5 Takeaways: East St. Louis vs Belleville East

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prep Redzone took in some Saturday morning football as Belleville East hosted nationally ranked East St. Louis.&nbsp; The Flyers showed why they are probably the best team in the state winning 40-0 and looking dominant from start to finish.&nbsp; Here we examine what we saw in <strong>5 Takeaways: East St. Louis vs Belleville East</strong>!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Flyers Two QB System Effective</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>East St. Louis rotated quarterbacks in this one and both were extremely effective.&nbsp; Class of 2025 starter [player_tooltip player_id='831102' first='Kendrick' last='Lyons'] threw several beautiful passes and has velocity on his throws when he needs too.&nbsp; Elite level athlete that can throw on the move and run when he needs too.&nbsp; Can make throws at different levels with the velo/touch needed.&nbsp; Has an electricity to his game at 6'0” 170 pounds who is emerging in a big time way as a senior.&nbsp; Coming off the bench we were impressed with what we saw out of 6'2” 2027 signal caller Reece Shanklin.&nbsp; He really commands the pocket, has elite arm strength, and can run with power/speed when plays break down.&nbsp; He had several nice dimes throughout the win and looks like the next star at East St. Louis.&nbsp; Could break into the conversation among the other star QBs in the 2027 class.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>McClendon Most Underrated Player in State?</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A prospect that I think consistently is overlooked for the Flyers from a recruiting and national ranking standpoint is 6'2” 2025 defensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id='830840' first='Ke'Andre' last='McClendon'].&nbsp; He is a major difference maker up front.&nbsp; Exceptional against the run fighting through blocks to make plays.&nbsp; Runs very well in pursuit of backs.&nbsp; Got after the quarterback including a sack and had some massive hits.&nbsp; Absolutely love what this defender brings to the table!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Defensive Standouts All Over the Place for ESL</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On the defensive side it all starts with Mizzou commit [player_tooltip player_id='176242' first='Charles' last='Bass'] and safety.&nbsp; He is all over the field!&nbsp; Cuts on the ball and is impactful against the pass with his instincts and playmaking on the back end.&nbsp; Also is a major contributor in the run game as a physical tackler.&nbsp; Fellow 2025 Quincy Minor had a big performance at cornerback.&nbsp; He has good size at 6'1” with long arms.&nbsp; Super aggressive against wide outs, fights for the ball, and blows up plays on short routes.&nbsp; Had a nose for the ball.&nbsp; Class of 2026 6'2” linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='401621' first='Leon' last='Howard'] stood out in this one as well.&nbsp; He flows to the ball and runs well sideline to sideline.&nbsp; Knifes through the defense to make plays against the run and is solid against the pass at the second level.&nbsp; [player_tooltip player_id='401599' first='Carnell' last='McIntosh'] is a 6'2” defensive tackle that is a big body inside against the run with the ability to get up field to make plays including tackles for loss.&nbsp; Definitely a 2026 that has a bright future!&nbsp; Class of 2027 defensive tackle [player_tooltip player_id='1335224' first='Caleb' last='Brown'] is another run thumper up front for the Flyers that is a long term prospect at 6'1”.&nbsp; More fire power on that defensive line came with the quickness getting in the backfield from 6'1” 2027 defensive tackle Gregory Bell.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Dynamic Prospects All Over Offensive Side for East St. Louis</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It was a major offensive outing for the Flyers despite having several of their stars not playing.  It was mostly a passing attack for them with sophomore 6'0” wide receiver Ronnie GoMiller.  He caught touchdowns of 67 yards to open the game followed by a 28 yard one where he broke out a slant route for a score.  Slick route runner that has big time potential!  Senior 5'7” wide receiver [player_tooltip player_id='1564075' first='Christopher' last='Bennett'] is an explosive downfield threat that caught a 25 yard touchdown.  Class of 2026 6'3” [player_tooltip player_id='1128408' first='Armaad' last='Sharp'] had a performance that definitely put himself on our radar as the big pass catcher had multiple touchdowns on the day.  Physical with the ball in his hands and can break tackles.  Laron Baker Jr is another sophomore to track as the 2027 6'2” sophomore made catches over the middle and showed he knew how to use his frame.  Explosive yards after catch threat with plus size!  Up front 2026 left tackle [player_tooltip player_id='1585136' first='Terrell' last='Berryhill Jr'] kept his quarterbacks clean all day long.  At 6'4” he is a mammoth man already with the potential to get even better.  Fundamentally sound with excellent tools and athleticism.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Rulo Has Big Game for Belleville East</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Belleville East 2026 defensive tackle [player_tooltip player_id='801701' first='Jonathan' last='Rulo'] led the way for the Lancers.&nbsp; Despite the loss it was a very impressive performance as he owned the interior of the Flyers line all game long making disruptive plays against both the pass and run.&nbsp; He stuffed in the middle making plays against the run on a pretty consistent basis.&nbsp; Also got upfield for a multiple sacks and batted down passes.&nbsp; Quickness, powerful, and technically sound at the defensive tackle spot.&nbsp; Saw flashes from long and rangy 2026 edge [player_tooltip player_id='1585157' first='Jacory' last='Brown'] with his athleticism and size.&nbsp; Mostly a projection play at this stage that college coaches will look at as a guy they can add strength and coach him up.&nbsp; [player_tooltip player_id='1564808' first='Kadin' last='Sabree'] is a 2025 linebacker that will help out a small college program with his ability to play downhill against the run.&nbsp; Class of 2025 5'8” defensive back Xavien Moody is a gritty corner that makes plays with his quickness and active hands.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->