Mayer Lutheran vs Minneota: Offensive standouts

Two outstanding defenses met in the Class A finals on Friday morning. Points and opportunities for offensive players to stand out were going to be few and far between. When faced with top competition, the best players raise their game. Many players rose to the occasion during Mayer Lutheran’s 20-14 victory over Minneota – even against the toughest defense they had seen all season. [player_tooltip player_id="116457" first="Dylan" last="Nelson"] <strong>Mayer Lutheran RB</strong> Nelson showed his speed early with a run around the corner for nine yards. Then he showed off his upper body strength with a stiff arm to get to the outside for a long run. <strong>Conner Sik Minneota RB</strong> Sik is an effective inside runner. He went up the middle for five yards and then eight yards. Later, he used his power to move the pile to pick up a first down. [player_tooltip player_id="22948" first="Ty" last="Hoese"] <strong>Mayer Lutheran QB</strong> Hoese ran the offense and kept the offense moving against a defense that had not allowed a meaningful touchdown all season. He used his legs, picking up yards scrambling out of the pocket. Hoese completed a clutch throw on third and short. On a designed run, he was patient, letting his blocks get set up, and ran for twenty yards. He freelanced a few more times, scrambling for a first down and then scrambling for a big gain. He helped pick up another first down late in the game with a completion on third and short. <strong>Anthony Rybinski Minneota TE/RB</strong> Rybinski did a little bit of everything on offense. He made a catch on a crossing pattern and turned it up for a big gain. He took an end-around for a short touchdown run. Back with the passing game, he made a leaping catch for five yards and then caught a ball for twenty yards on a third and long, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="201409" first="Cole" last="Neitzel"] Mayer Lutheran RB</strong> Facing a 4th and less than a yard at the 35 – Neitzel powered his way to a first down. When they were backed up deep in their own territory, the Crusaders consistently ran behind Neitzel, Isaac Hahn, and Marcus Johnson to get off the goal line. [player_tooltip player_id="49869" first="Elijah" last="Jopp"] <strong>Mayer Lutheran RB</strong> Jopp caught a deep go pattern out to mid-field. It was even more impressive when you realized he caught the ball despite his arm being grabbed by the defender before the ball got to him. [player_tooltip player_id="49819" first="Teigan" last="Martin"] <strong>Mayer Lutheran TE</strong> Martin’s physical style and blocking were huge parts of the running game, but he also made a catch over the middle. All that was great, but I have a feeling the play he will never forget is a one-handed catch – in which his other hand never touched the ball even after he turned upfield - on third and short for 20 yards.