Rock’s Playmakers of the Week: Hamilton/Saguaro (Offense)

In a 13-7 Hamilton victory over Saguaro, there were a handful of offensive players that stood out. It was a mean, gritty game between these two powerhouses, with special teams and trick plays playing a major factor. Take a look at the top 5 offensive players from one of the biggest game’s of the season:<img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-64639" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2020/10/IMG_4647-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /> Offensive MVP: [player_tooltip player_id="42783" first="Nicco" last="Marchiol"], QB, Hamilton HS (C/O 2022) Marchiol accounted for Hamilton’s only TD on an 8 yard scramble to barrel his way into the endzone. He did an outstanding job of keeping his eyes downfield all game to keep the Saguaro defense honest in pass coverage, and used this to his advantage to be able to tuck it and run for solid chunks of yards frequently. Marchiol’s mechanics are outstanding, and one thing that stood out to me was his strong ability to sell the play action, which had the Saguaro defense biting all night and opened up routes on bootlegs. We all knew Marchiol was a talented QB, but he proved that he is not rattled by physicality or pressure, as he was taking some big hits at a big game on ESPN, and never once looked phased. [player_tooltip player_id="42795" first="Javen" last="Jacobs"], ATH., Saguaro HS (C/O 2022) Jacobs was electric all night, and accounted for Saguaro’s only score on about a 50 yard punt return TD when he stretched to the sideline then made a quick cutback to open field to take it to the house. Jacobs is a phenomenal athlete, and was used as a receiver, running back, and even threw the ball. He accelerates quickly and is very shifty in open space. He showed exceptional lateral quickness and the ability to break tackles. Jacobs was involved in 2 double pass plays, where he hit a wide open [player_tooltip player_id="42614" first="Xander" last="Werner"] for a big gain. Jacobs is a major threat anywhere on the field, and will continue to be one of the best all-around players in the state.<img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-64641" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2020/10/IMG_4626-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /> [player_tooltip player_id="42614" first="Xander" last="Werner"], ATH., Saguaro HS (C/O 2021) Werner played everywhere last night, and Saguaro loved to utilize him as much as possible. He had 2 big plays when he was involved on 2 double passes in which he caught a double passes from [player_tooltip player_id="42795" first="Javen" last="Jacobs"] for a big gain, and then threw the second one to [player_tooltip player_id="42795" first="Javen" last="Jacobs"] for 51 yards. As a ball carrier, he ran the read option well from QB as he showed to be a hard, downhill runner with good vision and was difficult to bring down. He had an impressive play at receiver as well, as he made a diving catch across the middle for around 20 yards. He is a big kid at 6’3" 225lbs., and shows exceptional athleticism. He has the body and athleticism to play QB or TE at a D1 school, and should see his recruiting spark up very soon. [player_tooltip player_id="42643" first="Noah" last="Schmidt"], RB, Hamilton HS (C/O 2021) Schmidt showed some good flashes of big play ability as he had a couple big runs. He was very explosive through the <img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-64642" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2020/10/IMG_4634-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" />hole, and was shifty and spinning his way in open space. He had an outstanding run for 48 yards when he made a quick cutback showing exceptional lateral agility and spun around a defender, and was one man away from scoring when he was brought down at the Saguaro 7. He is your all-purpose back, in which you can give him 20+ carries and use him in the passing game. He has excellent balance, good vision, and keeps a low pad level. Schmidt should continue to have a big role throughout the season. [player_tooltip player_id="42934" first="Cole" last="Martin"], ATH., Hamilton HS (C/O 2023) Martin was exciting to watch as a return specialist. He was very clutch, as he had 2 solid punt returns, and one kickoff return that set Hamilton up with good field position. He had a 60 yard punt return to the Saguaro 5 in which he showed great speed and was dangerously shifty. His ability to move lateral and juke and jive was lethal and he was constantly breaking ankles all night. Martin set up Hamilton for 10 points, which proved to be a major factor in a gritty game. Martin is an upcoming superstar, as he was one of the best athletes on the field as a sophomore. &nbsp;