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Business has been good for wideouts

Thimesch and Carlson of MHS first Class 4A teammates both with 1,000 receiving yards

November 19, 2009
By MARK PAWLAK

The numbers are something you could picture for a neighborhood football pick-up game, of course if stats other than the score were kept.

Wide receiver 'A' has 82 catches for 1,506 yards and 21 touchdowns.

Wide receiver 'B' has 73 grabs for 1,007 yards and nine scores.

This isn't the neighborhood game Marshalltown seniors Nick Thimesch and Jarred Carlson used to be involved in when they were younger, it is the highest level in Iowa high school football and next they will be in the state's most exclusive game.

The production of Carlson and Thimesch from the wide receiver position has helped the Bobcats to Friday's Class 4A championship game of the state football playoffs against top-ranked Iowa City High (13-0).

Fourth-ranked Marshalltown (13-0) is scoring 32.4 points per game with a spread attack that slightly favors the pass over the run (55 percent to 45 percent).

"It's perfect from a wide receiver's perspective, it's nice that every time you run a route there's a chance you're going to get the ball," Thimesch said. "There's such a high percentage of passes compared to run. It's nice to get that many opportunities for catches."

Thimesch had six receptions for 59 yards in last Friday's victory over Dowling Catholic in the semifinals, including a key 13-yard touchdown in the closing seconds of the first half.

During the game, Thimesch passed 1,000 receiving yards for the season and comes into the Iowa City High contest with 73 catches for 1,007 yards and nine TDs.

He joins Carlson (82-1,506-21) as 1,000-yard gainers from the same team in the same season. No other teammates in 4A history can say that, only James Hurt and Logan Granera of Keokuk in 2007 have previously achieved the feat.

"Since our middle school days we've been on the same team," Thimesch said. "We actually live across the street from each other so we've played neighborhood games forever and we have great chemistry. We know what each other is going to do well."

Both Carlson (49 catches, 722 yards and four touchdowns) and Thimesch (38-560-2) had strong years as juniors in their varsity season.

"Obviously they've matured and grown," said Marshalltown head coach Dave Holdiman. "They are a step or two faster, stronger and very well versed in the offense.

"They are just kids that make plays, we know that they're are going to make plays for us. In the clutch they are guys we know we can depend on. You just can't say enough about the great year that they've had and the great leadership they have shown the younger guys as well. Those are two guys when they walk off the field here Friday night it's going to be a lump in the throat."

The Bobcat passing game has done a great job of spreading the ball across the board and taking what's available. Joining Carlson (the Class 4A all-time single-season leader in yardage and touchdowns) and Thimesch are junior Mark Duncan (51 catches, 517 yards and three TDs) and sophomore Ty Steffensen (23-230-2).

In Marshalltown's base formation, Carlson and Thimesch are on the same side of the field with Carlson in the slot and Thimesch split out.

"We just work off of each other," Thimesch said. "If the defense wants to take away Jarred, then I should be open, or if I'm running a route then it should leave Jarred open. Our offense is about trying to get receivers open."

Senior quarterback Chanse Creekmur, just as he has been since their middle school days, throws the ball out to the receivers.

"They run really good routes and they are fast," Creekmur said of his senior classmates. "I just try to put the ball where they can go make plays."

Carlson and Thimesch also were starters on the baseball team's back-to-back state tournament qualifiers, have run on the same relay at the state track meet and are key members on the basketball squad.

"Their skill sets are at a very high level," Holdiman said. "They have done a good job in other sports as well, they have that competitive edge.

"That's a mindset that we would like to see spread throughout all of those younger guys, learn how to compete, compete hard and compete well. Those two are great role models for that."

 
 

 

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