Game Report | Waverly vs. York

Overview: Week 5 sent me to Waverly to check out the Vikings hosting the York Dukes. This was a matchup between two heavyweight Class B teams. Both teams use a ground-and-pound, physical running game to subdue the opposing defenses. The game came down to the trenches, where the Vikings seemed to be getting a bigger push on both the offensive and defensive lines. This was especially helpful for Waverly as it allowed their quick, athletic linebackers to put constant pressure on York QB Ryan Seevers. Waverly scored on 3 rushing touchdowns (Evan Kastens, Charlie Johnson, and Aden Smith), a touchdown pass to [player_tooltip player_id='239889' first='Cooper' last='Skrobecki'], and a fumble recovery by Charlie Johnson. Their defense held firm all game long until a final touchdown effort on a run by York's Seevers. The Vikings won 35-7.   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide"/>     <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2022/10/IMG_0625.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-465134" width="389" height="258"/></figure>   Player of the Game: Charlie Johnson | 2023 - RB/LB | Waverly   <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/12841870/Charlie-Johnson" target="_blank">Hudl</a> | <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://twitter.com/charlie14458308" target="_blank">Twitter</a>   Senior RB/LB Charlie Johnson was doing it all for the Vikings. Charlie was especially impressive on defense, where he constantly applied pressure and made big plays at or behind the line of scrimmage. Johnson did a great job shooting through his gaps, disengaging from blockers, and showed non-stop pursuit play after play. He recovered a fumbled snap on a punt return in the endzone and was able to shut the door on the game. Offensively, he didn't carry the ball a whole lot for the Vikings, but he did have a touchdown run at the goal line. Overall, Charlie really caught my attention with his play against the Dukes. I was aware of Skrobecki and Axmann, now with Johnson emerging, this could be one of the best LB groups in Class B.    <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2022/10/IMG_0402-scaled-e1664857109834-1024x776.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-466192" width="348" height="263"/></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='227073' first='Trey' last='Jackson'] | 2023 - QB | Waverly | 6'0" 165 lbs   <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/12842301/Trey-Jackson" target="_blank">Hudl</a> | <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://twitter.com/Treydjackson3" target="_blank">Twitter</a>   I'm hopping on the [player_tooltip player_id='227073' first='Trey' last='Jackson'] bandwagon. Trey didn't put up an insane stat line, but what I saw was a smart, efficient decision-maker at QB. Jackson went 15/25 for 124 passing yards and a touchdown. The York secondary did a fairly good job in coverage this game, but Trey still found ways to make plays and keep drives in motion. He found [player_tooltip player_id='239889' first='Cooper' last='Skrobecki'] for a very well-placed 30+ yard touchdown reception. One of the things I found most impressive was how well Trey protected the ball, he never threw it into questionable situations or force things to happen. Another thing about Jackson's game is his ability to tuck the ball and run, he didn't really do so in this game but can definitely make plays with his legs.    <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2022/10/IMG_0041-scaled-e1664866640495-1024x766.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-466273" width="363" height="271"/></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='250701' first='Seth' last='Erickson'] | 2024 - HB/LB | York | 6'1" 195 lbs   <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/11760681/Seth-Erickson" target="_blank">Hudl</a> | <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://twitter.com/setherickson27" target="_blank">Twitter</a>   Seth is a player to watch out for this season and going into his senior year. I really like Erickson's athleticism and versatility on the field. Seth is an impact two-way player for the Dukes at linebacker and halfback. At linebacker, he does a great job sniffing out the run and blasting through his gap. I saw really good sideline-to-sideline quickness and lateral speed from the York junior. Unfortunately for the Dukes, the running game was stalled for most of the game, with Erickson rushing for 38 yards and 8 receiving yards. He did add 8 tackles on defense and was a presence in coverage as well.    <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2022/10/IMG_0617.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-465133" width="377" height="251"/></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='239889' first='Cooper' last='Skrobecki'] | 2023 | LB/WR | Waverly | 6'2" 210 lbs   <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/12841872/Cooper-Skrobecki" target="_blank">Hudl</a> | <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://twitter.com/CooperSkrobecki" target="_blank">Twitter</a>   Waverly's LB/TE/WR [player_tooltip player_id='239889' first='Cooper' last='Skrobecki'] might be one of the more under-recruited athletes in Class B. Cooper has been a standout two-way player for the Vikings since his junior year and has continued that into year 4. Off the bat, Skrobecki passes the eye test with a big, athletic 6'2" 210 lb frame. He does a great job finding the soft spots in coverage and has good hands at the point of attack. Defensively, he is a playmaker whether he's in coverage or playing at the line of scrimmage. I didn't find any tackle numbers from this game, but when I looked back at my clips, it seemed like he was right in the ball carrier's face on nearly every play.    <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2022/10/IMG_0054-scaled-e1664858163556-1024x830.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-466211" width="357" height="289"/></figure>     Austin Phinney | 2023 | WR/DB | York | 6'3" 165 lbs   <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/10094755/Austin-Phinney" target="_blank">Hudl</a> | <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://twitter.com/AustinPhinney34" target="_blank">Twitter</a>   Senior WR Austin Phinney was the leading offensive producer outside of QB Ryan Seevers. Austin finished the night with 2 catches for 40 receiving yards. The offense remained stalled for most of the game, but watching Austin I saw a player with a high ceiling. He's a tall, lengthy receiver that can elevate and high-point the ball. Rewatching some game clips, I noticed Austin had some nice releases on routes and can use his long strides to get downfield quickly. There's still some rawness to Phinney's game, but I think he could be a difference maker at tight end/wide receiver at the next level.   Evan Kastens | 2024 | RB | Waverly   <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/14376804/Evan-Kastens" target="_blank">Hudl</a> | <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://twitter.com/evan_kastens" target="_blank">Twitter</a>   Waverly RB Evan Kastens was the leading offensive producer for either team in this game. Kastens rushed for 91 yards on 14 carries and scored a rushing touchdown. He is a bruising back that can pound away at a defense and wear them out as the game goes on. The Duke's front seven did a fairly good job against the run, however, that didn't stop Evan from averaging 6.5 yards per rush. Kastens does not go down on first contact and will just continue to fight through tackle attempts. He's a tough guy with a great motor that can go on forever. Impressive junior running back prospect.    <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide"/>   Make sure to follow @PrepRedzoneNE on Twitter and Instagram to stay up to date with all your Nebraska prep recruiting news.

Overview: Week 5 sent me to Waverly to check out the Vikings hosting the York Dukes. This was a matchup between two heavyweight Class B teams. Both teams use a ground-and-pound, physical running game to subdue the opposing defenses. The game came down to the trenches, where the Vikings seemed to be getting a bigger push on both the offensive and defensive lines. This was especially helpful for Waverly as it allowed their quick, athletic linebackers to put constant pressure on York QB Ryan Seevers. Waverly scored on 3 rushing touchdowns (Evan Kastens, Charlie Johnson, and Aden Smith), a touchdown pass to Cooper Skrobecki Cooper Skrobecki 6'2" | 205 lbs | ATH Waverly | 2023 State NE , and a fumble recovery by Charlie Johnson. Their defense held firm all game long until a final touchdown effort on a run by York's Seevers. The Vikings won 35-7.