Every week, you buddy Blitz puts a wrap on Friday Night Lights with all you need to know from the area’s games. We take a look at some of the top plays, stats, fun facts and more conference by conference, with a bit of flair as only Blitz can provide.
Let’s take a closer look at Week 4.
SAC
• When talking about the players most valuable to their teams, Concordia Lutheran quarterback Brandon Davis is up there.
The senior signal caller returned to the field on Friday after missing two games, both of which saw the Cadets shut out.
With Davis back out there, Concordia found its rhythm, scoring all of its 38 points in the first half in a rout of the Knights.
Davis finished with 169 yards of total offense, including three touchdown passes. Amir Drew was a beneficiary as well. With defense no longer able to key on him with Davis back, the senior running back rushed for 160 yards.
A healthy Davis is key to Concordia’s chances in the postseason.
• One of the wildest plays of the season thus far came in North Side’s 49-22 victory over Wayne.
In the third quarter, a Wayne fumble was picked up by Ja’suan Lambert, who was swarmed by Generals players looking to bring him down. In what resembled a rugby scrum, Lambert stayed upright and was joined by several teammates pushing the pile forward, including Arieon McCarter.
“There were pushing the pile and I told Ja’suan to me the ball,” McCarter said.
Lambert did, and McCarter ran the final 18 yards for the touchdown.
Just like North drew it up.
• When Bishop Dwenger went for two and the win in its 35-34 loss to Homestead, many wondered what went in to the decision.
After all, the Saints could have kicked the PAT to send the game into a fourth OT. So why go for two there?
“We left it to the kids,” said Bishop Dwenger coach Jason Garrett.
Following the touchdown to bring the Saints to within one, Garrett asked the offensive unit what it wanted to do. They chose the conversion and the dub.
Unfortunately for Dwenger, quarterback Brenden Lytle was stopped inches short of the goal line on a keeper.
• Defense was the key for both Homestead and Bishop Dwenger in their showdown. To see a 35-34 final, it would be hard to believe that this game was 0-0 at halftime and featured a wide range of defensive playmakers with offensive players really posting limited numbers.
Luke Palmer led Homestead with four tackles for loss among his six tackles and seven assists while Trey Kreiner and Graham Kollen each recovered fumbles; Kollen also registered an interception.
For Bishop Dwenger, there was a great rally for their pass defense with Adam Lee deflecting six passes and the big man Vinny Fiacable hauling in an interception.
RELATED COLUMN: Chad Zolman watches from afar as Homestead holds back Lytle, Bishop Dwenger
• On a night when long-time NFL standout and South Side alum Bernard Pollard had his number retired, wouldn’t it have been great to see the Archers get a win against Snider?
Blitz does not root for particular teams, but roots instead of good stories. For a team desperate for momentum of any kind and the emotions of Pollard in attendance, this bear was hoping that Coach Roosevelt Norfleet’s team would be victorious.
It came down to a late touchdown by the Panthers to earn a 14-7 victory, spoiling the night for South.
NE8
• Greg Bolt of Columbia City has not been happy that Blitz leaves him out of the conversation when discussing the top quarterbacks in the area, usually a debate reserved for Jeff Becker and Duce Taylor.
But Bolt’s six-touchdown performance against Huntington North that included 389 yards of total offense is the latest effort by the junior to thrust himself into the convo.
Over the course of the first month of the year, Bolt has 1,225 total yards and 19 total touchdowns to his name.
But Blitz isn’t ready yet to put Bolt in that best QB conversation. Why? The biggest challenges lay ahead in the schedule. If Bolt can continue to light up the stat sheet against the likes of Leo, New Haven and East Noble, he will have Blitz’s attention.
• There once raged a Twitter debate between Leo and West Noble on who had the best kicker. Is it over? Probably not and we probably won’t get that talked about kick off either. But Leo’s Carson McCauley made his point on Friday night by booting a school record 71 yard punt that rocketed high through the air with a perfect bounce that it was actually coming to a stop near the opposing goal line even before it was downed. We have some big time kickers and punters in the area but McCauley made a major point in himself being the best.
RELATED: Leo finds answers for New Haven offense as Lions record four takeaways in 35-8 victory
ACAC
• Adams Central eclipsed 300 yards rushing as a team in Friday’s 48-7 win over Jay County.
It was a balanced attack on the ground, with seven players amassing at least 19 yards rushing and no one going over 85 yards.
Blake Heyerly and Mason DeRoo each scored twice.
• South Adams’ James Arnold completed four passes on Friday night at Heritage. All four of them were for touchdowns. That makes 17 of Arnold’s 50 completions this season being for scores. No wonder the Starfires are putting up big points every week.
Speaking of South Adams, coach Grant Moser told Outside the Huddle last week through text that the Starfires needed to get Trey Schoch more reps because of his ‘super athleticism’ and good hands. He ended up getting the most catches on the team this week, averaging 43.3 yards per reception and scoring every time he caught the ball.
NECC/AREA
• Garrett needed to get a big conference win and topping a surging Lakeland is a good step. The physicality of Kolin Cope let him push in four touchdowns, none of which were longer than four yards, showing his big impact short yard prowess. Nope averaged 7.1 yards per carry with 174 total yards on the night, never running for more than 29 yards and just pounding out the Railroader win.
• Do it all quarterbacks continue to be the buzz this season in are high school football. Laban Davis continues to keep his name in the conversation after Friday’s win over Churubusco. Davis threw for 266 yards and three scores while running for 45 yards and another score. Eastside is rolling right now and after the win over the Eagles behind Davis’ offense, the question doesn’t really exist any more of who can contended with them in the NECC small division.
• Getting hard to doubt ‘Bart Ball’ with each passing week. Warsaw is now 3-1 after a win over Mishawaka where the Tigers ran for 316 yards, efficiently hitting their spots led by Juan Antonio Jaramillo‘s 145 yards of 25 carries and a team third best 71 yards on six attempts from Julius Jones, which broke down for him to 11.8 yards per carry.
APPETIZERS
Hunter Mertz was a machine on both sides of the ball for Carroll on Friday. He amassed 12 tackles, two TFL and a sack, while also scoring on both of his carries offensively…Norwell has now won four of its las six games by shutout dating back to last season…Homestead coach Chad Zolman is expected to be back on the sidelines for the Spartans in Week 5 after being stuck at home in quarantine last Friday…East Noble junior WR Damien Williams left Friday’s game with Penn with a hand injury. Coach Luke Amstutz is hoping that it is minor. With Rowan Zolman still out with a foot injury, the Knights’ wide receiver corps is getting thin…Bluffton has won its last seven ACAC games not against South Adams or Adams Central.
VOTE
Don’t forget to vote in the weekly FAN CHOICE for Player of the Night, sponsored by Craigville Appliance. This week’s vote is open through Noon on Tuesday, September 15.
These opinions represent those of Blitz and Outside the Huddle. No opinions expressed on Outside the Huddle represent those of any of our advertisers. Follow Blitz on Twitter at Blitz_OTH
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