Hickory Ridge vs. Independence – Defensive Standouts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In a wild 75-49 Independence victory over Hickory Ridge, there were a few players who stood out defensively. Let's </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='415457' first='Bryce' last='Johnson'] - Hickory Ridge</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A Class of 2025 prospect, Bryce had a 70-yard Pick 6 interception return for a touchdown early in the first quarter that tied the game up at 7. He displayed some great instincts later in the game that nearly led to a 2nd pick 6 if he caught the ball. I like his ability to break while the football is in the air, and showed some good speed to keep up with receivers as the Patriots didn't have a ton of success throwing the football all night. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Chris Clark - Independence </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the 3rd quarter, the Patriots broke the game open with 3 Pick 6 interceptions in a row. Chris's was the first one in this run of great defensive plays, and for him, he showed some good ball skills and speed on the return for the touchdown. This play really helped flip the momentum of the game, as the score was tied at 35 when this play occurred. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='402298' first='Nicholas' last='Reddish'] - Independence </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Nick has the 2nd of the 3 Pick 6's for the Patriots, and his play was the result of good team defense. The Patriots Defensive Line applied really good pressure on the quarterback, forcing an ill-timed throw. Nick was able to jump in front of the intended receiver and ran it back for 40 yards for a touchdown, which helped the Patriots extend their lead to a two-touchdown advantage in the 3rd quarter. Nick is the brother of [player_tooltip player_id='620254' first='Quentin' last='Reddish'], who has committed to Virginia Tech. Nick is a Class of 2026 prospect who stands at 6'0 and 185 pounds. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1225768' first='Bryce' last='Lofton'] - Independence </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A Class of 2025 prospect who stands at 5'11 and 160 pounds, he had the 3rd of the 3 pick 6's the Patriots had on Friday Night. A couple of plays before the Pick 6, Bryce was flagged for a controversial pass interference call. To me, that showed some strong mental resolve and focus to bounce back and make a big play that essentially helped put the game away for the Patriots. I was impressed with Bryce's long speed and ball skills as well. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->