Semifinal Saturday: OABCIG Advances Behind Cooper DeJean
In this article:
A year after taking the state by storm and winning the Class 2A championship, OABCIG and Cooper DeJean Cooper DeJean 6'2" | 205 lbs | ATH OA-BCIG | 2021 State IA are back in the finals in 1A. DeJean posted…
Access all of Prep Redzone
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingA year after taking the state by storm and winning the Class 2A championship, OABCIG and Cooper DeJean Cooper DeJean 6'2" | 205 lbs | ATH OA-BCIG | 2021 State IA are back in the finals in 1A.
DeJean posted another eye-popping game both throwing and running the football to lead the Falcons past Sigourney-Keota in the semifinals Saturday inside the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls.
They will face Van Meter, topped South Central Calhoun.
CLASS 1A
Van Meter 20, South Central Calhoun 12
If Van Meter is going to complete the quest for a state title, they will do so on the legs of running back Dalten Van Pelt Dalten Van Pelt 5'11" | 190 lbs | RB Van Meter | 2022 State IA . Much like they have this season, the Bulldogs relied on Van Pelt, who finished with 170 yards and a TD with a 29-yard reception.
The talented RB has all the tools: speed, size, hands and an ability to make the big-play. Van Pelt will definitely be getting more looks going into his senior season.
On the defensive side of the ball for Van Meter, junior Casey Trudo displays exceptional skills. Trudo can move sideline-to-sideline and has great closing speed to bring down the ballcarrier.
Ganon Archer, another Class of 2022 prospect, came up big in the fourth. He grabbed a tipped ball for an interception and caught a 16-yard TD pass on fourth-down. Great hands and just a knack for being where the ball is are key parts of Archer’s game.
South Central Calhoun’s Brennan Holder is a power back but also has nice hands out of the backfield. He hauled in a pair of receptions and makes several big stops on defense.
Blake McAlister, a junior, shows track-like speed and like Holder, can catch the ball out of the backfield. Once he gets into open space, McAlister is very hard to tackle. He had 100 yards on 19 touches.
OABCIG 43, Sigourney-Keota 21
Cooper DeJean Cooper DeJean 6'2" | 205 lbs | ATH OA-BCIG | 2021 State IA really, really likes playing inside the UNI-Dome.
The University of Iowa commit threw for 411 yards, ran for 73 and accounted for all six of OABCIG’s touchdowns in a win over Sigourney-Keota.
Everything DeJean does is just so effortless. That’s not to say he isn’t giving 100 percent, he just makes it all happen with ease. The Falcons needed just over six minutes in the first half to produce four DeJean touchdown drives.
DeJean has some incredibly gifted targets including Easton Harms Easton Harms 6'1" | 185 lbs | WR OABCIG | 2022 State IA . Harms just catches everything within arms-length, showing nice, soft hands and speed to stretch the play.
Harms hauled in nine passes covering 189 yards with three of those going for scores including a 92-yarder.
Sigourney-Keota’s Sam Sieren runs hard and is always falling forward for the extra yard. He showcases breakaway speed while also lowering his head and knocking defenders over.
Sieren ran for 231 yards on 31 carries, averaging 7.5 per touch with a score.