Stars and Studs of the AAA SD Playoffs
In this article:
With the playoffs all wrapped up, let’s take a peek at some players who showed me how great they were and see why they were the Stars and Studs of this year’s South Dakota Playoffs. So, let’s dive right in…
Access all of Prep Redzone
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingWith the playoffs all wrapped up, let’s take a peek at some players who showed me how great they were and see why they were the Stars and Studs of this year’s South Dakota Playoffs. So, let’s dive right in to see who I found to be most key for their team, and who showed out for some being their last time.
Chase Van Tol Chase Van Tol 6'1" | 185 lbs | RB Tea Area | 2023 State – RB, Tea
Van Tol was the key piece that kept the running game alive the entire and he was part of a dangerous running attack that sadly fell short in the end but put up a show nonetheless. He was simply great in every aspect of his game, mainly being a power rusher with some great agile ability to dash around the field at a great rate. Not to mention he was able to catch passes out of the backfield, being something of a dual threat who can catch passes along with being able to take check-down throws all the way down the field to set up for great field position. He was the player that the offense ran through and without the talent that he showed on the field, they would not have made it as far as they did without Van Tol on the field.
Lincoln Kienholz Lincoln Kienholz 6'3" | 185 lbs | QB Pierre | 2023 State – QB, Pierre
Without a doubt, we have the MVP of the playoffs right here in Lincoln Kienholz Lincoln Kienholz 6'3" | 185 lbs | QB Pierre | 2023 State , and the sheer force that he was on the field all throughout the playoffs. The play that he put out on the field was simply otherworldly and was able to put the ball in spots were other QBs simply could not do. Not to mention he was able to run on the field and was simply a dual threat on the field, reading defenses with such ease that if he did not have his first read was not there, he could take off for a big run and outrun anyone on the field. He was the piece for his offense that allowed him to function at such a high level and without him, they would not have made it to the mountaintop without him. Kienholz is far and away the MVP of the playoffs.
Beau Giblin Beau Giblin 6'0" | 185 lbs | DB Sioux Falls Jefferson | 2023 State – S, Sioux Falls Jefferson
Giblin was part of an all-time great team that was simply unstoppable in every right of the word and a big part of that was their elite defensive secondary that was abusing wideouts all season long. What he did this playoff run was a lockdown secondary defender and he did so much more than being a safety, arguably just being an elite defensive player overall. He could shift down into a linebacker-style role and can be an elite box player who can stop the run at such a high level, being a player who leads on the field with his play backing him up every step of the way. Overall, Giblin was someone who during this playoff run that his team looked to for key stops and big plays, and the sure did not let the moment go to waste.
Aiden Foley – TE/LB, Harrisburg
Foley was someone who was elite on both sides of the ball in everything that he did, someone who could overpower anyone on both sides of the ball. What he did on the offensive side was be an elite two-way TE that was able to block like an offensive lineman and lay down some key blocks, and catch like a wideout that is up there with the best of them. He was able to run routes and get out into the open field to burn defenders with what seemed like the ease at times. On the defensive side of the ball, he is someone who can lay down some big hits and stop offensive players in the tracks. Foley was someone who I was high to start the year and now he has shown this throughout the playoffs, and he was without a doubt a key player for his team during their run.