Hillsboro @ Napolean

[GRIDIRON GURU]

Running teams have pass plays at the ready: they pass to score not for the sake of passing.

If you load up to stop the run they will have some type of play action to counter that.

It's not like they make up pass plays in the huddle during the playoffs.

[cubsfan]

This pick is a little biased but I will go with Hillsboro.  Veer option that they run is very hard to stop.

[classb_fan00]

haven't seen napoleon play yet this year. im going to have to go with hillsboro by no more than a touchdown

[catz_15]

FYI Laber is playing sat...  Mccleary is a FREAK.. he will dominate grothman and saying mccleary isnt a dominating factor like grunfelder was is a bit of an outreach... he has taken over a cuple of games this yr..  and i see him doing it again..

[adriana]

FYI Laber is playing sat...  Mccleary is a FREAK.. he will dominate grothman and saying mccleary isnt a dominating factor like grunfelder was is a bit of an outreach... he has taken over a cuple of games this yr..  and i see him doing it again..

Ok so McLeary is a freak...but to say he's going to "dominate" Grothmann is a "bit of an outreach" in my book.  Have you seen Grothmann play this year?? He's not easily dominated.

[plantefan]

FYI Laber is playing sat...  Mccleary is a FREAK.. he will dominate grothman and saying mccleary isnt a dominating factor like grunfelder was is a bit of an outreach... he has taken over a cuple of games this yr..  and i see him doing it again..

Ok so McLeary is a freak...but to say he's going to "dominate" Grothmann is a "bit of an outreach" in my book.  Have you seen Grothmann play this year?? He's not easily dominated.

I wasn't saying McCleary isn't a dominating factor overall.  I was saying in that particular game.  If you noticed, I said that he required a double team or made the play almost every time.  Thats dominating, but Grunfelder was the guy who beat Hillsboro last year, not McCleary.

It wasn't a slight at McCleary at all, I was just saying that they lost one of the main reasons that they beat a probably less talented burros team last year.  (Not to mention Dewald)

[pakkyzoo]

FYI Laber is playing sat...  Mccleary is a FREAK.. he will dominate grothman and saying mccleary isnt a dominating factor like grunfelder was is a bit of an outreach... he has taken over a cuple of games this yr..  and i see him doing it again..

Ok so McLeary is a freak...but to say he's going to "dominate" Grothmann is a "bit of an outreach" in my book.  Have you seen Grothmann play this year?? He's not easily dominated.

I wasn't saying McCleary isn't a dominating factor overall.  I was saying in that particular game.  If you noticed, I said that he required a double team or made the play almost every time.  Thats dominating, but Grunfelder was the guy who beat Hillsboro last year, not McCleary.

It wasn't a slight at McCleary at all, I was just saying that they lost one of the main reasons that they beat a probably less talented burros team last year.  (Not to mention Dewald)

How does the two teams lines compare??

I know Hillsboro's tight ends are pretty athletic in Jake Olsen and James Horne.  I also heard that Bill Breen is pretty good. I don't know who else they have or how talented they are.  They must be pretty good if they are averaging 300+ on the ground.

Does Napolean have any lineman back from last year??  I know Laber plays TE, but how healthy is he??  I don't have any idea what the rest of their line looks or plays like.  They average 300 on the ground too, so they must be decent.

I would say this game will be won in the trenches.  Both teams run it non-stop. If one teams getting a bigger push all game, the lead could stretch.  I expect a close game, with very good line play.  I am going with 24-20 Burro's coming out on top.  They are riding to much momentum into this game. 

 

[Hinsa]

Hillsboro's guards - junior Jake McLean and sophmore Garret Burg - are both very athletic wrestlers. Not the biggest guys in the world - they will both wrestle somewhere around 160, give or take - but they exhibit great technique. They've got a former Bison lineman, Tracy Buzick, coaching the line and their line play seems to be excellent, but that's coming from a fan who never played in the trenches. I just know they are outsized every week and still open huge holes.

[G]

i understand the mcleary is a freak but, i just cant see grothmann being stopped the kid is an animal and im not saying mcleary isnt an animal just that grothmann is gonna be out for blood because hes been in this spot for three years and never been able to overcome it...it just seems right for hillsboro to win this game wish i could be there to watch

 

 

[nicholi]

FYI Laber is playing sat...  Mccleary is a FREAK.. he will dominate grothman and saying mccleary isnt a dominating factor like grunfelder was is a bit of an outreach... he has taken over a cuple of games this yr..  and i see him doing it again..

So whats the story with Laber, I had heard that he tore both his ACL and MCL

[ndfbfan70]

take it from a guy who knows. both mccleary and grothman are very good players but mccleary is on another level. He is truly amazing and had the attitude to go with it. Plus for most of the season he had laber, who was simply an amazing lb.

Napolean is not going roll over anyone. That is not there style but they will get their 4 yards and cloud of dust and beat you in the end. I think they can be had this year by a team that runs the spread w/ a qb that can run. They have trouble with man matchups, which is how they cover recivers. I wish hillsburro good luck, but i do not beleieve their option scheme will matchup well with napoleans d. I actually think they would have more trouble with a NB or MR.

I guess the story on laber(fro his coach) is tha yes he has a partially torn ligament in his knee. I guess the story is he will be playing one way, but it is undecided what that will be(my guess is D because he will be able to play down hill and in a straight line more) poor kid he and mccleary are one of the best, is not thee best combo of lb's i have seen in 9man.

I think napolean wins by 2-8 points. 22-16 seems like a good score. If laber can't play close to 100% hillsboro willl have a much better chance of coming out on top. Good luck to both teams. If you get a chance i would attend this one.

