Section Strength: 6A
This series of stories will cover the toughest section in each class. As there are many great teams in the state of Minnesota, a lot of them fly under the radar when they are in the same section as other…
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Continue ReadingThis series of stories will cover the toughest section in each class. As there are many great teams in the state of Minnesota, a lot of them fly under the radar when they are in the same section as other great teams. I picked sections based on how successful each team in their section performed throughout the season. I will also highlight each teams key players that will return in the 2019 for each team in the section.
Class 6A has produced many good teams that sends a lot of good players to college to play ball. That being said it was hard to pick a section that couldest be considered the strongest. After reviewing the records of the teams in each section, it seemed that Section 6 can fit the mold. Section 6 had five of its eight teams .500 or above while two of the remaining three were one game under .500.
Eden Prairie Eagles
The Eagles claimed the 2018 Section 6 title with a record of 10-2, their only losses coming from Lakeville North in the regular season and in the Prep Bowl. Eden Prairie averaged 25 points a game on offense while their defense surrendered 15. The Eagles have been making a statement as a team to become one of the State’s powerhouse teams, making a run in the State tournament each year making it at least to the semifinals each year. They have proved to have some serious depth on their team by making these kind of runs each year and I imagine 2019 will be no different as they will return:
Linebacker- Ben Sather, defensively flies around and attacks the football, forcing plenty of fumbles and creating takeaways.
Defensive Lineman- Justice Sullivan, quick first step, does not give up on the play.
Edina Hornets
The Hornets made it to the second round of the State playoffs in 2018, finishing the season at 7-3, averaging 19 points a game offensively while defensively giving up 15 points a game. Edina plays a slower pace game not looking to put up a lot of points a game but rather just playing to win the game. Players looking to keep the team successful include:
Defensive End- Will Davis, fast off the ball, balances power by fighting through the offensive line.
Wide Receiver- Jake Boltmann, playmaker, goes up and gets the ball at the high point, and is a versatile peace in the offensive scheme.
Minnetonka Skippers
The Skippers just missed out on making it to US Bank Stadium this season, finishing the season at 6-5 averaging 17 points a game on offense and giving up 16 points on defense. Minnetonka likes to mix up formations in order to spread the ball around to its playmakers, however this might be a rebuilding year for the Skippers as they will have to replace many of their starters from last season. They will return some key players who received plenty of snaps in the 2018 season, these players include:
Defensive Lineman- Carvon Gurley, strong, is really quick at shedding blocks and stays home to make the play.
Offensive Lineman- Owen Gunderson, technical blocking, always looking for a defender to block and finishes every play.
Wayzata Trojans
The Trojans ran into a good Woodbury team early in the playoffs ending their run early, finishing the season 5-5 averaging 27 points a game on offense while giving up 22 points on defense. Wayzata has a fast-paced offense that aims for the big play. They will return a bigger crew in the 2019 season including players like:
Running Back- Christian Vasser, strong runner, gets North and South quickly and is not afraid of contact.
Defensive End- Joe Demro, quick off the ball, finds his way into the opponents backfield constantly and muscles his way through to the ballcarrier.
Buffalo Bison
The Bison showed a lot of improvement again in the 2018 season, finishing the season at 6-3 averaging 48 points a game offensively while giving up 37 points on defense. Buffalo enjoyed the track-meet type of games, putting up points in bunches. While starting some of their players young to get them experience, all those players are now entering their junior or senior season. They key players for the upcoming season are:
Quarterback- Aidan Bouman, strong arm, slings the ball all over the field, also has mobility in the backfield.
Linebacker- Dustin Sarvie, relentless, reads the play and attacks the ballcarrier.
Robbinsdale Armstrong Falcons
The Falcons rounded out their season at 4-5 dropping a couple close games, averaging 26 points a game on offense and giving up 28 points on defense. Robbinsdale Armstrong also plays the spread and loves the big play, 2019 looks promising for them, returning a strong core of players such as:
Wide Receiver- Thai Bowman, speedy vertical threat. Runs a good route to get open and makes the catch.
Linebacker- Dacion Francis, strong, reads the play and scrapes to fill the hole effectively.
Shakopee Sabers
The Sabers are one of the reasons why I chose to start a segment like this. They are a team that has good players, but their record does not reflect it. Finishing the season at 2-7 averaging, Shakopee looks to have a bounce back season in 2019. Key players they will return are:
Defensive Back- Elijah Ofori, coverage back, reads and plays his man, keeps his eyes out of the backfield.
Running Back- Jack Casey, patient, lets play develop and hits the hole hard.
Hopkins Royals
The Royals had a good 2019 season, unfortunately was the team that drew the Prep Bowl Champions in the first round of playoffs. Finishing their season at 4-5. Hopkins likes to keep the game at slower pace, but they can play the fast pace game if they need to. The Royals will return a handful of key players next season, such as:
Tight End/Linebacker- Jimmy Murphy, good size, uses his big frame to block and get position to make the catch in the slot.
Defensive End- Deonte Bryant, intense, gets off the ball at full speed and finds the football in the backfield.