Scouting Report: Pleasant Valley at Liberty

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>NORTH LIBERTY, Iowa - </strong>A pair of teams facing challenging early-season schedules matched up here Friday night. Visiting Pleasant Valley secured a 56-39 victory in a high-scoring affair against home-standing Liberty. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I've written scouting reports on the Lightning when they played <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2023/08/scouting-report-iowa-city-liberty-at-west-high/">Iowa City West</a> and <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2023/09/scouting-report-iowa-city-high-iowa-city-liberty/">Iowa City High</a>, so I focused more on the Spartans in this contest: </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["252328"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":988935,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"I was looking forward to my first live look at VanWetzinga, and the Spartan junior did not disappoint. It starts with the stamina allowing him to play the interior of both lines at the 5A level. He receives breathers here and there, but the Iowa Hawkeye commitment doesn't take plays off when he's on the field. He's strong from top to bottom, playing with violent hands and a sound base. He leverages opponents regularly whether blocking or pursuing. He fires off of both lines and wins most battles. I could see him on either side of the ball at the next level with a thought that he could be a very special center.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["320562"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_player_featured_image":967701,"_player_evaluations_1_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"I'm writing about Beckman for a third week in a row. One, he deserves it based on his play. Two, I'm trying to wake up some more college coaches. This kid can help you. The first two times I watched him this year, he faced a limited amount of pressure. That changed in this one, with Pleasant Valley allowing him very little time for surveying the field. His ability to make quick decisions checked another box for me. He showed excellent feel and awareness in an unstable pocket, still keeping his eyes downfield and finding open receivers. He finished the night completing 28 of 49 passes for 518 yards and five touchdowns against two interceptions. His strong play kept the Lightning within striking distance most of the night.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":988937,"_player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1278822' first='Max' last='Schmeltzer']","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"6'4u0022","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"2406","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"Pleasant Valley ","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_2_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"At 6-foot-4, 240 pounds, Schmeltzer looks the part getting off the bus. Then he fills the role once he hits the field. He's a relentless pass rusher come off of the end and also holds the edge well on running plays. He puts his long arms to good use, getting into passing lanes and altering throws even when he can't make it all the way to the quarterback. He's athletic and strong, which also helps him as a tight end, where he's a threat catching passes or paving the way with his blocking in the rushing attack.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":988940,"_player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"Josh Hansen","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"6'3u0022","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"2406","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"Pleasant Valley ","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_3_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Hansen is another important piece in a dominant Spartan defensive front. The senior plays the end opposite Schmeltzer, wreaking enough havoc on his own to keep opponents from focusing on the other talent up front for Pleasant Valley. His motor and athleticism stand out. He can get after the quarterback but also moves well sideline to sideline, running down ball carriers going away from him. He's a prospect for the next level with intriguing upside.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":988960,"_player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"Mason Breen","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"6'2u0022","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"2405","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"Pleasant Valley","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_4_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"Breen shares traits with VanWetzinga. The senior stands out on both lines for the Spartans. Breen drives opponents off of the ball, getting under their pads and bulldozing them with excellent leg drive. He's a run stuffer that can also pressure the quarterback. On offense, he holds up well in pass protection and in opening holes for the running game.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_player":["247946"],"_player_evaluations_5_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_5_player_featured_image":988976,"_player_evaluations_5_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"Lyon fits into the theme of Pleasant Valley players highlighted in this report. He contributes as a dangerous running back and a skilled defensive back. The senior gashed Liberty with big runs, showing off good vision, burst and top-end speed. Those traits also help on defense, where he holds up well in coverage and as a guy who supports the rush defense.","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_6_player":["988861"],"_player_evaluations_6_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"Koller has been a revelation for the Lightning, bringing explosiveness as a ball carrier or pass catcher. Pleasant Valley was stout against the run in this one. While Koller did score a touchdown on the ground, he inflicted most of his damage as a receiver Friday. He caught 10 passes for 208 yards and four scores. Whether rushing or chewing up yards after the catch, Koller displays excellent vision with sharp cuts and impressive acceleration.","_player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":7,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64fe00d380fa2"} /-->