2021 Surprise Teams
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First Story for the Dakotas since I’ve been back and it’ll cover my favorite part of this job; exposing hidden talent. This story will cover teams who may have exceeded expectations and came out and impressed the state with their…
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Continue ReadingFirst Story for the Dakotas since I’ve been back and it’ll cover my favorite part of this job; exposing hidden talent. This story will cover teams who may have exceeded expectations and came out and impressed the state with their finals records or performances.
Sioux Falls Jefferson Cavaliers– In the inaugural season for the Cavaliers, I didn’t know what to expect, they had some good players enroll but usually there’s a lot of bumps for a first year team. The brand new coaching staff, led by Vince Benedetto, did an excellent job starting the new team off on a fast pace, winning their first four of five games. Although they ended the season on a skid, they competed pretty well against some tough competition. Here are some highlighted players.
’23 Taylen Ashley Taylen Ashley 6'0" | 175 lbs | QB Sioux Falls Jefferson | 2023 State (QB)- Ashley again had a great season keeping the offense in motion. The dual-threat QB ran the offense well, going through his reads and delivering a good ball to his receivers. He had good pocket presence, moved around well in it, kept his eyes downfield and made the best play with his arm or legs. He was a physical runner when he decided to run the ball, would be smart and take as much yardage that the defense gave him.
’23 Griffin Wilde Griffin Wilde 6'2" | 175 lbs | WR Sioux Falls Jefferson | 2023 State (WR)- Wilde exploded on the scene this season being the Cavalier playmaker. He was a dangerous kick returner with all kinds of speed and great vision to find the open space. At receiver, he ran nice, crisp routes and got himself open on most plays, then had great hands to real in the passes. He also had a good vertical, but mostly had a great sense to time his jump when he’d go up to high-point the ball and finished off the play by using his strength to make sure he came down with the ball.
’23 London Kolb (DB)- Kolb did a great job leading the secondary. He put himself in great position on each play to be in the play. His footwork in pass coverage was text book, did a great job flipping his hips and turning and running with his guy when needed. He had great breaks on routes when the ball was in the air and did a great job not getting flagged. His open-field tackling ability was terrific, broke down in his stance, fired through with his hips and the most important thing, wrapped up.
’24 Dashawn Rohlik (OL)- Rohlik really made some big strides this season at Guard. I loved his pad level on each play, pass or run. He was low every play and used good technique to drive off the ball and bury the defender. His hand-technique was impressive, not holding on the a guy, instead getting some quick jabs in to get himself in better position for a block with great footwork. The biggest part of his game when blocking is his high motor until the play is over, he wants to bury any guy that crosses him and won’t stop until he does so.
’23 Beau Giblin Beau Giblin 6'0" | 185 lbs | DB Sioux Falls Jefferson | 2023 State (DB)- Giblin played really well on both run support and pass coverage. He looked really good in disguising coverages until the snap of the ball, then playing really tight coverage to his guy. He could cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time to get in good position to make a play. He also has great awareness on making sure everything was covered on a play and filling the space he needed to. On run support, he would fill the open gap and taking away cutback lanes and most importantly, makes a sure-handed tackle.
’23 Tayten Sanow Tayten Sanow 5'10" | 180 lbs | LB Sioux Falls Jefferson | 2023 State (LB)- Sanow was a really good tackler around the line of scrimmage. He did a good job staying in good position to get his read and defend both run and pass. He filled his gap hard and came in to lay a good hit on the ballcarrier, but he also would break down, wrap up and drive the ballcarrier back on contact. When blitzing, he times the snap well and gets in the backfield to put great pressure on the QB. He received a few offensive snaps and played ran the ball well on physical carries and then being an extra blocker turned safety valve on a few plays to be a good target out of the backfield as well.
