NE8 Game of the Week: East Noble @ Leo

For the 5th straight year, NE8 rivals East Noble and Leo will meet in sectionals as the winner of this game will play for a sectional championship one week from tonight.

Both teams are 8-2 who won a share of the NE8 in the regular season. Leo defeated East Noble 14-7 in their first meeting that helped Leo claim that share of the title. Since that game, East Noble has went on a tear holding teams to less than 15 points per game since that game including 2 shutouts. The run game has also seen improvements since that game as they’ve consistent ran for 277 or more yards in 4 of their last 5 games averaging over 7 yards per carry. East Noble is coming off a 43-0 win over New Haven last week.

For Leo, they’ve went on a torrent pace averaging over 40 points per game on offense since that game as the Lions look to win their first sectional since reaching Semistate in 2011. Leo is coming up a 42-0 win over South Side in the first round of sectionals. Head Coach Jason Doerffler knows that this game with EN will be a tough test that should be well played.

“We played well against South Side and were able to rest some guys in the 2^nd half of that game,” said Doerffler on their last game. “It was a good way to kick off sectionals, but we have a huge test this Friday against a very aggressive and physical East Noble team.”

East Noble looks to win their first sectional since 2020.

In the season series, Leo leads 8-6.

Keys to win

1. Stop the Run

When we discuss what are the keys to winning a classic EN-Leo game, I will always say whichever defense can stop the run the best wins this game.

Both teams have excellent quarterbacks in Zander Brazel for East Noble and Kylar Decker for Leo. But both teams are better when they’re able to run the ball to mix up the schemes.

In their first meeting, Leo ran for 142 yards despite the fact Kylar Decker had a tough performance as he completing less than 39% of his passes.

One player they will not have to help Leo in this game is Brett Fuller who has missed the last 4 games due to an injury. As unfortunate as that is, it’s a next-man-up mindset for the Lions.

Last week against South Side, the always versatile Kamden Zeisloft ran for 64 yards on 4 carries (16 yards per carry), and Dearious Carter ran for 49 yards on 5 carries. Aidan Monds did not play in that South game. Kaden Hurst has shown to run the ball on several occasions as he averages 11.2 yards per carry on the season.

But the key in that regular season game was how Leo was able to contain East Noble’s 3-headed monster in that backfield as the Knights running game was held to just 126 yards rushing. On the season, EN averages 6.1 yards per carry on the season. East Noble is 11-0 since last season when they rush for 239 or more yards.

Leo will be relying on big time playmakers such as Brock Schott, Jaxon Keller, Aiden Furnish, Lucas Sheron, and Jared Jasper to contribute uniformly to stop the powerful East Noble run attack where it’ll force them to play disciplined and focused football.

For East Noble, Dylan Krehl, Logan Hatton, Pace Agee, Jacob Ramey, and Connor Leins to contain a powerful and talented Leo offense.

2. Field Positioning is Crucial

When we look at this matchup, one thing we have to discuss is the positioning of each drive. Which team is able to sustain drives the best, and which one can control the ability to put pressure on their opponent? East Noble has only punted 13 times on the season, while Leo has 24 punts. That could potentially be a factor if the Knights are able to get that run game going, which helps Zander establish the passing game in that Shotgun Wing-T.

During the regular season, both teams combined for 12 punts as it was the defense that stole the story in that game. Special teams are crucial in a game like this. Kaden Hurst, who’s committed to Ohio University, has 4 combined touchdowns off of returns (3 kickoff returns). That is something that you gotta be careful when the ball goes to Hurst’s hands.

On the other hand, East Noble’s Alex Sprague is arguably the best kicker in the NE8 with his ability to showcase a strong boot, a clutch FG kicker, and has the ability to use the onside kick when needed. He’s 51-52 in PAT’s and Field Goals.

3. Turnovers, Turnovers, and TURNOVERS

I don’t have to lecture you to tell you that turnovers are amplified in the playoffs. Which team can take better care of the football will be in excellent position to win this game. East Noble has 8 total turnovers on the season, but have only allowed 2 since that loss to Leo.

For Leo, it has happened 9 times (5 on lost fumbles), but Leo has committed zero turnovers over the last 2 games. But let’s look at this further with this series.

Dating back to 2020, 5 of the last 6 meetings have been decided by the team that commits the least amount of turnovers. That’s a staggering number when you add postseason games into the fold.

