Glenn Lewis and Sir Bullock are confounding their opponents.

The skilled pair of senior wide receivers at Papillion-La Vista are finding open spaces, even as defenses try to outfox them.

“We have teams try to play us man-to-man coverage, but play us so soft and off them that they just try to contain them,'' Papillion coach Jeff Govier said. “And we've had teams try to play as loose a zone defense as they possibly could and drop eight into coverage.

“These two are big-play threats. They can take a hitch route, break a tackle and take it to the house.''

Fed by third-year starting quarterback Jeff Weander, Lewis and Bullock have combined for 25 receptions, 382 yards and five touchdowns in the Monarchs' 3-0 start.

They take a No. 4 ranking into tonight's 7 o'clock home game against No. 10 Omaha North (2-1) at Foundation Field, 108th Street and Nebraska Highway 370. The Vikings won last year's meeting 34-24.

Lewis, after catching a school-record 14 touchdown passes in 2008, has found the end zone five times this year. The 6-foot-1, 175-pounder has 17 receptions for 273 yards.

“He can sit in zones, more of an inside receiver,'' Govier said. “Sir, he's more of your traditional outside explosive receiver who can go up for a ball. Sir's maybe more of a natural runner. Glenn's capable of three or four things, maybe even has a little quarterback in him, too.''

Bullock is off to a slower start. The 6-2, 185-pounder has eight catches for 109 yards and no touchdowns after a 30-reception season in 2008.

“(But) he runs his routes very sharp,'' Lewis said. “It's hard for teams to match up on the back side with him.''

Govier said the receivers, especially Lewis, were faithful in getting into the weight room over the summer, and it's showing in improvements in their speed and burst.

“They're tough to bring down as well,'' he said.

Govier is in his third season as Papillion's head coach after taking over for Gene Suhr. Govier said the Monarchs' spread offense is much the same as what Suhr used and what Division II No. 20 Wayne State College is using with Suhr as its offensive coordinator.

Weander has been a key to making it work. After a 1-8 sophomore season in Govier's first year, Weander and the Monarchs came back with a playoff season and a 5-5 record last year.

Weander averaged 201 yards passing a game in 2008 and is at 199.3 this year, with seven touchdowns. Also valuable for the Monarchs is running back Joey Jones, who is averaging 113 yards rushing with four touchdowns and also has 10 receptions.

“Jeff checks into almost every play we have,'' Govier said. “If he sees three men, five men in the box, all the rules that coaches say, he does them. He'll go through his progressions.

“He knows he has two weapons and teams will try to cover them up. If they don't, he'll take his shots.''

Contact the writer:

444-1041, stu.pospisil@owh.com

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