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Preview: Anderson at Kings

Anderson TE tight end Caden Piening (photo by: Kelsey Rebman / TriStateFootball.com)

The Blitz 5 Game of the Week tour makes one last stop for the 2023 season as the gang heads north to Kings as the Knights welcome their ECC rival, Anderson. The home team is desperately looking for a signature win and a boost to their playoff seeding. The visiting Raptors are rolling and hope to keep that momentum going into the postseason. They are out to end a four-game skid against Kings.

#6 ANDERSON RAPTORS (8-1, 7-1) at KINGS KNIGHTS (5-4, 4-4) 
Kickoff: 7:00 p.m.
Kings Stadium
Follow on X: @TSFootball  

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Running back Brodey Berg is making a strong case for being the Division II Southwest District Offensive Player of the Year.  The Anderson senior has 27 touchdowns (19 rush, eight rec), 168 points scored, 46 receptions and 1,427 yards from scrimmage (772 rush, 655 yards rec). Berg, who committed to Ivy League Columbia earlier this week, has found the end zone 66 times (50 rush, 16 rec) with 3,207 yards from scrimmage (1,571 rush, 1,636 yards rec) in his last 23 games.

Berg, classmate Mike Smith and Trace Jallick are all averaging more than five receptions per game. They all have more than 1,100 yards receiving in their careers. Rounding out the receiving core are tight ends Jack Sammarco and Caden Piening, who have combined for 39 catches for 609 yards and seven touchdowns. Sammarco has committed to West Virginia. Juniors Piening and Jallick have major college offers. Their classmate, quarterback Justice Burnam, has been sensational getting them the ball. He has thrown for 2,666 yards with 28 touchdown passes and just four interceptions.

Junior Nate Lyman had five touchdown catches last week for Kings. He has averaged 21.3 yards on 43 receptions with 15 touchdown receptions this season. Classmate Carson Lindholm has 457 yards and eight scores on the ground. Outside of Lyman and Lindholm, Paul Kelly is the only other Knight to have scored on offense with seven trips to the end zone (four rush, three rec). Sophomore Grant Nurre has thrown for 1,763 yards and 17 touchdowns.

TEAM TRENDS: Kings has won the last four games in the series. They have averaged 48.0 points with an average margin of victory of 15.5 points over the Raptors in that span.

This is the least porous and most athletic defensive team that Anderson has had under head coach Evan Dreyer. The Raptors have won five in a row after giving up 56 points in their last loss to unbeaten Milford. Since then, they have held foes to 9.0 points per contest while allowing just 12 total points in the last two weeks. Seniors TJ Nelson, Joey Emrick, Seth Wake, Patterson McHugh and Leo Muehlenkamp pace the Anderson defensive unit. Nelson has committed to BGSU.

This is the third straight season that the Kings’ defense has forced at least 20 turnovers. In that span the Knights have recovered 30 fumbles and intercepted 64 passes with 12 touchdowns (six FRs, six INTs).

HEAD COACHES:
Anderson: Evan Dreyer (65-26 at Anderson, eighth year; 109-53 overall, 15th year)

Kings: Alex Garvin (42-12 at Kings, fifth year; 42-12 overall)

PLAYOFF HISTORY:
Anderson (16 appearances, 21-15) – 2022, 2021, 2020, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2009, 2008 (State Runner-up), 2007 (State Champion), 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1996, 1994, 1992

Kings (17 appearances, 20-17) – 2022 (Regional Champion), 2021, 2020, 2108, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2011, 2010, 2008, 2007, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 1999 

ANDERSON’S KEYS TO VICTORY: The defense is thriving. Let them set the tone early and that will emote over to the offense. If that happens it will be a long night for Kings. The Raptors have done an excellent job protecting the ball with just eight turnovers all season. This is not the night for that to stop being the case.

KINGS’ KEYS TO VICTORY: Sustained drives on offensive are a must. Keeping the explosive Raptors off the field and limiting their plays is a top priority. That means the Kings’ ground game needs to be at its very best. The Knights’ defense needs to be opportunistic and tilt the turnover battle well into their favor.

Prediction: Anderson 35, Kings 21

 

 

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