Week 8 – Offensive Players of the Week

Week 8 of the 2021 high school season has come and gone and we’re one step closer to the playoffs. This late in the season, is usually where guys start to have consistent breakout performances and separate themselves from the pack. With that being said, here were the three best offensive performances from week 8. <strong>Players of the Week</strong> Jake Marschall, Chatfield Chargers (RB/LB)(Sr.)(5) - Marschall might’ve had the best performance of any offensive player in the state during the Chargers’ tight 50-49 upset over the previously undefeated Golden Demons, racking up 310 yards of total offense alone. For the night, Marschall accounted for a staggering 295 yards rushing on 42 carries (7.0 YPC) and two touchdowns while also going 3 of 4 passing for 15 yards and another touchdown. When you watch the film of Marschall’s performance, you can see that Marschall displays outstanding athleticism, which allows him to be plugged into multiple different positions on offense and defense. Elusive runner with outstanding balance and lateral agility thanks to his lower body strength and hip/ankle flexibility. Displays good vision when working to daylight, routinely setting up 2nd and 3rd level defenders to be blocked by his teammates downfield. Explosive runner that can hit top speed quickly if given enough space. Shows good top-end foot speed, consistently being able to pull away from 2nd and 3rd level defenders. Plays with good physicality when running between the tackles, often being asked to carry the ball in short-yardage and goal line situations. Projects as either a RB or a DB/SS at the collegiate level. While Marschall isn’t receiving much interest from bigger programs, he is certainly a very talented player that has more than enough athleticism to be a big contributor at the next level, whether on offense or defense. [player_tooltip player_id="22749" first="Isaac" last="Sisneros"], Kennedy Commanders (QB)(Jr.)(1) - Sisneros was easily the state’s top passer from week 8, in the Commanders tight 55-48 loss to the Denver North Vikings. Sisneros posted an eye-popping stat line, going 23 of 34 (68%) for 446 yards, 5 touchdowns, a QBR of 137.9, 38 yards rushing, and a rushing touchdown. When you watch film of Sisneros, you can see that he is a highly explosive athlete with a live arm. Extremely elusive in the pocket when extending time to find a receiver downfield or as a ball carrier in one-on-one situations with defenders in the open field. Displays good arm strength with the ability to stretch the defense on deep balls and enough velocity on short and intermediate throws to squeeze passes into tight windows. Shows a good understanding of coverages, DB rotations, and pre-snap coverage shells and which reads to go to based off of those looks. Good accuracy when making throws on the run, often being forced to ad lib outside of the pocket and still making precise throws to all levels of the field. Shows great ball placement on deeper throws, consistently hitting receivers in stride, outside the defender’s reach, on longer throws. Sisneros is currently ranked the number 7 QB in the state for the 2023 class and the number 40 player overall. While I’m sure he would much rather have the win, he’ll be an entertaining player to follow for the next two years. Ron Gallegos III, Kennedy Commanders (WR/DB)(Jr.)(4) - With Sisneros being the state’s leading passer for week 8, it only makes sense that his teammate was the state’s leading receiver. In the Commanders’ tight loss to Denver North, Gallegos accounted for a remarkable 304 yards on 11 catches (27.6 YPR) and 5 touchdowns, while also accounting for 2 tackles and a forced fumble on defense. When you turn on the tape, you can see Gallegos displays excellent explosiveness out of his stance at the line, often winning the release at the line off of foot speed and explosiveness alone. Excellent athlete with the agility and elite top-end foot speed necessary to take the top off of a defense on deeper routes and take short to intermediate routes the distance after the catch. Highly elusive ball carrier in the open field that can find daylight in even the tightest running lanes. Displays consistent hands in tight coverage when going over the middle on short and intermediate routes. Shows good tracking ability when working through defenders on deeper routes. Much like Sisneros, I’m sure Gallegos would much rather have the win, but the connection between him and Sisneros should be a tough one to defend for the rest of this season and into the next.