Vermillion Tanagers– The Tanagers came into their first season under new Head Coach Tom O’Boyle and had a good year finishing their year in the 11A Semifinals. Having to fill some key roles from last season, some players had to go out of position to fill those positions and did an exceptional job filling those positions in a brand new offensive scheme for the Tanagers. Here are their highlighted players:
’22 Jack Kratz Jack Kratz 6'2" | 185 lbs | ATH Vermillion | 2022 State (QB/DB)- Kratz moved in from WR to QB this season in the new offense. In an option-heavy offense, he was the right man for the job with his speed, agility and decision making. He rode the RB long enough to make the best decision to give or pull, when he ran he would make moves or run through a guy, always seemed to be aware of the first down marker on each play. He also could lob a good ball up to his receivers when they needed a play through the air. Defensively, he had great instincts on where he needed to be to make a play and could fly all around the field to get to the ball. He took great angles on run support and laid a good hit on the back, especially on the perimeter. He got off blocks well to get to the ballcarrier and made the tackle. He sat in pass coverage well and flowed to the passing lane to make a play.
’22 Zach Brady Zach Brady 6'3" | 270 lbs | OL Vermillion | 2022 State (OL)- Brady created great running lanes for the Tanagers all season. He has a big frame that already makes him stand out, but his skill-set really is what got the offense moving. He stayed low and did an excellent job drive blocking off the snap. He was also the main puller that would lead up the gap, or around the edge on the perimeter runs. He did a great job latching on to smaller defenders and driving them down. His quick feet helped him keep good position on pass blocking to give the QB time to make a good throw.
’22 Reece Proefrock Reece Proefrock 5'10" | 170 lbs | WR Vermillon | 2022 State (WR/DB)- Proefrock emerged as the playmaker last year, and proved to be just that again as a Senior. In the option offense, he was usually sent in motion from the slot and was the pitch man. Being as fast and shifty as he is, that made it very difficult to defend. With his athleticism, he also seemed to be very aware, always knowing where the sticks were. His catching in traffic was great too, really in some passes while boxing a guy out on his back. Defensively, he did a great job being contain as the last guy on the perimeter. He never really laid a big hit, but he always made sure to make the tackle, and would be attacking the ball the whole time.
’23 Mehki Sheffield (WR/DB)- Sheffield seemed to be a good man-to-man cover corner. He has a good back-pedal, does a good job keeping both the QB and his WR in his peripherals and making a play on the ball. He kept himself at good leverage to get in and out of his breaks and change directions quickly. Once he picked the pass off, he did a great job making moves to get the most out of a return as he could. He was also a sure-handed tackler on the perimeter. Offensively, he was the big play target. His speed and route-running, helped him get open easily and his hands were reliable enough to where he would come down with it.
Beresford Bulldogs- Beresford became the Cinderella team in 11B. After winning their first playoff game in decades, in walk-off fashion, they scraped up another win to get themselves to the Semifinal game. They were a surprise because of how young they were this season, which will make them a favorite for next season.
’23 Tate VanOtterLoo Tate VanOtterLoo QB Beresford | 2023 State (QB/DB)– VanOtterloo really broke out this year for the Watchdogs and made big plays in big moments. He made good, quick reads and got the ball out of his hands quick. He would really zip the ball to his receivers on the quick routes and let them make plays. He also had good arm strength for the deep ball as well with good touch to hit his receivers in stride for a big play. He had great mobility to get out of the pocket and extend plays with his legs while keeping his eyes downfield to make plays. Defensively, he played safety well in pass coverage, staying deep and making plays on the ball.
’22 Isaiah Richards Isaiah Richards 6'0" | 160 lbs | ATH Beresford | 2022 State (WR/DB)– Richards was the big play target for the Watchdogs. He seemed to be the primary target when they were taking their shot plays in the game, and he always delivered. He was able to outrun most of his defenders on his vertical routes and make the catch for the big gain. Once he made the catch he had good vision and agility to break loose and get the most out of plays as he could. He ran good routes to find the open space and kept going to find it if there was a defender sitting on his route.
