Providence Academy vs. SMB-Wolfpack – offensive standouts

Points were hard to come by Wednesday night when the 10th ranked 4A team, the SMB-Wolfpack, hosted the 5th ranked 3A team, the Providence Academy Lions. Although neither team lit up the scoreboard - <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2021/10/the-lions-look-ready-for-the-playoffs/">the Lions came away with a 13-7 victory</a> - one player put on one of the most impressive performances I have seen this season. [player_tooltip player_id="49843" first="Jacob" last="Meissner"] <strong>Providence Academy RB</strong> Meissner was the guy with that performance that blew me away with his physical running style. Early on, he set the tone for what we would see all night – a tough inside run in which he broke a couple of tackles and powered his way for 15 yards. Then, he showed good vision finding a hole when the initial play was stopped. Always falling forward for an extra one or two yards every time he touched the ball, the 6’0" 215-pound senior made a great cut and then carried tacklers for five yards. He caught a screen pass that should have gone for a loss, but Meissner broke two tackles for a six-yard gain. He grabbed another screen, broke multiple tackles to gain eight yards. The Wolfpack defense had him three times on one run, and he still picked up five yards. He spun off a tackler off the left side and got down the sidelines for a twenty-yard touchdown run. <strong>Providence Academy O-line</strong> [player_tooltip player_id="116260" first="Mark" last="McCarthy"], <strong>Logan Ahlers</strong>, <strong>Nate Dierberger</strong>, <strong>James Wicht</strong>, <strong>Bennett Hilberg</strong> [player_tooltip player_id="116260" first="Mark" last="McCarthy"] McCarthy and Ahlers were especially effective for the Lions. They created a lot of holes for Meissner. McCarthy’s blocks that stood out to me included a perfectly executed a seal block to spring quarterback <strong>Jack Reller</strong> for a first down. Another seal block allowed Meissner to get around the corner. <strong>Logan Ahlers</strong> Teaming with McCarthy, he was moving guys off the line, opening holes all game. His block sprung Reller for a critical first down late in the game. <strong>Bennett Hilberg Providence Academy OL</strong> By no means did he dominate, but he was assigned to handle Michigan State commit [player_tooltip player_id="18423" first="Chase" last="Carter"]. As you will see in my next story, Carter had his moments -but Hilberg had the most demanding assignment on the field and more than held his own. [player_tooltip player_id="116250" first="Sanjay" last="Redd"] <strong>SMB RB</strong> I think Redd might have injured himself early in the game as most of the game, he was not as explosive and was not as featured as I thought he would be. Before he got nicked up, his talent was evident. He made a quick cut to create space when there wasn’t any. He picked up five tough yards up the middle. Later, he bounced a run to the outside for ten yards. <strong>Jack Reller Providence Academy QB</strong> Reller hurt the Wolfpack defense with his arm and his legs. On a designed quarterback run, he made a cut to pick up yards. He got around the corner on a third and long and made another cut in the open field to pick up a first down. He hit a quick ten-yard pass to the middle of the field. On another designed run, the senior showed speed through the hole for a first down. He showed some arm strength on a 30-yard pass down the sidelines. Late in the game, he completed a 30-yard deep out for a first down on third and long allowing his offense to run more clock in a one-score game. <strong>Elijah Wade SMB WR</strong> Wade made a leaping catch on a curl route. Then, he made the biggest play of the Wolfpack’s night by catching a 74-yard touchdown, using his speed to get behind the defense. Late in the game, he caught a short, out route for a first down, temporarily keeping the Wolfpack’s final drive alive. <strong>Nick Fahnlander Providence Academy WR</strong> Fahnlander only caught a few balls, but they were big catches. He hauled in a 30-yard pass down the sidelines. Then, while protecting a six-point lead, he caught a ball on the sidelines, converting a third and long late in the game for 30 yards.