Make no mistake, Cooper Hajek is a defense-first kind of guy.
 
After sharing backfield duties with Sam McWilliams last year for Nemaha Central, one might have expected Hajek to be chomping at the bit for his shot at becoming the Thunder’s feature back this season with McWilliams having graduated.
 
Instead …

“I was really looking forward to defense,” Hajek said of his linebacker position where he’s been a fixture for the Thunder the past three seasons. “That’s where I’m being looked at, where my offers for college are at. That’s just what I’ve been since my sophomore year. I never really thought much about carrying the ball like I have.”
 
Three weeks into the 2022 season, Hajek has every reason to alter his mindset. While still starring defensively for Class 2A No. 1 Nemaha Central, it’s his production on the other side of the ball that has caught the state’s attention.
 
After torching Perry-Lecompton for 300 yards and four touchdowns in a 46-13 Nemaha Central win, the 6-foot-3, 220-pound Hajek ranks among the state’s rushing leaders. Hajek is averaging better than 200 yards per game, having rushed for 634 yards on 63 carries.
 
He’s also run for four touchdowns in each of Nemaha Central’s first three games.
 
“The offense has just kind of happened,” Hajek said of his early success. “The O-line, we had Holden (Bass) and Connor (Deters) back but we graduated three up so we had some new guys come in there. They’ve really stepped up and that’s helped a ton.”
 
After rushing for 646 yards and 10 touchdowns last year as a complement to McWilliams – who led the Thunder with 723 yards and 10 TDs – Hajek figured to become more of a focal point of the offense this year as a senior.
 
And while Thunder coach Michael Glatczak was expecting Hajek to have a big season, even he’s been a bit surprised by the numbers Hajek have put up so far.
 
“I honestly didn’t think he’d be as good as he has been,” Glatczak said. “Last year he didn’t run the ball a whole lot, focusing mostly on the defensive side of the ball where he’s a tremendous linebacker who can run sideline to sideline.
 
“He’s a horse to tackle for sure. Of his yards, I bet over 85% come after contact. Very rarely he’ll squirt through 10 yards before he gets touched. He’s routinely dragging three, four, five players which is awesome. He’s a kid that loves contact.”
 
Like Hajek, Glatczak was quick to credit the newcomers to the starting offensive line – sophomore left tackle Abram Keim, junior center Josh Gonzalez and junior right tackle Abe Hilbert.
 
“We knew Bass and Deters were going to be good, but those three underclassmen have really stepped up to the plate,” Glatczak said. “Josh has been really good at center for us. Abram is kind of undersized, but he’s quick and he’s a wrestler and I think that helps. And Abe has been solid as well.”
 
That unit and Hajek’s workhorse transformation got an immediate test this season with Nemaha Central opening against a tough, physical Holton team that had beaten the Thunder in the final minute each of the previous two seasons. But the Thunder answered the challenge in a big way.
 
Hajek ran for 204 yards and four touchdowns and the Thunder ran for 282 yards overall in taking a 35-28 win.
 
“That was huge because Holton is a great defensive team,” Hajek said. “Going in I knew their defense was going to be good. I didn’t even realize how big of a game I had, I thought I only had like 100 yards. That really opened my eyes to how good we can be on offense.
 
“It’s been really fun so far because I’ve never really done this before. For my team, when we need a first down, they count on me and that just gives me confidence to do it for them.”
 
Senior quarterback Brayden Uphaus has complemented Hajek with 343 yards and 5 touchdowns passing and another 132 yards on the ground. Senior Gavin Cain has caught 12 passes for 232 yards and 2 scores with Blake Stallbaumer and Wade Leonard also over 100 yards receiving with multiple TD grabs.
 
“We have so many weapons on offense,” Hajek said. “When teams start stacking the box, those guys are going to make them pay.”
 
Off to a huge start, Hajek hasn’t altered a different mindset on what his main goal is for this season.
 
“State championship,” he said. “That’s the goal.”
 
