Patriots look to be a tough out in the Mpls City

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I can't remember the last time I missed taking in an opening weekend high school football game. There have been some seasons when I could not get to a Week 0 game – mainly because there were not any games on the schedule that were within a reasonable drive. My streak of taking in a Week One game almost ended this season. Thursday night and Friday night, I had prior commitments. In addition, usually, my day job doesn't allow me to get to a late afternoon game. As it happened this season, I was able to leave work early enough to get to a game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When I pulled into the Minneapolis Roosevelt High School parking lot to watch the Teddies open the season against Minneapolis Patrick Henry, I was aware of the recent struggles of the Roosevelt football program. I knew this game might be lopsided, but it didn't matter to me. High school football – for me – was back. In addition, I enjoy seeing teams I usually would not and always love going to stadiums where I have never seen a game. The game – as predicted – was one-sided. From the first play from scrimmage, the Patriots took control of the game, and early in the second quarter, it was clear Patrick Henery was going to start the season 1-0. They led 34-0 at half-time and won the game 54-0. Plenty of players rose above the late afternoon heat, and at least one showed he has more will to win and love for the game than most.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_63138787bc2ad","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Tremell Caldwell","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2408","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Minneapolis Roosevelt","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Yes, there were players on the other sideline who had better games and might be better, but Caldwell tops my list of impressive performances for his talent, but more for his heart. From a pure football standpoint, when given a little space, the sophomore has good speed, makes sharp cuts, and has more power than might appear with his long-striding style. While he might not have Division I college football talent, I could see him as a DII guy, but he has a DI heart. Caldwell – like many of his teammates – was struggling with the heat. Despite his protests, the medical staff had to take him out of the game and get him hydrated. He was constantly lobbying to get back into the game. Eventually, he was allowed back into the game, and instead of taking it easy on him, he had to play both ways – showing well at corner even though he had not practiced it much in the preseason.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"Newmann Thomas","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"2023","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"2408","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"Minneapolis Patrick Henry","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_1_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"On the first play from scrimmage, Thomas made a quick cut in the backfield and blew by the defense to the tune of a 70-yard touchdown run. Later, Thomas made a nice move to make defenders miss at the line of scrimmage, got the corner, and used his speed to get into the end zone from forty-five yards out. The senior showed versatility by catching a pass out of the backfield on a wheel route for a touchdown.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"Leevy Barron","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"2406","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"Minneapolis Patrick Henry","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_2_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Playing defensive end on the Patriots' three-man defensive front, Barron was the most impressive-looking athlete on the field. He closed down on an off-tackle run. He forced a screen pass to be rushed, causing an incompletion. Later, Barron fought off a block to stuff another off-tackle run for a loss.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"Tayvion Dahl","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"2023","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"2495","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"Minneapolis Patrick Henry","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_3_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"He played good man-to-man coverage on a deep ball down the sidelines. His most impressive play might have been avoiding drawing a penalty on an underthrown deep ball that he was still able to defend. Dahl also impacted the running game, reading an option, blowing up the running back for a five-yard loss.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"Davonate White-Sledge","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"2409","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"Minneapolis Patrick Henry","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_4_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"While White-Sledge didn't have to throw very much – he was right on the money on a sideline throw in the second quarter – but he ran the offense well. He was the most explosive offensive threat on either side of the field. Usually, on designed runs, his speed allowed him to get the corner. His quickness, vision, and footwork made him effective when a play broke down or when he picked a hole between the tackles. The junior showed his power on a five-yard, second quarter touchdown. He appeared corralled in the backfield, but White-Sledge sprung free for a twenty-yard gain after a series of moves.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_player":"","_player_evaluations_5_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":6,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"preview","anchor":"acf-block-65a61f8be52f3"} /--> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>Montique Walker, [player_tooltip player_id='1148655' first='Traevon' last='White'], Jayden Norman, Amir Downs, [player_tooltip player_id='112098' first='Tysean' last='Hughes'] OL Minneapolis Patrick Henry</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This unit dominated the entire game. Across the board, they have the size to dominate some of the defensive lines they will see in the Minneapolis City conference. I could have picked many more plays, but a few that stood out by this group included White, Downs, and Norman blowing open a massive hole on the game's first play. Then, Downs made a textbook kick-out block to free up his running back. Later, Hughes made a great seal block to spring an outside run.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->