The Best Of The Best From North-Central Iowa

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wow. Really, that is all I can use to describe some of the incredible performances we saw this past week from north-central Iowa prep players and teams.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As we put the finishing touches on September and rolled into October, several teams appear poised for strong playoff runs. And those runs will be fueled by the superstar players who shined bright under the lights this past week.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Without any further hesitation, here is a look at those performances: </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='247945' first='Lance' last='Coon'] - Humboldt - RB</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In a ranked matchup of Class 3A heavyweights, one of the "smaller" players on the field shined brightest. Humboldt speed-back [player_tooltip player_id='247945' first='Lance' last='Coon'] racked up 33 carries against a stout North Polk defense, recording 119 yards and a touchdown in a hard-fought 24-14 victory.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Coon might check-in at just 5-foot-8 and 185-pounds, but he plays even bigger than that. And the speed he brings to the football field reminds you of someone capable of taking it the distance each time he touches the rock. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Now paired with all-state wide receiver [player_tooltip player_id='232229' first='Will' last='Orness'] in the backfield, and with a defense that is possibly the best in the state, Humboldt appears locked in for another long postseason run after reaching the state semifinals a year ago. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='320690' first='Johnny' last='Dickerson'] - St. Edmond - WR</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I was on-hand for this age-old rivalry between St. Edmond and Bishop Garrigan. And in almost two decades of covering the Gaels, I have not witnessed many performances more memorable than that of [player_tooltip player_id='320690' first='Johnny' last='Dickerson'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The senior, who was part of the Homecoming court, caught 17 passes for 226 yards and two touchdowns, overcoming cramping to record a handful of late receptions that set up the eventual game-winning drive. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dickerson has great height and athleticism, but what makes him so dangerous on the eight-man field is the fact that he believes he is the best player out there. And more times than not, he is. Dickerson does a tremendous job of high-pointing the ball to come down in traffic with the catch, and he showed this past week that even on quick routes, he can do plenty of damage. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='156632' first='Jaxon' last='Cherry'] - Webster City - RB</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A week after torching the Fort Dodge defense, [player_tooltip player_id='156632' first='Jaxon' last='Cherry'] did the same to LeMars. Cherry, just a junior for Webster City, racked up 332 yards and four touchdowns on 28 carries in another district win for the Lynx. Webster City went unbeaten in the league a season ago, and through two weeks, they appear poised to do the same with Cherry leading the charge. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Not only is Cherry an exceptional running back, he also led the Lynx defense in tackles. His mix of strength and speed is hard to match in the state, as Cherry can run by you and over you - it really just depends on how he feels. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Orlando Hernandez - Eagle Grove - RB</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Maybe all Orlando Hernandez needed was an opportunity. Coming into this week, Hernandez had seven carries for 70 yards, including a run of 67 yards to his credit. Well, on Thursday, the Eagle Grove offense went through Hernandez, and the senior delivered. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hernandez ran for 237 yards and scored four touchdowns as the Eagles put themselves in a great spot to return to the postseason with a district win over Manson Northwest Webster. Injuries forced the hand of the EGHS coaching staff, but they found another key offensive piece for the upcoming stretch run in Hernandez.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->