Week 0 Review: Ralston Valley Mustangs vs Mountain Vista Eagles
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A look at two of the best offensive players and defensive players from this ranked 5A matchup. Review The opening weekend of the 2023 high school football season in Colorado started off with a bang on Friday night with several…
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Continue ReadingA look at two of the best offensive players and defensive players from this ranked 5A matchup.
Review
The opening weekend of the 2023 high school football season in Colorado started off with a bang on Friday night with several marquee matchups. The most hotly anticipated matchup, however, was the one between the 4th ranked Ralston Valley Mustangs and the 17th ranked Mountain Vista Golden Eagles. It looked like this contest was going to get one sided early, as the Mustangs were able to jump out to a 13-0 lead in the 2nd quarter. But the Mountain Vista offense would respond quickly though, tacking on a score of their own to cut the Ralston Valley lead to 13-7 at halftime. Unfortunately for the Golden Eagles, that would be the only score they could muster, as the Mustangs would cling to the lead for the whole 2nd half to seal the 13-7 victory in opening game. With a defensive slug-fest like this one, it’s easy to assume that the winning side would have more players with stronger performances than the losing one, and that would definitely be true in this instance. With that being said though, here are the two offensive players and the two defensive players who I felt had the strongest performances.
Players of the Game
Logan Madden, Ralston Valley Mustangs (QB)(Sr.)(5) – Madden was one of the players on the offensive side of the ball that had a massive impact on the game, showing his experience as a three-year starter at the QB position. Diving into the numbers from Madden’s performance against the Mountain Vista defense, he went 16 of 25 (64%) for 218 yards passing, a passing touchdown against an interception, and a QBR of 88.4 – with the numbers not truly showing his importance for the Mustangs. Turning to the film of Madden’s performance against the Golden Eagles defense, you can see the first thing that stands out about him is his outstanding accuracy to all levels of the field, consistently showing the ability to squeeze throws into tight spaces. Shows incredible ball placement and touch on deeper throws that require him to drop the ball in over the opposing defender. Displays good pocket presence when under pressure, consistently moving around in the pocket to avoid the rush and buy time to find a receiver downfield. Highly accurate passer when on the run or when being forced to throw off-platform. Athletic QB with good top-end foot speed that can present a threat to the defense with his legs if forced to scramble. Poised QB under pressure that rarely makes bad decisions or puts the offense in a bad position. Shows good arm strength that allows him to hit all the throws at any level of the field. Madden is currently ranked the number 4 QB and the number 27 player overall for the class of 2024, which makes sense given his steady performance against Mountain Vista. Madden had as strong a performance on opening weekend that you can hope for in a game like this one, being enough to get a tough win against a talented Mountain Vista team.
Liam Beattie Liam Beattie 6'1" | 180 lbs | WR Ralston Valley | 2025 CO , Ralston Valley Mustangs (WR)(Jr.)(0) – While Madden had a strong performance against an extremely tough defense, Beattie had just as strong of a performance – if not stronger – being almost uncoverable at the receiver position for the Mustangs. Looking at the numbers from Beattie’s night against the Mountain Vista defense, he registered an impressive 103 yards receiving and a receiving touchdown on 5 receptions (20.6 YPR). When you dive into the tape of Beattie’s night against the Golden Eagles’ defense, you can see he displays outstanding quickness and acceleration in a phone booth, making him an extremely lethal weapon out of the slot, creating matchup opportunities against most 2nd level defenders and slower 3rd level defenders. Shows great ability after the catch as a ball carrier in the open field, consistently displaying the ability to make defenders miss in space. Highly elusive runner that also displays good physicality as a ball carrier when trying to inch out tough yards after contact with the defender. Shows good tracking ability when tracking deep balls up the sideline, routinely looking the ball into his hands and making tough grabs against tight coverage. Good route runner that shows a solid understanding of different releases and breaks at the stem of his route depending on the coverage, routinely creating separation. Displays very strong, physical hands when making tough grabs in traffic on short and intermediate routes, consistently maintaining possession of the catch through the point-of-contact with the defender. Beattie is currently unranked on recruiting boards for the class of 2025, but if can continue to stack performances like he had on Friday night, he can certainly expect that ranking to rise.
Jack Wagner, Ralston Valley Mustangs (DB)(Sr.)(15) – Wagner, in my mind, had the strongest defensive performance of any player on either team – forcing two massive turnovers at crucial moments for the Ralston Valley defense, tremendously shifting the outcome of the game. Looking at the stat sheet from Wagner’s night, he registered 5 tackles, a pass deflection, and 2 huge interceptions. Turning to the tape of his night against the Mountain Vista offense, you can see the first thing that jumps out about Wagner is his outstanding athleticism and explosiveness. A combination of exceptional athleticism, agility, and top-end foot speed allows him to excel at the boundary corner role, in either man or zone coverage, or when asked to press or play off-coverage. A physical and aggressive mentality combined with his athleticism allow him to excel in run support when asked to crash downhill and set the edge. Excellent technique and change-of-direction allow him to recover quickly when out of position, consistently showing the ability to close out the receiver’s separation if beaten at the line. Great bundle of traits with speed, technique, and the frame (6’1, 170 lbs) that translate to the collegiate level. Wagner isn’t currently ranked on any recruiting boards for the class of 2024, but if he can continue to stack lock down performances against great competition like he did on Friday, the Mustangs will be well-positioned for a state title run this season.
Carter Daniels Carter Daniels 5'11" | 185 lbs | LB Mountain Vista | 2025 State CO , Mountain Vista Golden Eagles (LB)(Jr.)(0) – Despite the tough loss, Daniels was easily the stalwart performance of the night for the Golden Eagles. In a game that would be decided by the defenses, Daniels stood out among the other defenders on both teams accounting for an impressive 8 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss, 2 pass deflections and a blocked field goal on special teams. When you look at the film from Daniels’ strong performance against the Ralston Valley offense, you can see that he always seems to be around the ball because of a combination of his extremely high motor and incredible first-step explosiveness out of his stance. Savvy LB that shows relentless effort whether working to shed a block, pursuing the ball carrier, or coming downhill to fill his run fits. Displays exceptional explosiveness out of his stance allowing him to consistently maintain power and pop at the point-of-attack when making contact with the ball carrier or an opposing blocker. Highly consistent tackler with good form that shows with very few missed tackles in the open field in 1-on-1 situations, routinely wrapping up and driving his legs through contact. Good hand strength and placement that allows him to stack-and-shed most opposing blockers consistently. Daniels is currently ranked the number 2 LB and the number 15 player overall in the class of 2025, with his performance against the Mustangs offense further cementing his ranking. While I’m sure Daniels would rather have the win instead of the individual recognition, if he can continue to perform like he did against Ralston Valley, the Mountain Vista defense will be tough to beat.