Nate’s Big Dogs of the Week: Week 2 Edition-Defense

<p style="font-weight: 400;">We are now closing in on the Week 2 Edition of Nate’s Big Dogs of the Week: Defense. This game at O'Shaughnessy Stadium at St. Thomas was a great one between East Ridge and Cretin-Derham Hall. Here are my 5 big dogs on defense this week.</p> <p style="font-weight: 400;"><strong><em>Sam Haskins, Linebacker, East Ridge</em></strong></p> <p style="font-weight: 400;">Another player that was featured in my program preview of East Ridge, was Sam Haskins. Haskins was a tackling menace last night against the Raiders. Haskins has great vision of where the ball carrier is all times which made it hard for RB <strong>Tony Underwood</strong> of CDHto get in any sort of rhythm all night.</p> <p style="font-weight: 400;"><strong><em>Matt Sticha, Defensive Back, Cretin-Derham Hall</em></strong></p> <p style="font-weight: 400;">Sticha made some clutch tackles as had a great knack for knowing where the ball was when QB <strong>Riley Larson</strong> attempted a pass. Stichawas one of the reasons why Larson’s completion percentage was under 50% on the night. Good game from Matt Sticha defensively.</p> <p style="font-weight: 400;"><strong><em>Rob Jeter, Defensive Back, East Ridge</em></strong></p> <p style="font-weight: 400;">This name might resonate with some college basketball fans as Jeter is the son of former UW-Milwaukee head coach and current Minnesota Gophers assistant, Rob Jeter. In my opinion Jeter was the best defensive back on the Raptors last night. Not a huge night of tackles, but a half sack, and a few pass deflections puts Rob Jeter on my list of defensive big dogs of the week.</p> <p style="font-weight: 400;"><strong><em>Cage Linton, Linebacker, Cretin-Derham Hall</em></strong></p> <p style="font-weight: 400;">Linton has a swagger to his game despite being an undersized linebacker on paper. His great speed and knack of finding the ball gives him the perfect match at linebacker but can also compete with receivers as far as defending the pass. Linton was so solid for the Raiders last night.</p> <p style="font-weight: 400;"><strong><em>Jackson Peters, Defensive End, Cretin-Derham Hall (My Defensive Game Ball of the Week)</em></strong></p> <p style="font-weight: 400;">What an effort last night from Jackson Peters. When I take a look at my stat sheet, Peters is all over it. This defensive end really made the difference in stuffing the run up front and making it hard for guys like KJ Moore and Riley Larson of East Ridge to push the ball any way up the middle and that was because of Peters. Congrats to Jackson Peters for being my defensive game ball of the week!</p>