Players to Watch in Grand Blanc @ Rockford

This Friday at 7 pm we have a huge regional final matchup as #4 ranked Grand Blanc faces #1 Rockford. Both of these teams come in at 11-0 having already faced difficult schedules. In addition, there’s plenty of college talent on both sides of the ball, and their performances will undoubtedly make the difference in this game. <strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Rockford ’22 QB [player_tooltip player_id="54861" first="Zak" last="Ahern"]</span></strong> The Ferris State commit lit it up last week against Grandville totaling 5 touchdowns and over 350 yards from scrimmage. He’s been Rockford’s rock for the entire season and the Rams will surely lean on their leader to make big plays against a great Grand Blanc defense. There are many games where Ahern seems to get in a rhythm and that’s where he can really take over a game. If he can get hot early, it’s going to be a long night for Grand Blanc. https://twitter.com/AhernZak/status/1455657488712413187 <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Grand Blanc ’22 LB [player_tooltip player_id="30305" first="Cross" last="Dobbs"]</strong></span> This is chapter 1 for Dobbs and Ahern’s rivalry to come. The Grand Valley State commit has led the Grand Blanc defense posting at least 7 sacks on the year with plenty more tackles for loss and QB pressures. He’s a high school football cross between Khalil Mack and Luke Kuechly as he’s able to be a sensational edge rusher like Mack but can also cover the pass while delivering brutal hits like Kuechly. https://twitter.com/cross_dobbs/status/1426291658870693889 <strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Rockford ’22 DE [player_tooltip player_id="80476" first="Kade" last="Kostus"]</span></strong> Committed to Central Michigan, Kostus looks to get after the explosive Grand Blanc offense. Standing at 6’3 245, Kostus has a great build for the position, in addition to standout speed and finesse moves. I say that Kostus’s performance is going to be the most key factor to Rockford’s defensive success, especially as he’ll be facing off against a great Grand Blanc line. https://twitter.com/KadeKostus/status/1409997381723119623 <strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Grand Blanc ’22 RT/LT [player_tooltip player_id="99366" first="Andy" last="Hartman"]</span></strong> Like Ahern and Dobbs, Kostus and Hartman may be in for a long-standing rivalry as Hartman is uncommitted, but has been offered by Eastern Michigan. He’s a great all-around tackle standing at 6’6 260lbs with an extremely high ceiling. It’s been a season of pancakes for Hartman as his superior strength is many times way too much to handle for people unfortunate enough to get in his way. Hartman has also proven to perform well against college talent, and his matchup against Kostus will undoubtedly be a big one to watch. <strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Rockford ’23 WR <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/11786326/Alex-McLean">Alex McLean </a></span></strong> Speed in space. That’s what McLean is, playing primarily in the slot. This kid is special and he’s really shot up the ranks in his junior season. McLean has great speed with excellent route running and is primarily used as a short pass-catcher who can turn a screen or slant into a touchdown. <strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Grand Blanc ’22 [player_tooltip player_id="30201" first="Elijah" last="Jackson-Anderson"]</span></strong> The Eastern Michigan commit has truly carried the Grand Blanc offense this season and is going to play a huge role in this matchup. He’s an incredibly hard runner with surprising power and elite acceleration. If Jackson-Anderson can come out and ball out, Grand Blanc has an amazing chance to advance to the state semifinals. <strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Grand Blanc ’22 K <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/11256540/Dylan-Hertzberg">Dylan Hertzberg </a></span></strong> Having just had an official visit to the University of Michigan, Hertzberg is one of the top kicking talents in the country and this gives Grand Blanc a giant leg up in the special teams department. In huge games like this, field position and late field goals are often the difference. Hertzberg can pin the Rockford offense back deep, and he’s proven to hit field goals from 50-yards out. https://twitter.com/dhh7204/status/1457423273009029121