Regional Semi-Final Review: Dublin Coffman vs Centerville

I traveled to Springfield to watch a hyped regional semi-final matchup between Dublin Coffman and Centerville on Friday. Centerville soon took that hype and crushed it, taking the 42-7 win. However, some players from both sides caught my eye, so let's discuss who they were.    [player_tooltip player_id='633626' first='Ziere' last='Alston'] is a special player for Centerville. I saw his talent from the opening kickoff, as he housed it to give Centerville the early touchdown. He also had a late touchdown from a reverse sweep and played lockdown coverage on the defensive side. Alston is an excellent athlete for both the football team and Centerville's track and field program. Alston defensively is a physical monster, whether he is in press coverage or blitzing off the edge. He can lay the boom as a closing defender or go one-on-one vertically. Alston is a total package for all three sides of the ball, and is justified as a top 20 player in the state for the 2027 class.     Cole went a perfect 11/11 passing with 230 yards, and 2 touchdowns. Cole led a perfect performance Friday, and his ability in the play-action game opened up the great run game that Centerville possesses. Cole has a strong arm and good timing on his deep ball to avoid danger. He made several accurate deep throws across the field and generally looked like a very good quarterback. This may only be his junior season, but Cole is a very intriguing prospect that many people will need to know going forward into next season.     [player_tooltip player_id='888178' first='Kuol' last='Kuol'] is a massive human being, and he takes every advantage of that fact. He is a very strong offensive tackle with a 6'10'' wingspan and often finished blocks on top of a defensive lineman. He did well against the Coffman pass rush, but his run-blocking ability seemed unfair on Friday night. He created man gaps in the zone run game and led the way for a dominant rushing attack. The current Boilermaker commit had a very strong regional semi-final outing, and will continue throughout the playoffs as one of the most dominant tackles there is in the state.     Seeley was a leader for the Centerville defensive line and the voice for the front seven. He is explosive as an interior rusher and did well at plugging gaps as a nose guard. He is a high-motor player and pushes forward in uneven situations. Seeley was someone I wanted to see in person, and I finally got to see him, and he did not disappoint.     Amari will likely go to Army as a wide receiver/wingback for their spread option offense, but he transitioned to quarterback for the Shamrock offense this season. He was a warrior Friday night and made several plays with his legs for his team. Amari is a great athlete and worked the short game when he could roll out the pocket with his legs. Although not in his natural position, Amari shows the intelligence to switch positions for the team when needed, and his athleticism and toughness will translate to the next level.     Patterson is an offensive lineman who has both tackle and guard flexibility. Patterson is a disciplined lineman who possesses good hands and great upper-body strength. In an offense that primarily runs through QB [player_tooltip player_id='744322' first='Amari' last='Valerio Hudson'], Patterson does a good job at chopping off interior defenders to create gaps. Patterson also has good footwork to help his ability in the passing game, and generally keeps his side of the line clean.

I traveled to Springfield to watch a hyped regional semi-final matchup between Dublin Coffman and Centerville on Friday. Centerville soon took that hype and crushed it, taking the 42-7 win. However, some players from both sides caught my eye, so let's discuss who they were.