Class 6 District 4 Championship: Troy-Buchanan Standouts

This past Friday, I had the pleasure of attending a very exciting Class 6 District 4 Championship Game between Fort Zumwalt West and Troy-Buchanan. After a very back-and-forth game, the Jaguars were able to pull away for a 34-31 victory in overtime. While there was an abundance of talent on the field on both sides, I wanted to take some time to focus on some players from each team who stood out above the rest. After already covering the standouts from FZ West, here are some players from Troy-Buchanan who stood out in Friday's game.    [player_tooltip player_id='1125456' first='Carter' last='Dowell'] was very impressive out of the backfield on Friday, carrying the ball 30 times for 176 yards and two touchdowns. He proved to be a strong runner, showing the ability to lower his shoulder and keep his legs churning through contact to break tackles with ease. Dowell also showed the elusiveness to make defenders miss in the open field. Carter is committed to Lindenwood where I can see him being a productive player at the next level.     Chris Wenger is another Troy-Buchanan running back who stood out in Friday's game. He carried the ball 11 times for 31 yards but was more impressive as a receiver out of the backfield, leading his team in receiving with seven catches for 96 yards and a touchdown. They liked to get him the ball quickly out of the backfield in open space and let him do the rest. He is very shifty, using quick cuts to make defenders miss wi the ease. Wenger also showed the burst of speed to breakaway for a big gain at any given moment. Chris doesn't currently hold any offers but he has the talent to play somewhere at the next level.     Quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1673297' first='Carter' last='Shafer'] helped keep the Trojans in this game, completing 12/22 passes for 155 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. Shafer showed impressive accuracy, putting the ball in a spot where only his intended receiver could catch it. He also showed the arm strength to stretch the field in the deep passing game. Carter should be a quarterback to keep an eye on as he continues to develop over the next couple seasons.     Carson Twellman was a key playmaker for the Trojans on Friday. On offense, he lined up at receiver where he was able to use smooth breaks in his routes to create separation from opposing defensive backs. He also showed the speed to pose as a threat in the deep passing game. Twellman caught two passes for 36 yards and a touchdown. He also made an impact on defense, finishing the game with six tackles. Carson is committed to play baseball at Jefferson College.     Talan Rowland was the leader of the Trojans' defense on Friday. He lined up at inside linebacker where he was very impressive against the run, showing the ability to read the play quickly then use his speed to come downhill to get to the ball carrier in a hurry. Once he got to the ball carrier, he proved to be a very reliable tackler, leading his team with 10 total tackles. Rowland has received some college interest and I wouldn't be surprised to see some offers come his way soon.     Noah Vollmer was another Troy-Buchanan linebacker who stood out on Friday. He lined up at outside linebacker where he was very reliable against the run, showing the ability to diagnose the play then run sideline to sideline to make tackles. Vollmer finished the game with five tackles. He also showed the ability to make plays in coverage, coming away with an interception. Noah is another player who has the talent to play somewhere at the next level if given a chance.     My final standout from Troy-Buchanan from Friday's game is Donovan Miller. Miller lined up at corner where he was very impressive in man coverage, showing the ability to open up and use his speed to run with receivers to mirror their routes. When the ball was thrown his way, he showed great ball skills, coming away with one interception. He also showed the ability to provide run support, finishing the game with five tackles. Donovan should be a player to keep a close eye on over the next couple seasons.

This past Friday, I had the pleasure of attending a very exciting Class 6 District 4 Championship Game between Fort Zumwalt West and Troy-Buchanan. After a very back-and-forth game, the Jaguars were able to pull away for a 34-31 victory in overtime. While there was an abundance of talent on the field on both sides, I wanted to take some time to focus on some players from each team who stood out above the rest. After already covering the standouts from FZ West, here are some players from Troy-Buchanan who stood out in Friday's game.