Offensive Standouts: Mineral Point vs Lake Mills
This was the game to be at if you wanted to see two offenses firing on all cylinders. The final score was Mineral Point: 44 Lake Mills: 36. As the game went on both offenses seemed to get stronger and…
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Continue ReadingThis was the game to be at if you wanted to see two offenses firing on all cylinders. The final score was Mineral Point: 44 Lake Mills: 36. As the game went on both offenses seemed to get stronger and stronger and get more into a groove with each drive. With that much offense going off you can bet that there were several offensive standouts on that side of the ball for each team. Those performances deserved to be spotlighted, so that is what we are going to do today! We are going to look at the 10 best performances from the Week 2 matchup between Mineral Point and Lake Mills!
Dominik McVay Dominik McVay 5'10" | 185 lbs | ATH Mineral Point | 2022 State WI , Junior RB/WR- Mineral Point
McVay was the most dominant player in this game. From the opening kickoff, which he housed, to the final play of the game, Dominik made a huge impact on the game. That opening kickoff wasn’t the only huge play he made. He returned two kickoffs in a row where he really showed of his top end play speed, and his vision. While actually on offense McVay continued to prove that he couldn’t be corralled. He took a jet sweep around the edge and as soon as he broke contain he stuck his foot and the ground and showed off some eye- opening burst to full speed. Then on the final offensive drive of the game he sparked drive with two big time plays. The first was a post route from the slot that he won with speed and a nose for the soft spot in coverage. On the second, Dominik took a quick pass and then used his vision to pick through the defenders for a big gain before being brought down. Whenever a big play was needed Mineral Point went to their most electric offensive player of the night: Dominik McVay Dominik McVay 5'10" | 185 lbs | ATH Mineral Point | 2022 State WI .
Liam Stumpf Liam Stumpf 6'0" | 170 lbs | DB Mineral Point | 2021 WI , Senior QB- Mineral Point
Liam had a very high impact on the game with both his arms and his legs. He was able to threaten the defense vertically with an arm that proved it was strong and accurate and he was able to threaten the defense horizontally with his legs as he would either roll out or take off and run himself. His quick feet weren’t just for running either. They made it so he can quickly get himself set to deliver a pass. Lastly, he had no trouble standing in the pocket to make a play while pressure was all around him. He was calm, cool, and collected the whole game. I have no doubt that he could play at the collegiate level based off his athleticism and size, but it looks like we will have to watch him on the baseball field at the next level as he is currently committed to Missouri State for baseball.
Will Straka Will Straka 6'1" | 215 lbs | LB Mineral Point | 2021 State WI , Senior RB/LB- Mineral Point
Will was fun to watch on both sides of the ball. It is clear how big of a part he is to the offense and defense. On offense, while McVay is the speed threat, Straka is the muscle and tone setter. All night long it seemed like neither team could get the inside run going against two very good defensive line units. However, Mineral Point never game up on it. In the 4th quarter that consistent effort and strong conditioning from Will finally paid off as Straka started to break through on a couple important chunk plays as well as some short yardage conversions. Will also stepped up on the final drive as he powered his way to his second TD and the game winning TD as he ran perfectly behind his pads and kept his strong legs churning until he crossed the goal line. Will’s strength, conditioning, and vision are keys to his game. It shows up in all of his film and it was evident last Friday night. Straka’s Week Two Highlights
Mineral Point Offensive Line
This unit, made up of Nolan Springer, Gabe Sporle Gabe Sporle 6'1" | 230 lbs | DL Mineral Point | 2021 State WI , Owen Ward, Mason Hughes, and Mitchell Aurit, which I hope is accurate based off the numbers I gathered during the game, was key to the outcome of this game. They were able to consistently break contain and open up lanes on the outside for McVay as well as allow Stumpf a way to escape and roll out. This group also was very persistent. They kept working on getting running lanes along the interior of the line and when they needed it most they opened it up for Straka. The linemen also showed that they were very athletic as they would pull guards to lead through gaps. All around I was very impressed with how they did as a group. A lot of times in high school you get good linemen, but they might not work as a unit. This group was five athletes playing as one unit all night.
Adam Moen Adam Moen 6'3" | 185 lbs | QB Lake Mills | 2021 State WI , Senior QB- Lake Mills
Moen played to the level I expected. He came out and carried a huge portion of the offense as he was asked to throw what seemed to be about 50 times during the game. Adam has the arm talent you look for and he knows the offense forwards and backwards. On Friday he showed off his quick release, plenty of arm strength, and impressive accuracy. The biggest surprise was how he would run the ball. He consistently would buy time and has the wheels to run with it for big chunks, but Moen also wasn’t scared to lower his shoulder and try to run right over tacklers. Last season Moen had one of the best seasons in Wisconsin’s history. It’s clear why after watching him live.
Jaxson Retrum, Senior WR/DL- Lake Mills
I wanted to keep an eye on Jaxson coming into this game. I wasn’t expecting what he did though. Jaxson went off this game. He showed me that he knows how to play with his big frame and impressive length. He consistently boxed out defenders and would catch the ball away from his body. That made it so the ball was even farther from the defenders. Jaxson also showed that he had the concentration at the catch point to bring in the ball while playing in a crowd. You can clearly see that he has earned a high level of trust from his QB based off his impressive play. Even his route running was better than I expected. When you get a kid who wins with size they usually just use that as a crutch. Retrum didn’t do that. He also showed that he could win with route running and impressive change of direction for a big man. I’ll be keeping an eye on him all year to see what he does. Retrum’s Week Two Highlights
Charlie Cassady, Senior RB/LB- Lake Mills
Charlie was a big surprise for me. My thoughts surrounding the Lake Mills offense was all pass game related. I had no idea they also had an effective RB in the backfield. Charlie is at his best when he can make one cut and go. He doesn’t want to dance in the backfield. He wants to run north and south. His best trait at the game on Friday night was his balance and body control. There were several times where he was running through contact or getting his legs hit and it didn’t bring him down. He has a very low center of gravity and it takes several guys to bring him down. Charlie knows how to run his feet through contact as defenders fall off him after they make contact. He was a pleasant surprise that I will be keeping an eye on. Cassady’s Week Two Highlights
Lake Mills Offensive Line
This unit had to play well to allow them to stay in this game. That is exactly what they did. Moen didn’t face much pressure in his face throughout the game. When he did it as usually because Moen couldn’t find a receiver downfield because of the tight coverage. They also opened up a lot of running lanes off tackle through the use of pulling linemen. The whole unit is full of athletes who can get out and block in space, mirror pass rushers, and drive defenders off the ball. The players that make up this unit, Josh Lescoheir, Ryan Grossman, Derek Bruce, David Bruce, and Tyler Theder, work well together. Just like Mineral Point’s line, this offensive line worked as a unit. Not five individuals. The battles that went on in the trenches were some of the best football I saw on Friday night. Even with all the big plays and fireworks going on elsewhere on the field.