Class 5A 2nd Round Preview: Dorman at Northwestern
The all-chalk Class 5A Upper State playoffs rewarded the four No. 1 seeds (Dorman, Northwestern, T.L. Hanna and Gaffney) in the opening round. But now it’s time for those four to start shaking out which of them have what it…
Access all of Prep Redzone
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingThe all-chalk Class 5A Upper State playoffs rewarded the four No. 1 seeds (Dorman, Northwestern, T.L. Hanna and Gaffney) in the opening round. But now it’s time for those four to start shaking out which of them have what it takes to get through the bear of a second round matchup.
For Dorman-Northwestern, that means two great defenses matched up with two fantastic offenses. This one probably won’t disappoint, thanks to two defensive players from the Cavaliers (4-1) and their counterparts on the other side of the ball for the Trojans (6-0).
CAMERON EUBANKS, SAFETY, DORMAN
You’ll see why Eubanks is so important to the Cavaliers’ chances in this game later on, but match-up aside, he’s been flat-out huge all season. He leads Dorman in solo tackles, total tackles and interceptions; he’ll stick his facemask into the chest of a ball carrier or scan the field for a chance at an interception. That flexibility is a huge luxury for the rest of the defense.
DRESHUN DROGAN, DEFENSIVE END, DORMAN
Built like a middle linebacker, the instincts of a true end. At 6-foot and somewhere in the ball park of 215 pounds, he typically lines up against the right side of the offensive line, and a number of teams have found how effective he can be against the rush or pass. He’s got 18 tackles to go alone with 6.5 TFL, three sacks and four quarterback hurries.
KYLE ALDRIDGE, WR/TE/RB, NORTHWESTERN
At 6-foot-3, 247 pounds, Aldridge looks a little out of place in the offensive backfield – and not just because he wears No. 87. And yet, that’s exactly where he’s done the vast majority of his damage. If the Trojans get near the goal line, the most effective choice is usually Aldridge, either out of handoffs or direct snaps in a wildcat formation.
WILL MATTISON, QUARTERBACK, NORTHWESTERN
To say that the first-year starter has come on strong in the second half of the season would be an understatement. After failing to throw for more than 131 yards in any of his first three games (during which he also got picked off three times), the junior signal caller has followed it up with yardage/TD lines of 349/2, 204/3 and 231/5. Oh, and no interceptions.