North Star brings elite passing game to TGU
By CRAIG HAUPERT, Staff Writer chaupert@minotdailynews.comIt is not often that 9-man high school football has a pure passer the caliber of Tanner Komrosky.
The North Star senior has thrown for 1,011 yards and 10 touchdown through the first four games of the 2009 season. He is completing over 60 percent of his passes (71 of 117) and has thrown just three interceptions.
Getting Komrosky going will be a major key if the Bearcats (1-0 Region 4, 3-1) hope to take out TGU (2-0 Region 4, 3-0) today at Towner.
"We need to give him protection, give him time to throw," North Star head coach Bryan Haugen said. "He's got to get us into the right plays, which he can do that, we just have to give him time to throw. We've done that this week, we've shored up a few things. If we can give him time we can pick just about anyone apart."
While North Star will be looking to let Komrosky loose, TGU is hoping to keep him in check.
"He is the real deal at quarterback. He has all the tools," TGU head coach Scott Thorson said. "The first thing we have to do is get some pressure on him, which teams don't have a whole lot of success doing. That is going to be our first attempt, to get some pressure on him and hopefully get him to make some bad decisions."
North Star has a running game too, although it does not go to it frequently. Leading the charge there is senior Caleb Beck, who has 279 yards and three touchdowns on 57 carries.
"I don't think you can focus too much on the rushing attack, but that is the part that makes me the most nervous," Thorson said. "What if we are thinking pass, pass, pass and they run a trap or a dive at you with Beck. He's a big, strong kid who moves pretty well. We have to be disciplined in our positioning defensively."
TGU has a couple of athletes North Star has to worry about as well.
Quarterback Tyler Thorson and running back Ian Keller have nearly unstoppable as a duo to this point of the season. Containing them will be key if North Star hopes to keep its perfect region record intact.
"We need to know where they are at all times, especially (Keller)," Haugen said. "Keller is one of the most dangerous backs in our region by far, probably even in the state. He has incredible speed, quickness and durability. Last year he carried the ball 43 times against us. You just have to surround him. You can't let him get out into the open field."
North Star is coming off a 30-22 loss to Lakota-A-E - its first loss of the season. Haugen said the team has not lost any confidence despite the loss.
"We learned we can be physical in that game because Lakota is one of the most physical teams in the state," he said. "We stood up to them, we took it and we dished it out. We had them, but I think we got a little bit tired. The loss didn't mean anything (towards region standings) so we can come out of that one feeling pretty good."
TGU has yet to taste defeat and is one week removed from a 38-12 win over Benson County. The Titans have outscored their last two opponents 116-12.
This game is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
Williams County at
Lewis & Clark-Our Redeemer's
Williams County did not have long to celebrate its upset win over two-time defending Class A state champion Harvey a week ago.
The Firestorm's next opponent, Lewis & Clark-Our Redeemer's, is too dangerous to overlook - and not one they are about to take lightly.
"(L&C-ORCS) showed they can play tough, physical football when they almost beat North Prairie in the first game of the season," Williams County head coach Tim Schaffer said. "North Prairie is usually a pretty physical team and they hung with them. The schedule doesn't get an easier for us."
Williams County's game today at L&C-ORCS is the final contest in a tough three-game stretch that the Firestorm have been able to survive.
Williams County (1-1 Region 3, 3-1) suffered its first loss of the season at seven-time Class A champ Velva two weeks ago, but backed it up with a win at home over Harvey.
LC-ORCS (2-0 Region 3, 2-1), on the other hand, is in the middle of a two-game winning streak as it defeated Garrison-Max last week and New Town two weeks ago.
Both teams moved into Region 3 of Class A after playing in Region 5 of 9-man a year ago. Williams County beat LC-ORCS 32-20 last year.
Today's game could go a long way in deciding seeding for the fast-approaching state playoffs.
"It's obviously an important one for both schools," LC-ORCS head coach Justin Wieseler said. "We've had some good games in the past and I feel this is going to be a good one too."
Senior Michael White continues to be the offensive workhorse for the Bombers as he rushed for two touchdowns against G-M and five against New Town.
"We have to block well up front and that is what it is going to take every week for us to win," Wieseler said. "We have to make sure that we are doing our jobs, completing our assignments and hopefully open up some lanes for Michael White to run in. That's our goal every week."
Finding room for White to run is not going to be easy against a Williams County defense that is giving up an average of eight points a game. While the Firestorm aren't the biggest defensive unit in the state, they are one of the quickest.
"We get to the ball - that is the big thing," Schaffer said. "One thing we preach is that everyone has to get to the ball and team tackle because we aren't going to overpower anybody. We have to use our quickness and be aggressive."
On offense, Williams County has done just enough to get by, and senior Jared Vejtasa has been the man behind the majority of the Firestorm's scoring.
Vejtasa had both of the Firestorm's touchdowns last week (one running and one receiving) and had one of its two scores in its 14-6 win over Bottineau three weeks ago.
"We have to recognize where (Vejtasa) is at on the field first," Wieseler said. "They want him to have the ball and we have to be able to recognize what they are trying to do to get him the ball so we can get all 11 guys going to him."
The game is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. in Berthold.
