Indian Trail vs. Oak Creek Game Balls: Offensive MVPs

Although not the offensively driven contest I was expecting, the 13-0 Oak Creek victory over Indian Trail from this past Friday had some standout and impactful offensive performances and were worthy of the PrepRedzoneWI "Game Ball" awards given to the MVPs of the game on offense. Check out who had the most impressive performances from Friday below! Oak Creek Cade Palkowski - QB, c/o 2024. All game long I was tweeting about the run after run & play after play made by Oak Creek’s quarterback #6, who was not listed on Maxpreps 2020 roster for the Knights. I was absolutely pumped to learn that the unknown #6 was a freshman in high school playing in his first varsity game, and man did Palkowski look comfortable out there. I could not believe he was a first-year, and as Palkowski’s athleticism and toughness looked far above his age. Well able to complete some difficult throws from the pocket or on the run, #6 really shone as a rusher with the ball in his hands. With dangerous speed and cutting ability, Palkowski was a terror for the Indian Trail defense all night long. His vision and toughness running behind his pads made for a tough ballcarrier to tackle, and every drive he seemed to break out one or two exciting runs showcasing his athletic ability. His arm and decision-making will continue to come along, and Wisconsin prep football fans should keep his name on their radar going forward. He has a lot of snaps and plays to make left in his prep career. Offensive Line of Oak Creek. Unfortunately I was not able to identify the five offensive lineman that made up the Knights OL due to my seating for the game, but if someone is able to, please show the five studs this award. Working against a somewhat larger DL of Indian Trail, the Oak Creek Knights OL played with strength and continuity that opened up gigantic holes all night for the potent and efficient Oak Creek rushing attack. The Knights won the game in the trenches, as they used large and small chunks of rushing yardage to decisively get themselves down the field. What I most enjoyed about the OL performance of Oak Creek was their effort and willingness to play through the whistle. Every rushing play I saw lineman downfield and looking for work, as well as finishing their blocks through the whistle. Can’t ask for much more than that, and if the Knights OL continues to improve and get better, they’re going to have one of the strongest rushing attacks in their conference. Indian Trail [player_tooltip player_id="30774" first="Argjent" last="Ismaili"] - QB, 6’3, 195 lbs. c/o 2021. I was very excited to see Ismaili in-action an in-person last Friday, and despite the stellar defensive effort by Oak Creek that held the Hawks offense in check, Ismaili still found a way to shine through the loss. #10 for Indian Trail threw a gorgeous ball that came out quickly and naturally from his hand, and showed some impressive arm strength that displayed his ability to send the ball down the field if needed. Unfortunately, strong coverage by the Oak Creek DBs made completions hard to find, but Ismaili delivered some balls that gave his WR’s a chance to go get the ball. Not only that, I really liked his presence in the pocket. Ismaili kept his eyes downfield even when pressure was in his face, and moved well in the pocket or on the run, and could deliver throws on the run or also take off and run the rock if needed. As a ball-carrier he was really shifty and ran hard, and showed himself as a true duel-threat QB. I liked what I saw. [player_tooltip player_id="30737" first="Clayton" last="Bishop"] - RB/DB. 6’, 185 lbs. c/o 2021. It was difficult choosing offensive MVPs from the Hawks given their star-studded offensive attack that included Ismaili, [player_tooltip player_id="30762" first="Kameron" last="Lee"], [player_tooltip player_id="30764" first="Raymone" last="Jones"], [player_tooltip player_id="30753" first="Riley" last="Kennow"], and this week’s second winner in [player_tooltip player_id="30737" first="Clayton" last="Bishop"]. Bishop holds offers from Air Force, South Dakota State, North Dakota State, and Western Illinois amongst others, and it is easy to see why. #1 for Indian Trail showed out on both sides of the football, but was particularly impressive as a RB on the Hawks offense. With a spectacular burst and some exciting open field moves, Bishop just about always made the first defender miss, and he did it in a fun to watch fashion, using spin moves, jump cuts, stiff-arms, and a truck-stick to get himself as many yards as possible per run. Bishop broke off multiple 10-15+ yard rushes, and was probably the most effective offensive player on the Hawks that night. Lot more coming from Bishop, and I’m happy I got to see him play in-person before he heads off to what will be a great college career. Ezra Stargell - WR/KOR. 5'10, 170 lbs. c/o 2021. Indian Trail's #9 was dangerous with the ball in his hands. He returned two KO's for big yardage while making more than a couple men miss, and on offense he broke off for a 30+ yard run late in the fourth quarter to almost set up a Hawks score. With good balance and body control and a lot of strength in his lower body, Stargell has good speed and the strength to run through weaker tackle attempts. An underrated part of the IT Hawks offense, Stargell would make for a great college football athlete if a team decides to pursue him enough. He was really fun to watch with the ball in his hands.