Athlete of the Week: Austin Welchert (Oct. 26, 2022)
QB throws for 2 TDs, runs for 2 more and picks off a pass
The Pioneers' Austin Welchert, third from left, carries the ball against Central City on Friday at Fort Calhoun High School.
Joe Burns
Pioneers quarterback Austin Welchert races down the sideline for a fourth-quarter first down Friday against Boys Town at Fort Calhoun High School.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun's Blake Welchert, left, takes a handoff from Austin Welchert on Thursday at Omaha Roncalli.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun quarterback Austin Welchert holds the ball out as he crosses the goal line during the Pioneers' touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
Greg Forbes
Fort Calhoun quarterback Austin Welchert hauls in a pass from receiver Grayson Bouwman for a first quarter touchdown Friday at Platteview High School.
Grant Egger
The Fort Calhoun football seniors — who play today at Platteview — recently had their photo taken with their mothers. Front row, from left: Sunshine and Austin Welchert, Michelle and Avery Quinlan, Cortney Raether and Mason Touring, Nicole Irvine and Jose Soriano, Bobbie Jo and Joe Doyle, and Sara and Dylan Boldt. Back row: Melissa and Glenn Hunter, Ginger and Wyatt Appel, Jody Klein and Tristan Hansen, Gina and Mason Bliss, and Annie and Sam Halford. Not pictured: Nicole and Zach Nelson.
Courtesy of Connie Scott
The Fort Calhoun Homecoming royalty was announced at the pep rally Friday afternoon. Pictured front from left, Aubree Gochanour, Ella McMahon, Brooks Romans, Maddie McMahon and Jaxon Bryan. The homecoming court pictured from left, Grace Genoways, Angel Nelson, Sophie Thomas (princess), Dala Drowne (queen), Austin Welchert (king), Avery Quinlan (prince), Sam Halford and Glenn Hunter.
Joe Burns
Head coach Adolph Shepardson gives the play call to quarterback Austin Welchert.
Aaron Hickman
Fort Calhoun's Austin Welchert (7) tosses the ball to Andrew Namuth (5) on Sept. 2 in Oakland.
Aaron Hickman
Fort Calhoun senior Austin Welchert, left, throws downfield Saturday at Peru State College.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun seniors Avery Quinlan, left, and Austin Welchert are two of the Pioneers' five returning starters from last year's playoff team.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun junior Austin Welchert avoids a tackler on the opening kick return of the game Friday at Pawnee Park's Memorial Stadium.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun junior Austin Welchert carries the ball Friday at Omaha Concordia.
Joe Burns
Arlington senior Nick Smith, left, runs at the Pioneers' Austin Welchert on Friday at Fort Calhoun High School.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun back Austin Welchert races toward the sideline on a run Friday at Raymond Central High School.
Grant Egger
The Pioneers' Ty Hallberg, left, hands the ball off to Austin Welchert on Sept. 3 at Fort Calhoun High School.
Grant Egger
The Pioneers' Tristan Fuhrman, left, takes care of a North Bend Central defender for ballcarrer Austin Welchert on Friday at Fort Calhoun High School.
Teresa Hoffman
Pioneers football coach Andrew Christensen, left, watches as eighth-grader Austin Welchert throws a pass Wednesday during the Fort Calhoun youth football camp.
Athlete of the Week Austin Welchert threw two touchdown passes, ran for two more and intercepted a pass as his Fort Calhoun football team beat Boys Town in the season finale, 32-25. The Pioneer was honored alongside cross-country runners Keelianne Green of Arlington and Blair's Ted Lueders.