[Ocho Siete]

Just outta curiousity....how are you a guy that knows?

[ndfbfan70]

I guess i should explain. I scouted both teams pretty extensively(as a coach) and seen both in action more than once. I guess i consider myself know more than the normal person, but maybe not.

[Ocho Siete]

No, you probably do...I thought maybe you were just a random fan or something :P

[football64]

I am definitely taking hillsboro in this one. Hillsboro is out for blood and they are sick of losing to Napoleon. The football players that are wrestlers are really sick of losing to Napoleon and that will be a big motivation factor.

[tommykramer]

28-13 Napolean over Hillsboro with just over 10 minutes left in the 4th.

[point/center]

Gross from 55 yards out
44-19 Imperials with a few minutes left

[6-Time State Chump]

Hillsboro got screwed big time at the end of the 3rd.

It was 4th and goal from the 2 or 3 (Napoleon's ball). Their end jumped 1/2 second early. As soon as he jumped, the Hillsboro coach, as well as about 9 or ten fans started yelling to the ref "He jumped! He moved!"

The ref didn't do a thing. So, they got a TD instead of having 4th and 7 or 8. I don't see how the ref could miss it. He was right there.

So the, Hillsboro is trailing by 2 TDs. So they start passing, (not their forte) and it is picked and Nap scores again.

Had the ref made that call, Hillsboro would have had the ball near their own goal line, and been down by one score. They could have played their own game plan---3-6 yards and a cloud of dust, and been playing for the tying/go ahead score.

I'm not from Hillsboro or Nap.

[Hinsa]

I have to give Napoleon it's props. They are the strongest and most physical team I have seen in 9-man. Their ground game is punishing and they run so hard. They've got a full head of steam by the time they hit the line of scrimmage and with McCleary at tailback, that's scary. Hillsboro tried to play smash mouth with them and couldn't keep up. Their linebackers shut down the dive and at the same time they pursued extremely well to stop the pitch.

Laber and McCleary are the best linebacker tandem I have seen in 9-man. Anyone who is going to beat Napoleon will have to do it in the air because I can't imagine there is anyone on 9-man that can match Napoleon's strength and physicality.

[t1m]

I have to give Napoleon it's props. They are the strongest and most physical team I have seen in 9-man. Their ground game is punishing and they run so hard. They've got a full head of steam by the time they hit the line of scrimmage and with McCleary at tailback, that's scary. Hillsboro tried to play smash mouth with them and couldn't keep up. Their linebackers shut down the dive and at the same time they pursued extremely well to stop the pitch.

Laber and McCleary are the best linebacker tandem I have seen in 9-man. Anyone who is going to beat Napoleon will have to do it in the air because I can't imagine there is anyone on 9-man that can match Napoleon's strength and physicality.

I totally agree. I went to the game and I was quite impressed with Napoleon. They came out very physical early and continued that throughout the whole game. I don't really know how well they defend the pass, but I think if they can be beaten, that is the best chance for that to happen. It should be very interesting to see how they match up against Dakota Prairie with the two different styles of offense.

[imperials]

i say hillsboro by tem or less and grothman will run for about 150-200 yards with a couple of scores

grothman is not that good, he is not even close to as good of a player as mccleary. you were only of about 70 - 120 yards yards from the game.

[E@stern Executioner]

i say hillsboro by tem or less and grothman will run for about 150-200 yards with a couple of scores

grothman is not that good, he is not even close to as good of a player as mccleary. you were only of about 70 - 120 yards yards from the game.

Ya know, I would have made nearly the same prediction.

Did ya happen to notice him limping after the very FIRST play of the game - - the tackle on Gross up the middle.

That may have led to a decline in actual production. Gross and McCleary, though, did a LOT more than any Burro RB in this game.

[imperials]

i say hillsboro by tem or less and grothman will run for about 150-200 yards with a couple of scores

grothman is not that good, he is not even close to as good of a player as mccleary. you were only of about 70 - 120 yards yards from the game.

Ya know, I would have made nearly the same prediction.

Did ya happen to notice him limping after the very FIRST play of the game - - the tackle on Gross up the middle.

That may have led to a decline in actual production. Gross and McCleary, though, did a LOT more than any Burro RB in this game.

i saw him limp afterthat play but he was not limping for the rest of the game

[imperials]

i say hillsboro by tem or less and grothman will run for about 150-200 yards with a couple of scores

grothman is not that good, he is not even close to as good of a player as mccleary. you were only of about 70 - 120 yards yards from the game.

Ya know, I would have made nearly the same prediction.

Did ya happen to notice him limping after the very FIRST play of the game - - the tackle on Gross up the middle.

That may have led to a decline in actual production. Gross and McCleary, though, did a LOT more than any Burro RB in this game.

yes i saw him limp after that play but i did not see him limp the rest of the game

[Hinsa]

i say hillsboro by tem or less and grothman will run for about 150-200 yards with a couple of scores

grothman is not that good, he is not even close to as good of a player as mccleary. you were only of about 70 - 120 yards yards from the game.

OK, let's not kick anybody when they are down. McCleary is a senior, Grothmann a junior. One more year of maturity and strength building. Let's see how much Grothmann dominates next year.

And....Grothmann was in therapy for his ankle all week. Had it rolled on early in the Lakota game the previous week. One hit was all it took to reinjure it. I challenge anyone to look good on one leg against an opponent of the quality of Napoleon.

Make no mistake, McCleary was much better than Grothmann on Saturday. But don't judge talent and performance from one game when one of them is significantly hampered by an injury.