For example, Senior Zander Brazel is having his best season of his high school career throwing for 1,548 yards on 56.8% completion and only 5 INT’s. 2 of those INT’s came against Leo in that loss in Week 5. In his career, Leo has done a great job containing him as they’ve limited him to less than 150 yards passing in 5 of the 6 meetings with 5 TD passes and 5 INT’s.

Only 2 games in his career that he’s been picked off twice, but he’s 9-1 when Brazel has recorded 2 or more TD passes.

For Leo, I fully expect Schott and Zeisloft to be all over Brazel in this game to try to get him off his game. Same goes for Connor Leins of EN as he will be challenging Leo QB Kylar Decker. Leins has 8 sacks, 11 TFL’s, and a fumble recovery.

Zeisloft I believe has around 8 INT’s in his career as a safety, and so I look for him to be a huge part of that pass coverage.

Players to Watch

East Noble

Dylan Krehl Junior Running Back/Middle Linebacker

Name a player that has immense value without always showing crazy stats? Dylan Krehl would be one of many excellent answers. Where would East Noble be on both sides of the field without his versatility and his ability to play that many positions on the field. He’s their explosive running back, he’s an option in the passing game, and he’s a beast in the trenches.

This season, he’s rushing for 584 yards averaging 6.5 yards per carry and 11 TD’s. He has 13 catches for 137 yards with 2 TD’s. Defensively, he has 82 total tackles, 65 solo, 11 TFL’s, and a sack. Jeff Mahoney is convincing me that he’s the NE8 player of the year. He’s making it hard for me to find finalists for my end of season fan vote.

But there’s no question he is one of many MVP’s at EN.

Leo

Brock Schott Junior Tight End/Middle Linebacker

We talk about the Brock Gronk as a force as a tight end, but frankly he’s becoming maybe the best middle linebacker I’ve ever covered. Like seriously, you watch Schott play, you thought he was playing college football. This kid has crazy insane talent on that side of the ball.

As a tight end, he has 23 catches for 452 yards (19.7 yards per catch), and 3 TD’s. On the other side of the ball, Schott has 42 tackles, 18 TFL’s, an INT, and a whopping 12 sacks!! A dozen sacks!

Brock Schott has been a beast, and he seems to be at his best in the biggest of stages. Can this great East Noble line contain the high caliber talent that is Brock Schott, who will soon become a high caliber D1 prospect.

One thing’s for certain, it’s about to be a war!

NE8 Game of the Week: East Noble @ Columbia City

In the words of Green Day, “WAKE ME UP WHEN SEPTEMBER ENDS”

Tonight, the Bird Cage is the site for some hard-nosed and entertaining football. The Columbia City Eagles (5-1) host the East Noble Knights (4-2) on the Eagles’ homecoming; they will look to avenge their 21-7 loss to New Haven in Week 6.

East Noble had a dominant showing at Norwell were led by Dylan Krehl’s 157 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns, EN dominated to a 49-15 win over the Knights. Now, both teams know that a win this week keeps themselves mathematically alive in this very enticing NE8 title race that is getting more and more interesting by the day.

In the season series that dates back to 1966, Columbia City leads a very competitive series with a 30-29 record against the Knights, despite the fact EN has won in 12 of their last 13 meetings. The last time Columbia City successfully defeated East Noble in consecutive meetings, you have to go back to that insane 56-55 CC win back on October 1, 2010.

Tonight, we get to see the Knights’ studs on the defense and their Shotgun Wing-T against Columbia City’s Showtime Stratton.

Here are the keys to winning this game

1. Attack the Pocket; Pressure the Quarterback

This is a game where the defense is going to shine in this game as both teams are only allowing less than 17 points per game. And these are two teams that defend the pass exceptionally well. But the challenge on paper is going to be which team will be able to win the battle up front.

Where experience favors East Noble, Columbia City still has some extremely explosive guys up front as well. Sacks have been one common crack to that shiny armor on offense as Zander Brazel has been sacked 9 times this season. In spite of that, Brazel is posting career numbers on offense as he’s throwing for 962 yards on 51.5% completion and 9 Td’s to 4 INT’s.

For Columbia City, the offense struggled massively in this game where passing completion was held to 41% against an elite New Haven defense and the talented Grayson Bradberry was held to a QBR below 60, despite the fact he hasn’t been nearly as sacked as Brazel. But Bradberry hadn’t really been tested until last week.

But both quarterbacks have talented arms and the offensive lines for both teams have excellent guys such as Zach Leighty for EN and Sam Bean for C. City.

