Benton Harbor, Lakeshore, Edwardsburg 7v7 Notes
Yesterday I was welcomed to Lakeshore High School, where three great varsity teams matched up in a low-stakes 7on7. In one corner is Benton Harbor, with an intriguing 2024 Prospect at QB alongside some young stars. Next is Lakeshore, who…
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Continue ReadingYesterday I was welcomed to Lakeshore High School, where three great varsity teams matched up in a low-stakes 7on7. In one corner is Benton Harbor, with an intriguing 2024 Prospect at QB alongside some young stars. Next is Lakeshore, who has a few great 2024 talents alongside a bounty of slot receivers. Finally, Edwardsburg, who is known for being a hard-nosed and physical football team. This year, the Eddies head into 2023 with a ton of youth. In this article, I will outline my honest thoughts of a few players from Benton Harbor and Lakeshore!
Benton Harbor
WR/DB | Za’Chari Sanders (Pictured) | Hudl
(not 100% sure it’s Za’Chari, but I know his last name is Sanders. Please correct me if the name is mixed up)
If I had one standout for this entire 7v7, it would be Sanders. Offensively, Sanders flashed great routes and an overall ability to separate. When the ball was thrown his way, he caught it and displayed good body control during a few tougher catches. Defensively, he was all over the field. He was the stickiest and most disciplined DB for Benton Harbor. Even though this wasn’t a high-stakes event, Sanders was competitive and put his all into every play. This is a very small sample size, but from this one performance, Sadners could be a legit D3 sleeper.
QB/S | Jaeden Meeks Jaeden Meeks 6'3" | 185 lbs | QB Benton Harbor | 2024 MI | Hudl
To put it bluntly, it was not Jaeden’s day. After a truly impressive showcase at GVSU a few days ago, Jaeden struggled to throw in the 15MPH winds and the slightly decreased visibility of the 7v7. Nearly every mid-deep ball he threw sailed longer than it should have. In addition, his short game wasn’t great, either. Listen, I know players, especially QBs, have off days. After seeing him in Allendale, I’m still very optimistic that he can perform at a high level. As for defense, he made a few good plays. Right now, my evaluation is still in the D3 range.
WR/LB/DB | Rodney Ford | Hudl
Ford was all over the field during this competition. On defense, he was getting in the way of passing lanes all day, and he even had a few interceptions. Offensively, he caught more than a few balls and flashed his willingness to pick up YAC. When he felt like putting 100% into a play, he looked great. I didn’t think he was a superb athlete, but he was a great fundamental player for sure.
Lakeshore
ATH | Zach Ort | Hudl
Ort was overall impressive during this 7v7. He spent some time at DB, but his most impressive plays came as a WR/TE. He’s a big-bodied athlete that knows how to use his size to his advantage. He’s killer in the middle of the field, and displayed a few good instances of catch in traffic. There were a few deep passes to him that he didn’t come down with, but if he had better ball-tracking and body control, he could have caught those. Overall he’s a big, in-shape athlete that will continue to play a big role.
TE | Matthew Vaughn | Hudl
Vaughn was likely the most impressive player for Lakeshore. For one, he passes the eye test with flying colors. He’s sure as heck not lying about his 6’4″ frame, and he’s probably around 210 lbs contrary to his 185 listing on Hudl. He moves super well, and is of course, a great middle-of-the-field / Red Zone target. He’s another guy who knows how to use his body and seems to know how to get open. He’s 100% a tight end and will commit to a college to play TE. If that doesn’t work out, I could easily see him bulking up and playing Tackle.
Edwardsburg
Although I didn’t see any major standouts worth discussing for Edwardsburg, I would like to note a few things. First off, this is a young team. Most guys out there were pretty inconsistent, especially in the secondary, but all were getting coached up and learning well. There was one player in particular who had a few bright moments, including a moment where some very unsportsmanlike things were thrown his way, and I could tell he got a tad upset but walked away. Later on, I saw the same player helping a teammate who was confused. I trust Edwardsburg to be a very physical and disciplined team like they always are, and I look forward to seeing who steps up during the 2023 season!