been top-tier, featuring Iowa commit [player_tooltip player_id='488174' first='Darion' last='Jones'] and juniors [player_tooltip player_id='547140' first='Re'Aire' last='Washington'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1192553' first='Kordai' last='Richard'], who have recorded six interceptions (2 pick-sixes) as a unit. A week 8 meeting with #9 Bellevue West still looms on the Vikings' schedule, but otherwise, they have favorable matchups.   7 - Papillion-La Vista South (4-1): Outside of a Week 2 loss to Omaha North, the PLV South Titans have been on a tear, outscoring their opponents 186 to 28. The Titans will have to navigate the rest of their schedule without their star RB [player_tooltip player_id='402147' first='Derek' last='Jones'], who looks like he will be missing significant time. Backup Chester Mendoza seems ready to step up to the plate as he answered with a 107-yard and three TD performance against Norfolk. It's challenging to find many instances where a two-QB system has worked out well, but it appears to be working just fine for the Titans, as both [player_tooltip player_id='487566' first='Grant' last='Beckenhauer'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1296778' first='Colin' last='Raybourn'] have been efficient and productive with their opportunities. Although their upcoming opponent, Kearney, is unranked, they can't be overlooked as they have been proven to be spoilers when traveling out east. The season closer against Elkhorn South could be a district-deciding game with tons of playoff implications.   8 - Lincoln East (4-1): The Lincoln East Spartans have been rolling since their season-opening loss to Elkhorn South. They have been playing stingy defense as they've held North Platte, Grand Island, Lincoln Southwest, and Kearney to a total of 13 points. The main driver for their stiff defense is senior DL [player_tooltip player_id='487753' first='Elijah' last='Gutz'], who has already recorded eight sacks to go with 12 TFLs. He's a relentless defender who is just as disruptive as a pass rusher as he is against the run. The junior LB duo of [player_tooltip player_id='1085162' first='Will' last='Manning'] and [player_tooltip player_id='644078' first='Colton' last='Tucker'] has also been dominant, as both backers have recorded at least 50 tackles. An end-of-season matchup against rival Lincoln Southwest is one to watch, as they will be playing for city bragging rights and possibly the district championship.   9 - Bellevue West (2-3): Bellevue West is a tough team to evaluate as their record doesn't pass the eye test, sitting at 2-3, but when you peel back the resume, you see the bigger picture. The Thunderbirds have faced three of the top teams in Class A, and all of them came down to one score: Omaha Central 29-28, Elkhorn South 24-17, and Omaha Westside 29-21. Their two wins have come by a total score of 127-0, and they have talent all across the board, so it's hard to give up on this team just yet. At the center is Northern Iowa QB commit [player_tooltip player_id='487557' first='Will' last='Anderson'], who has been great so far with 1,153 passing yards and 14 passing touchdowns while completing an efficient 65% of his passes. Junior WR Bryce Johnson Jr has also been a nice surprise this season as he's broken out with 23 receptions for 596 yards and six touchdowns. Their last major test still awaits them with a Week 8 district game against Omaha North.   10 - Columbus (4-1): There were several directions I could've gone here, but it's hard to deny a Discoverers squad that has taken care of business every week. Their only loss came at the hands of Class A powerhouse Omaha Westside, but they have taken down a one-loss Fremont and a solid Norfolk team. They have had a balanced attack with several players contributing on both offense and defense. Three players have over 200 rushing yards and multiple touchdowns (Carter Eisenmann, [player_tooltip player_id='488214' first='Michael' last='Voichoskie'], and [player_tooltip player_id='1683777' first='Evvann' last='Daniels']). The backend of the schedule won't be easy, as the Discoverers will have to travel to #8 Lincoln East and host a playoff-caliber squad in Kearney.   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   Make sure to follow @PRZ_OscarG for more news on Nebraska and Iowa HS recruiting.

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