Waddell leads Collegiate into Class 3A football semifinals
Norton’s defensive game plan in the Class 3A quarterfinal at Collegiate on Saturday was centered on stopping running back Nathan Burgoyne.
Norton sent two defenders after Burgoyne, who entered the game with 1,339 rushing yards, nearly 900 more than the Spartans’ next-best rusher, quarterback Austin Waddell. Norton held Burgoyne in check, keeping him at 95 yards and one rushing touchdown.
“We were able to stop No. 25 (Burgoyne), just couldn’t stop 18 (Waddell),” Norton coach Lucas Melvin said.
Waddell showcased his running ability to the tune of 156 yards and four touchdowns as Collegiate beat Norton 66-25.
Collegiate (12-0) will play at Halstead (12-0) on Friday in the 3A semifinals.
“(Burgoyne) has scored 37 touchdowns, he’s our No. 1 ballcarrier.… we’ve been waiting for people to take him away all year long,” Collegiate coach Mike Gehrer said.
The Spartans utilized assistant coach Bill Messamore’s backup plan by running Waddell. He had 20 carries, a fourth of his total in the previous 11 games.
It’s easy to look at Waddell as a passing threat first and foremost. He has completed 84 of 134 passes for 1,649 yards, including 163 yards and two touchdowns Saturday. But he runs with surprising speed.
“He’s picking up seven, eight, nine yards a carry,” Gehrer said. “Then all of a sudden it becomes a ground-control ballgame.”
Waddell’s first touchdown was a 24-yard run. He rolled out to his left to pass, but a huge hole opened to his right and he raced through it and past the defense.
On his final touchdown of the first half, Burgoyne lined up near his left side. Waddell faked a handoff and then Burgoyne stood at about the 15 watching as Waddell stunned the defense again with a 10-yard touchdown run.
“They overflowed with Nathan,” Waddell said. “It left the backside open for me. When our big guys are pulling up front, blocking really well for me, it allows me to get out in space and do what I do.”
Collegiate’s Jacob Pfeifer blocked a punt but the Spartans came up empty from the Norton 14 on their first possession. But they scored on their next eight.
They included a 96-yard kickoff return by Cody McNerney and a 51-yard interception return by Jack Larsen.
Collegiate’s 2014 season ended in the quarterfinals, which weighed on the Spartans.
“It’s been in our minds since last year,” Waddell said. “Our goal all season was to get past this point.”
Norton | 6 | 7 | 12 | 0 | — | 25 | |
Collegiate | 14 | 21 | 14 | 17 | — | 66 |
C — Waddell 24 run (Winter kick)
N — Lively 70 run (miss kick)
C — Larsen 11 pass from Waddell (Winter kick)
C — Burgoyne 11 pass from Waddell (Winter kick)
C — Waddell 3 run (Winter kick)
C — Waddell 10 run (Winter kick)
N — Lively 25 pass from Ruder (Mulder kick)
C — McNerney 96 kickoff return (Winter kick)
N — Dole 4 run (pass failed)
C — Waddell 3 run (Winter kick)
C — Ruder 60 run (run failed)
C — Burgoyne 20 run (Winter kick)
C — Larsen 51 interception return (Winter kick)
C — Winter 35 FG
Individual Statistics
Rushing — Norton, Lively 16-130, Ruder 7-71, Petrie 5-10, Dole 5-4. Collegiate, Waddell 20-156, Burgoyne 19-95, Flowers 10-50, Aldag 3-13, J. Egan 1-3.
Passing — Norton, Ruder 9-17-135-1. Collegiate, Waddell 10-14-163-0.
Receiving — Norton, Dole 3-35, Petrie 1-30, Henson 3-28, Lively 1-25, Brown 1-17. Collegiate, Larsen 4-63, J. Egan 1-40, Burgoyne 3-24, Pfeiffer 1-22, Aldag 1-14.
This story was originally published November 14, 2015 at 7:33 PM with the headline "Waddell leads Collegiate into Class 3A football semifinals."