The Lowdown – Week 5
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(Cover Photo: Eric Johnson/Austin Daily Herald) X Factors QB Seth Peterson – Blooming Prairie (vs Goodhue) Peterson and the Awesome Blossoms have been in cruise control the past two weeks. He attempted just 13 passes in wins over Winona Cotter…
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X Factors
QB Seth Peterson – Blooming Prairie (vs Goodhue)
Peterson and the Awesome Blossoms have been in cruise control the past two weeks. He attempted just 13 passes in wins over Winona Cotter and Wabasha-Kellogg, completing 10, with seven touchdowns. In his first two games of the season, Peterson attempted 59 total passes for a total of more than 800 yards.
The senior quarterback’s favorite targets are senior Tim Wolf and junior Gabe Hagen. Wolf leads Blooming Prairie in receptions with 14, while Hagen paces the team in both yards (324) and touchdowns (seven).
Peterson will get an entirely different test this week against the No. 4 Wildcats. Goodhue has not surrendered a point since the opening 12 minutes of the season – a span of 15 quarters.
RB Brendan McFadden – St. Thomas Academy (at Hastings)
McFadden started as a sophomore at running back, then was moved to linebacker last season. New coach Dan O’Brien returned the 6-foot-1, 210-pound senior to the offensive backfield before the season and the move is paying dividends.
McFadden leads the Cadets with 514 yards and nine touchdowns this fall. He’s rushed for 116 yards or more in three of the four games, including a season-high 168 last week against Mahtomedi. He’s also found the end zone at least twice in every contest. Hastings’ defense has been stellar against the run thus far, however, allowing an average of less than 70 yards per game on the ground.
RB/LB Nick McCabe – Caledonia (at Chatfield)
Caledonia’s been winning in slightly different fashion this season than the previous three. The Warriors are averaging more than 300 yards rushing per game, which has helped new quarterback Noah King get comfortable in his first season leading the offense. McCabe has been a big part of the offensive success, rushing for 593 yards and nine touchdowns already this fall. On the other side of the ball, the senior leads the Warriors with three sacks and is second on the team in tackles.
Caledonia’s first-team offense has yet to play into the fourth quarter this season. The Warriors have taken at least a 34-point lead into the final quarter in each of their first four games, but that might change for McCabe and the rest of the unit against No. 6 Chatfield on Friday.
RB/CB Caden McGough – Breckenridge (at Hawley)
The Cowboys senior has done a little bit of everything this season. He’s scored multiple touchdowns both rushing and receiving, while also recording a punt return score in the season opener against West Central Area. McGough has also rushed for 285 yards, second-best on the team so far, while also recording two interceptions and a fumble recovery on defense.
Breckenridge will have its hands full with the Nuggets offense, which has scored at least 34 points in the last three games, two with Jacob Vetter back at quarterback. McGough will be tasked with guarding one of Hawley’s talented receivers, but will his skills be enough to keep the Cowboys unbeaten after Friday night?
TE/LB Trey Steinbach – Marshall (at Waseca)
Steinbach and the Tigers defense are the main reason that a potential rebuilding year could turn into a fourth-consecutive state tournament appearance for Terry Bahlmann’s program. Marshall’s first-team defense has allowed just two scores all season, but will need to keep Waseca’s offense in check for a fifth-straight time to confirm they’re a possible Class AAAA contender.
Steinbach’s been one of the leaders of the unit. He leads the team with 26 tackles, including eight for a loss, along with one interception. The Tigers have held the Bluejays to 13 points or less in each of the last four meetings, including both games last season. Can Steinbach and the defense keep that streak going and move to 5-0 on the year?
DL Hayden Carr and the Rebels have a big task at hand against No. 2 Blaine. (Glen Stubbe/Minneapolis StarTribune)
O/D Matchups to Watch
Blaine RB/WR vs Champlin Park LB/DB
The Bengals answered any questions about being a Class AAAAAA contender with last week’s blowout of Cretin-Derham Hall. Blaine gets rival Champlin Park this week on the road where they’ve not won since 2002.
