By CONOR NICHOLL-Hays Daily News
OSBORNE -- Entering the season, Osborne senior Jakob DeMars was expected to replace first team all-Mid-Continent League selection Trevor Oliver at linebacker. However, DeMars also needed to step in for senior fullback Justin Pruter early in Friday's season-opening contest against Downs-Lakeside. DeMars played well in both of his new roles and helped the Bulldogs pick up a 46-42 victory against the Knights.
"DeMars did an excellent job carrying the load in the middle," Osborne coach Cullen Riner said. "He didn't miss a snap all night long."
DeMars collected a team-high 23 stops (14 solo, 9 assisted) on defense. Offensively, DeMars normally starts at end. In the first quarter, Pruter went down with a mild concussion, didn't play the rest of the game and is expected to miss a week. In the second quarter, DeMars took over at fullback after the Bulldogs had fumbled on four consecutive offensive plays, including one by Pruter. DeMars rushed nine times for 26 yards and a score and never dropped the football.
"That was basically my main goal was just to hold onto it, get a couple yards, if I break something, I break something," he said.
"He plays fullback in practice and there was one guy I want at fullback, that's him," junior running back Damon Schurr said. "He is going to run as hard as he can every time."
Last year, DeMars finished second on the squad to Oliver with 65 tackles, but never had more than nine in a game. Offensively, he collected seven receptions and six carries for 20 yards.
He eclipsed that many carries in the final 21βΡ2 quarters Friday.
His first two carries help set up a Bulldog touchdown that ended a stretch of 20 unanswered points by Lakeside. Late in the first half, his one-yard score brought the Bulldogs within two points. On defense in the second half, he picked up a tackle for loss that helped force a punt and made a tackle on Lakeside's final drive that ended at the Bulldogs' 28-yard line.
"Jakob is our best running back, there is no question, as far as a tough, physical runner," Riner said. "But he is also our best tight end and you got kids like Justin and Damon in the backfield, you can afford to put him out there at tight end and let him block, but when push comes to shove, he makes some good plays for us."
Renken starts in first game
Quarterback Alex Renken had played well at the junior varsity level for Lakeside and stepped into his first varsity start Friday night. The talented junior admitted to having first game jitters and had mixed success as the Knights tallied 42 points, a total they passed three times in 2009.
"Negatives, I probably just need to slow down," Renken said. "I was going way too fast. Positives, I guess I was running OK."
Renken said he had a "bad game throwing" and finished 4-of-18 for 70 yards with two scores against three interceptions. Both of his TDs went to senior Connor Shoemaker, for 34 and 21 yards.
"Looked like to me he was just trying to drill it in there," Lakeside coach Curt Christians said. "Last year on JV, he would put a little under it and didn't try to throw it so hard. He has gotten stronger, so he thinks he can throw it harder. He will come around."
On the ground, Renken ran for a team-high 87 yards and two touchdowns for four total touchdowns. In 2009, Lakeside starter Joel Cushing accounted for a season-high four scores in just one contest, a Week 8 loss to Mankato-Rock Hills.
"That guy throws a good ball," Riner said. "He has got a laser arm. He maybe forced some situations, but those (four) passes he completed were on the money. I was impressed with him. Being a first-year starter, being in first game action, he maybe struggled a little bit, but I think he is a good athlete and I think that kid will have a good season."