’23 Zach Boden Zach Boden LB Beresford | 2023 State (LB)– Boden had a good year on the defensive side. He was the reading LB that always found his way to the ball, run or pass. He did a great job breaking down and making his form tackle, especially in open field. Once he was latched on, he wasn’t letting go until the ballcarrier was down. In pass coverage, he did a great job getting to his zone, then finding the man and his zone and sticking to him, occasionally coming up with a pick. He did a great job taking his angles on both run support and backside pursuit and tracking to make the tackle, also attacking the football on the way down.
’22 Ashton Tjaden Ashton Tjaden DL Beresford | 2022 State (DL)– Tjaden really took engage your man and seal the edge personal. Every snap he really laid into his blocker to get him off-balance, but still managed to keep his contain for the perimeter runs. With a quick first step and good pad level, he did a good job getting into position to do his job, but could also string out those long perimeter runs and make the play or give his guys time to get there and help. He moves really well for his big frame, keeps good pad level throughout the play, and keeps great position and leverage when making a tackle.
’23 Michael Shegrud (RB/LB)- Shegrud played to get himself noticed this season. He is listed as a LB, but looked like what I would call a hybrid, meaning he could play up on the line as an extra DE or drop back in pass cover, which sometimes he would play back in the Safety position as well. Either way, he did a great job defending his side of the field and making plays. He flowed to the ball and wrapped up and tackled really well. Offensively, he looked like the Fullback type, but was utilized best on those flat routes. With his speed he turned the three yard gains to 15, then his physicality gained him another 2-3 yards.
Aberdeen Roncalli Cavaliers- The Cavaliers had a lot of talent across the board for their team, the question was; how would they use it? They did a great job keeping the balance between the offense and defense, they used both of them for each of their wins, it was never a lopsided effort. They also were a young team that will return a big group of athletes for next season.
’23 Maddox May Maddox May LB Aberdeen Roncalli | 2023 State (RB/LB)– May came off a good sophomore season and had a lot of eyes following him this season. That being said he had to find new ways to be a playmaker for his Junior Campaign and he delivered to help the Cavaliers put together a season. He has a good frame with a big burst of speed to make the big play once he breaks away from the group. This year he really showed grit every play and would not stop until the whistle blew, which resulted in a lot of big plays when he didn’t give up on. He also had some nifty footwork which helped him extend plays and gain more yards, he did a good job mixing up physicality and agility. Defensively, he moved sideline to sideline well to find the ball. He had great speed to run down plays from the back side and make the tackle on the spot.
’23 Jackson Isakson Jackson Isakson K Aberdeen Roncalli | 2023 State (QB/DB)- Isakson emerged as a player to watch across the State. He added another running threat to an already versatile offense with his big frame, physical running, and speed. When they decided to pass he did a great job finding his receivers by zipping the ball into the tight windows. His throwing form reminded me of Brett Favre, just rearing back and throwing a rocket at his receivers. His he was pretty accurate with most of his throws, did a really good job of letting his receivers make plays. Defensively, he moved well in pass coverage and ran with his guy at Corner, but was also that extra contain guy on the perimeter. He was a sound tackler, used good form, wrapped up and brought the guy down. He was the Cavalier Kicker as well, and was the rare kicker that the opponents feared because he had the leg and accuracy to hit the long field goals. Kicked many touchbacks that cleared the end zone as well.
’22 Matthew Martinez (WR/DB)– Martinez finished the season as one of the ‘Wildcards’ as I like to call them. With a few players that may take up a lot of attention from the other teams, Martinez did a great job being that player to step up and make plays to keep the Cavaliers winning games. Listed as a DB, but looked like he played a LB/Nickel type. He covered the flats really well, taking away any safety valve that the other team would put out there. He read the QB really well, not over committing to just sitting in coverage, or rushing the QB, really made him make a difficult decision. He was able to come up with a lot of takeaways throughout the season. Offensively, he became that third playmaker for the offense, that would keep them in motion. He had a lot of speed, but ran crisp routes to get himself open and then made the catch.
