Prior to last Friday, Samuel Meisner’s prep career as a running back could be described as solid but not spectacular.

But against Goodland (Kan.) in Wray’s second game of the season, the junior launched himself into orbit as perhaps someone to keep an eye on for the state rushing title in 2023.

In a 52-14 blowout of Goodland, Meisner basically doubled his previous career single-game best of 159 yards, toting the ball 19 times for an eye-popping 315 yards to go along with six touchdown runs.

The Eagles were all about the run against the Cowboys, and Meisner several times broke free for big gains while also showing the ability to run over opposing defenders on other runs, too.

Meisner already has an all-state selection under his belt, having gained first-team status as a sophomore after rushing for 892 yards and 19 touchdowns in 2022.

With a big second game on top of a 100-yard performance in Wray’s opener, Meisner now has a state-most 439 yards on the ground heading to Week 3. And Wray finds itself 2-0 and No. 2 in the new Colorado Preps Select Media Football Poll.

1A North Central flexing muscles

Wray is just one of the teams in the 1A North Central League that have started white-hot. Limon, Holyoke and Yuma are all right there, too, each having buried opponents the first two weeks. Holyoke has allowed just one touchdown so far while scoring 84 points; Yuma’s scoring margin sits at a healthy plus-44 (60 to 16) through two contests; and Limon, No. 1 in the Colorado Preps poll, has beaten two really good teams in Florence and Meeker by a combined 83-30.

Odds are there will be some good tests for all these teams in the coming weeks, but a series of showdowns between the programs loom including a Sept. 29 tilt between Holyoke and Wray.

Longhorns rolling

It does take two hands to count the number of teams that are already 3-0, but it’s still a short list. Basalt in Class 2A is on the list of six programs currently boasting a 3-0 mark, and the Longhorns have been impressive in beating Summit, Eagle Valley and Buena Vista. While Noah Johnston has directed the offense from the quarterback position, Will Tarallo (360 rushing yards, five touchdowns), William Daniel (300 yards, five TDs) and Taylor Hays (five total touchdowns) have done a lot of damage so far this year to help Basalt to a No. 3 ranking in Class 2A.

Basalt does have this week off before taking on Glenwood Springs on Sept. 15 at GSHS.

The rest of the story…

Haxtun and Stratton are at the top of the initial Select Media Football Poll in 8-man and 6-man, respectively. The Bulldogs had 558 yards of offense in a 72-14 win over St. Paul Lutheran (Concordia, Mo.) last week, while Stratton has topped 60 points in both of its games so far. Arickaree’s Zarron Skubal has already been credited with 6.5 sacks this year. He notched 5.5 of them in last Friday’s game against North Park.