Five Most Impressive Players: Robbinsdale Armstrong v. Blaine

The first round of the Class 6A playoffs pitted Armstrong against Blaine. While the two teams appeared to have matched up well on paper, Blaine got out to an early lead en route to a 59-21 victory. With a few days to reflect, here, in no particular order, are the top five impressive players from the game.

Running back Byron Bynum, Jr.– Blaine

Bynum was in complete control from his first run onward, as the Armstrong defense had difficulty finding a way to slow him down during the contest. Bynum found ways to break free from tacklers and break loose for big gains, as he averaged 7.4 yards per rush during the game. If Bynum continues to play the way he did against Armstrong, then he will surely be hard to stop as Blaine makes a run toward the state tournament.

Quarterback Jake Breitbach– Armstrong

The Armstrong offense sputtered to begin the game, but it began to find life when Breitbach called his own number to aid the Falcons' attack. Breitbach threw for two touchdowns and added a third on the ground to lead the Falcons. With Breitbach set to begin his first full year as a starter in 2018, Armstrong and its offense will look to take a leap next fall.

Quarterback Connor Melton-Blaine 

Melton, much like the rest of the Blaine offense, could not be stopped against Armstrong. Melton completed 11 of his 13 throws for 267 yards and three touchdowns, while also adding 60 yards and one touchdown on the ground. Snowy conditions kept Melton from throwing often early, but he found a way to succeed against a strong Armstrong defense.

Running back Jesse Sherwood– Armstrong

Sherwood was rather quiet in the first half, as the Bengals teamed up to stop him before his momentum propelled him to big gains. Sherwood eventually found his groove by scoring on a screen pass from Breitbach, as well as keying some big plays by finding ways to break free from the Blaine defense. Sherwood, while he battled injuries this season, showed against Blaine why he was such an integral part of the Armstrong offense this season.

Defensive back Alex Pekula– Blaine

Pekula was one of the many players that helped shut down the Armstrong offense, as he picked up nine tackles and one interception against the Falcons. While Blaine has built a strong offense, it will be the team's defense that will be the x-factor down the stretch.