The Beals Insurance Championship Scouting Reports
2014-11-20
Kevin Moreau and Campbell face Newport
As we do in both basketball and football we hand over our championship game previews to the people that know the six teams better than anyone; the coaches who competed against them all year
The following are scouting reports from coaches we spoke to using blind quotes.
Pete Tarrier, Jennifer Chick & I will bring you all the play by play, highlights and post-game interviews from all three championship games in Durham.
Remember you can buy full game DVDs of any of the games we cover right here on our website.
Division I
Bedford vs. Pinkerton Academy
The coverage of Bedford is sponsored by Bedford Dental Care Associates and HK Photography
With all the controversies of the regular season and playoff process behind us we are left with unquestionably the two best teams in Division I.
Our coaches were asked to break down both teams and we start with Kurt Hines’s Bedford Bulldogs. “They are very solid on the line, not necessarily very big but they are aggressive. Their wide receivers don’t have blazing speed but they will fight you for the ball when it’s in the air and that can be huge in high school football.” A fellow coach agreed Bedford’s passing attack needs to be respected, “ Tyler (Cibotti) has a huge arm. Is he going to beat you with his legs the way Mike Vailas could? No, there are only a handful of players in the state better than Vailas but what (Cibotti) gives you is the ability to hit a big play downfield.”
What about the Bedford defense? “They are a beast on defense,” raved one head coach we spoke with. “ They were the best defense we faced all year. They are aggressive, they get around the edge and their defensive backfield is really well coached……those kids have great instincts back there.” Another coach talked about Bedford’s personnel “(Eric) Glassman gets all the attention but I thought their linebacker Ryan Belz was one of the best two or three players we faced all year. He is everywhere…sideline to sideline.”
We asked coaches how Bedford’s defense will defend Pinkerton’s Wing-T rushing attack,” I’m not sure Bedford has played a team as big as Pinkerton, and the thing with Pinkerton is their size & depth. If one big kid goes down another one runs on to replace him. So how that size affects Bedford will be interesting to see.”
Another coach discussed how the Astros might attack Bedford, “ The strength of that Bedford defense is their aggressiveness, their ability to get up field. If Pinkerton is able to trap them behind the ball, running that Wing-T offense, they might be able to break off some long runs. If Bedford has a real weakness it is their offense. Kurt (Hines) will have to be really aware of the field position game. Bedford has trouble stringing 70 or 80 yard drives, against Exeter they played to a shorter field by kicking the ball well and covering well on special teams. That will be a key again Saturday because it is hard for them to sustain long drives against big teams. Manchester Central was a really big team and Bedford had some trouble against them early. Pinkerton is even bigger.”
What about Brian O’Reilly’s Pinkerton Astros? “ They have everything; speed, size, depth and their special teams & kicking game is excellent.” Another coach raved about the Pinkerton running backs, “ (TJ) Urbanick is terrific but there isn’t much of a drop off when they get to the next two or three guys. Any one of four or five guys is capable of making a big play.” A fellow Division I coach agreed, “ Our coaching staff said after we played them that we would be happy to take their third or fourth string running backs on our team…they would have started for us.”
What about the Pinkerton defense.. “ They are very smart in how they pursue the ball. They stay in their area and it is very rare that they get caught over-pursuing. That D-line has a way of wearing good teams down over the course of four quarters and Coach O’Reilly is as good as it gets to rotating the right guys in & out.” A fellow coach felt like you could throw on Pinkerton, “ Bedford has to try and hit them with a couple of home run plays because I think they can be thrown on. Bedford isn’t going to give up a ton of points so all you need is about three scores. The Bedford defense is too good.”
Division II
St. Thomas vs. Windham
We spoke to a pair of Division II coaches who had two very different takes on how Saturday’s championship game will play out. One was adamant that Windham will come out on top while the other coach was just as sure it will be St. Thomas as the last team standing.
