Levorson, Fisher lead Super-State team
John Levorson was a natural the minute he hit the football field.
“In the first game he started, we got down on the goal line,” Crete coach Chuck Meginnis recalled. “He checked out of a play and into one we hadn’t discussed. He changed it without practice.
“He had enough presence of mind to switch the play, convey the message to the rest of the players and then make it work. We scored on the drive.”
Levorson’s understanding of the Cardinals’ system and the options he had made him a dynamic player for Crete for three years. He helped guide them to two straight Class B championships, earning the respect of opponents and teammates.
Like Levorson, Sean Fisher of Millard North has had a major impact. He helped the Mustangs reach the Class A championship game this year, the semifinals last year and to a state championship in 2005.
Fisher and Levorson are the honorary captains of the 2007 Lincoln Journal Star Super-State team. Both are named as athletes because they made such significant contributions in so many areas for their teams.
Levorson remembered that first game in far greater detail than McGinnis revealed.
“I know I made a lot of audibles that game. I remember distinctly that the option was working well against Hastings,” he said. “I had almost 200 yards rushing because everything was working. I switched plays quite a few times.
“It was pretty gutsy, to do that as a sophomore. But I guess as long as we were doing well, Coach Meginnis was OK with it.”
Meginnis has been OK with most everything Levorson has done.
His performance in two championship seasons illustrates his versatility and ability to adapt to what was needed. As a junior, he threw for 1,316 yards and rushed for 734. This year was a mirror image. He rushed for 1,158 yards and passed for 738. Defensively, he improved from 34 tackles, two interceptions and five fumble recoveries to 92 tackles and nine takeaways.
“There are differences both physically and mentally between when he first started and right now,” McGinnis said. “From the physical aspect, he is a much bigger, stronger, faster kid. Even when we pull out old tapes, you can see a big difference.
“And he has progressed with the mental part of the game. He’s always had a real good grasp of our offense and defense.”
Meginnis said one thing hasn’t changed.
“His demeanor is the same. John was calm and collected as a sophomore and he still is,” he said. “He has a quiet confidence about himself.”
Fisher’s versatility served the Mustangs well after quarterback Nick Failla, who is also a first-team Super-Stater, was injured. With sophomore Connor Thomas taking over the reins, Fisher’s offensive role grew. In Millard North’s final two playoff games, his season rushing output doubled to 646 yards. He ran for 198 yards in the state championship game on 44 carries.
“He had to be a warrior. Everything went through him,” said Millard North coach Fred Petito. “He’s so valuable for us on defense that we limited what he did on offense. Besides, when we had Nick, we didn’t have to ask so much of Sean.
“But Sean is always going to do what he has to do. The kids have a lot of confidence in him. He’s real active, real bright and covers a lot of ground. I know he brings a presence that people know where he is all the time. We ask a lot of our free safety.”
Fisher reveled in that responsibility.
“Sure, it would have been fun to do that much running all year, but that’s not the system we run,” he said. “Besides, you do take a lot of punishment when you carry the ball. It’s not feasible to run that many times and play defense and not end up hurting.”
Fisher was the Mustangs’ second-leading tackler, with 43 unassisted tackles and 23 assists. He had three tackles for losses and an interception. He also punted and returned punts and kickoffs, averaging 21.5 yards on kickoff returns.
“He isn’t flashy, but he gets things done,” Petito said.
Reach Ryly Jane Hambleton at 473-7314 or rhambleton@journalstar.com.
“In the first game he started, we got down on the goal line,” Crete coach Chuck Meginnis recalled. “He checked out of a play and into one we hadn’t discussed. He changed it without practice.
“He had enough presence of mind to switch the play, convey the message to the rest of the players and then make it work. We scored on the drive.”
Levorson’s understanding of the Cardinals’ system and the options he had made him a dynamic player for Crete for three years. He helped guide them to two straight Class B championships, earning the respect of opponents and teammates.
Like Levorson, Sean Fisher of Millard North has had a major impact. He helped the Mustangs reach the Class A championship game this year, the semifinals last year and to a state championship in 2005.
Fisher and Levorson are the honorary captains of the 2007 Lincoln Journal Star Super-State team. Both are named as athletes because they made such significant contributions in so many areas for their teams.
Levorson remembered that first game in far greater detail than McGinnis revealed.
“I know I made a lot of audibles that game. I remember distinctly that the option was working well against Hastings,” he said. “I had almost 200 yards rushing because everything was working. I switched plays quite a few times.
“It was pretty gutsy, to do that as a sophomore. But I guess as long as we were doing well, Coach Meginnis was OK with it.”
Meginnis has been OK with most everything Levorson has done.
His performance in two championship seasons illustrates his versatility and ability to adapt to what was needed. As a junior, he threw for 1,316 yards and rushed for 734. This year was a mirror image. He rushed for 1,158 yards and passed for 738. Defensively, he improved from 34 tackles, two interceptions and five fumble recoveries to 92 tackles and nine takeaways.
“There are differences both physically and mentally between when he first started and right now,” McGinnis said. “From the physical aspect, he is a much bigger, stronger, faster kid. Even when we pull out old tapes, you can see a big difference.
“And he has progressed with the mental part of the game. He’s always had a real good grasp of our offense and defense.”
Meginnis said one thing hasn’t changed.
“His demeanor is the same. John was calm and collected as a sophomore and he still is,” he said. “He has a quiet confidence about himself.”
Fisher’s versatility served the Mustangs well after quarterback Nick Failla, who is also a first-team Super-Stater, was injured. With sophomore Connor Thomas taking over the reins, Fisher’s offensive role grew. In Millard North’s final two playoff games, his season rushing output doubled to 646 yards. He ran for 198 yards in the state championship game on 44 carries.
“He had to be a warrior. Everything went through him,” said Millard North coach Fred Petito. “He’s so valuable for us on defense that we limited what he did on offense. Besides, when we had Nick, we didn’t have to ask so much of Sean.
“But Sean is always going to do what he has to do. The kids have a lot of confidence in him. He’s real active, real bright and covers a lot of ground. I know he brings a presence that people know where he is all the time. We ask a lot of our free safety.”
Fisher reveled in that responsibility.
“Sure, it would have been fun to do that much running all year, but that’s not the system we run,” he said. “Besides, you do take a lot of punishment when you carry the ball. It’s not feasible to run that many times and play defense and not end up hurting.”
Fisher was the Mustangs’ second-leading tackler, with 43 unassisted tackles and 23 assists. He had three tackles for losses and an interception. He also punted and returned punts and kickoffs, averaging 21.5 yards on kickoff returns.
“He isn’t flashy, but he gets things done,” Petito said.
Reach Ryly Jane Hambleton at 473-7314 or rhambleton@journalstar.com.
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