Nate’s Big Dogs of the Week: State Semifinals, Part I
DAKOTAS– The road to the domes in both of the Dakotas is near complete. We dive into State Week, by giving out eight more Big Dogs of the Week from the state semifinals that took place across the Dakotas this weekend. Stay tuned for more action this week at the state finals as we will have plenty of coverage across both of the Dakotas! Enjoy.
Payton Hochhalter | QB | Jamestown (ND) | 2023
Hochhalter is a first-look prospect that I am just starting to get my eyes on. There is a lot to like about this young man’s super relaxed demeanor inside the pocket as he does not look flustered back there showing great poise. Hochhalter shows good touch on the football and I think could develop even better touch in the coming year with his shorter routes. His release also could use a little more speed, but it still looks good at the current speed. He looks to have good mobility around the pocket and can extend plays with his legs on the outside. Hochhalter won’t be one that will carry the football for the big gain but is one that can be depended on with his legs on short yardage. I look forward to watching Payton work in the 11A state championship game.
Trey Heinrich | RB/OLB | Kindred (ND) | 2023
Heinrich is a two-way prospect that certainly has his eyes wide open, itching for getting around the football. He is a tough running back to get to the ground when you go low on him. He shows a good level of on-ball physicality when searching for the football and has made some excellent reads this year with his vision of jumping the route. He also shows a high level of athleticism when making plays on both sides. He is a downhill runner that for the most part runs east-west but can break outside when he sees an opening. Trey is quite a slippery runner in between the tackles, with solid footwork too. Good football pedigree as older brother Eli Heinrich plays D2 football at the University of Mary.
Trey Smith | MLB | Madison (SD) | 2022
If there is one thing I know from watching the Bulldogs in person this year, is that Trey Smith is a middle linebacker prospect that you need to make the drive for. His film doesn’t even come close to how much potential he has unleashed this season. Not only will this young man punch you in the mouth with his physicality levels and the big running motor he has, but he also has his priorities all in the right place, the focus on winning an 11A state championship and having a team-first work ethic to achieve that goal. Trey has some great tools to play at the next level as he does a little bit of everything for the Bulldogs, including a really solid kicking leg. I’m really intrigued to see where Smith lands when his time as a Bulldog is all said and done, as if I am a college coach, I want the heart of this kid in every one of my players.
Tage Ortman Tage Ortman 5'11" | 160 lbs | QB Canistota-Freeman | 2024 State SD | QB | Canistota-Freeman (SD) | 2024
I’m not going to compare a young high school athlete to an NFL player ever, but as far as the grit Tage Ortman Tage Ortman 5'11" | 160 lbs | QB Canistota-Freeman | 2024 State SD plays with he reminds me of Johnny Manziel in his Texas A&M days. He shows a strong release on tape that I saw get better and better as I watched more of his film. He also has a demeanor that I love out of watching my quarterbacks as he wants the defense to fear him. He’s a very good athlete that can make strong moves with his legs and gets long extensions of plays based on the athleticism he brings to the table. I of course will have my eyes on Ortman and the Pride on Thursday night to see what he can do against a really strong Platte-Geddes defense.
Riley Orel Riley Orel RB Winner | 2023 State | RB/DB | Winner (SD) | 2023
Holy cow, can Riley Orel Riley Orel RB Winner | 2023 State really fly out the gates. This young man has so much speed in his arsenal, it’s no wonder no one has been able to catch the Warriors this season. Orel shows me a multi-dimensional tailback that really gets his speed in full force the farther he burns on a run and has an eagerness to accelerate to run thru the gap vs. eating up contact thru it. And his motor doesn’t stop on defense either, as his launch of physicality is very strong. I always say how much I like high school wrestlers on the defensive side of the football due to their stamina and grit and that holds true with this junior, as well as the strong force at running back for the Warriors, shoots again for another 11B state championship this season.
Nic Gaspar | ATH | Dell Rapids St. Mary (SD) | 2024
After rushing for 204 yards against the #1 ranked team in 9B all season in the Avon Pirates and sealing the game in shootout fashion, it was a must that I put Nic Gaspar of the Dell Rapids St. Mary Cardinals on our Big Dogs of the Week. In watching some of their matchup against the Pirate, Gaspar’s athleticism turned into a track meet and he not only showed his speed, but he showed off good stamina as well. I will be very intrigued on Thursday morning for Gaspar’s matchup against an under-the-radar Potter County Battlers team.
Treyton Lewis | RB | Pierre (SD) | 2024
Lewis logged three of the Governors’ four touchdowns against the sneaky #7 seed of Aberdeen Central. He also added nearly 100 yards rushing at just over half a first down per carry. Lewis is an off-the-radar prospect with no tape, so I’m intrigued to run the tape on this young man after the season!
Cael Lundin | QB | Tea Area | 2022
Lundin broke the Tea Area Titans single-season passing record this season which was 22 touchdowns as he threw for four touchdowns in Tea Area’s state semifinal win over the Yankton Bucks. Lundin did all that as just a one-year starter for the Titans which to me is super impressive. The athleticism I have seen in clips that this young man plays is outstanding. He plays with the competitive edge you want out of your quarterback. Although Lundin will be a college basketball prospect next year at Northwestern (Iowa), you can never take away how well a kid plays as a multi-sport athlete as that’s how you can stay grounded year-round as a high school athlete. Best of luck to Cael and the Tea Titans in the 11AA state championship this week!