First Bill Raycraft’s Windham Jaguars, “ Their team speed is unbelievable, especially on defense. Even when we called the right play and executed it they were able to bottle us up after 3 or 4 yards where against other teams it might have gone for 30 or 40. Kurtis Jolicoeur is the best linebacker in our division and then what he does as a fullback for them, clearing those running lanes, he’s invaluable. He’s just a dominant force, you need two players to account for him on the field and that opens up a lot of space for their other guys. Kellin Bail and Joey Frake can hurt you and Anthony Gallo is another very good player.”
A fellow head coach talked about Windham’s passing game, “ They throw the ball well with (Brendan McInnis), the kids run good routes and he throws to spots on the field where he knows they are supposed to be. You don’t see that a lot at this level but he is able to do that; he reads the coverage and then puts the ball in the spot he knows his guy should be. Frake and Gallo are not only great blockers but they are terrific receivers as well.”
What about Eric Cumba’s Saints? “ They are very smart with the plays they run…they can beat you with those slants all day. They also have great depth, their RB Tommy Bennett has been really good for them and they were able to beat Kennett without him.” The other Division II coach we spoke with agreed, “ (Kevin) Gould and Liam Middleton are match-up nightmares,, they are big kids who go and get the ball at the tight end spot. They have the ability to stop the Windham run, no one has been able to run up the middle on them all year and when McInnis goes back to throw (Saints DE) Jesse Quintero will be in the backfield. The kid is a beast.”
How do the Jaguars match up with St. Thomas? “ Windham doesn’t make mistakes, they just don’t. They are the most disciplined team in our division and I think that is the difference Saturday. St. Thomas is explosive, no doubt, but they are a team that will turn it over or throw it into traffic and I don’t think they get away with that Saturday. “ A rival coach disagreed and sees the Saints as the team to beat, “ (Windham) can give up some yards through the air, I’m not sure their linebackers can cover and St. Thomas has weapons everywhere. St. Thomas is going to spread them out and make those linebackers and that backfield cover in space. Windham has not seen a team like that all year. The truth about the Kennett game last weekend was that Kennett’s defense was gassed at the end of that game. They could not keep up with the pace St. Thomas played at and I think that is why they will beat Windham.”
Division III
Campbell vs. Newport
Greg Gush’s Campbell team pulled the shocker of the post-season with a fairly convincing 26-7 win over undefeated defending champion Bow last weekend.
We asked coaches in their division what the Cougars bring to the table Saturday at UNH. “ They are a hard team to prepare for because they run & pass the football equally well, “ said one coach we spoke to. “ They are able to run the ball out of the spread attack and their running back (Kevin Moreau) has really come on in the second half of the season. Their line is under-sized but they are aggressive and they give their quarterback (Kyle Manning) enough time to see down the field before he either throws or tucks it in and runs. He’s a dual threat QB so a lot of teams have to dedicate a linebacker to spying him.”
Defensively Campbell will have to stop a dominant Newport running game that saw both Noah Wade and CJ Lawrence gain over 100 yards in a win over Gilford. “ Lawrence is the kid that really makes that offense go, he can hurt you carrying the football because he has good instincts and is a load to bring down but his blocking is just as important,” stressed a rival coach. “ Teams have a hard time finding (Noah) Wade in the backfield because he is so small. When he finds a crease he goes. He’s not a hard kid to take down at the first level but when he gets to the linebackers and is able to get outside all of the sudden his speed becomes a major problem.” Another coach talked about QB Tommy Hogan, “ I think he is really underrated. Teams like Gilford and Bishop Brady can really throw the ball but they also have a lot of turnovers. Hogan can throw to guys in the flat or over the top. He takes good care of the ball.”
A key match-up Saturday will be Campbell’s defense against the Newport rushing attack. “ Defensively Campbell plays sideline to sideline and their linebacker (Christian Kamacho) is all over the field. He is terrific, he gave us fits when we played them. “
Defense is the common denominator this weekend. “ Both teams have a bend but don’t break defense. You can drive the ball on these teams but getting in the end zone is a whole lot tougher. These are two very similar teams. Campbell has more ways to score on you but I think Newport’s offense gets overlooked. Those kids know their roles and how to finish a play.”
