Nate’s Big Dogs of the Game: Crosby-Ironton at Aitkin
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AITKIN– Even after hackers tried to attack my laptop for some reason after this game, I was able to recover my notes and have gathered my nine Big Dogs of the Game from the Section 7AA quarterfinal battle between arch…
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Continue ReadingAITKIN– Even after hackers tried to attack my laptop for some reason after this game, I was able to recover my notes and have gathered my nine Big Dogs of the Game from the Section 7AA quarterfinal battle between arch rivals, the Crosby-Ironton Rangers and the Aitkin Gobblers.
Jordan was a newcomer in my eyes and made some early splashes in the Rangers offense. He showed off triggering athleticism from sideline to sideline offensively as a WR prospect that showed solid hands in the reps I watched and logged one of the Rangers receiving touchdowns on the night. Jordan was all agile while in motion as a speedster that showed upside around the edges. Jordan would be a good fit in my eyes at defensive back at the next-level as a good MIAC or UMAC fit.
Jake McGuire
Jake McGuire
Although Jake didn’t get a ton of reps throwing the ball in Aitkin’s wishbone offense, he made plays with his throwing arm when it counted for the Gobblers. Jake was a 2025 prospect I thought played with a balanced poise in the pocket throughout last night’s game, and I saw improvement from game start to game end showing that Jake is a quick learner. He also showed well-versed accuracy on intermediate routes as he can develop more zip on his throws with another season left of HS football.
Barrett Katzenberger
Barrett Katzenberger
Barrett is another prospect from the Rangers that was new to my radar last night, as he showed proficiency at the linebacker position. I liked what I saw from the physicality of this young man when he made contact with the ball carrier, which was consistent throughout the duration of the game. Barrett also was a linebacker that could fly in and make a play out of nowhere from sideline to sideline.
Coltan Baumann
Coltan Baumann
My defensive GameChanger MVP in last night’s game was by far Aitkin’s Coltan Baumann, as he made two game-changing plays in the 4th quarter to change the full momentum of the game. Coltan showed off his clutch genes on multiple occasions, penetrating downhill at the Rangers offense showing great instincts to find the ball on his two fumble recoveries. Coltan might not be the biggest linebacker, but this junior plays with a chip on his shoulder that is for sure.
Darren was a defensive tackle that showed off some production for the Rangers on Tuesday night. He shows off a balanced release off the snap and from what the tape has shown recently, doesn’t get as much credit as he should with the steady motor he plays with. Darren made his presence known especially in the Rangers interior defensively, as he showed versatility and good instincts as he logged a handful of key tackles for Crosby-Ironton and is a prospect that would be a solid Division III fit at 6’2 210 pounds as I see him adding frame at the defensive tackle position.
Parker Fulton
Parker Fulton
Parker might just be a freshman, but man did this young man fit right in with the Gobblers stacked upperclassmen last night at Veterans Field. As a 6’2 210 pound running back, Parker showed off good early bases of fluidity with his running ability and plays every ounce of the measurables he has right now as a 2027 prospect that was an effective power back last night in Aitkin. Parker also showed off good vision for his age, as he got a handful of hard-earned yards that paid off dividends for the Gobblers and I still believe his vision has plenty of upside yet to grow over these next 3 seasons. Parker also showed off an intriguing work ethic and is a 2027 prospect that looks like he has plenty of position flexibility as we look ahead at his football future.
Kolbe Severson
Kolbe Severson
Kolbe was a senior quarterback that showed off plenty of athleticism last night against Aitkin. As a dual threat, Kolbe ran more like a running back with his progression around the edges of the field as he showed agile balance along the sidelines. Kolbe also showed off a catchy quick release as far as his passing skillsets go. I was mildly impressed with Kolbe’s awareness no matter if he progressed the ball upfield as a runner or passer. I couldn’t find Kolbe on Twitter, but from what I saw last night this 2024 prospect has a football future in my eyes as an athlete at the next.
Evan Rydberg
Evan Rydberg
The Crosby-Ironton rushing attack was lead by a workhorse of a junior running back in Evan Rydberg. The amount of durability this young man showed last night thru contact showed off great balance, and was a running back that played with much more frame than his measurables will tell you about his skillsets. Evan also showed off versatility, as a running back that had good hands and found himself in the end zone with those hands. For 5’11 155 pounds, Evan runs with vast fluidity and I certainly see with plenty of time in the weight room this offseason, Evan could be a 2025 prospect playing at the next level after next year in my eyes.
Walker Jones
Walker Jones
Even though I was not in attendance last night, I could certainly tell in the second half that Aitkin senior Walker Jones was the pulse of this Aitkin Gobblers team, I could just feel it on and off the field. In crunch time, Walker’s strength & aggression running the football thru consistent high-traffic areas paid off dividends as this young man left every ounce of energy he had on the field. His work ethic and leadership was well-noticed even from a TV screen as a 2024 prospect that you could tell wanted to win “The Stump Game” yet again for the Gobblers.