#TNHSFB Week 7: Ravenwood defeats Summit 24-7

Ravenwood (6-1) defended their house during their annual homecoming celebration this past Friday night, blasting past Summit (2-5) by a 24-7 final score. The Raptors struck first with a field goal in the first quarter to take an early 3-0 lead over the Spartans. In the opening minutes of the second quarter, Ravenwood forced their way into the endzone to extend the deficit to 10-0. In the last two quarters of play, the Raptors were unstoppable in the air as the offense quickly overwhelmed the Spartans with strong passing as well as an assortment of receiving weapons in the backfield. Ravenwood would finish the week seven matchup with a 24-7 final score. Here's my list of some of the more explosive prospects on the field that made their presence known.    At the top of my list of notable performers is [player_tooltip player_id='402540' first='Femi' last='Babalola'], a 6-foot-2, 185-pound quarterback at Ravenwood High School. In addition to excellent size, speed and athleticism, what impressed me about Babalola was his quick execution off the snap and solid footwork, showing off his ability to escape the defense on the ground and break tackles. Another aspect of Babalola's game that stood out was his arm strength and deep passing, hitting his receivers in stride on a mountain of significant passes resulting in touchdowns. Babalola additionally made a difference with his ability to complete quick passes to his receivers along the edge despite heavy defensive pressure.    One of the more impactful offensive playmakers was [player_tooltip player_id='219435' first='Ben' last='Hubbard'], a 5-foot-10, 165-pound wide receiver at Ravenwood High School. Hubbard was unstoppable down the stretch, making it abundantly clear he was one of the fastest players on the field. Hubbard initially caught my attention with a touchdown pass at the beginning of the second quarter, showing off his footwork and breakaway speed as he slipped free of the defense and took it all the way to the house. Hubbard was also crucial to the Raptors' success in the second half, putting the Raptors back in the endzone on third-down conversions. With outstanding awareness, durability and explosive quickness, Hubbard is a receiver that should not be slept on this season.    Claiming the number three spot on my list is [player_tooltip player_id='219396' first='Jayden' last='Smitherman'], a 5-foot-9, 165-pound athlete at Ravenwood High School. Smitherman stood out due to his footwork, size, speed and versatility on the defensive side of the ball, making a considerable difference in the backfield with his physical edge and ability to disrupt passing from deep. Another aspect of Smitherman's playstyle that impressed was his overall quickness off the snap and ability to use bursts of speed to quickly blast receivers to the ground. Smitherman also makes a difference with his ability to stay in front of the ball and read the offense like a book.    Another skilled prospect to keep an eye on is [player_tooltip player_id='277795' first='Dominick' last='Hollis'], a 5-foot-9, 165-pound running back at Summit High School. Despite heavy resistance from the Raptors' defensive unit, Hollis still picked up a few impressive runs to get the Spartans up the field, utilizing his physical edge to break tackles and bob and weave the defense. Another aspect of Hollis that stood out was his consistent playmaking ability on third-downs and ability to beat the defense on the ground from along the edge as well as in the pocket. I'm additionally fond of how Hollis quickly executes off the snap, stunning the defense with bursts of speed and his ability to exert his strength to push the offense forward.    Coming in at number five on my list is Mason Mcelhaney, a 6-foot-0, 185-pound quarterback at Summit High School. Despite heavy opposition from Ravenwood's defense, Mcelhaney was able to hit a few impressive passes, including one deep pass in the first half to put the Spartans in solid field position. Mcelhaney additionally stood out with his composure and ability to maneuver the field under pressure, showing off his ability to escape pressure and advance offensive production on the ground with his quickness and ability to barrel through the defense in the pocket and along the edge.    Another impressive standout that made an impact is [player_tooltip player_id='1610490' first='Jaylen' last='Pollard'], a 5-foot-7, 180-pound defensive back at Ravenwood High School. Pollard was a high-level defensive weapon for the Raptors in the backfield, disrupting Summit's passing with his physical coverage and ability to strip the ball from receivers in the air. Pollard caught my attention in the first half, picking off the quarterback from behind the receiver, proving his arm strength and commanding toughness on the defensive side of the ball. Another aspect of Pollard that stands out is his ability to stick with his man, preventing the offense from breaking away from defensive coverage, closing down several efficient passing lanes for the Spartans.

Ravenwood (6-1) defended their house during their annual homecoming celebration this past Friday night, blasting past Summit (2-5) by a 24-7 final score. The Raptors struck first with a field goal in the first quarter to take an early 3-0 lead over the Spartans. In the opening minutes of the second quarter, Ravenwood forced their way into the endzone to extend the deficit to 10-0. In the last two quarters of play, the Raptors were unstoppable in the air as the offense quickly overwhelmed the Spartans with strong passing as well as an assortment of receiving weapons in the backfield. Ravenwood would finish the week seven matchup with a 24-7 final score. Here's my list of some of the more explosive prospects on the field that made their presence known.