Team Prospect Report: Chaska Hawks

<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After a wild first 24 seconds where both teams would score a touchdown, the Chaska Hawks would right the ship and in the second half pull away and <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: #ff0000; text-decoration: underline;">defeat the Bloomington Jefferson 42-21</span></span>. Here are some of my observations while watching the Hawks' performance.</span> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">The team was at its best when it was running the football behind their two dominant linemen on the right side of the offensive line. <strong>Ethan Jackman</strong> and <strong>Mike Donovan</strong> big physical right side of the offensive line. At least four of the team's six touchdowns occurred behind the two offensive linemen.</span> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">"They are both big, physical football players," Chaska head coach <strong>Bryan Dahl</strong> said. "We need them to be great. We expect them to get movement up front when we are running our power stuff."</span> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">"I think I played pretty well. There are always things to fix," Jackman said. "My job is to be physical and get after it. I think I did that pretty well."</span> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Guards <strong>Max Lommel</strong> and Donovan both move well and can pull.</span> <span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Matt Kuntz</strong> and <strong>Stevo Klotz</strong> got most of the work running behind nearly 600 pounds of linemen on the right side. Kuntz is tall and thin, but he can break tackles and is a more physical runner than he appears. The junior took a handoff up the middle, got to the safety and ran him over. Running off the left side, he broke three tackles to pick up a first down. Kuntz ran behind Jackman with a trap block from <strong>Lommel</strong>. Kuntz made a move at the line of scrimmage to avoid a tackler and picked up nice yardage.</span> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Klotz is the bigger back, but he showed he has speed too. He took a jet sweep and got around the right side. After getting around the corner, he cut back across the formation for a 41-yard touchdown. He picked up big yardage on an inside run, behind <strong>Eric Spielberger</strong>, Donovan and Lommel. Later he ran off tackle behind Donovan and Jackman for a touchdown. He scored one more time behind the big guys from 25-yards out. He showed good footwork by bouncing a run to the outside to set up a short touchdown run and again showed his speed getting around the corner for thirty yards.</span> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">"We need downhill players," Dahl said. "That is our game, power football. They both did a great job running the football tonight."</span> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Quarterback <strong>Justin Boch</strong> ran the option well. He usually used Kuntz as the pitch man. Boch also threw well on the move. His primary target was <strong>Nolan Hansen</strong>. Boch first found Hansen on the outside for a first down. He completed a short fade route to Hansen in the back corner of the end zone for a touchdown. Then he hit Hansen on a slant just short of a first down. Finally, on a third and six – Boch hit Hansen on an out route for another first down. Boch completed a crossing route to <strong>Nic Snuggerud</strong> setting up first and goal. Using his feet on 4th and three at mid-field, he ran behind Donovan and Jackman who opened a huge hole for the first down.</span> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">"I think I am good at pulling on offense," Donovan said, "and taking up space and blockers on the defensive side."</span> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Spielberger was solid at center. Every snap was in the shotgun, and I don't remember an errant snap. In addition to running to the right, Chaska had success running between the guards as well. Boch scored a short touchdown on a run right up the middle.</span> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">After the first drive of the second half – and for most of the first half – the Hawks' defense shut down the Jaguars.</span> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lommel stuffed the run in between the tackles, and then on a blitz, he put good pressure on the quarterback.</span> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lane Schmidt showed good speed at linebacker – especially as he ran down a back from behind.</span> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Also a linebacker, Klotz made an open field tackle on the outside forcing a fourth down. He filled the hole on an off-tackle run, but the back bounced it outside. Klotz was still able to get outside and make the tackle, Jefferson tried a sweep, but Klotz kept it contained and made a tackle for loss.</span> <span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Marcus Holasek</strong> picked up a fumble and throughout the game showed good range getting from sideline to sideline.</span> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Safety <strong>Grif Wurtz</strong>, came up strong on a throw down the middle of the field for a pass break up.</span> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hanson also showed up on defense. In coverage down the sidelines and intercepted a pass. Later, he didn't get the pick but had good one on one coverage again on the boundary. Not just a cover guy, the senior made a tackle on the outside and with it forced a fumble.</span> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Senior <strong>Jake Theis</strong> – who also returned a kickoff for a touchdown - got good pressure on the quarterback and the pressure led to an interception by fellow linebacker <strong>Nick Stanger</strong>.</span> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">The victory earned the Hawks a re-match with Waconia on Saturday.</span>