From November 17 Lincoln Journal Star.
Levorson leads Crete back to finals
BY RYLY JANE HAMBLETON / Lincoln Journal Star
Saturday, Nov 17, 2007 - 12:56:16 am CST
There’s something about putting on those shoulder pads and strapping on a helmet. As far as John Levorson is concerned, it doesn’t get any better than that.
“I love the Friday night atmosphere, the atmosphere of a football game,” said the Crete senior. “It’s a great team sport. Everybody has to be doing their part for a team to be successful.”
Levorson, a Husker recruit, has the perspective of being a multisport athlete.
“With football, it can be that one play. In basketball, you can get up by 20 points and end up losing the game,” Levorson said. “In football, you can go three yards, three yards, three yards and all of a sudden pop a 60-yard touchdown run and the crowd goes wild. A dunk is still just two points.”
Levorson has excelled in everything he does. He was second-team Super-State in football as a defensive back last year and the Class B all-state quarterback. In basketball, he was a second-team Super-Stater and first-team all-state in Class B. At the state track meet last spring, he helped the 1,600 relay team to a first-place finish, ran on the second-place 400 relay team, finished fourth in the 100 and competed in the high jump.
“It helps that I’ve played on great teams and I have great coaches,” he said. “Going out and competing all the time makes me mentally tougher. Playing other sports helps me become a better athlete in general. It helps me to be faster, stronger and jump higher.”
He has used all of his skills to lead Crete (12-0) into the Class B championship game Saturday against McCook (12-0). And according to coaches of teams Crete beat along the way, he will likely be the focal point of McCook’s defense.
“Levorson can beat you any way, throwing it or running it,” said Beatrice coach Bob Sexton.
“You get the feeling during a game that it’s just a matter of time before he breaks one,” Elkhorn coach Mark Wortman said. “You’d better have a perfect angle on him or he’s gone. He’s a difference-maker who can reach full speed in two steps.”
“We didn’t do enough offensively to keep the ball away from Levorson and they have good people around him,” said Waverly coach Mike Johnson. “He did a nice job running and throwing. We had chances to tackle him on those big runs, but we couldn’t get him down.”
Nebraska recruited Levorson as an athlete, and he said he expects to play safety, which is his position on defense for Crete. There are differing opinions as to where the 6-foot-3, 195-pounder with a 32-inch vertical leap will end up.
Chuck McGinnis didn’t hesitate a second when asked whether Levorson is more important to Crete on offense or defense.
“Offense. Everything goes through him. He creates a lot of problems for the defense, which allows us to do things with other personnel,” he said. “It all starts with John at quarterback. He knows the other 10 positions on the field, which guard is pulling, when we double-team the end. He knows the answer.”
It is his ability to pick apart the defense that really makes him shine.
“He recognizes defenses and sees weakness we don’t necessarily see from the sideline,” said McGinnis. “He understands how to unscramble things and get us in the right formation when we’re going to check out of a play. He reads the defense very well.”
Being a Husker recruit draws an automatic amount of attention. But Levorson remains low-key and humble, according to McGinnis.
“When we score, he’s one of first down to the end zone to help celebrate. He’s unselfish, and he’s always been that way,” he said. “The early commitment let him relax and play football and enjoy the season.”
His team-first attitude was apparent when he sang the praises of the Cardinal offensive line, rattling off the names of the players who protect him like he was their press agent.
“I can’t say enough about the line. They had pressure on them coming in this year because we graduated our whole line last year,” said Levorson. “They are all really first-year starters. Brandon Schmejdir is at center, Han Chu and Shane Renner are the guards, Brandon Wagner and Tim Herman are the tackles, and Garrett Reckling and Micah Marvin are the tight ends.”
Levorson knows where it all started. At home, watching and playing with his brother, Mike Rodenbough, who played on Crete’s 2000 championship team. Levorson was a water boy for that team.
“I think that’s one of the reasons I’m so into sports. I grew up with an older brother, and a kid looks up to him and always wants to be like him,” said Levorson. “It rubbed off on me. My brother was a three-sport athlete and I watched him compete.”