Coon Rapids vs. Spring Lake Park Defensive Players of the Game
The 5A state quarterfinal game hosts at Osseo High School between section 5 winner Spring Lake Park and section 7 winner Coon Rapids was without a doubt a defensive slugfest all four quarters and ended 14-2 in favor of the Coon Rapids Cardinals. Before the Cardinals play in…
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Continue ReadingThe 5A state quarterfinal game hosts at Osseo High School between section 5 winner Spring Lake Park and section 7 winner Coon Rapids was without a doubt a defensive slugfest all four quarters and ended 14-2 in favor of the Coon Rapids Cardinals. Before the Cardinals play in their semifinal matchup with Chaska next Friday, let’s give recognition to some of the Northstar Football News Defensive Players of the Game from this past Saturday’s game. Shoutout to SLP and their seniors on a hard-fought and accomplished season and good luck to CR next Friday.
1) Blaine Cooper (6’1, 175 lbs.) wore #1 for the Panthers and was forsure their #1 defensive player. The captain of the SLP defense was all over the field from his MLB position, and the undersized backer made his presence known every time he got his hands on a ball carrier. It was the same thing I had previously seen from the senior in my previously covered game vs. Irondale from a couple weeks back. Despite being a tad light, Cooper is fast and relentless in his pursuit of the football, and I didn’t see him miss a tackle in the two games of his I covered. According to MNFootballHub, the senior logged 14 tackles in his last high school game and 131 on the year to go along with 4.5 sacks. I hope Cooper finds his way onto a college football team next fall. Senior season Hudl: https://www.hudl.com/video/3/7977083/5da3d1b8041e4c0c640491c3
2) Myles Taylor (6’0, 240 lbs.) is a recent MN All-Star Game selection and a huge (literal and figurative) Northern Sun recruit who has played ILB and DT for the Cardinals this season. He mostly aligned at the 3-technique all game Saturday, and SLP’s oline basically set their blocking to big #6. He was powerful inside and did a good job fighting off double teams and finishing the game with six tackles. He finished with 60 tackles and 10 sacks along with 4 FF’s during the regular season and section tournament according to MNFootballHub, and I’m exited to watch Taylor on Saturday’s next fall. Senior year Hudl: http://www.hudl.com/video/3/7860608/5da4ae291763521038d0a265
3) Joey Sorenson (5’9, 160 lbs.) is the only non-senior on this list, and the DB/PR for the Panthers is a ballhawk who showed up big for SLP in the defensive backfield both previously when I saw them play Irondale and last Saturday against Coon Rapids. He finished with 8 tackles this game according to MNFootballHub and had the biggest hit of the game on a CR attempted pass that the WR probably wished he didn’t catch. Sorenson has some pop to him, and has great ball skills from his safety position. According to MNFootballHub the junior finished 2019 with 111 tackles, four ints, one FF, and six PBU’s. His big hit against CR caused that lone FF, and his Hudl is full of big hits and great pass break ups. Look for #25 to have a big season next year for Spring Lake Park. Junior year Hudl: http://www.hudl.com/v/2CL0ZE