HIGH-SCHOOL

Frankfort's Schreiner delivering many happy returns

Senior Wildcat has four punt returns for TDs this season

Brent Maycock
bmaycock@cjonline.com
Frankfort's Carson Schreiner returns a punt 55 yards for a touchdown in Friday's 52-0 win over Wetmore. The punt return touchdown was the fourth of the season for Schreiner, putting him just two shy of the state record of six in a season by St. Paul's Corey Grosdidier in 1994. [SUBMITTED]

Carson Schreiner admits, he had some hesitations about taking over full-time punt return duties for the Frankfort football team this fall.

"I was always afraid of dropping the ball," Schreiner said.

Safe to say, Schreiner has done anything but drop the ball for the Wildcats this season. In fact, Frankfort's 4-0 start has gotten a huge boost from Schreiner's ability to make plays in the return game.

The 5-foot-7, 125-pound senior has rewarded Wildcat coach Nick Anderson's decision to put him in that role handsomely. In four games, Schreiner has returned four punts for touchdowns.

That includes three on the first three returns he had this season, starting with two first-quarter touchdown returns in the opener again Linn.

Needless to say, Schreiner's had a change of heart.

"After I returned a couple against Linn, it's become my favorite part of the game," Schreiner said. "That first one was pretty crazy. If you would have told me that I would have returned one for a touchdown, I'd thought you were crazy. Now I've already got four.

"It's just been crazy, I don't know how else to explain it. I definitely want to do it every time now."

Anderson had choices before the season who was going to be his main return guy. Schreiner handled some of the duties last season, but injuries limited his time on the field.

But going into the season, Anderson had no doubts about who he wanted in that role.

"I knew he was going to be our prime returner," Anderson said. "He was the Twin Valley League champion in the 200 and a state placer. His speed and quickness just suit him so well for that spot."

After returning punts 65 and 66 yards against Linn in the opener, Schreiner took one back 55 yards for a score the following week against Onaga. He was held out of the end zone in a 54-6 win over Doniphan West, but found paydirt again last Friday night on a 55-yard return in a 52-0 shutout of Wetmore.

Schreiner's four touchdown returns leave him just two away from the eight-man state record for punt return touchdowns in a single season. The mark of six was set by Corey Grosdidier, of St. Paul, in 1994.

Whether Schreiner will get an opportunity to tie or break that mark remains to be seen.

"We keep thinking they're going to start trying to kick away from him, and Wetmore did to some extent," Anderson said. "He was able to get his hands on a ball and he just gives the whole team a lift knowing that we have a chance to score when he does."

Anderson said the Wildcats' special special teams — they've also returned two kickoffs for scores this year — have provided plenty of jolt to Frankfort's unbeaten start.

"Forcing a punt in the eight-man game is an accomplishment in itself," he said. "But knowing when you do that you immediately have an opportunity to score, that's an even bigger lift. Our kids have taken pride in it this year and are excited about special teams."

And Schreiner loves being the biggest spark.

"It's always a great feeling when I do return one and get to see all the guys' faces," he said. "They're always really excited. It's been a lot of fun."

FRIDAY NIGHT STARS

• Jefferson West quarterback Cade Ross tied a state record by throwing eight touchdown passes in the Tigers' 55-0 victory over KC Ward, all eight coming in the first half and six coming in the first quarter. Quinn Neuenswander caught five of the TD passes.

• Olpe coach Chris Schmidt picked up his 100th career win when the Eagles edged Jackson Heights 20-18. Colby and Camden Hoelting accounted for all three Eagle touchdowns, each scoring on a 1-yard run and connecting on a 20-yard touchdown pass.

• Centralia's Isaac Gore and Kamble Haverkamp had big offensive nights, but the Panther defense was even bigger as Centralia shut out Class 1A No. 1 Colgan 20-0. Gore ran for 235 yards and a touchdown and Haverkamp ran for 136 yards and two scores. Meanwhile, the Centralia defense held Colgan to just 64 yards of total offense, including no passing yards.

• Axtell's Quinn Buessing continued his monster season, throwing for 219 yards and six touchdowns in the Eagles' 52-6 romp past Pike Valley. Buessing now has 24 touchdowns passes this season, 16 of them going to Hunter Koch, who caught three of Buessing's scoring tosses against Pike Valley.

• Riley County racked up 368 yards on the ground in a 40-25 win over Rossville, led by 221 yards and two touchdowns from Mikey Waggoner. Tristan Kulp added 114 yards and four touchdowns for the Falcons.