 
OTHER WEEK 3 STANDOUTS
 

• Junction City’s Xavion Felton posted the fifth-best rushing game in Junction City history, leading the Blue Jays to a come-from-behind 30-15 win over Class 4A No. 3 McPherson. Felton carried 37 times for 292 yards and 4 touchdowns with all four scores coming in the second half as the Blue Jays rallied from a 12-3 halftime deficit. His 4 TDs marked the 11^th time a Blue Jay player has accomplished that feat and the 37 rushing attempts were second-most.
• Canton-Galva’s Jett Vincent tied a state record returning three interceptions for touchdowns in the Eagles’ 58-6 win over Solomon. Vincent’s three pick sixes matched the eight-player state mark set by Chase County’s Blaise Holloway in 2020.
• Hayden came up with big play after big play after big play in its 55-34 win over Rossville. Sophomore Jensen Schrickel got things started for the Wildcats with a 74-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to start the game and then followed it with a 67-yard punt return for a score. He finished the night with 4 TDs (48-yard reception, 12-yard run) and JC Cummings added a 98-yard touchdown run and Finn Dunshee had TD runs of 46 and 20 yards.
• In a losing effort for Rossville, Camden Horak threw for 182 yards and 2 TDs and ran for 183 yards and a pair of TDs.
• Class 6A No. 1 Manhattan outscored Hays 24-8 in the second and third quarters to take a 31-21 road win over 5A’s No. 4 team. Keenan Schartz threw for a career-high 202 yards and 2 TDs and also ran for 103 yards.
• Washburn Rural's Ma'Kenttis Adams ran for 179 yards and two touchdowns as the Junior Blues ran past Piper 34-10.
• Dierck Hanzileck ran for 149 yards and 3 TDs, threw for 72 yards and a TD and caught a TD pass and Jacob Carls had 117 yards receiving as Wetmore improved to 2-1 with a 46-6 win over Peabody. 
• Valley Falls picked up its first 11-man win since 2015 with a 34-20 win over Horton. Dylan Cervantez threw for 220 yards and 3 TDs – all three going to Zac Evans, who had 184 yards receiving and also ran for a touchdown.
• Colin Donahue continues to flourish in his relief role as Wamego’s starting quarterback. The senior threw for 120 yards and 4 TDs in the Red Raiders’ 46-0 win over Concordia in Week 3 and for the season has thrown for 572 yards and 9 TDs.
• Carson Wood led Central Heights to its first win of the season, rushing for 152 yards and 4 touchdowns in a 48-0 win over Southeast-Cherokee.
• Rock Creek’s Dalton Whitworth threw for 315 yards and 4 TDs as the Mustangs blew past Riley County 45-21. In a losing effort, Riley County’s Eli Harmison threw for 135 yards and 2 TDs, both going to Lucas Kulp, who had 113 yards receiving.
• West Franklin improved to 3-0 for the first time since 2008 with a 31-14 win over Mission Valley. Trey Rogers caught 7 passes for 120 yards and a touchdown and also had 9 tackles with 5 tackles for loss.
• Washington County posted its second shutout of the season with a 46-0 win over Linn. Payton LeDuc ran for 105 yards and a touchdown and also threw a pair of touchdown passes while Jaydon Otott added 102 yards on the ground with two scores.
• Nash Money ran for 211 yards and 3 TDs to lead Wellsville to a 25-7 win over Burlington. Burlington’s Cam Stadel ran for 107 yards and had 12 tackles in the loss.
• Beloit’s Logan Arasmith erupted for 297 yards and 5 TDs in leading the Trojans to their first win of the year. Beloit ran for 493 yards as a team in the 52-8 romp past Republic County.
• Chapman’s Aiden Whitley ran for 292 yards on 36 carries in a 22-9 win over Marysville.
• Doniphan West’s Braden Simmons ran for 121 yards and 5 TDs and also threw for 120 yards and two more scores in the Mustangs’ 68-48 shootout win over Maranatha. Kelby Windmeyer added 158 yards and a TD on the ground and Van Crowley caught both TD passes from Simmons.
• Shawnee Heights’ Allen Baughman enjoyed his second straight big game, following up a 222-yard, 5-TD performance in Week 2 with 183 yards and 2 TDs in the T-Birds’ 14-7 win over rival Seaman.
• Nolan Rhodes’ pick six proved to be the difference for Olpe as the Eagles handed Osage City its first loss of the season with a 20-12 win over the Indians. Landon Boss threw for 234 yards and a TD in the loss.
• In a showdown with fellow NCAA unbeaten Minneapolis, Southeast of Saline’s Luke Gebhardt threw for 206 yards and 4 TDs and also ran for a touchdown, leading the Trojans to a 51-0 win. Jake Gebhardt caught two of the TD passes and Levi Allen had 103 yards and a touchdown receiving while Cameron Witter opened the game with an 83-yard kickoff return touchdown.
• Lebo handed Madison its first regular-season loss since 2017 with a 30-26 upset. Drew Konrade ran for 111 yards and two touchdowns and also threw a TD pass in his first start at quarterback. Madison’s Cade Hurlburt ran for 114 yards and 2 TDs and threw for 121 yards and a TD.
• Lyndon improved to 3-0 in its first year in eight-player football, blanking Frankfort 50-0. Jalen Massey ran for 113 yards and 4 TDs and the Tigers held Frankfort to 34 yards on the ground.
• Mitch Budke ran for 240 yards and 4 TDs to lead Chase County to a 48-0 win over Goessel.
• Lansing's Dalton Jorgensen threw for 344 yards and three touchowns to lead Lansing to its first win and hand Leavenworth its first loss with a 34-26 decision. Lion receiver Lexton Grafke had 9 catches for 209 yards and a TD. In a losing effort for Leavenworth, Eddie McLaughlin threw for 210 yards and 2 TDs and ran for 196 yards and two scores while Kaden Ramey had 11 catches for 138 yards and 2 TDs.
• Blue Valley-Randolph's Landon Schreiber threw for 314 yards and 5 TDs as the Rams picked up their first win of the year against Wakefield. Skyler Zoeller had 7 catches for 138 yards and 2 TDs and Logan Schaks caught a pair of TD passes as well.