“Two-Way Players” making waves in SWMO.

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A player's best ability is availability, and in the Southwest region of Missouri, players and coaches take this cliché phrase to heart because there are so many great players who play on both sides of the ball, and virtually never leave the playing field.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>These six players are what Iron Man football is all about. They can put points on the board and also bring the heat on defense. The year isn't over just yet. Let's just hope they have enough stamina to cross the finish line.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1883278"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68f82a370ce9d"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1883278' first='Joelle' last='Rover'] might be the newcomer of the year in SWMO.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It seems like every week, Rover is putting up huge numbers in the receiving game for his Glendale Falcons. He's been an absolute handful for opposing defenses with his length and speed. Standing at 6'3 and weighing 175 pounds, with his basketball background, he also has a pretty impressive vertical that he uses to high point over cornerbacks. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A very underrated aspect of Rover's game is the fact that he can also play cornerback at a very high level as well. Rover is a natural athlete, so he translates flawlessly to the defensive side of the ball. Quarterbacks usually think twice before testing Rovers side. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p> </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/19954628/68d923912f16a6ddfe9804a5' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68f84402de411"} /--> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["284041"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68f82a370cef6"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Hunter has been pretty dominate in 2025.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hunter has been on an absolute tear in 2025. It doesn't matter if he lines up on the offensive or defensive side of the ball, Hunter seems to be just too much for other teams at times. The Zizzers have also noticed this pattern of dominance, so they deploy Hunter in various spots on along the defensive line. On the inside Hunter is a monster; he controls the line of scrimmage and makes it almost impossible for teams to establish a decent running game. On passing downs from the edge or inside is where Hunter absolutely shines. He is so fast and powerful that he can almost take over a football game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On the offensive side of the ball, Hunter makes huge holes for their back Jackson Taylor every Friday night. He knows how to use his leverage, and he's so strong in his trunk that he can bully opposing defensive lineman. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/17808250/68d05fd102358d548bb1587b' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68f84402de45d"} /--> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1130262"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":1970989,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68f82a370cf5b"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Lightning in a Bottle is [player_tooltip player_id='1130262' first='Tamarkus' last='Holmes'] from Forsyth.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1130262' first='Tamarkus' last='Holmes'] already proved plenty in his Junior year. He put up eye-popping numbers for the Forsyth Panther. In 2025 he has been on a steady and consistent path, until he absolutely exploded for 253 rushing yards on 29 carries. Holmes is a naturally gifted athlete, his biggest attribute being his game-changing acceleration. He can go 0-60 in the blink of an eye , its a shame this young man hasn't had more college football honors because he can do it all on the football field.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On the defensive side of the ball, Holmes can shut down a whole side of a football field at defensive back. He's fast and has a speedy reaction time that makes it extremely difficult to get simple completions when he's in coverage. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":1970993,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Coy Felton","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'2u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"175","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2411","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Mt.vernon","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68f82a370d007"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Felton made a huge impression in the couple games I watched him.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I had the pleasure of watching Felton for the first time two weeks ago when he had a magnificent performance against the Parkview Vikings. One play that comes to mind where Felton displayed above-average athleticism is when he jumped a route from his safety spot, and all he needed was his left hand to snag the football out of the air and return it 60 yards for a touchdown. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On the offensive side of the ball, Coy made a lot of great catches that night as well. One play comes to mind when Felton ran an amazing deep skinny post that his quarterback, Hunter Dawson delivered a beauty of a pass for six. Felton is underrated and deserves more recognition. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":1971006,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Hunter Dawson","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'2u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"184","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2411","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Mt.vernon","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68f84402e04c5"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Dawson is a rare mix of size and speed. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's pretty rare to see a quarterback go out there and compete on both sides of the football field. Dawson is one tough cookie, and everyone loves a tough, hard-nosed quarterback, well here's one that also is a tackling machine of a middle linebacker. Dawson doesn't only succeed on the football field with his toughness, but he's also a smart football player who reads both the offense and defense very well. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He knows when to get the ball off on time as a passer, and how to adjust his blocking to get the right play off. On defense he reads his keys and knows when the play gap sound to blocking running lanes. Dawson had a very productive game against the Parkview Vikings. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->