Week 5 Review: Ralston Valley Mustangs vs Valor Christian Eagles

A look at the three players that stood out the most from this matchup.   Review   This 5A matchup between the Ralston Valley Mustangs and the Valor Christian Eagles was an instant classic, as the Eagles were able to stage a comeback late and pull-out the 27-23 win. The Mustangs looked like they might run away with the game, as they held a 23-7 lead at the half way point of the 4th quarter. However, it wasn't enough to put away the Eagles as they were able to score a quick touchdown, successfully attempt the 2-point conversion, and recover the ensuing onside kick, which allowed them to score the go-ahead touchdown with just under 2 minutes left, to pull off the 4th quarter comeback. With a game as exciting as this one, it was tough to narrow it down to three players, but these are the three players who I feel had the best performances.   Players of the Game   [player_tooltip player_id='143630' first='Gabe' last='Sawchuk'], Valor Christian Eagles (RB)(Jr.)(25) - Sawchuk has stepped in this year as the Eagles lead back after his older brother, Gavin, graduated last year and has filled his shoes about as perfectly as you would expect. Friday against the Mustangs was no different. Against the Ralston Valley defense, Sawchuk accounted for 117 rushing yards and 2 rushing touchdowns on 10 carries (11.7 YPC), while also adding 21 receiving yards as well. Turning to the tape, Sawchuk displays an explosive, one-cut running style that allows him to accelerate laterally and gain space from defenders with relative ease. Elite level foot speed allows him to hit an extra gear and pull away from just about any second and third level defender, even if a good angle is taken by the defender. Exceptionally thick and strong lower body allows him to maintain outstanding pad level while running through contact, giving him the ability to maintain his balance/low center of gravity at the point of contact. Brings great physicality behind his runs in between the tackles, not shying away from contact to finish runs falling forward. Much like his older brother was for the class of 2022, Sawchuk is currently rated the number 1 RB in the state and the number 3 player overall for the class of 2024, and it's not hard at all to see why. He'll look to keep stacking good performances through the rest of this season for the Eagles.   Jackson Hansen, Ralston Valley Mustangs (WR/DB)(Jr.)(2) - Had the Mustangs been able to stop the Valor comeback short, Hansen would have easily been the player of the game for his performance on both sides of the ball. Against the Eagles defense, Hansen accounted for 54 receiving yards on 6 receptions (9.0 YPR), with his catches coming when the Mustang offense needed them the most. On the defensive side, Hansen accounted for 4 tackles, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and an interception. For the sake of this piece, we'll focus on what Hansen shows on tape for the defensive side, since that was the side that felt his presence the most. When you watch Hansen's incredible night defensively, you can see he displays a tenacious nature to attack and high point the ball in the air despite his size. Smart DB that always seem to be in a position to make a play on the ball. Even when being matched up against larger receivers, Hansen doesn't shy away from physicality at the line or down the field with the receiver. Exceptional athleticism and foot speed prevents him from getting beat on deep balls by faster receivers. Rangy defender with great lateral agility to move with quicker receivers on sharper breaking routes. Hansen is currently unranked on most recruiting boards and his smaller stature (5'10, 150 lbs) could explain why. Regardless, he is still an unbelievably talented player that will be a key piece to the Ralston Valley program through this year and next.   Roman Bradley, Valor Christian Eagles (LB)(Sr.)(6) - Bradley arguably had the most important performance of any player on the Eagles defense last Friday. Bradley made his presence felt by the Mustangs offense from start to finish as he accounted for 10 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss, and a pass deflection. When you put on the film of Bradley's performance, you can see he outstanding strength/power at the point-of-contact. Extremely physical LB that has a very high motor and plays with an immense amount of aggression when attacking opposing blockers or ball carriers. Downhill defender with a highly explosive first step that allows him to quickly gain leverage over opposing blockers. Displays elite hand placement, timing, and strength when taking on opposing blockers and shedding blocks. Shows elite closing speed when pursuing the ball carrier or when rushing the QB. Excellent foot speed, first step explosiveness, and lateral agility allow him to play an extremely versatile role as a LB, often being asked to line up on the edge as a pass rusher, standing up as a 2nd level defender, dropping into zone coverage, while also being tasked with covering TEs out of the slot and RBs out of the backfield in man coverage. Chess piece of a defensive player that has experience playing the Mike, Will, and Sam backer positions while also playing a 3-4 edge defender role and even being lined up as a 3-tech in certain situations. Bradley is currently unranked as a recruit and it's pretty surprising to see that given how talented he is. Either way, Bradley absolutely has more than enough ability to play at the collegiate level.

A look at the three players that stood out the most from this matchup.