Pete Tarrier, Jennifer Chick & I will bring you all the play by play, highlights and post-game interviews from all three championship games in Durham.
Remember you can buy full game DVDs of any of the games we cover right here on our website.
Division I
Bedford vs. Pinkerton Academy
The coverage of Bedford is sponsored by Bedford Dental Care Associates and HK Photography
With all the controversies of the regular season and playoff process behind us we are left with unquestionably the two best teams in Division I.
Our coaches were asked to break down both teams and we start with Kurt Hines’s Bedford Bulldogs. “They are very solid on the line, not necessarily very big but they are aggressive. Their wide receivers don’t have blazing speed but they will fight you for the ball when it’s in the air and that can be huge in high school football.” A fellow coach agreed Bedford’s passing attack needs to be respected, “ Tyler (Cibotti) has a huge arm. Is he going to beat you with his legs the way Mike Vailas could? No, there are only a handful of players in the state better than Vailas but what (Cibotti) gives you is the ability to hit a big play downfield.”
What about the Bedford defense? “They are a beast on defense,” raved one head coach we spoke with. “ They were the best defense we faced all year. They are aggressive, they get around the edge and their defensive backfield is really well coached……those kids have great instincts back there.” Another coach talked about Bedford’s personnel “(Eric) Glassman gets all the attention but I thought their linebacker Ryan Belz was one of the best two or three players we faced all year. He is everywhere…sideline to sideline.”
We asked coaches how Bedford’s defense will defend Pinkerton’s Wing-T rushing attack,” I’m not sure Bedford has played a team as big as Pinkerton, and the thing with Pinkerton is their size & depth. If one big kid goes down another one runs on to replace him. So how that size affects Bedford will be interesting to see.”
Another coach discussed how the Astros might attack Bedford, “ The strength of that Bedford defense is their aggressiveness, their ability to get up field. If Pinkerton is able to trap them behind the ball, running that Wing-T offense, they might be able to break off some long runs. If Bedford has a real weakness it is their offense. Kurt (Hines) will have to be really aware of the field position game. Bedford has trouble stringing 70 or 80 yard drives, against Exeter they played to a shorter field by kicking the ball well and covering well on special teams. That will be a key again Saturday because it is hard for them to sustain long drives against big teams. Manchester Central was a really big team and Bedford had some trouble against them early. Pinkerton is even bigger.”
What about Brian O’Reilly’s Pinkerton Astros? “ They have everything; speed, size, depth and their special teams & kicking game is excellent.” Another coach raved about the Pinkerton running backs, “ (TJ) Urbanick is terrific but there isn’t much of a drop off when they get to the next two or three guys. Any one of four or five guys is capable of making a big play.” A fellow Division I coach agreed, “ Our coaching staff said after we played them that we would be happy to take their third or fourth string running backs on our team…they would have started for us.”
What about the Pinkerton defense.. “ They are very smart in how they pursue the ball. They stay in their area and it is very rare that they get caught over-pursuing. That D-line has a way of wearing good teams down over the course of four quarters and Coach O’Reilly is as good as it gets to rotating the right guys in & out.” A fellow coach felt like you could throw on Pinkerton, “ Bedford has to try and hit them with a couple of home run plays because I think they can be thrown on. Bedford isn’t going to give up a ton of points so all you need is about three scores. The Bedford defense is too good.”
Division II
St. Thomas vs. Windham
We spoke to a pair of Division II coaches who had two very different takes on how Saturday’s championship game will play out. One was adamant that Windham will come out on top while the other coach was just as sure it will be St. Thomas as the last team standing.
