ADFC Game of the Week - #9 Weymouth at Newton North

     This one was very one sided, with Weymouth's offensive and defensive lines proving much too much for the Tigers.  So we've decided to take a different approach to breaking this one down.  I'll go in-depth on one player from each team, then breakdown a few key match ups and players who stood out.  

Newton North Player Breakdown: Isaiah Penn

     Apparently I didn't get the memo that Penn wasn't taking snaps for the Tigers anymore.  None the less, he was the most athletically gifted player on the field.  He lined up at four different positions, including quarterback and kick returner.  Here is what stands out about Isaiah right away: his build.  He is tall, lean, and should be able to add about 20-30 pounds of muscle at the next level.  If he is able to keep his speed, he could be a game changer. 

    Offensive Breakdown -  He moves well, with little wasted motion when he wiggles.  Good job keeping his momentum going when he cuts.  His biggest attribute with the ball in his hands is his ability to break tackles.  While he isn't the absolute bull Dylan Colarusso is, he refuses to go down without a fight.  He will lower his shoulders, and isn't afraid to initiate contact.  He catches the ball fairly well and has solid hands.  Wasn't able to see his ability to catch the deep ball as the Tigers quarterback struggled all day.  

     Defensive Breakdown - This is where I see Penn making a difference on Saturday's.  He plays a very solid safety position.  His backpedal is good, and he consistently takes his read drop, something that tends to be overlooked by many young safeties.  His hips need a little work, but they move smoothly, which is a good sign.  His aggression is his strong point.  Penn will hit ya.  He showed his willingness to come up and give a pop to Colarusso, something some of his fellow Tigers seemed not to want a part of early on.  His awareness also impressed me, as he kept his head on a swivel, allowing him to take away Weymouth's deep routes.  Love the way he puts a hit on crossing receivers.  He got into trouble for it in the third quarter, but it sent a message and seemed to wake his teammate up.  No reason to believe Penn can't contribute at the Division 1AA level on this side of the ball.  He's got what you look for in a safety/hybrid type player: tenacity, aggression, speed, change of direction skills, and smarts.  Very good player.  

Weymouth Player Breakdown: QB Mitch Temple

     Dylan and Ozzy Colarusso are the stat mongers, but Temple is a huge part of this offense.  Four times in the first half Temple was able to connect with his receivers on third down to move the chains. 

     Two things stood out to me about Temple.  First and foremost was the way he executed the play action fake.  Temple did a great job extending the ball into his backs torso's, then quickly getting into the throwing position.  He used his shoulders well too, dipping them slightly to mimic the motion made when making contact with a back during a hand-off.  It's not only those two things that make his fakes work so well though.  He is able to freeze the defense and execute playactions so well because he does such a good job carrying out his own fakes on hand-offs.  Weymouth is a run heavy offense, and as a quarterback, when you hand the ball off that much, it can be tempting to fake the bootleg every once in a while.  Temple fakes it almost every time, which makes the defense tend to pay less attention to him.  

     The second thing that I liked about Temple was the fact that he had the wherewithal to know when to put something extra on it and when to take something off.  On one third down completion in the first quarter, he rolled right, noticed a Tiger linebacker in the flat zone, and another over the top of his tight end, then lofted a pass that was just over the head of the backer, yet had enough on it to land in his receivers hands before the defensive back could make a play on it.  On the last play of the first half, he fired a bullet to Khary Bailey-Smith that left Tigers corner Mike Thorpe no chance of making a play.  

A few other notes from today's showdown.

• I was impressed with North junior Mike Thorpe.  Thorpe is quick, has good instincts, and a high potential ceiling.  With the ball in his hands, he's shifty and elusive, possessing the ability to make people miss.  On defense, he was the best corner on either team.  He made an amazing play on the ball in the final seconds of the first half.  Weymouth's Bailey-Smith broke to the corner of the end zone on a go route, with Temple throwing a jump ball.  At the very last moment, Thorpe was able to knock the ball away from him, setting up third down.  If Thorpe can add some size, he'll be an intriguing Division II prospect.  
• Can somebody please tell me who #57 on Newton North was.  He was nowhere to be found on the roster, and the parents sitting around me had no idea as well.  This kid could play though.  He was impressive all day, blowing the Weymouth center off the ball.  He has a high motor and a sturdy build.  Fun to watch. 
• Not enough can be said about the Colarusso's.  Dylan is a house who brings it on both sides of the ball.  I love him most on defense though.  He is disciplined and ferocious, with the ability to make plays anywhere on the field.  Ozzy is the quicker of the two.  he has good hands and feet, and is capable of breaking off a long run at any time. 
• This Weymouth offensive line will lead this team to the postseason.  I don't see anyone with the ability to knock this team off until the postseason.  Thanksgiving will be quite the match up, but I think this team is just too much.