CANDO, N.D. -- In the classroom, Tanner Komrosky is an A honor roll student. But it's in the classroom of football where the North Star High School junior has shown a passion for studies.
Komrosky's passing has led the high-charged North Star offense, helping the team to five wins in its first eight games. Komrosky has thrown for more than 1,850 yards.
North Star, despite being shut out by unbeaten St. John, still averages 34.3 points a game in its pass-oriented offense. The ingredients for success are part strong arm, part standout receivers and part dedication to detail.
Komrosky estimates that he spends about eight hours a week studying game films of both past North Star games and upcoming opponents.
"I want to find out where the teams we're going to be playing are weak," Komrosky said. "And I want to see where I can improve. I think my footwork has improved every game from watching the tapes. And I see better what routes are working and where to put the ball to our receivers."
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Said North Star coach Bryan Haugen: "Sometimes kids have ability, but they don't put the time into it to improve. Tanner's always asking for game films, taking them home and studying them, picking up things he needs to do to improve. He loves football; he studies it."
Komrosky isn't a perfect quarterback. But he's had some near-perfect performances.
In one game this season, Komrosky completed 15 of 16 passes for 325 yards. In another, he was 13-of-14 for 320 yards. "Games like those -- they're almost unheard of," Haugen said. "He hits his receivers when they're open, and they doing the running from there."
Overall, Komrosky is 93-of-159 (58.4 percent) for 1,858 yards. He's thrown 26 touchdown passes while being intercepted only six times.
"Tanner isn't afraid to go for the big play," Haugen said. "Our offense is more taking the short stuff and letting things happen with our receivers. He gets the ball to the right receivers in the right spots, allowing them to turn upfield and run. And when teams start coming up for the short stuff, that's when Tanner hits the big plays. If he needs to, he can juice the ball."
That passing game is helped by a deep group of receivers with multiple skills.
Zack Kennedy is the big-play speedster with 31 catches, good for 697 yards and 13 TDs. There are two 6-foot-2 tight ends in Calvin Teubner (14 catches, 317 yards) and Caleb Beck (14-262). And tailback Adam Jorde (24-393) has shown the ability to turn screen passes into big plays.
"We spread guys all over the field," Haugen said. "Zack is the quick guy, our deep threat. We try to get him the ball in open areas and let him make plays. Calvin is the one who, with his height and jumping ability, we try to take advantage of in matchups against smaller defenders."
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Komrosky can relate to the receivers. As a freshman, he was a starting wide receiver for the team's first four games. Starting quarterback Mark Henke then suffered an injury that kept him out for a game, with Komrosky filling it.
"Our coach thought I did a good enough job to stay at quarterback, so he moved Mark to wide receiver," Komrosky said. "I was glad with that. Wide receiver isn't my spot. I was a freshman; everybody I was going against was so much faster and stronger than I was."
Komrosky found a home at quarterback. The all-around athlete -- he also is a regular at North Star in basketball and baseball -- passed for 586 yards as a sophomore, despite suffering an injury in the team's fifth game that ended his season.
But putting up the numbers he has this season is beyond any expectations he had.
"You talk about putting up big numbers in the off-season," the 6-foot-1, 155-pounder said. "But once you get into the season, when it actually starts happening like this, it is a surprise."
DeVillers reports on sports. Reach him at (701) 780-1128; (800) 477-6572, ext. 128; or send e-mail to gdevillers@gfherald.com .
