Week 2 Recap: Deuel vs. Aberdeen Roncalli

Friday, I made the little longer trip up to Clear Lake, South Dakota watch the Deuel Cardinals host the Aberdeen Roncalli Cavaliers. After a one point game last year, I figured this game would be about the same. It was a defensive, grind them out, and strike when the opportunity presented itself kind of game. Both teams Offensive and Defensive Lines shined at different points in the game and a lot of different athletes had their hand in tackles throughout this game. Here are my standouts from this Week Two showdown.   Scoring Summary:   1st Quarter   RHS: [player_tooltip player_id='423287' first='Abe' last='Kretchman']- 19 yard rush, PAT Good (7-0)   2nd Quarter   RHS: [player_tooltip player_id='56571' first='Maddox' last='May']- 3 yard rush, PAT Good (14-0)   3rd Quarter   Deuel: [player_tooltip player_id='294150' first='Trey' last='Maaland']- 1 yard rush, PAT Good (14-7)   Players Highlighted from Roncalli   '23   RB/LB- [player_tooltip player_id='56571' first='Maddox' last='May'] handled most the running duties for the Cavs. He was the bruiser back that was going to run hard between the tackles and rip off as many yards as he could every time he touched the ball. He did a good job letting the blocks develop and then attacking the gap when it opened up. He dished out a lot of contact for the whole game and dragged defenders with him. He would also do a good job in pass blocking or slipping out in the flats and becoming a good pass target on 3rd down situations.   RB/DB- [player_tooltip player_id='423287' first='Abe' last='Kretchman'] was their change of pace back. After letting the defense get chipped away at most of the drive, he would come in a rip off big chunks of yards with his speed and agility. He had his pedal to the metal when he was on the field, getting up to his top speed in a hurry, then changed directions while maintaining that speed. He wasn't one to shy away from contact either, he will dish it out when he needed to. He had good vision to find himself open space. He was also one of the reliable targets out of the backfield as well.   OL/DL- Brenden Livermont was the lineman that found himself in on a lot of plays on both sides of the ball. Offensively, he was a very impressive drive blocker that latched on to his guy and drove him until the whistle. He was good at picking up blitzes which showed he had good vision and quick feet to adjust himself to put himself in position to make plays. Defensively, he was disrupting the offense constantly, getting himself in the backfield and closing the run gaps or putting pressure on the QB. When he got to the ballcarrier, he wasn't letting go, a very good tackler that brought the boom to finish the tackle.   DL- [player_tooltip player_id='423320' first='Kaden' last='Clark'] flew around the field and had his hand in on most of the tackles. From his Defensive End spot, he did his job and broke the play down, then took the best angle to the ball. He covered a lot of ground in a short amount of time and wrapped up the ballcarrier. He wan't flashy by any means, but he made plays on most downs, sticking his nose in the play and stopping the play consistently.   '24   OL/LB- Josh Shaunaman was another good blocker that opened gaps for the run game and gave the QB time to throw the ball. He was a good puller as well, really drilling defenders that didn't see him coming and really widening a gap. His pad level and feet also helped him block, but also engage and shed blocks on the defensive side. He was another one that found himself around the ball majority of the time. Another sure-handed tackler that would lay a guy out when he got the opportunity.   '25   LB- Zane Backus just loved contact and wrecking plays any way he could. Many times I saw him slip by blockers and square the ballcarrier up perfectly for a good tackle. He popped pads plenty of times as well, he had a great frame that he knew how to use on the field. His instincts led him to the football and he put himself in position to make plays, and he did not miss any tackles. He was a perfect 'spy' type LB to contain a mobile QB.   Players Highlighted from Deuel   '23   RB/DB- [player_tooltip player_id='160918' first='Owen' last='Quail'] played his heart out in this game. From running the ball, to lead blocking, to running routes, and catching passes. Then translating that to the defensive side as well, filling and helping on run support, to breaking down and tackling a much bigger ballcarrier, to defending the pass, the kid is just a football player. He is very physical on both sides of the ball and has the awareness on each down. He is very good moving laterally and then sticking his foot in the ground and running straight ahead.   OL/LB- [player_tooltip player_id='161213' first='Ty' last='Lovre'] was everywhere on the defensive side of the football. I lost track of how many times he got up from the bottom of the pile. His instincts and reaction time was great, then his angles to get himself to the ball quicker than most on most plays. He wasn't flashy either, just did what he needed to do to get the job done. Offensively, he held his own to help get the run game going against a very talented defense. Lastly, he had to leave the game a few times for an injury, but was never out more than a play or so at a time.   LB- Dominic Constant was the flowing LB for most the game. Once the opposing offense got into a rhythm, he found a way to disrupt it. When a gap opened up, he seemed to be the first one there and make the hit to drive the ballcarrier back right at the Line of Scrimmage. He was quick to get his reads and filled his gap quickly or get a good pass drop. He scraped across the formation well and took good angles to get to the ball as soon as possible in the backfield.   RB/DB- Carver Nothem had a good game in the secondary. Usually against a run heavy offense, the DB's fade away in the game, but Nothem found ways to make plays on the run game and the seldom pass plays. He was good at open field tackles on the perimeter, really keeping the yardage to a minimum, would also lay a big hit when the ballcarrier tried to run through him. He had tight pass coverage to make the QB hang on to the ball. He also broke off a few good runs when he got he ball on offense, another physical runner with some speed.   OL/DL- [player_tooltip player_id='294148' first='Robert' last='Begalka'] really changed the pace of the game late in the Second Quarter. Once he figured out the opposing offense, he really started slowing the pace of the yardage per play. He adjusted himself pre-play to be in position to make a play, or close the gap that they wanted to run through. He had a few good bull-rushes that led to tackles for loss, but could also use speed to get into the backfield as well. Offensively, his side of the line was where the offense usually wanted to go. He had good initial push off the snap and used his leverage to drive his much bigger opponent off the Line of Scrimmage.

Friday, I made the little longer trip up to Clear Lake, South Dakota watch the Deuel Cardinals host the Aberdeen Roncalli Cavaliers. After a one point game last year, I figured this game would be about the same. It was a defensive, grind them out, and strike when the opportunity presented itself kind of game. Both teams Offensive and Defensive Lines shined at different points in the game and a lot of different athletes had their hand in tackles throughout this game. Here are my standouts from this Week Two showdown.