Team Preview: Allendale
Overview Allendale is led by Ben Burk as his Allendale coaching career becomes old enough to enjoy a beer (and older than me!) at 21 years. Allendale has been in a bit of a lull lately, as they’ve only had…
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Allendale is led by Ben Burk as his Allendale coaching career becomes old enough to enjoy a beer (and older than me!) at 21 years. Allendale has been in a bit of a lull lately, as they’ve only had 1 winning season since 2016. The Allendale Falcons started their 2020 season on fire, winning their first 3 games by a margin of 113 – 65. Although after those 3 wins, the Falcons quickly spun out, not winning a single game for the rest of the season and lost by a total margin of 206 – 54. Allendale finished their season 3-5 averaging 21PPG and 34PAPG. Allendale’s offense is looking to still be well-rounded this year, but the real question is if they can turn the defensive struggles around.
Schedule/Games to Watch
August 26 @ Greenville
Allendale must start the season off strong and that has a great chance of happening against Greenville. In 2020, Greenville went winless as they continue to struggle to win. These two teams last met in the 2019 season where Allendale came out on top 44-24. I’m looking for Allendale to get their offense rolling in this one with hopefully seeing strides on defense.
September 2 vs Hopkins
September 10 vs West Catholic
This is surely going to be a measuring stick game for the Falcons as they’re facing one of the top teams in Division 5. The Falcons fell to West Catholic 34-12 in 2020, while Allendale came out on top in 2019 32-20. It’s going to be interesting to see how this game will go after the unfortunate 2020 coronavirus season.
September 17 @ Unity Christian
September 24 vs Coopersville
October 1 @ Holland Christian
October 8 vs Hamilton
October 15 vs Fruitport
October 22 @ Spring Lake
Finishing strong is going to be crucial for Allendale, and they’re surely going to be faced with a challenge in week 9. As I’ve said in my Spring Lake Preview, they’re really on the rise with great new coaching and talent. This might be a game that decides Allendale’s playoff fate, and if anything will surely shake up the playoff seedings. Again, Allendale needs the same offensive output with a much better defensive performance if they want to win these big games.
Players to watch
Josh Gunneson, WR – As a sophomore, Gunneson posted huge numbers with some of Allendale’s most explosive plays being specifically called for him. He’s a great route runner who has good 11.86 100M track speed. Although a good athlete, Gunneson would really benefit from improving in the open field. Adding a cut, spin, or even truck to his arsenal would really benefit him. As long as he’s put in the necessary work, Gunneson should be much improved for 2021.
Domenico Tejeda, DT – Allendale needs defensive leadership this season and that can surely be where Domenico comes in. He’d a classic Nose Guard archetype and a pure run-stuffer who can impressively move offensive linemen. He does his job very well and is a sure bright spot on Allendale’s defense. I’m looking for Domenico to continue improving his power, in addition to becoming a vocal leader for the team.
Conner Woods, FS – Another bright spot on the Allendale defense, I expect woods to have a great senior campaign. Woods is a surprisingly great run defender, flying to the ball once it’s handed off and delivering consistently good tackles. In addition, he shows generally great football IQ and feel for the game. I’m looking for Woods to be a leader on the Falcons defense.
X-Factor: Consistency
If Allendale can remain consistent on Offense and Defence, they have the potential to surprise a lot of people. I’m looking for the Falcon’s offense to be just as explosive in week 1 as in week 9, and I’m looking for them to have consistently good defensive performances with great leadership. If the Allendale is looking to get good league placement and make a playoff run, I point to consistency and real leadership from their upper class.