The Stars and Studs of South Dakota: Week 9
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The Playoffs are here and teams have jockeyed to keep the season alive, and last week we saw some performances from some all-out stars looking to make an impact for their team. Let’s take a dive and see who showed…
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Continue ReadingThe Playoffs are here and teams have jockeyed to keep the season alive, and last week we saw some performances from some all-out stars looking to make an impact for their team. Let’s take a dive and see who showed us why they were the Stars and Studs of South Dakota in Week 9.
Ryan Krog Ryan Krog QB Elkton-Lake Benton | 2023 State – QB, Elkton-Lake Benton
Krog could be argued that he had the biggest impact on his team not only in the offensive production that he put up but also in what he did on the defensive side of the ball. Korg was the main offensive weapon for his team and he was leading the flow of the offense, allowing them to stay in the game at all times and have Krog be in complete control. He was a dual threat in every aspect, with his great ability to throw the ball down the field with ease and run all over anyone. He went 6-13 on the night while having 126 passing yards overall but also tallying 3 passing touchdowns. His rushing game is where he really stepped up and showed what he had in his bag by having 21 rushes overall going for 186 yards and 2 rushing touchdowns. This puts him on total yardage of 312 yards and 5 touchdowns, an output that would put him on this list alone but he also had some great moments on defense. Krog did a little bit of everything on defense by having 2 interceptions, 1 TFL, and a Defensive touchdown to add to his crazy night. Krog was simply out of this world for his team, and this performance lands him on this week’s list.
Jaxton Eck Jaxton Eck 6'0" | 215 lbs | LB Brookings | 2023 State – LB, Brookings
Eck was simply a monster last week for his team and no one was able to contain him, putting an exclamation point on a season that he will not forget any time soon. Eck this entire year has been the ultimate LB who can give you some grade coverage in the box along with the flat and can rush the edge like few others can do with his efficiency. On the night his stat sheet had so much on it that it was hard to fit on one page and it was no easy feat for him, working hard on every single snap he was on. He had a total of 13 tackles on the night, two tackles for a loss, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and an INT. There was not one part of the game that Eck was not a part of and was making himself known every time that he was on the field, you cannot ask more out of your defensive star. Overall, Eck was the true definition of his team’s defensive MVP and he earned his place on the list.
Griffin Clubb – RB, Howard
Clubb was a dual threat menace for his team, being able to run all over the ground and catch passes through the air, overall making him his team’s MVP with the offensive production that he put up overall. Clubb has usually been a rusher who thrives off making holes by either finding them with his offensive line or grinding the other team’s defense down, being able to rush for big yards. This was no different in this game where he had to find ways to get open and had some big rushes on the night with him tallying 150 rushing yards on the night and also a rushing touchdown. This alone would make him a top offensive player but he also was able to give some top production through the air where he had 115 receiving yards overall while also having a receiving touchdown. Clubb made the most of every time he had the ball in his hands and showed how productive an RB can be when they can rush at a high level and catch passes at a high level, making him a well-placed player on the list.
Noah Kleinsasser Noah Kleinsasser 6'0" | 175 lbs | RB Canistota-Freeman | 2023 State – RB, Canistota
Kleinsasser was all over the field this game and it happened on both sides of the ball where he did it with ease and efficiency as he racked up yards and tackles alike on the night. The rushing game is where he really excelled as an elite offensive star where he put the rushing game on his back and led his team the entire night in his overall offensive production. This is represented well in his stat sheet which he filled with his rushing stats where he had 25 rushes overall on the night and had a total of 163 rushing yards while also racking 3 rushing touchdowns on the night. Kleinsasser was able to run all over the defense and had some big runs in this game that set himself up well from some scores and his team overall. On defense, he was playing some great zone coverage schemes where he used his speed and strength not to allow anyone to get open and along the way, he also racked up some tackles. He had 7.5 tackles on the night and was a defensive force that no one was able to contain all night, making him a top player from last week.