Scouting Report: West Branch-Regina
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WEST BRANCH, Iowa – On an unusually warm late September evening, Iowa City Regina made the short trip down Herbert Hoover Highway to renew its rivalry with West Branch. The Bears defended the Little Rose Bowl, rallying for a 21-17…
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Continue ReadingWEST BRANCH, Iowa – On an unusually warm late September evening, Iowa City Regina made the short trip down Herbert Hoover Highway to renew its rivalry with West Branch. The Bears defended the Little Rose Bowl, rallying for a 21-17 victory Friday.
The West Branch defense impressed, holding down a Regal outfit averaging 47.6 points per game coming into this contest. The Bears won this matchup for a second time in a row after dropping the previous seven meetings in the series.
Here are some players that stood out:
Cale Seydel
Cale Seydel
Seydel was the player of the game. He caught a long touchdown pass and ended the contest with an interception. I wrote about the senior earlier this season, when he impressed me in a victory against Cascade. He showed he wasn’t a one-hit wonder in this rivalry game against the best team the Bears have faced this season. Seydel succeeds with quickness and athleticism. He’s tough and physical. He projects as a slot receiver or defensive back if he chooses to play in college. The pick at the end of the game was a heck of a play.
Jackson Naeve
Jackson Naeve
Naeve, like Seydel, stands out on both sides of the ball. He’s most intriguing as a receiver, where he caught four passes for 127 yards and a touchdown in this game. The senior benefits from his height and long arms in going against opposing secondaries. He runs crisp routes with good speed. His traits translate to defense as well. He can cover with a frame capable of adding the strength that works at safety.
Brennen Dale
Brennen Dale
Like Seydel, I wrote about Dale following his performance against Cascade. The sophomore signal caller carries himself like a veteran. He commands the offense with confidence. His running ability, which allowed him to rip off a 29-yard touchdown run in this contest, keeps defenses honest. He keeps his eyes downfield through his progressions and can take off if he can’t find an open teammate.
Gentry Dumont
Gentry Dumont
Dumont has steadily developed his skills and physically through his years as the starter. That combination along with a strong arm allows him to push the ball down the field, stand solidly in the pocket, throw on the run or tuck it and go. He threw for 286 yards and a touchdown with an interception on Friday.
Cooper Gates
Cooper Gates
It’s my first writeup on Gates. That’s not because he didn’t stand out the first time I saw the Bears. He just got nudged out by talented teammates. He forced his way into this report with an outstanding effort at linebacker Friday. It impressed me that the sophomore flew to the ball while also carrying out his assignments. It helped West Branch limit big plays by Regina. He piled up 9.5 tackles (7 solo, 4.0 for loss) with a pair of sacks in this one.
Noah Clark
Noah Clark
Clark stands out as a two-way lineman. He’s strong and sound from a technical standpoint. His athleticism and size benefits him on both sides of the ball. He smoothly reaches blocks and gets off the ball well on the D-Line. He produced 2.0 sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss on this night.
Editor’s Note: I was scouting Regina for the first time this season on Friday, which is why I wrote about four Regals in this report. I scouted West Branch against Cascade earlier this month, and you can read those reports on the Bears HERE.