First Bill Raycraft’s Windham Jaguars, “ Their team speed is unbelievable, especially on defense. Even when we called the right play and executed it they were able to bottle us up after 3 or 4 yards where against other teams it might have gone for 30 or 40. Kurtis Jolicoeur is the best linebacker in our division and then what he does as a fullback for them, clearing those running lanes, he’s invaluable. He’s just a dominant force, you need two players to account for him on the field and that opens up a lot of space for their other guys. Kellin Bail and Joey Frake can hurt you and Anthony Gallo is another very good player.”
A fellow head coach talked about Windham’s passing game, “ They throw the ball well with (Brendan McInnis), the kids run good routes and he throws to spots on the field where he knows they are supposed to be. You don’t see that a lot at this level but he is able to do that; he reads the coverage and then puts the ball in the spot he knows his guy should be. Frake and Gallo are not only great blockers but they are terrific receivers as well.”
What about Eric Cumba’s Saints? “ They are very smart with the plays they run…they can beat you with those slants all day. They also have great depth, their RB Tommy Bennett has been really good for them and they were able to beat Kennett without him.” The other Division II coach we spoke with agreed, “ (Kevin) Gould and Liam Middleton are match-up nightmares,, they are big kids who go and get the ball at the tight end spot. They have the ability to stop the Windham run, no one has been able to run up the middle on them all year and when McInnis goes back to throw (Saints DE) Jesse Quintero will be in the backfield. The kid is a beast.”
How do the Jaguars match up with St. Thomas? “ Windham doesn’t make mistakes, they just don’t. They are the most disciplined team in our division and I think that is the difference Saturday. St. Thomas is explosive, no doubt, but they are a team that will turn it over or throw it into traffic and I don’t think they get away with that Saturday. “ A rival coach disagreed and sees the Saints as the team to beat, “ (Windham) can give up some yards through the air, I’m not sure their linebackers can cover and St. Thomas has weapons everywhere. St. Thomas is going to spread them out and make those linebackers and that backfield cover in space. Windham has not seen a team like that all year. The truth about the Kennett game last weekend was that Kennett’s defense was gassed at the end of that game. They could not keep up with the pace St. Thomas played at and I think that is why they will beat Windham.”
Division III
Campbell vs. Newport
Greg Gush’s Campbell team pulled the shocker of the post-season with a fairly convincing 26-7 win over undefeated defending champion Bow last weekend.
We asked coaches in their division what the Cougars bring to the table Saturday at UNH. “ They are a hard team to prepare for because they run & pass the football equally well, “ said one coach we spoke to. “ They are able to run the ball out of the spread attack and their running back (Kevin Moreau) has really come on in the second half of the season. Their line is under-sized but they are aggressive and they give their quarterback (Kyle Manning) enough time to see down the field before he either throws or tucks it in and runs. He’s a dual threat QB so a lot of teams have to dedicate a linebacker to spying him.”
Defensively Campbell will have to stop a dominant Newport running game that saw both Noah Wade and CJ Lawrence gain over 100 yards in a win over Gilford. “ Lawrence is the kid that really makes that offense go, he can hurt you carrying the football because he has good instincts and is a load to bring down but his blocking is just as important,” stressed a rival coach. “ Teams have a hard time finding (Noah) Wade in the backfield because he is so small. When he finds a crease he goes. He’s not a hard kid to take down at the first level but when he gets to the linebackers and is able to get outside all of the sudden his speed becomes a major problem.” Another coach talked about QB Tommy Hogan, “ I think he is really underrated. Teams like Gilford and Bishop Brady can really throw the ball but they also have a lot of turnovers. Hogan can throw to guys in the flat or over the top. He takes good care of the ball.”
A key match-up Saturday will be Campbell’s defense against the Newport rushing attack. “ Defensively Campbell plays sideline to sideline and their linebacker (Christian Kamacho) is all over the field. He is terrific, he gave us fits when we played them. “
Defense is the common denominator this weekend. “ Both teams have a bend but don’t break defense. You can drive the ball on these teams but getting in the end zone is a whole lot tougher. These are two very similar teams. Campbell has more ways to score on you but I think Newport’s offense gets overlooked. Those kids know their roles and how to finish a play.”