The Bengals offense has been as versatile as its been prolific. The passing game features three receivers (Brandon Wittig, Peyton Downey, Jason Kaul) with at least 10 receptions and 150 yards receiving. The running back position has also been by committee, as Will Frederickson and Tim Mafe have split carries evenly.
In other words, the Rebels defense has plenty of weapons for which to account. That side of the ball has been inconsistent through the first half of the 2018 season, something it cannot afford to be on Friday. Lewis Powell and Vince Lamberty are the team’s leading tacklers, but even more important is that they’ve already each recorded two interceptions this fall. Their play will be crucial in supporting defensive backs like Will Walsh and Kiernan Lundgren on the back end of the defense.
Redwood Valley OL vs Pipestone Area DL
A top-five showdown in Class AA in Redwood Falls pits the unbeaten Cardinals against unbeaten Pipestone Area. Both teams feature strength and experience in the trenches, which is likely where this game will be decided.
Redwood Valley’s offensive line is led by senior Corbin Wabasha and junior Chad Maddock. Both players are multiple-year starters for Matt Lundeen. They’ll be challenged by an Arrows defensive front led by Chris Najera. Najera was an All-District player last season as a junior. Pipestone also features Tucker DeGroot and Wyatt Schoonhaven on the interior, two players who combined for more than 130 tackles last fall.
Mound Westonka O vs Providence Academy D
The White Hawks and Lions battle in what amounts to each team’s first test of the 2018 season. Both teams are a perfect 4-0 at the midway point, but both have also yet to play a team with a winning record.
Nick David’s Mound Westonka team is more balanced offensively. The White Hawks have rushed for more than 800 yards and thrown for more than 600 through four games. Senior quarterback Brandon Hokkanen was an All-District performer last season, but has struggled with accuracy this fall. Junior Adam Nobs is the team’s leading rusher, taking over for Kris Kurtz who’s playing more defense this season.
The Lions defense, one of the best in the Twin City district, will be led by linebacker Jaden Morton, who has 29 tackles through three games. Defensive linemen Taylor Meissner and Mark Richelsen will also have to be accounted for by the White Hawks.
Lakeville North OL vs Wayzata DL
The talent in the trenches in Lakeville will be apparent to anyone in attendance. Both teams have multiple college prospects on both sides of the ball, but the battle with the most implications on Friday will be the Panthers o-line against the Trojans d-line.
Bryce Benhart, No. 2 prospect in the Class of 2019, leads the North offensive line that’s been pushing opponents around the entire season. He’s joined by Jack Hansen and Joe Jaeger, the latter coach Brian Vossen called, “the emotional leader of the offense” before the season. All three will be a part of programs playing on Saturday next season.
Wayzata’s defensive front features senior Andrew Yogei and junior Joe Demro. The duo has combined for four tackles for losses thus far, with Demro also recording an interception for touchdown in the Trojans win over Rosemount. Yogei, a 6-foot-1, 300-pound tackle, holds multiple Division II scholarship offers, while Demro’s recruiting has picked up the past few months.
Orono Pass O vs Waconia Pass D
The Spartans passing game, led by Nick Prentice, has been productive all of Orono’s contests this year. Prentice averaged more than 256 passing yards in the two losses, and now he’s posted an average of 272 yards in the last two games, both victories.
Jimmy Buck continues to be his go-to receiver. Like I wrote last week, Buck needed to be accounted for by Chaska. He wasn’t, notching 216 yards and two touchdowns through the air. The Wildcats cannot afford to make the same mistake this week, although that will be easier said than done. Tim Stapleton is the most veteran player in Sam Baker’s secondary, although it might be more crucial to get a pass rush up front than depend on coverage downfield. Can senior Alec Olson and the rest of the Waconia defensive line consistently get to Prentice on Friday?