Leesville Road vs. Cardinal Gibbons – Defensive Standouts
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I was on the sideline for the conference championship game. There were several lead changes throughout the game. Cardinal Gibbons took control late in the game and secured the 33 – 23 victory. The listed players performances caught my attention…
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Continue ReadingI was on the sideline for the conference championship game. There were several lead changes throughout the game. Cardinal Gibbons took control late in the game and secured the 33 – 23 victory. The listed players performances caught my attention throughout the game.
Cardinal Gibbons HS
Ryan Ziegler Ryan Ziegler 6'0" | 215 lbs | LB Cardinal Gibbons | 2024 State NC – LB, 6’2″ 215 (No. 10 LB, No. 143 Overall). Ryan displayed good lateral movement and good speed while covering a lot of ground quickly to close in on the ball carrier. He displayed patience to let the play develop before reacting quickly to make stops. He displayed good technique on punishing tackles made in the open field. Ryan has received D1 offers, more are expected to come in for him.
Griffin Cockerham – DL, 6’3″ 205. Griffin displayed good technique and use of hands to control blockers while closing in on the ball carrier. He displayed good technique on tackles made in the open field.
Conway Kelly Conway Kelly 6'1" | 220 lbs | DL Cardinal Gibbons | 2025 NC – DL, 6’1″ 220. Conway displayed good technique and use of hands to control blockers while closing in on the ball carrier. He displayed good technique on tackles made in the open field.
Chris Pinder Chris Pinder 6'1" | 260 lbs | DL Cardinal Gibbons | 2025 NC – DL, 6’1″ 260 (No. 19 DL, Watchlist). Chris displayed good technique and good use of hands to control blockers while moving past them for stops. He displayed good technique on tackles made in the open field.
Alex Blachly – DL, 6’3″ 225. Alex displayed good technique and use of hands to control blockers while moving past them for stops. He displayed good technique on tackles made in the open field.
Braylon Peebles Braylon Peebles 5'10" | 165 lbs | ATH Cardinal Gibbons | 2026 NC – DB, 5’10” 165. Braylon displayed the ability to change directions quickly and speed to cover receivers. He displayed good technique and good use of arms, making it difficult to complete a pass against him. He displayed good technique of tackles made in the open field.
Leesville Road HS
Braxton Lassiter Braxton Lassiter 6'5" | 260 lbs | DL Leesville Road | 2024 State NC – DL, 6’5″ 250 (No. 15 OL, No. 196 Overall). Braxton displayed good technique and violent hands to control blockers while moving past them for stops. He displayed quickness and upper body strength to overpower blockers and shut down the play, sometimes in the backfield. He utilizes quickness out of his stance which allows him to go unblocked on several plays. The Richmond commit was the dominant player on the defensive line, and it was difficult to contain him.
Jalon Watkins Jalon Watkins 6'3" | 195 lbs | LB Leesville Road | 2024 NC – DL, 6’3″ 195 (No. 52 LB, Watchlist). Jalon displayed good technique and use of hands to control blockers while moving past them for stops. He displayed good technique on tackles made in the open field.
Micah Purvis Micah Purvis 5'11" | 220 lbs | LB Leesville Road | 2024 State NC – LB, 5’11” 200 (No. 40 LB, No. 306 Overall). Micah displayed good lateral movement and good speed to cover ground quickly while closing in on the ball carrier. He displayed patience to let the play develop before reacting quickly to make stops. He displayed good technique on punishing tackles made in the open field. Micah should start to receive recruiting interest from schools.
Christian Shaw Christian Shaw 6'2" | 205 lbs | LB Leesville Road | 2025 State NC – LB, 6’1″ 190 (No. 14 LB, No. 66 Overall). Christian displayed good lateral movement and good speed to cover ground quickly while closing in on the ball carrier. He displayed good technique on tackles made in the open field. He should start to receive recruiting interest from schools.
Xavier Lewis Xavier Lewis 6'2" | 240 lbs | DL Leesville Road | 2025 State NC – DL, 6’1″ 230 (No. 18 DL, Watchlist). Xavier displayed good technique and use of hands to control blockers while moving past them for stops. He displayed good technique on tackles made in the open field. He should start to receive recruiting interest from schools.
Tyler Carlson Tyler Carlson 6'3" | 220 lbs | LB Leesville Road | 2024 State NC – LB, 6’3″ 220. Tyler displayed good lateral movement and speed to cover ground quickly while closing in on the ball carrier. He displayed good technique on tackles made in the open field. He should start to receive recruiting interest from schools.