Elite Efforts: Top Performers from Cienega vs. Paradise Valley

The Cienega Bobcats traveled to Paradise Valley High School to take on the Trojans this past Friday and left the game 2-0 after a convincing 40-17 win. Jumping out to a quick 20-6 lead in the first quarter, the Bobcats never looked back. With Paradise Valley dropping to 1-1, they'll look to get back on track in Casa Grande this Friday while Cienega looks to stay undefeated against Tucson. Let's take a closer look at the top performers from last week's showdown!   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Cienega Bobcats</h2>   This Cienega team has a lot of power on both sides of the ball. Their strong defensive front caused problems all night and even their secondary was a physical bunch willing to fly around the field. On the offensive side of things, despite the team having two receivers who averaged over 35 yards a reception, it was the ground game that allowed them to drain the clock out with a lead and keep them out of too many third and longs in the process.    Jaden Rodgers was all over the field for Cienega during their 40-17 victory. Lining up to receive both kick and punt returns, he also caught two balls for 75 yards and a score. Not coming off the turf when the defense was out their either, Rodgers added a pass defense and two tackles on that end. A lengthy prospect with good strength and great physicality, he stands out on the field with his size and stature. Still possession great speed, he was making an impact both when blocking and with the ball in his hands; either opening up lanes for others, or creating his own.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/Jaden-Rodgers-Loses-CA-On-A-Route.png?w=1024" alt="Jaden Rodgers Loses CA On A Route" class="wp-image-1432068" /></figure>    Andrei Davis-Lopez wreaked havoc in Paradise Valley's backfield on Friday night. Ending the game with five tackles and a sack, he also managed to get his big hands on a pass and was consistently putting pressure on LeVinus. The long-armed defensive lineman does a great job of using his active hands to keep from the offense getting engaged with him. I was really impressed with the quickness in his first two steps paired with the strength of his initial strike; both proving to be extremely tough for the offense to handle.     Logan Welsh ran some extremely crisp routes out there on Friday night for Cienega's offense. As you can see below, he showed an ability to make contested catches yet has the quickness to get separation so he doesn't very often have to be contested. This play was just before halftime and its visible on film how strong his hands are as he grasps it and makes sure its secure through contact. I was really impressed with his game and at his age, he still has time to add some weight to his long frame, which would only make him more dominant in deep ball situations. Averaging over 35 yards a reception this past week, Welsh has established himself as a player to watch.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/Logan-Welsh-Halftime-Buzzer-TD.mov" alt="" class="wp-image-1432171" /></figure>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Other Notable Perfomances</h3>   Ledainean Moore - RB: 12 carries, 68 yards, 1 TD, 5.7 yards per carry   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Moore had a nice day on the ground. The powerful back showed an ability to make players miss and the toughness to go through them when necessary. </li> </ul>   [player_tooltip player_id='286018' first='Julian' last='Hainley'] - QB: 222 total yards, 3 total TDs   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Hainley was impressive throwing on the run and played a gritty game, while also making smart decisions.</li> </ul>   Kadin Thomas - DB: 4 tackles, 1 INT, 1 PD, 32 kick return yards, 12 punt return yards   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Another versatile player on this Cienega roster, Thomas had an impressive day in coverage and showed nice makeup speed. He's also dangerous with the ball in his hands because of his quick twitch.</li> </ul>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Paradise Valley</h2>   Paradise Valley fought until the very end in this game. Struggling to get the running game going for the second consecutive week, QB [player_tooltip player_id='1041517' first='Charlie' last='LeVinus'] decided to take matters into his own hands and ended up as the team's leading rusher. Meanwhile, the Trojans passing attack took off even with a rotating cast in and out of the game at wide receiver. Unfortunately, their defense struggled with big plays over the top, and that eventually proved to be too much to overcome. Despite this, with the offensive potential they've shown, the Trojans have a strong foundation to build on as they regroup and prepare to make adjustments heading into the next matchup.    [player_tooltip player_id='1041517' first='Charlie' last='LeVinus'] quickly reminded everyone why he was a First-Team All-Region quarterback in 2023. Finishing the game with 431 total yards and two touchdowns, he had a huge day both with his arm and his legs; a performance good enough to earn him an Ed Doherty Award. Throwing for 359 yards is impressive on its own, but LeVinus did this without his top receiver for more than half of the game. Eight different players caught passes for the Trojans ending with an average of 13.3 yards a reception. His 55% completion rate doesn't fully portray just how accurate he was on the night. Even his lone interception on the day seemed like dual possession catch in the endzone that could've easily been called a touchdown in other games. Adding 72 yards on the ground, it wasn't the amount of yards that was most impressive about LeVinus' use of his legs in this game. Rather, it was when and how he used them that was eye-catching. Often coming on crucial third downs to keep drives alive, his ability to extend plays was on full display throughout the night.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/Charlie-Breaks-Free-Running-W2-Tagged.mov" alt="" class="wp-image-1432174" /></figure>    Even though he didn't even play a full half of football in the game, Elantae Fleming still made his mark on this football game. Manging to finish the game as the Trojans lead receiver, his big play ability was extremely evident; turning 6-yard slants into 20-yard gains and turning 20-yard gains into 80-yard touchdowns. The speedy wideout has incredible burst and is a threat to score any time he gets the ball in his hands. He's a player coaches should take a close look at as he works through his senior year.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/Charlie-Quick-Rollout-to-Elantae-W2-Final.mov" alt="" class="wp-image-1432213" /></figure>    Baylor Paden showed great instincts all throughout the game for Paradise Valley's defense. He ended the game with 10 total tackles and a half-sack on the day. Making his presence felt in the passing game as well, he had a pass defense and his quick feet allowed him to stay with the slot receivers well throughout the entirety of the game. An extremely hard worker with great instincts, Paden hardly ever came off the field for the Trojans.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/Trojans-Captaing-Waking-to-Midfield-W2.png?w=1024" alt="Trojans Captaing Waking to Midfield W2" class="wp-image-1432230" /></figure>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Other Top Performers</h3>   Ivan Ontiveros - WR: 7 catches, 97 yards, 13.9 yards per reception   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Ontiveros continues to impress me with his contested catch ability and has some surprising speed for a player with his size. He's going to be a key player for the Trojan's offense all year. </li> </ul>   Connor Allard - ATH: 4 tackles, 0.5 sacks, 4 receptions, 29 yards   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Allard moves so smoothly across the field defensively, it's more of a glide when he's in coverage. I thought he did a nice job of reading the quarterback's eyes against Cienega. </li> </ul>   Phillip Kneib - WR: 5 catches, 61 yards, 1 TD, 12.2 yards per reception   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Kneib came into the game and provided a spark for Paradise Valley's offense late. Only a sophomore, he's very athletic and has some nice speed to win deep down the field. He could be an interesting X-factor for the Trojans as his game continues to develop. </li> </ul>

The Cienega Bobcats traveled to Paradise Valley High School to take on the Trojans this past Friday and left the game 2-0 after a convincing 40-17 win. Jumping out to a quick 20-6 lead in the first quarter, the Bobcats never looked back. With Paradise Valley dropping to 1-1, they'll look to get back on track in Casa Grande this Friday while Cienega looks to stay undefeated against Tucson. Let's take a closer look at the top performers from last week's showdown!