Top performers - Orono vs. Providence Academy

The Orono Spartans remained undefeated, setting up a battle of undefeated teams this week when they travel to Totino Grace. Who stood out during their 24-13 victory over Providence Academy?    Burckhardt was the most impressive player without a DI scholarship offer. He caught a deep ball down the sidelines on fourth and one to set up his team inside the ten. Then, the junior caught a fade on a third and long. He made a leaping catch as he was drawing an interference flag for 30 yards. The junior then caught an eight-yard touchdown on a crossing route. On defense, he stopped the Lions' last chance to get back into the game with an interception in the end zone. He returned the pick for thirty yards. Later, in coverage, he got his hand on a pass to force an incompletion. Burckhardt saved his best for last. In the fourth quarter, he made a diving catch for thirty-five yards on a ball that was overthrown.     Although his team was on the short end of the score, the Minnesota Gophers' commit was the best player on the field. I was most impressed with the speed of the 270-pound defensive tackle. Early, he got down the line of scrimmage well to make a tackle on the outside. As a right tackle, his pancake block opened a hole for his running back. He single-handedly sent the Spartans to the locker room late in the first half. He overpowered the interior of the offensive line for a quarterback sack. On the next play, Tarawallie was in the backfield again, forcing a bad pass, and the Spartans decided to take a knee instead of trying for points. In the second half, his most impressive play didn't even count. His penetration made a runner bounce the run outside. Because of the penetration, he drew a holding penalty. Even though he was held and lined up inside, he still ran down the running back twenty-five yards down the field. He showed his athletic ability again when the 270-pound athlete ran down a defensive back to make a tackle after an interception.     Stevenson got bottled up on an off-tackle run, but the sophomore spun off the tacklers to pick up a first down behind [player_tooltip player_id='362315' first='Will' last='Johnson']. Stevenson picked up five more yards on the same type of play behind Johnson. After the first five yards, he spun off a tackler for another five yards. Stevenson is a tall, long-striding runner. Again behind Johnson, he got into the end zone on a three-yard touchdown run. On defense, he made a solid tackle in the flat.     Hansen used his legs early in the game. He scrambled for five yards, then, on a designed run, he got to the one-yard line. He capped off a drive with a quarterback sneak. Later, the senior scrambled for twenty yards – making a great cut in the open field. He showed excellent escape ability, turning a loss into a short gain. He added a short touchdown run late in the game. With his arm, a strong throw on the run completed a crossing route. He showed good arm strength when he completed a deep out to the sidelines.    [player_tooltip player_id='1629924' first='Owen' last='Paulsen'] 5'11 155 SO, [player_tooltip player_id='1602677' first='Dane' last='Kanwischer'] 6'3 205 JR, [player_tooltip player_id='1120570' first='Parker' last='Burckhardt'] 5'11 175 JR, Alex Loveless 5'11 175 SR   This group was responsible for a coverage sack early in the game. In the second half, they did it again; this time, their coverage forced the quarterback to throw the ball away. Individually, Paulsen broke up a pass down the sidelines. Loveless undercut a crossing route for an interception. On offense, Loveless saved a possession by recovering a teammate's fumble.    Early in the game, Berghult got pressure off the edge and finished the play with a sack. More pressure off the edge resulted in a teammate getting a sack. He made an open-field tackle and then a tackle at the line of scrimmage that also forced a fumble. On offense, he made a good cut for a five-yard gain. In the passing game, he caught a deep out for 18 yards. He capped off his night with a twenty-yard run.     Burckhardt was a big reason the Lions' offense never got on track. Early in the game, he filled the hole to make a tackle on the inside for a short gain. He did it again, stuffing a run on a third and short, preventing a first down. Late in the game, he stuffed a third inside run. On offense, he threw a great lead block late in the game.     Bartz's best run was early. He made a tough run between the tackles - dragging tacklers for five yards for a ten-yard gain. Then, his run up the middle picked up seventeen yards. Two more tough runs between the tackles picked up ten yards each time. On defense, he chipped in a tackle for a one-yard gain.    Leo Bock Orono DL 6' 270 SR [player_tooltip player_id='641224' first='Blake' last='Van Patten'] Orono DL 6'2 295 SR   Along with [player_tooltip player_id='1090400' first='Carsen' last='Burckhardt'], these two made anything inside a slog for the Lions. Bock's inside penetration forced a run outside, where his teammates made a tackle for loss. Inside pressure on the quarterback by Van Patten forced a bad throw. Van Patten's immediate pressure up the middle created a tackle behind the line of scrimmage for one of his teammates.    Sandell tallied a quarterback sack. Later, he filled the hole and made a tackle for no gain.     Chucking the ball to Burckhardt and others was Cordes. His perfect deep ball on fourth and one sets up first and goal. Then, he threw a great fade for a big gain. Then, he got hit as he threw and completed the pass on a crossing route for an eight-yard touchdown.     Defensively, Wiseman sacked the quarterback. On offense, he helped open holes for his running back for a seventeen-yard gain and then another hole for a twenty-yard run.     Vinton put a big hit on a running back on an early inside run for a short gain. Later, he picked up a quarterback sack. Late in the game, he made a tackle for a short gain. On offense, his good combo block with a teammate gave his running back the corner.     Kvern was the Spartans' most consistent threat on the ground. He picked up good yardage behind [player_tooltip player_id='362315' first='Will' last='Johnson'] and Vinton. He found the end zone with a one-yard touchdown run. A patient runner all night, his patience showed up best when he followed his blockers two plays in a row – both times for seven yards. He showed good speed later with a run off the left side.     Licursi got his hand in front of the receiver on a crossing route, forcing an incomplete pass. Then, he made a tackle for no gain on a run bounced to the outside. Later, he got into the backfield to force the runner outside, allowing his teammate to make a tackle for a short gain.

The Orono Spartans remained undefeated, setting up a battle of undefeated teams this week when they travel to Totino Grace. Who stood out during their 24-13 victory over Providence Academy?