QB Barnas sets mark as Harper rolls

Garrett Barnas didn't pass much time contemplating his potential place in the Harper College football history books.

The sophomore quarterback from downstate Bureau Valley High School said he didn't know until Thursday he was in striking distance of the school's career passing yardage record.

Barnas handled it the same way he set the record Saturday afternoon in Palatine - with a 39-yard pass in stride to Dello Davis early in the fourth quarter of 11th-ranked Harper's 30-13 Midwest Football Conference victory over North Iowa Area Community College. His last pass of the day gave Barnas 4,446 yards passing and vaulted him past Griff Jurgens (4,434 in 1999-2000).

"It feels good - but I wasn't really thinking about it," said Barnas, who is getting serious interest from Iowa, Syracuse and South Florida. "I knew it would come eventually.

"It feels good to be able to get that because there is such a great tradition here at Harper."

The Hawks (6-1, 5-1) are continuing a winning tradition as the MFC East leaders matched last year's win total going into next Saturday's showdown at West leader Ellsworth in Iowa. Barnas was 16-for-27 passing for 236 yards and a 32-yard touchdown to Eric Watts for a 24-0 lead 3:41 after halftime.

But when NIACC (2-4, 1-4) came out with seven defensive backs, Barnas used his legs for touchdown runs of 30 and 2 yards en route to 109 yards rushing. Ryan Fillingim hit a 45-yard field goal just before halftime.

"These guys don't care (about individual accolades), it's all about team," said Harper coach Dragan Teonic, who credited defensive line coach Chuck Biggins and receivers coach Jared Dall for their preparation. "When you're 6-1 those things are going to come."

Harper's offense sputtered for most of the first half after scoring on its first possession but the defense held NIACC to 67 yards the first 37 minutes. The rotating four-man defensive front which includes Nate McIntosh, Kyle Jenkins, Kevin Pacholski, Eric Pugh and Devin Henderson led the way to 10 stops for losses as it avenged a 55-24 loss last year.

"We just wanted to come out and prove we were a better team," McIntosh said. "We didn't forget about that and we had our eye on this one.

"When we play together with intensity and fly around we do well. All we want to do is get the ball back for our high-powered offense."

And the most prolific quarterback in school history in Garrett Barnas.