The big key to this game is whether one of these lines is able to give their QB enough support and which one can frustrate the opposing quarterback. The challenge with Columbia City is with the youth of that O-Line, can they contain some big-time studs on the defensive ends and linebacker. East Noble has some legit ballers on that end.

It’s also worthy of note that Columbia City allowed 239 rushing yards to an extremely athletic New Haven backfield despite holding them to just 69 yards passing. They’ll need to tackle better against the likes of Dylan Krehl and Tyson Reinbold who are both very good athletes on that backfield and a key part of EN’s dangerous offense.

2. This Game May Come Down to Special Teams

I have a bad feeling that this game could come down to how each team performs in the punt returns, the kick returns, and most importantly the kicking unit.

This matchup features many studs that can take it to the house with the likes of Columbia City’s James Getts and Stratton Fuller who are both extremely vital offensive and defensive playmakers as well. And for East Noble you have several of their own returners in Reinbold as well as Logan Hatton.

Both teams have exceptional kickers with Columbia City’s Landon Urban and perhaps the NE8’s top kicker in Alex Sprague. Sprague is worthy of note because not only has he only missed 1 FG all season, not only does he average 42 yards per kickoff, but he’s had pulled off multiple onside kicks, and trust me the Sprague’s are serious dudes on football and the wrestling competition.

I’m just saying if this comes down to special teams, I really like East Noble in that department this season especially since Sprague can kick some daggers.

3. Big Time Players Make Big Time plays

This is a Joe Walburn saying, and I’m going to honor him in this one. And when it comes to this game, talent is nothing to be shy of. There’s talent everywhere, and we may be in for an interesting ballgame between great talent across the board.

But at the end of the day, have you seen Stratton’s one handed catch against New Haven?? Or his explosive plays after catches or his incredible defense? Now let’s see what happens when you match him up against EN’s Kobe Ritchie and Logan Hatton.

Don’t rule out EN’s lethal weapons at wide receiver with the likes of Mason Treesh, Alex Brennan, and Keegan Corbin. If Mason has that fire that his dad had as a player, watch out, because Mason makes this offense that much of a challenge. The key challenge is going to be: can a Ian Stahl or a Zack Berry be able to disrupt that play action and can the frontline contain the speed of EN that will definitely try to throw deception in that Wing-T attack.

Players to Watch

I know Jake Smith has the Snake eyes, but for me I have the SuperSam’s SuperBrain that can throw the facts and give you the best players with the most upside to make an impact.

East Noble

Connor Leins Senior Middle Linebacker

The game changer for East Noble’s defense has been there much improved in the pass rush as they’ve recorded 10 sacks this season. Last season, that number was just 6.

No one has pressured the quarterback at a higher efficiency than Connor Leins, who has 4 sacks and 6 hurries in just 6 games of work so far. If he’s able to break free against a talented CC O-Line, it could be chaos for the Eagles offense. And for East Noble, they’re going to want to break that bone in this game. Tonight, for East Noble to win this game, the defense has to be the Big Dawgs of this game because I’m telling you offense will come at a premium early on as these two get acclimated with each other’s counter attack.

This guy deserves more love!!!

Columbia City

Stratton Fuller Junior Wide Receiver/Cornerback

Already the program’s career leader in touchdown catches with 27 and has 1,541 yards receiving in his career on 92 catches. His unreal athleticism, speed, and willful ability to put his body on the line to make game-defining plays is something no one else can really do in this conference aside from 4-5 receivers that are from Leo and New Haven. It’s special how gifted this guy is, and yet he’s so selfless because he’s doing it with quality rather than quantity.

When Bradberry is able to find Strat, you know that crap is getting real. East Noble’s defense knows that this guy cannot be the reason the game swings in CC’s favor. I don’t expect them to throw the ball to him all the time, but I expect them to use him as efficiently as possible to open up their running game that was held to 114 yards @ New Haven.

If the defense has to scramble with Fuller, then that’ll create more headaches in trying to slow down Getts, Noah Pletcher, and Cayden Sroufe. That type of backfield can be an absolute pain to slow down when the Flexbone option is finding its strides.

Last year, Fuller had 137 yards receiving and a score on top of the fact he recorded a INT against Brazel.

Conclusion

The winner of this game will set themselves up for a potential upset next week in Week 8, especially for EN who will get to host New Haven next week, and a potential Game of the Week material. This game won’t directly impact New Haven’s standing as the first place team in this conference, but it could lead to tremendous confidence towards the final two weeks of the regular season.

This ought to be fun, but after tonight, October football will be upon us.