Impact Players To Watch: Week 5 Indiana

This weekend is sure to be packed with excitement, passion, and surprises.  Let’s dissect some of this weeks most important matchups, and highlight four impact players for week 5... <ul> <li>DL Josiah Green, North Central</li> </ul> The game between North Central and Center Grove is sure to be a dog fight, and could present Center Grove with their first big challenge of the year.  We are well aware that Center Grove has a dominant defense and points against them come at a premium. Another thing we know about CG is that they have a number of playmakers on offense, and they are about as compete of a team that you will find in the midwest.  North Central on the other hand has shown that they are capable of winning games with their play on offense in some games, and with their defense in others. Considering the strength of Center Grove’s defense, and the lack of opportunities they have given opponents to score... It is my opinion that for North Central to pull off the upset, they are going to do it with fantastic defensive play.  There are a number of talented defenders on NC’s defense, but I have chosen their Sr DL Josiah Green as the impact player in this game, because of how important his role will be in stopping Center Grove’s offense.  Green has a unique skill-set and is capable of lining up at a number of places on the DL.  He is an athletic player that has a knack for getting in opponents backfields, pressuring the passer, and holding the point at the line of scrimmage.  Much of Center Grove’s run plays attack the edge and this is where Green lines up a lot of the time.  If Green is able to play a disciplined style of ball and set an edge to force perimeter runs inside, it will go a long way towards preventing many of the explosive perimeter runs that Center Grove thrives on.  If Green and company can get CG in obvious pass situations, this is where Josiah will have a chance to use his pass rush ability to pressure the QB and potentially cause turnovers. I am really excited to see Josiah rise to the challenge! <ul> <li>DB Zane Hill, Cathedral</li> </ul> This will be the second time an Indiana team plays Ohio power St. Xavier this season, and if it turns out to be anything like the Brownsburg game... This isn’t one you will want to miss! The St. Xavier program has been known for their QB play, talented WR’s, and elite passing game over the years and this season is no different.  Xavier WR [player_tooltip player_id="34196" first="Liam" last="Clifford"] (Penn State Commit) is one of the best WR’s in the nation and is capable of taking a game over on his own.  The ability to take out their number one receiving threat will be very important if Cathedral want to come out with a victory. I have chosen Zane Hill as the impact player.  Liam will have a slight size advantage when he matches up against Hill, but Hill has great size for a DB as well, and I don’t see the height difference being a big deal.  What Hill may lack in size when comparing him to Clifford, he certainly makes up for it with his quickness and overall athletic ability. Another thing that Hill excels at is his closing speed when the ball is in their air.  He is lightning quick out of his breaks, and he is physical at the point of attack.  His ability to challenge Clifford throughout the game, contest balls when he is targeted, and prevent the big play will all be key to a Cathedral victory.  I am impressed with Zane’s early Sr film and I believe he will be up to the challenge. <ul> <li>QB Maximus Webster, Westfield</li> </ul> Westfield has two talented QB’s on roster, and a number of other playmakers that will be needed in their showdown with Hamilton Southeastern.  My reason for going with Jr QB Maximus Webster as the impact player comes down to his skill-set, and the way he can stress defenses schematically.  There is nothing worse for a defensive coordinator than being forced to account for the QB in their run game fits. This is exactly the way Webster can stress a defense.  He is a capable passer that can make all levels of throws, but it can be argued that he is every bit as dangerous with his feet.  Whether it is a designed QB run, zone read, or scrambling... The defense will often have to account for his ability as a runner with an extra defender.  This in turn leads to more passing windows downfield, and can make the defense susceptible to the big play. Whether it be making plays with his arm or feet, Westfield will need a good performance from Webster to give themselves the best chance to win. <ul> <li>RB Connor Fruits, Indian Creek</li> </ul> I am expecting one heck of a game when Indian Creek and Triton Central lineup against each other this week.  In last years matchup which saw Indian Creek come out on top, it was their running game and defense that led the way to their victory. Connor Fruits was the man who led the rushing attack in their game last season by grinding out 126 yards on the ground.  His consistent yardage on the ground enabled the Braves to control the pace of the game, and helped limit Triton’s opportunities offensively.  In order to Indian Creek to repeat last years success, I believe that Fruits will need to have another big game.  He has rushed for 468 and scored 9 total touchdowns this season, and from looking at the pervious games statistics, you will notice that Indian Creek is often as good as his performance.  When Fruits runs for over 70 yards and scores a TD in the game, the Braves are 3-0.  When he rushes for under 70 and doesn’t score a TD, the Braves are 0-1.  I love his ability as a player and he is talented enough to carry the team... This is why Connor Fruits is a high impact player for the week!