Game Report: St. Peter vs. Fairmont (D)

Here is a look at 10 teams to keep an eye on for Week 3 across the Sunshine State.

Hayden Lindquist September 24, 2023 @ 12:24 PM

Blessed with living 5 minutes walking distance away from St. Peter's football field, I figured it was high time to pay a visit to the Saints. St. Peter came into this game 2-1 and was recognized as one of the better 4A teams. Fairmont however was undefeated and believed to be among the top 10 teams in 3A. Fairmont took home a W in a tough 21-0 battle.   OLB: NaKiye Mercado 5'7" 170 lbs St. Peter 2024   Among the leaders in the state for interceptions, Mercado proved to me that he was one of the best pass coverage LBs in the state last night. He gets to his drop quickly and uses his quick his to adjust and lure the QB into a false sense of security while he lurks for the ball. He also is a great tackler, both in open space and inside the box. At the college level with his football IQ and natural ball instincts, I think he'd make a dangerous safety.   Offers: UW Eau-Claire   CB: Peyton Odland 5'11" 150 lbs St. Peter 2024   Odland had a great interception in the 3rd quarter and that by itself was enough to land him on this list. However,. his blanket coverage all night was equally impressive. Against a solid receiving core, Odland provided tight man coverage through all quarters of play. He was never more than a step behind his receiver and made great use of his hands to break up passes. A definite sleeper DB.   Offers: N/A   DL: Leighton Robb 5'11" 200 lbs St. Peter 2024   Stud wrestler Leighton Robb is the final defensive player from the St. Peter Saints. He started both ways on Friday and made his impact felt on both sides of the ball. Defensively, however, he was at his best. He could move down the line with ease to chase the ball carrier, or completely plug up a gap. He provided pressure throughout the night as a pass rusher, but between his great tackling and use of leverage, he was at his best defending the run. He also was the owner of the tackle of the night.   Offers: N/A   DL: Gage Borntrager 6'5" 185 lbs Fairmont 2024   Borntrager's size immediately stood out to me, he's got long arms and a lanky frame, which he used to keep offensive linemen away from him. He flowed down the line of scrimmage with ease and could apply pressure to the QB quickly. He showed off a quick first step and could fight through thicker offensive linemen. He's physical and was a potent run-stopper as well. Definitely needs more attention.   Offers: N/A   LB: Caleb Chambers 5'10" 165 lbs 165 Fairmont 2025   If you wanted to find a defender who was practically everywhere, look no further than Chambers. It felt like the linebacker was in on almost every tackle, he was flying around the field making plays from hash to hash. He could effectively pressure the QB when blitzing and made tons of plays at the line of scrimmage. A fantastic showing from an under-the-radar junior.   Offers: N/A   S: Connor Gronewald 6' 165 lbs Fairmont 2024   The final kid to make the list today is Connor Gronewald. Gronewald played very similar to Chambers, which is to say fast and aggressive. He made plays at all three levels and laid the wood when he collisioned kids. He stayed true to his zone when he dropped back but made his money by filling and scraping to the alley when St. Peter ran those quick-hitting sweeps.   Offers: N/A

Blessed with living 5 minutes walking distance away from St. Peter's football field, I figured it was high time to pay a visit to the Saints. St. Peter came into this game 2-1 and was recognized as one of the better 4A teams. Fairmont however was undefeated and believed to be among the top 10 teams in 3A. Fairmont took home a W in a tough 21-0 battle.