Gameballs from Marion Local versus Kirtland

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">This one was a hard-hitting defensive battle that resulted in back-to-back state championships for the Marion Local Flyers. Between the wind and the hard-hitting defense, any sort of offense was hard to come by.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">2023 DE/TE Conner Bruns 6'3 225- Bruns is a physically imposing opponent. He's extremely strong at the point of attack. He's a nice two gap DE who can occupy blockers and can eat a double team. His work along the defensive line was a big part of the linebackers being able to run free.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">2023 DB Nate Buschur 5'11 170- Buschur had a big day for the Flyers as he intercepted the Hornets twice in the game. Buschur did a good job of making the reads and jumping in front of the receiver to pick off the ball.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">2023 LB Darren Meier 5'10 190- Meier is your perfect middle linebacker. He has a good read and react, he fires well, and he plays downhill. He plays with great leverage so hits like a ton of bricks as well. Whether between the tackles or running outside pursuit he's up to task. He racked up 12 tackles and a half a TFL on the day. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">2023 FB/LB Drew Dietz 6'2 220- Dietz didn't have huge day in terms of numbers, but he just did a lot of things to affect winning. As a running back Dietz was a punishing blocker. He was used often as a lead blocker on run plays and did a great job of taking his man out of the play. On defense at linebacker he only had 5 tackles, but he did a great job of stuffing blockers and slowing the run. When he hits you, you know it.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">2023 LB Landon Arling 5'11 160- Arling was around the ball a lot as he tallied 11 tackles on the day. Most of his tackles were at or behind the line of scrimmage.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">2023 LB Macguire Boyd 6'0 210- Boyd is an old school physical linebacker. He probably had the hardest hit all weekend when he shot into the back field and laid the boom on the Marion Local running back just after he took the handoff. Mcguire does a great job of playing angles and playing through muck.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->