’23 Andrew Brennan (WR/DB)– Brennan played really well this season, adding another weapon for both the pass and the run games. His speed and power made him a great runner when they would give the ball on the perimeter runs, which he would turn into big gains with his vision and agility. When out on a route, he had a very methodical technique and really ran his routes hard and got open on short or long routes and made a great catch almost every time. Defensively, he played in the zone defense really well, where he would find his guy, but keep his eyes on the QB and make plays. He broke on routes well and came up with a few interceptions, but would break up the pass or make the tackle if he didn’t. He did a great job running with receivers, and high-pointing the football as well.
’23 Brenden Livermont (OL/DL)– Livermont loved the pull-blocking. Every time he went on a pull, he flattened a kid, of he didn’t have the angle he would still make the block and seal the guy out with perfect technique. He had a quick first step, stayed low and got to his guy in a hurry and laid a big hit, or got his head on the right side and drove his guy out. Defensively, he played the Line of Scrimmage well, didn’t fly up field to take himself out of the play, sat in his gap and made the play that came his way. He scraped down the line of scrimmage well and took away cut back lanes.
Garretson Dragons- Garretson dropped from 11-man to 9-man this season and they made the most of that opportunity. They had many weeks where they were lighting up the scoreboard and sticking with many of the 9-man powerhouse teams. While they fell on the wrong end of many shootouts, they still were able to put together a winning season and made promise for the next season.
’22 Dylan Kindt (QB)- was a kid that literally came out of nowhere, exploded on the scene this year and was slinging the ball all over the field. He was incredibly patient and calm in the pocket and went through his reads and made the best decision. He had some great accuracy on his deep ball, which he was really comfortable throwing at any time. He had great touch on the ball to hit his WR in stride, but could also zing the ball into tight windows when he needed to. He did a great job making the big play with his arm.
’23 Cooper Long Cooper Long ATH Lyman | 2023 State (WR)- Long was the guy that the defenses would have to game plan for every week. He seemed to be the favorite target when a big play needed to be made at any point on the field. He ran routes hard to get open and really watched the ball in to secure the catch. He had a lot of break away speed after securing the catch and making a big play. He also had good agility with a lot of balance to make moves and extend his big plays. He was also the target to catch in traffic.
’22 Jayse Miller (WR/DB)– I’m not much for comparing kids, but this kid just screamed Darren Sproles at me. Not the biggest guy on the field by any means, but a guy you should definitely be afraid of in the open field. Once he got a full head of steam, a big play came after, he loved getting the ball and taking it to the perimeter. While he was speedy, you couldn’t sleep on his physicality, this guy will run you over if you don’t take him seriously. Defensively, he did a great job doing his job in the pass game and making the plays in his zone. He did a great job sticking with his guy on deep routes and playing the ball. He was a sure tackler, not going to drill a guy, just going to make the tackle.
’23 Dylan Jessen (OL/DL)– Jessen did a great job on his pass protection. He used his good frame to dig in a stick a defender and keep his QB upright. He had good enough feet to get himself in a position to make a block and keep his guy in front of him. He did a great job washing down defenders on down blocks to open up gaps for the backs. Defensively, he had a quick first step off the ball to get his blocker off balance, then making a move to get into the backfield. He put good pressure on the QB and strung out plays down the line of scrimmage to keep contain. He took great angles tracking on backside pursuit and was a great tackler.
’22 Cade Ockenga (WR)– Ockenga was a player that you could throw the ball in the general direction of, and he was going to find a way to come down with it. He ran good routes to put himself in position to make a catch. He made great adjustments in tracking, elevating and then securing a catch to be a very reliable target for an every down target. He also had great breakaway speed and agility to make big plays after catching the ball.