Garrett Hansen: The Contagious Energy Behind The Stanton Mustangs

Photo By Lisa Wilke/Stanton Register

After pulling Plainview quarterback Karter Lingenfelter to the ground Friday, Garrett Hansen slams his right foot, then his left foot into the turf. His energy makes the ground shake.

The senior throws his head back, howls into the black sky and flexes his muscles, proudly showing the orange and white No. 54 on the front of his Stanton football jersey as he faces the sideline.

His teammates flock to him — leaping into the air, pounding on his shoulder pads to celebrate the play. Those on the sideline raise their fists into the air, jumping as high as they can and screaming into the night.

“It’s contagious. He’s an animal,” said Stanton senior Becker Pohlman. “Garrett brings the energy to our team. He’s a psycho — but in a good way. He’s a clean player. He’s just an animal out there.”

Standing 6-foot tall and weighing 205 pounds, Garrett is described by his teammates and coaches as undersized. But coach David Stoddard says the senior center and lineman plays as big as his heart. 

“Physically, he’s a 200-pound lineman. He’s not the biggest guy on the field,” Stoddard said. “But his motor and tenacity are unbelievable. He’s an incredible leader and just a great kid.”

Photo By Carrie Pitzer/Stanton Register

Garrett, who is the son of Jon and Crystal Hansen, leaves Stanton Community School early each day for work release. He shows up to practice wearing boots, jeans, a plaid snap shirt with pliers hanging from his belt. He’s a hard worker. A country boy, if you will. ​

After football games, Garrett stands in the middle of the field shaking the hands of parents, community members, farmers, basically everyone in town. He looks each person in the eye, nods his head and says “Thank you” and “Yes, sir” when they compliment his performance. He smiles as his “little cousins” circle his feet, not so patiently waiting for a high five or any moment with their hero. 

The Mustangs have won 20 straight games, dating back to the beginning of last year’s state championship run. They don’t lose often. Actually, just three times in Garrett’s entire high school career. 

Stanton has some of the biggest names in Nebraska high school football. Pohlman and Barrett Wilke are widely considered the best offensive duo in the state. Wilke is sixth in the nation in rushing with 1,471 yards. Pohlman is in the top 35 in the nation in total yards.
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And then there’s Garrett Hansen, who as a lineman, barely has any stats. 
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“What he does doesn’t show up in statistics,” his coach said proudly. “Garrett never stops working. If a kid makes a mistake at practice, he’s the first one to walk over and say, ‘This is how you do this.’ He does that all the time. He’s selfless.”

Pohlman said Garrett sets the tone for the team. 

“He brings the energy. One hundred percent,” Pohlman said. “He has a killer instinct on the field. He may be undersized and may not get enough attention, but he has a killer instinct that separates him from anyone else on the field — both sides of the ball.”

Unshaven with shaggy hair, Garrett looks like the 4-H champion and FFA officer that he is. Polite and well mannered, Pohlman calls Garrett “a great dude” — a friend you can call when you need help and know he’ll show up. 

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Photo By Lisa Wilke/Stanton Register

But before the football game starts, Garrett said something changes inside him. 

​“I think about the game during the day, but it’s when I put these pads on, it flips a switch, for sure,” he said. “I can’t explain why, but it just happens.”

Pohlman said it’s leading up to the game that Garrett really gets the Mustangs fired up.

“During warmups after defensive individuals, he’s crazy. He’s slapping his helmet, running around. He’s having fun,” Pohlman said. “I feed off his energy. We all do. He has something special.”

But he didn’t always have it. Garrett remembers when it happened — or maybe when he found it inside himself.

“I changed as a sophomore. I was told I had to be the leader of the line as the center,” he said. “I started out as a sophomore and didn’t really know what to do, and I had to take a big position. Part of my job was to get everyone hyped up.”

His coach said Garrett stepped up, exceeding expectations for the excitement he could bring to the team. 

“When it’s game time, he’s yelling and screaming. He’s bringing the energy,” Stoddard said. “He plays for four quarters that way. He never takes a play off. His energy is contagious.”

So far this year, he’s had 18 solo tackles and 21 assisted tackles. He’s had one sack. But Garrett has helped open up holes for more than 2,700 rushing yards as the Mustangs average 8.8 yards per carry. His energy has led the Mustang defense to being one of the stingiest in the state. 
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But why? Why is Garrett such an animal?

“I’m a little psycho I guess. I go hard,” he said. “I just love football that much.”

And after Friday’s game when his teammates gathered for their team meal, the Mustangs all showed up in their orange t-shirts with the word “Trust” on the back. Garrett walked in wearing his usual attire — boots, jeans, a snap shirt with his pliers hanging from his belt. After all, he still had work to do.

The psycho with the killer instinct was gone until Monday’s practice. When asked if he had anything else to add, a smile spread across his lips. 

​Looking around the football field at his teammates, he spoke in a calm, soothing voice. 
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“This is a great team to play for. These guys are the best,” he said, still smiling. “I’d do anything for them.”

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