2A Up for Grabs: Steel Valley vs Sto Rox
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Sto Rox & Steel Valley arrive into the 2022 season both coming off of a one loss 2021 season. Besides all of the success these two programs have experienced their matchup will determine who the big dogs of 2A truly…
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Continue ReadingSto Rox & Steel Valley arrive into the 2022 season both coming off of a one loss 2021 season. Besides all of the success these two programs have experienced their matchup will determine who the big dogs of 2A truly are in the Pittsburgh region. Sto Rox comes into 22′ ranked 7th in state while Steel Valley is #13. There is multiple prospects playing in this game so it should be an electric season opener. Both of these WPIAL schools have a dynamic signal caller that run their respective offenses well. Who should you be looking for you ask? Below I’ve compiled a list of recruits you should keep an eye on.
Dre has a good pedal & fluid hips changing directions. He has great ball skills & tracks the ball well at WR. He is a ballhawk on defense & contest the ball at the highest point on vertical passes. Ross possesses breakaway speed & has the ability to return an INT for a TD anywhere on the field. He comes up & punishes receivers crossing the field from his Free Safety position. Dre is an elite athlete that will enhance any program’s special teams on Day 1.
Highlights
The Lefty displays good footwork in the pocket. Jenkins has a strong arm, & knows when to put touch on the football. Josh is able to complete deep balls with precision & accuracy. He is a high volume passer that spreads the ball around to arsenal of weapons. JJ will be great in a zone read & RPO offensive schemes on the next level. His 40 yd dash is 4.5 & he is nightmare scrambling. Jenkins is clearly a gifted athlete that is capable of playing multiple positions in the college ranks. Programs will be tempted to change his position, but I believe he has the talent at QB.
Amare wreaks havoc on the O lines. Harper lines up for Sto Rox at the DE, but collegiately he’ll be in the interior. He has good bend in his stance, and plays with a low pad level. His strength & get off allows him to live in the backfield. Plays well with his hands defeating blocks. He tempos the ball aggressively when tracking the ball carrier. He has good mobility that makes him capable of redirecting well in pursuit. If he has to chase you he is bringing punishment with him. If he continues to develop his explosion he will have to be doubled exclusively.
Jaymont has the quick twitch & footwork coupled with accelerating make up speed. Jay plays defense with anticipation & breaks well on the ball. He is a sure handed reliable WR on both sides of the ball. In 21′ he was selected 1st team All State as a CB (5 INTs, 2 defensive TDs). Jay consistently plays the ball at the highest point when contesting passes. Very agile, he can put his foot in ground & change directions at full speed. He has good ball skills & is great at tracking the ball over his shoulder. Green-Miller can take it to house at any time in the return game.
Davis is a versatile athlete with homerun hitting speed & agility. He is a Jack of all trades for Sto Rox, running the ball, returning & lining up wide & the slot. Zay is skilled at making OLBs & Nickels whiff trying to get hands on him. He is a good route runner that knows how to stem the DB. ZD is very elusive in general, but especially as a return specialist. Zay is a polished WR with route running skills & good ball skills. He has strong hands & makes catches away from his body.
Deigo is an all around explosive athlete. He has solid footwork at corner & doesn’t over extend when breaking on the football. Possesses great leaping ability & often out jumps the WR contesting 50/50 passes. Ellis is a ballhawk that makes plays in zone or press man coverage. He is a good route runner that gets YAC. Competes hard in any one on one situation. A very dangerous returner who can hit the sideline & put on the afterburners. Deigo is a physical player that doesn’t mind contact on either side of the ball.
One thing Coby has that you can’t teach is size. His 6’6 315 lbs frame will be good for short yardage package collegiately. Hale has strength & a strong punch at OL. He is a punishing down blocker in the rushing game. His agility will continue to keep developing when he elevates to the next level. Coby’s best days as an OL are definitely ahead of him.
Amere is compact in stature but plays a lot bigger than his measurements. He is a good RB that can evade tacklers & outrun the defense. Hibbler is physical player that plays off of blocks well. He runs the football with patience and balance. Amere active defensively & is a sure open field tackler. I foresee Hibbler also being able to contribute on special teams on the next level. Amere obtained an offer from Wheeling University presently.
Cruce has a high football IQ & is an elite athlete on both sides of the ball. He has good DB fundamental skills. He has a good pedal with good hips, & covers a lot of ground on the backend. Brookins anticipation & break on the football is one of best in the WPIAL. A big skill Cruce possesses is accelerating breakaway speed. Cruce is a ball hawk who is very skilled at making plays on the football. He had 6 INTs in 2021 at the FS position. CB is a punishing hitter from the free & is a good open field tackler. On offense, He is elusive & dynamic with the ball in hand. At QB Cruce is primarily a running QB, but leads the offense well.
Highlights
Gregory has FBS level size & ability. At Offensive tackle he displays good strength, good punch & inside hand placement. Once Smith latches on a run block he finishes defenders to the dirt. GS is a good puller & down blocker that clears holes. He is good at driving DL back off the LOS in the interior run game. Greg is athletic for his size & gets blocks on multiple levels during rushing plays. Smith’s physicality, toughness, effort and nastiness makes him an extremely hard matchup.
Mike Crist
Mike Crist
Mike is good down blocker, & he pancakes defenders when pulling. He has a decent kick slide, but he needs to work on having a lower base when he anchors down on pass sets. On the DL Mike has good instincts & pursues the ball well. He is physical & tough overall with great effort during plays.
JeSean is a playmaker that plays bigger than his size. He is tough, scrappy & plays til the whistle. He is a good tackler in space & the interior run game. Wright has a knack for turnovers, forcing multiple fumbles on assisted & solo tackles. JW is elusive with the ball & runs with vision. He has good lateral quickness & burst in short spaces. He displayed accelerating speed in his scrimmage vs Charleroi.
Angel Herrera
Angel Herrera
Angel is a smart player with a nose for the ball. He is good at reading run to pass & getting to his zone drop. Herrera has a good football IQ , & reads run keys well. He has good tempo when he pursues the ball. He is a sure handed tackler with a pretty good motor.
Terrin Beatty
Terrin Beatty
Beatty fires out of his stance & has good bend. Beatty is agile & athletic and moves very well for a DL. He plays with physicality & uses his hands well for defeating blocks. He good at redirecting down the line & plays with a motor.
Quaron Pierce
Quaron Pierce
Pierce is a strong Compact RB who also has experience at LB. He breaks a lot of tackles due to his low center of gravity. He knows how to be patient & then burst at RB. QB has shown an improvement in speed from the 21′ season until now. On Defense he is a consistent tackler with good form. Quaron regularly gets INTs & PBUs zone dropping from the LB position.