High Five: Plainville-Elgin-Millville vs. Stewartville

It was a game of two halves. The Stewartville Tigers went on the road and dominated the Plainville-Elgin-Millville Bulldogs in the first half of their Section 1AAA semi-final. The problem was, the Bulldogs were able to escape the first half only down 6-0. Like the Tigers in the first half, Plainville-EM dominated the second half – scoring twenty-two points to win 22-6. Here are five players who stood out to me – even though my computer screen. <strong>Leo Silha - Plainville-Elgin-Millville RB/DE</strong> Silha was all over the field for the Bulldogs. Although the whole offense struggled in the first half, the defense did not. He combined with defensive lineman Christian Tentis for a sack. In the second half, he dropped into pass coverage and had a critical third-down pass breakup. Late in the game, he registered a solo quarterback sack. On offense, he showed he could not only run the ball but be a threat in the passing game. He caught an over the shoulder pass down the sidelines for 40 yards. He was able to get the tough yards between the tackles but also has good feet – allowing him to bounce a run to the outside for 25 yards. He ran off-tackle and showed his speed for a 35-yard touchdown run to seal the game in the fourth quarter. <strong>Christian Tentis – Plainville-Elgin-Millville OL/DT</strong> Tentis was in the middle of everything for the Bulldogs. He helped hold down a good Stewartville offense all game. Before Tuesday night, the Tigers offense scored at least 27 points in all but one game. Tentis made running inside an adventure and got involved in the pass rush too. He combined with Silha for an early quarterback sack. He was all over a critical defensive stand in the second half. With the Bulldogs leading by nine, Tentis dropped a running back for a loss. Two plays later, he combined with a group of Bulldogs' defenders to stuff a third and one run. The Tigers would not convert on fourth down – a huge turning point in the game. On the offensive side of the ball, he helped open holes for Silha all second half – including his 35-yard clincher. <strong>Martin Prieto – Plainville-Elgin-Millville OL/DL</strong> Like Tentis, Prieto was a problem on both sides of the line of scrimmage. He helped stuff a run on third and short – forcing a fourth down. In the second half, he put pressure on the quarterback to force an incompletion. Finally, with his offense facing a second and 17, Tentis threw the key block to give Silha the corner, get him into the secondary, allowing him to pick up sixteen yards – setting up a manageable third and short. <strong>Will Tschetter – Stewartville QB</strong> Especially in the first half, Tschetter was the best athlete on the field. For a guy standing 6'7", the senior moved well in the pocket, was not afraid to run the ball and take a hit. When Plainville-EM blitzed early in the game, Tschetter recognized it and used his speed to get around the corner for ten yards. He threw a great ball on the move, completing a touchdown pass right at the goal line. Later, he was forced back almost twenty yards by the pass rush and somehow still got the ball off to complete a pass. On fourth and one, Tschetter's quarterback sneak not only picked up the first down but fifteen additional yards. <strong>Colton Parker – Stewartville LB</strong> Early in the game, Parker blitzed, broke free, and put immediate pressure on the quarterback. He did not get a sack, but he forced an intentional grounding call – setting up a third and long. On the next possession, Parker was in on the pass rush again and forced a hurried throw. He did a good job setting the edge and made running outside difficult on the Bulldogs. His forced fumble in the second half – in the red zone – temporarily kept the Tigers in the game – preventing a possible touchdown.