Brian's Best - Bemidji vs. Cretin-Derham Hall

Friday night in St. Paul was a defensive struggle as the Bemidji Lumberjacks made the long trip south to take on the Cretin-Derham Hall Raiders. Both defenses made big plays to keep both teams in the game, but<a href="https://prepredzone.com/2023/09/bemidjis-long-ride-home-made-much-easier-after-win/"> Bemidji made more impact plays in a 14-7 win</a>. Here are the players who I felt stood out in this defensive battle. Peyton Neadeau Bemidji QB In the first half, Neadeau did a nice job commanding the offense. He made a nice throw on the move, hitting a crossing route. He topped off the Lumberjacks' first touchdown drive with a 2-yard run. Later in the quarter, Neadeau hit a crossing route for a twenty-yard touchdown. In the second half, the offense struggled some, but the senior still helped his team with a 51-yard punt to flip the field when the Raiders started gaining momentum. Dawson Degelder Bemidji WR Degelder showed excellent hands when he caught a crossing route for a first down. As a ball-carrier, he had two highlight plays. First, he showed good footwork with a nice cutback run off an option pitch. Then he showed his speed by picking up twenty yards on an end-a-round. Miles Bollinger Cretin-Derham Hall QB Bollinger was very effective in the short passing game. He showed his accuracy with throws into the flat and on slants. He showed good arm strength, hitting on some deep out routes on the sidelines. One of those throws to the outside picked up a third and long. Alec Newby Bemidji LB The Lumberjacks' defense dominated most of the game. Newby contributed to that dominance with an open-field tackle on a naked bootleg for a short gain. Then, he put immediate pressure on the quarterback coming off the edge and got a strip sack. Later, he made another tackle on the outside in space. Fisher Ganske Bemidji DB Ganske and the entire secondary did give up some completions, but they didn't give up many big plays and came up with a few of their own. Two of them were turned in by Ganske. He recovered a fumble and returned it for ten yards. Then, he intercepted a pass over the middle in the red zone. [player_tooltip player_id='242397' first='Lucas' last='Caron'] Bemidji DL Caron first stood out with a nice tackle on an inside handoff. Then, on third and short, in the red zone, he got into the backfield and made a tackle for loss. Owen Lipscy Bemidji OL/DL In addition to Caron, Lipscy helped keep the Raiders' offense out of the end zone in three out of four quarters. He made at least two tackles at the line of scrimmage to keep the Raiders' running game in check. [player_tooltip player_id='348705' first='Jaylen' last='Gayles'] Cretin-Derham Hall WR Gayles was the most impressive player for the Raiders. He was Bollinger's go-to receiver. He showed great concentration when he caught a short pass. It stood out because it was a contested catch with the defender all over him. Later, he caught a slant for a first down. Then, on a third and five, he grabbed a short pass and dragged tacklers for almost ten more yards before he was stopped. Not just a pass catcher, he took a reverse, got the corner, and scored on a 20-yard run. He made another short catch, made more difficult because he was hit as he caught the ball. Kohen Donat Bemidji OL Donat pulled across the formation, and his block sprung Owen Frazer for a fifteen-yard gain. He was on the move again later in the game. He pulled and threw a block to spring the ball carrier for twenty yards. Ephram Boucher Bemidji RB Boucher's run right up the middle picked up a first down. Later, his run up the gut on a fourth down picked up a first down behind Kohv Woehle and Tanner Whipple. Late in the game, Whipple and Alex Schaefer opened a big hole for Frazer.

Friday night in St. Paul was a defensive struggle as the Bemidji Lumberjacks made the long trip south to take on the Cretin-Derham Hall Raiders. Both defenses made big plays to keep both teams in the game, but Bemidji made more impact plays in a 14-7 win. Here are the players who I felt stood out in this defensive battle.
Peyton Neadeau Bemidji QB
In the first half, Neadeau did a nice job commanding the offense. He made a nice throw on the move, hitting a crossing route. He topped off the Lumberjacks' first touchdown drive with a 2-yard run. Later in the quarter, Neadeau hit a crossing route for a twenty-yard touchdown. In the second half, the offense struggled some, but the senior still helped his team with a 51-yard punt to flip the field when the Raiders started gaining momentum.
Dawson Degelder Bemidji WR
Degelder showed excellent hands when he caught a crossing route for a first down. As a ball-carrier, he had two highlight plays. First, he showed good footwork with a nice cutback run off an option pitch. Then he showed his speed by picking up twenty yards on an end-a-round.
Miles Bollinger Cretin-Derham Hall QB
Bollinger was very effective in the short passing game. He showed his accuracy with throws into the flat and on slants. He showed good arm strength, hitting on some deep out routes on the sidelines. One of those throws to the outside picked up a third and long.
Alec Newby Bemidji LB
The Lumberjacks' defense dominated most of the game. Newby contributed to that dominance with an open-field tackle on a naked bootleg for a short gain. Then, he put immediate pressure on the quarterback coming off the edge and got a strip sack. Later, he made another tackle on the outside in space.
Fisher Ganske Bemidji DB
Ganske and the entire secondary did give up some completions, but they didn't give up many big plays and came up with a few of their own. Two of them were turned in by Ganske. He recovered a fumble and returned it for ten yards. Then, he intercepted a pass over the middle in the red zone.
Lucas Caron Lucas Caron 6'6" | 245 lbs | DL Bemidji | 2024 State MN Bemidji DL
Caron first stood out with a nice tackle on an inside handoff. Then, on third and short, in the red zone, he got into the backfield and made a tackle for loss.
Owen Lipscy Bemidji OL/DL
In addition to Caron, Lipscy helped keep the Raiders' offense out of the end zone in three out of four quarters. He made at least two tackles at the line of scrimmage to keep the Raiders' running game in check.
Jaylen Gayles Jaylen Gayles WR Cretin Duram Hall | 2024 MN Cretin-Derham Hall WR
Gayles was the most impressive player for the Raiders. He was Bollinger's go-to receiver. He showed great concentration when he caught a short pass. It stood out because it was a contested catch with the defender all over him. Later, he caught a slant for a first down. Then, on a third and five, he grabbed a short pass and dragged tacklers for almost ten more yards before he was stopped. Not just a pass catcher, he took a reverse, got the corner, and scored on a 20-yard run. He made another short catch, made more difficult because he was hit as he caught the ball.
Kohen Donat Bemidji OL
Donat pulled across the formation, and his block sprung Owen Frazer for a fifteen-yard gain. He was on the move again later in the game. He pulled and threw a block to spring the ball carrier for twenty yards.
Ephram Boucher Bemidji RB
Boucher's run right up the middle picked up a first down. Later, his run up the gut on a fourth down picked up a first down behind Kohv Woehle and Tanner Whipple. Late in the game, Whipple and Alex Schaefer opened a big hole for Frazer.