Quarterfinal Review: Vista Ridge Wolves vs Palmer Ridge Bears

A look at the three best performances from this quarterfinal 4A matchup.   Review   As I've mentioned in several previous pieces this week, this matchup was one of many in the quarterfinal round that were greatly anticipated as the 23rd ranked Vista Ridge Wolves took on the 8th ranked Palmer Ridge Bears. Unlike many of the more lopsided matchups of ranked teams this past weekend, this contest definitely didn't play out that way as both teams traded scores (and the lead several times) from start to finish. Despite a fairly sluggish night from the Wolves star QB, they were still almost able to pull off the stunning upset, with the game being tight all the way into the 4th quarter. The Bears were able to take a 28-21 lead late in the 4th quarter with their defense being able to stuff the ensuing drive by the Vista Ridge offense. On their final possession, the Palmer Ridge offense was able to ice the win with a score and seal the 35-21 heart-pounding victory over Vista Ridge. I had previously written about the regular season meeting between these two rivals with that game being equally as exciting as this one, and ironically enough, the three best players from that game were also the three best players in this contest as well. Believe me though, I tried to find three better performances from this game and it wasn't possible. With that being said, however, here are the three players who I felt had the strongest nights for their respective teams.   Players of the Game   [player_tooltip player_id='150219' first='Nathaniel' last='Robinson'], Palmer Ridge Bears (RB)(Sr.)(28) – Robinson had, in my mind, the most dominant game of any player on either side of the ball for the Bears as most of the Palmer Ridge offense went through Robinson. Throughout the entire night, the Vista Ridge defense didn't have a single answer for Robinson on the ground, as he accounted for an incredible 208 yards rushing and 2 rushing touchdowns on 29 carries (7.2 YPC), quite literally carrying the Bears offense for most of the game. Putting on the tape of Robinson's night against the Wolves defense, you can see he is an extremely well rounded back that doesn't have many weaknesses to his game. Robinson has great top end foot speed and an explosive, one-cut running style that allows him to quickly race past the 2nd and 3rd levels of the defense if given enough space. Outstanding change-of-direction/lateral agility allow him to remain elusive in the open field when working against 2nd and 3rd level defenders, while also allowing him to create daylight on plays that should otherwise be a loss. Displays good physicality on runs between the tackles and in situations that require him to drive his legs through contact to grind out tough yards. Good balance and lower body strength allow him to run through arm tackles and smaller defenders with little resistance. Displays outstanding vision, consistently anticipating the running lanes that will be created as the play develops, allowing him to hit big-plays in a moments notice. Shows good ability as a receiver out of the backfield, routinely being an extremely difficult matchup for LBs and less athletic safeties. Good blocker out of the backfield in pass protection scenarios when asked to stand in the backfield, anchor, and deliver a solid block on a blitzing LB. Robinson is the prototypical workhorse tailback and will continue to be the most important piece to a Bears state title run in the semifinals next week.   Solomon Arnds-Volcin, Vista Ridge Wolves (RB/LB)(Sr.)(2) – Much like his performance in the regular season finale against the Bears defense, Arnds-Volcin was - without a doubt - the biggest piece of the Vista Ridge offense in this game and easily the biggest reason they were almost able to come away with the improbable win. Diving into the numbers from Arnds-Volcin's night against the Palmer Ridge defense, he might have had the best performance of any player on either team, as he accounted for a whopping 211 yards rushing and 2 rushing touchdowns on 34 carries (6.2 YPC) while also registering 4 tackles and a tackle for a loss on the defensive side. For the sake of this piece, we'll focus on his offensive tape because that's the side that felt his presence the most. Putting on the film of Arnds-Volcin's performance against the Bears defense, you can see he displays great top end foot speed in the open field, consistently pulling away from slower 2nd and 3rd level defenders. Very elusive runner in the open field that can find space quickly and present a challenge for defenders in 1-on-1 situations. Displays good lateral agility and one-cut explosiveness, anchoring his elusiveness and allowing him to turn any carry bounced to the edge into chunk yardage. Shows an extremely physical running style and great balance at the point-of-attack when making contact with a defender despite his smaller frame (5'8, 165 lbs). Shows a good ability to catch the ball out of the back field, often creating a matchup problem with slower 2nd and 3rd level defenders lined up with him in man coverage because of his speed and lateral agility. Arnds-Volcin isn't currently ranked on any recruiting boards but regardless, he is an tremendously talented player that played his last game in a Vista Ridge uniform as well as he possibly could have and has so much to be proud of.   [player_tooltip player_id='251258' first='Derek' last='Hester'], Palmer Ridge Bears (QB)(Jr.)(4) – While Hester might not have put up all-world numbers, he played on a whole other level compared to his last game against the Wolves defense; playing as efficiently as you could hope from your starting QB and it's not a stretch to say the offense certainly wouldn't have been nearly as potent as it was had he not been in the game. Looking at the numbers from his night, Hester made plays for the Palmer Ridge offense when they needed them the most while completely eliminating any mistakes, as he went 9 of 12 (32%) for 135 yards passing, 2 passing touchdowns, and a QBR of 151.0 while also accounting for 61 yards rushing on 14 carries (4.4 YPC) on the ground as well. When you watch the tape from Hester's night against the Vista Ridge defense, you can see he displays outstanding accuracy at all levels of the field. Good pocket presence allows him to keep his eyes downfield while avoiding the rush. Shows an ability to throw accurately from different arm angles and while being off-platform. Displays poise and composure when forced to ad-lib outside of structure. Adequate arm strength allows him to threaten all three levels if thrown with anticipation. Displays outstanding ball placement on throws that require touch on the boundary or in the middle of the field. Shows enough ability as a runner for the defense to respect the threat of him taking off. While not a true duel-threat, he displays enough athleticism to create plays and gain chunks of yards when forced to scramble or on designed runs in short-yardage/goal line situations. Hester checks all the boxes recruiters look for in a quarterback with his tape, production, and frame (6'1, 175 lbs). If Hester can continue to eliminate turnovers and play like he did against the Wolves last week, the Bears are going to be a very tough team to beat.

A look at the three best performances from this quarterfinal 4A matchup.