The Lowdown - Week 5 Preview

Cole Kramer, QB – Eden Prairie (at Maple Grove) Kramer and Eden Prairie have been a methodical machine offensively this season. The Eagles have scored 96 first-half points through four games and have yet to face an opponent that’s forced them into critical situations in the second half. In fact, no team has been within one possession of the Eagles after halftime. The Crimson aren’t going to let Kramer just hand the ball to Solo Falaniko and the rest of the Eagles running backs the entire game. Coach Matt Lombardi and the Maple Grove defense should provide a good test for Kramer and his 7-to-0 touchdown to interception ratio. Kramer will probably attempt at least a dozen passes on Friday, but is this the week the Eagles junior quarterback is finally tested in the second half? Calvin Wishart, WR – Delano (at Dassel-Cokato) Delano’s never been a prolific passing team under long-time coach Merrill Pavlovich, but the emergence of Wishart has added a dimension to the Tigers offense this season. Wishart is a star basketball player who’s committed to play Georgia Southern University. He’s proven to be quite the wide receiver in his first year on the gridiron too. The 6-foot-2, 185-pounder has at least five receptions, 85 yards and a touchdown receiving in each of the first four games. In last week’s 26-7 win over Holy Family, Wishart caught touchdowns of 44 and 33 yards, and finished with a career-high 205 yards receiving. A big game could be attainable against Dassel-Cokato, which struggled to defend the pass in its only loss to Annandale in Week 2. Josh Aune, RB/WR/LB – St. Paul Highland Park (at SMB) There’s a case to be made, and a strong one at that, that Aune is the front runner for the 2017 Mr. Football award. He’s the Scots leading tackler on defense with more than 10 per game, along with five sacks, an interception and a safety. Offensively, the 6-foot-1, 205-pounder has rushed for 540 yards and nine touchdowns, including a 334-yard, six score outbreak against Fridley. He’s also recorded 12 catches for 120 yards and a touchdown, not including last week’s receiving stats against St. Paul Central. Highland Park will need all of Aune’s talents to defeat SMB on the road. The Wolfpack have bounced back nicely with two wins since being routed by St. Croix Lutheran in Week 2. Look for Aune to play a big role on both sides of the ball if the Scots defeat Jalen Suggs and the Wolfpack. Tyler Cardella, QB – Apple Valley (vs Chaska) Cardella’s made the transition to quarterback from wide receiver virtually seamless, leading the Eagles to a perfect 4-0 mark. Apple Valley is averaging 31.5 points per game with Cardella accounting for 10 total touchdowns (six rushing, four passing). He’ll receive one of the toughest tests of the season against Chaska’s stout defense. The Hawks are also unbeaten and have recorded shutouts in both of its road games in 2017. Cardella’s has one of the top receiving duos in the state with Nathan Macho and Luke Martens on the outside. The senior signal caller did struggle against St. Thomas Academy’s active defense in Week 2, which is the Eagles' most comparable opponent to Chaska. Will the senior signal caller improve on that performance and keep AV unblemished entering the stretch run? Brandon Anderson, RB – Mahtomedi (at South St. Paul) Anderson is the Zephyrs backfield workhorse. He’s received the third-most carries (89) of any running back in the metro area, which ranks 11th in the state overall per the MN Football Hub statistics. The 160-pounder is averaging 142 yards per game and has found the end zone at least twice in each of the four Mahtomedi victories. With a majority of his nine touchdowns coming in the second half, Anderson’s been especially effective after halftime when the Zephyrs have worn down opponents. South St. Paul’s run defense has been inconsistent thus far in 2017. The Packers also almost 200 yards to Holy Angels in their Week 2 loss, but have surrendered an average of just 134 yards in the other three contests. How well the Packers contain Anderson will determine the game’s outcome on the Ettinger Field grass.