• A 45-yard punt return touchdown by Shane Quinlan and interception return for a score by Colton Mallonee jump-started Perry-Lecompton's 52-18 victory over Wellsville to start Class 3A District 3 play. Quinlan added a 31-yard touchdown run and Dalton Kellum ran for two scores. Wellsville quarterback Zach Vance threw for 284 yards and three touchdowns in the loss.

• Mission Valley improved to 4-0 with a 22-0 shutout of Council Grove. Cohle Phillips ran for 138 yards and Tanner Liggett had a pair of touchdown runs. The Viking defense held the Braves to 70 yards, all on the ground.

• Osage City rallied from a 27-15 deficit as Trenton Plinsky ran for two touchdowns and threw for another in a 27-0 run to end the game, giving the Indians a 42-27 win over West Franklin. Plinsky finished with 179 yards and two touchdowns passing and 109 yards and three touchdowns rushing, while Mycah Ritchie added 122 yards and a score on the ground.

• In a rematch of last year's Class 3A state championship game, Sabetha topped Marysville again, this time taking a 36-12 victory. Mason Engelken ran for 129 yards on five carries, including a 73-yard scoring run, and Joseph Gruber added 109 yards and two touchdown runs.

• In a showdown with fellow unbeaten Maranatha, Madison's Austin Watts did a little bit of everything to key a 32-22 Bulldog victory. Watts completed both pass attempts for 39 yards and a score, ran for 29 yards and caught a touchdown pass. He also picked off three passes defensively.

• Clifton-Clyde completely shut down an explosive Hill City offense in a 64-14 victory, holding the Ringnecks to just 44 total yards, including three on the ground. Drake Steinbrock ran for 167 yards and two touchdowns and Christian Seifert had 143 yards rushing and four scores.

• Burlingame rolled past Chase County 72-26 as Montana Giffin threw for 236 yards and five touchdowns. He also ran for two touchdowns and a pair of two-point conversions, while Seth Greenwood had 159 yards rushing and three touchdowns and 93 yards receiving and two scores, as well as five two-point conversions.

• Lebo's Devan McEwen accounted for six touchdowns in the Wolves' 62-12 victory over Valley Falls. McEwen threw for 253 yards and four touchdowns and also ran for two scores. Avery Peek caught eight passes for 146 yards and two touchdowns, while Jerome Ferguson added two touchdown catches and Andrew Bailey ran for two scores.

• Logan Budy ran for 213 yards and two touchdowns as Jefferson North downed Wabaunsee 38-6. Budy also retrurned a kickoff 65 yards for a score.

• Waverly quarterback Drew Pyle threw for 147 yards and five touchdowns passes in the Bulldogs' 58-14 win over Marais des Cygnes Valley. Weston Patterson and Jake Newton each caught two of the scoring passes. MdCV's Koby Vanderpool threw for 169 yards and a touchdown in the loss.

• Pleasant Ridge's defense allowed just 77 yards to Atchison County and scored twice on a 70-yard interception return by Keaton Comer and 30-yard fumble recovery by Hunter Wagner in a 38-0 Ram victory. Colton Comer accounted for three touchdowns and 159 total yards.

• Doniphan West picked up its first eight-man victory, beating Onaga 50-12. Austin Owen ran for 114 yards and four touchdowns and Cooper Jensen added 103 yards and two scores on the ground.

• Cole Coggins ran for 170 yards and three touchdowns as Valley Heights rolled past Republic County 60-18.

• Northern Heights picked up its first victory of the season as Marcus Waters threw for 188 yards and four touchdowns in a 40-8 win over Yates Center. Cameron Heiman caught two of the touchdown passes and also ran for 130 yards and two scores.

• Wamego's Taybor Vetter ran for 150 yards and three touchdowns and also returned a punt for a score as the Red Raiders handled Royal Valley 45-6.

• Manhattan handed Washburn Rural its first loss of the season as Kevontae McDonald ran for 146 yards and three touchdowns.

• Tate Vowels ran for two touchdowns and caught a pair of touchdown passes as Maur Hill bounced back from its first loss with a 38-16 win over Riverside. Vowels finished with 187 combined rushing and receiving yards and also picked off two passes defensively.

• Baldwin got 120 yards and three touchdowns from Conner Quick to beat Eudora 28-6.

• Central Heights got its second win of the season after going winless last year. Dakota Beers threw for 236 yards and two touchdowns, while Matt Cubit had seven catches for 160 yards and a score. Mason Roberts caught a touchdown pass and returning a kickoff for a score.