Week 3: Northern California Elite Performers Part. II

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>QB William Augenstein, Branham HS</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Augenstein had a monster game last week passing for 226 yards and 5 touchdowns in an absolute route of Gunderson. He is also a next level player at the quarterback position at the D-III+ level as he shows a strong arm, solid mechanics in the pocket and can fit the ball into tight windows with a nice deep ball and under-rated athleticism if forced to run or bail out of the pocket. </em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>RB Ben Pfaff, Bellarmine HS</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Pfaff had one of the most impressive weeks of any athlete across the state. He rushed for over 300 yards and 2 touchdowns against San Leandro Friday night, showing his balanced running style, elite contact balance and vision in tight windows through the first level while following his blocks and staying patient. He is one of the most talented backs across the Bay and him putting up big numbers is nothing new as he had a terrific Junior campaign in 2021. </em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>LB [player_tooltip player_id='384948' first='Frank' last='Ward'], Terra Nova HS</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Ward has put together a very nice Senior season through three games and is averaging well over 10 tackles per contest. He is a thumper in the box that can play multiple positions but projects as a defensive end at the next level. A big time hitter from his linebacker position, he is a vertical defender that is a strong tackler in the box while playing with heavy hands when rerouting and taking good angles in the open field. So far this season, he has racked up 46 tackles and 1 FF.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>OL [player_tooltip player_id='384730' first='Jose' last='Soto'], Tulare Western HS</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Soto is one of the better offensive line prospects across the region and is a dominating run blocker that plays with a nasty edge and good toughness. The 2023 prospect recently locked up his commitment to Sacramento State, and held offers from both the Hornets and Nevada. This is a very nice get for the Hornets, as he is a athletic tackle prospect that moves well for his size, does not hold bad weight and is a natural bender that is light on his feet and plays with good pad level through out his blocking progressions. </em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->