Lakota West 2021 Outlook

On Friday night I had a chance to watch Lakota West in a scrimmage against Cincinnati Elder.  Lakota is coming off a season where they made a deep playoff run that ended in a 10-7 loss to the eventual state champion Saint X Bombers.  Lakota brings back a good deal of talent and is once again poised to make a playoff run. [caption id="attachment_181341" align="alignleft" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/08/IMG_1155-rotated-crop-2210x1451-1628386942.jpeg"><img class="wp-image-181341 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/08/IMG_1155-rotated-crop-2210x1451-1628386942-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> <strong>QB Mitchell Bolden</strong>[/caption] <strong>Mitchell Bolden</strong> returns as the signal caller for the Firebird offense.  Bolden stands 6’2 190 and is a 2023 dual threat QB.  Bolden shows a good feel for the read option and can tuck it and run if nothing is there in the passing game.  While the Firebirds don’t do a lot in the way of the short passing game Bolden showed a really nice touch on his deep balls.  His ability to go vertical in the passing game will keep defenses honest rather than stacking the box to slow the run game. When the Lakota’s offense walks onto the field, there’s one player that cannot be missed.  Left Tackle and Ohio State commit [player_tooltip player_id="34373" first="Tegra" last="Tshabola"] is just a massive young man.  It’s easy to see why Ohio State’s Ryan Day and Greg Studrawa would be so excited about their young commit.  At 6’5 and 300 pounds Tegra is strong in the run game and does a good job of shutting down the defensive pass rush.  He’s still a work in progress as you can see some technical stuff that he needs to work on.  The traits, the physical tools, are all there and that’s why the future is very bright for Tshabola. [caption id="attachment_181343" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/08/IMG_1141-rotated-crop-3024x1986-1628387095.jpeg"><img class="wp-image-181343 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/08/IMG_1141-rotated-crop-3024x1986-1628387095-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> <strong>OT [player_tooltip player_id="34373" first="Tegra" last="Tshabola"]</strong>[/caption]Sharing the backfield with the aforementioned Bolden will be running back Cameron Good.  Good displays good vision and is a physical back.  He’s a good fit for the zone run game because he does a great job of putting his foot in the ground and getting up the field.  He rarely is going to have a negative run.  He can also step up and deliver a block in pass pro. The defensive backfield is one that boast a couple of D1 commits.  At cornerback is the one they call "Hollywood", [player_tooltip player_id="34377" first="Jyaire" last="Brown"].  Brown like Tshabola is committed to Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes.  Brown is an athletic cover guy who can lock down the opposing.  #1 wide reciever,  What I like most about Jyaire beyond his obvious athleticism is his physicality.  Brown is gonna at opposing receivers and  he goes at them hard.  They’re going to have earn whatever they get when they face Hollywood. [caption id="attachment_181345" align="alignleft" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/08/IMG_1152-rotated-crop-2704x1775-1628387445.jpeg"><img class="wp-image-181345 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/08/IMG_1152-rotated-crop-2704x1775-1628387445-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> <strong>CB [player_tooltip player_id="34377" first="Jyaire" last="Brown"]</strong>[/caption]West’s other cornerback [player_tooltip player_id="34385" first="Alex" last="Afari"] will head to the SEC as he committed to the University of Kentucky back in June,  Afari is the modern day corner.  He’s tall and has great length.  While he may not close like his cornerback counterpart, his length really allows him to make plays on the ball at a high level.  Afari’s size will serve him well at the nest level when it comes to jamming bigger wide receivers at the line of scrimmage. [player_tooltip player_id="186345" first="Bryan" last="Henderson"] 6’1 260 (2022) will be relied heavily on by the Firebirds to wreak havoc in the backfield and and apply pressure to opposing quarterbacks.  A little over a week ago Henderson committed to play college ball at the University of Buffalo.  Henderson has a good get-off and does a great job at playing with a low pad level. [caption id="attachment_181348" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/08/IMG_1153-rotated-crop-2770x1819-1628387634.jpeg"><img class="wp-image-181348 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/08/IMG_1153-rotated-crop-2770x1819-1628387634-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> <strong>CB [player_tooltip player_id="34385" first="Alex" last="Afari"]</strong>[/caption][player_tooltip player_id="228407" first="Malik" last="Hartford"] (2023) is another defensive back who caught my eye.  I’m not sure what they’re putting in the water in Lakota Township, but Hartford is another long and athletic DB.  At 6’3 you’re not going to find many wide receivers that are going to go up and over him.  Hartford play some last year, but will be taking on a bigger role here in 2021.  He’s definitely a player to keep your eye on!