Game Balls: Week 2

Each week after watching the film and going through the stats, we would like to recognize standouts and award “Game Balls” for their performance.  Here is a group of players that earned the PrepRedzone IN Game Balls for week 2… <ul> <li>WR [player_tooltip player_id="38988" first="Luke" last="Lacey"]- Brownsburg, 2021</li> </ul> There should be little surprise that he is at the top of this list.  [player_tooltip player_id="38988" first="Luke" last="Lacey"] is a household name across the country after his performance in a nationally televised game vs St Xavier (OH). Trailing 24-10 in the 4th quarter, Lacey took the game over by scoring 2 TD’s, including the game tying TD with just over 30 seconds remaining in the game.  Big time players make big time plays in big time games, and he did all of that and more.  With 9 receptions for 145 yards, Lacy didn’t only give his team a chance to win a game over one of the top teams in the country, his stat line outpaced that of Penn State WR commit [player_tooltip player_id="34196" first="Liam" last="Clifford"] as well.  The Brownsburg Sr WR came into the game with offers from Penn and Columbia, but I have a feeling his recruiting is really about to pick up.  This performance may not come as a surprise to those who follow Lacey, but his performance on national television had to impress even his biggest fans.  [player_tooltip player_id="38988" first="Luke" last="Lacey"] is a name that college coaches at every level need to be aware of, and solidified himself as an FBS level player in my opinion. <ul> <li>ATH Garrett Esposito- Beech Grove, 2021</li> </ul> Beech Grove came out firing on all cylinders during their 46-0 win over Cascade, and Esposito was a human highlight reel throughout.  Scoring multiple TD’s in a game is impressive on its own, but the way he did it was nothing short of extraordinary. With a score on defense, special teams, rushing, and receiving, Garrett managed to get into the end zone four different ways.  I don’t have any concrete statistics in front of me, but I imagine there are only a handful of Indiana HS players that have accomplished that over the past few years.  Esposito was not on my radar going into this season, but it was only a matter of time that he caught my attention with his level of production.  With a good frame and ability to play multiple positions at the next level, Garrett is sure to catch plenty of college coaches eyes this season. <ul> <li>RB [player_tooltip player_id="39034" first="Baron" last="Huebler"]- Roncalli, 2021</li> </ul> Baron was an absolute beast and a workhorse for Roncalli on Friday. Carrying the ball 32 times for 266 yards and 4 TD’s, he had the ball in his hands on almost 50% of Roncalli’s plays.  I wouldn’t say that it was a surprise to see Huebler run for 266 yards, as he had 9 games with over 100 yards last season, but the fashion in which he did it was eye opening.  When you turn on the film you see a player with a low center of gravity, elite cutting ability, and the ability to take the ball the distance.  You can tell he put in a lot of work this past off-season, and he has really developed physically.  Baron doesn’t deserve all of the credit for his performance as his offensive line did a great job opening holes for him, but with that being said... I love his ability to consistently get more yardage than is given to him up front.  He has an offer from Valparaiso right now, but his recruitment should really pick up with his development. <ul> <li>OL Tyson Miller- Lafayette Jefferson, 2022</li> </ul> On a night where Lafayette Jefferson ran for almost 500 yards, there are a number of players who could have gone in this spot. I chose to recognize the performance of their young offensive lineman, Tyson Miller.  Listed at 6'6" 270, he is a physically impressive force on the Jefferson OL.  He brings a brand of nasty to his game and is agile for a 6'6" offensive lineman.  You see him try to impose his will on defenders and he does a great job of setting the tone in the trenches.  He moves very well at his size, and the Jefferson offense likes to feature him as a puller in a number of their gap scheme plays.  With his frame and athletic ability, it is only a matter of time before he starts to receive D1 recruiting interest.  As long as Miller and the rest of the OL open up holes like they did on Friday, it looks like Jefferson will have a chance for a very special season. <ul> <li>SAF/WR Rowan Zolman- East Noble, 2022</li> </ul> Rowan made big plays on both sides of the ball this week, but I was most impressed with the impact that he made on defense.  His stat line in their 31-0 shutout victory was extremely impressive... 1 rush for 37 yards, 2 catches for 31 yards/1 TD, 9 tackles, 2 interceptions, and a fumble recovery.  When you turn on the film you see a young prospect with a great frame and the length that D1 programs look for in a player.  He is extremely versatile, has great range, and comes up clutch when his team needs him most.  Rowan lists himself at 6'4" 200 on his Twitter, so he already has the size of a college football player.  His combination of size and athleticism make him stand out amongst his peers on the field, and he is a prospect that could be recruited for a number of positions at the next level.  I project him to most likely end up on defense in college, but it may end up as an OLB, opposed to playing safety like he does right now. Overall, there is a lot to like about his performance and overall upside!