Brian’s Best: Simley v Winona

Brian Jerzak September 3, 2023 @ 02:18 PM

From a competitive standpoint, <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2023/09/the-defending-champion-picks-up-right-where-they-left-off/">the Simley and Winona season opener</a> was a disappointment. The home Spartans dominated – almost from the opening kickoff. They dominated in all three phases of the game and – outside of the first moments of the first quarter – were in control of a 37-6 victory. There were some outstanding performances from both squads. Here are five guys who I felt stood out.   [player_tooltip player_id='348728' first='Jerrod' last='Jones'] Simley RB   The breakout star of the game was the junior Spartans' running back. Every time he touched the ball, it seemed like he was a threat to make a big play. He made a bunch of them. His touchdowns were from 50, 29, 76, and 30 yards out. He is shifty and has excellent footwork, but his speed really separated Jones. Once he got some space, he had another gear and made everyone in a white road jersey look at least a half-step slow. With three rushing touchdowns and a receiving touchdown, he is also a threat in the passing game. He is not going to bowl anyone over, but his low center of gravity makes him a hard target to hit and allows him to bounce off shoulder tackles.   Justin Young-Guevara, Theo Hepper, James McCrea Simley IOL   The Spartans ' offensive line imposed their will, especially once the game moved into the second half. They didn't have to pass protect very often, but when they did, quarterback Tim Pietsch had all kinds of time. Most of their success in the running game came behind guards Young-Guevara and Picha and center Hepper. The interior three are not big by offensive line standards, but they were bigger and more physical than the Winhawks' front seven. As the game wore on, the interior three were regularly grinding out four and five-yard runs. Not to mention – they opened big enough holes for Jones to hit the line of scrimmage at full speed – leading to his explosive plays.   [player_tooltip player_id='242483' first='Ronnie' last='Lemon'] Winona LB   Especially in the first half, Lemon made defensive plays all over the field. His quickness and anticipation helped hold the Spartans' offense at bay – for at least a little while. He stuffed an inside trap play early in the game for a short gain. Then, he read a run play, filled the hole, and made a tackle for another short gain. Later, he read a quarterback draw and made the tackle for a short gain. A few plays later, Lemon made a tackle behind the line of scrimmage.   Danny Martin Simley RB   Martin's biggest play came in the first half and was in the passing game. He caught the pass and quickly turned up-field. He won the race to the front pylon for a seventeen-yard touchdown. His main contribution was on the ground. While Jones made most of the long, flashy plays, that was only possible because of the solid, chain-moving inside runs Martin was usually tasked with. The senior was not flashy but was solid in all phases. He had good vision and footwork. He was not the fastest or most powerful back, but his combination of quickness and ability to break tackles made him a great compliment to Jones.   Jake Stanton Simley LB   Stanton read a trick play and made a tackle for a five-yard loss. Later, he put pressure on the quarterback to force an incompletion. He read a run to the outside and stopped the ball carrier for a short gain.   Derrick Dohmen Simley LB   Early in the game, Dohmen made a great open-field tackle for a short gain. Later, he jump-started his team with a fumble recovery that set up the Spartans' first touchdown. Later, he prevented a completion when he deflected a pass.

From a competitive standpoint, the Simley and Winona season opener was a disappointment. The home Spartans dominated – almost from the opening kickoff. They dominated in all three phases of the game and – outside of the first moments of the first quarter – were in control of a 37-6 victory. There were some outstanding performances from both squads. Here are five guys who I felt stood out.