For my Week 4 Thursday night game of the week, I traveled to Gretna, where I checked out the host Gretna Dragons taking on the Elkhorn Antlers. I was semi-surprised to see this turn into a defensive scrap as the wet, rainy night made it hard for either passing game to fully take off. Both defenses also really came to play as they anchored down, especially deep in their own territories, where we saw missed kicks, turnovers on downs, and gritty overall play. Ultimately, the Dragons sealed the deal with a 4th-quarter touchdown run to win 10-7.
As I went back through my notes and rewatched the game, a few prospects caught my eye. Check out my Gretna standouts below:
Player of the Game:
Liam Thompsen, 2029 – RB – 5’9″ 195 lbs – (@LiamThompsen)
Sophomore Liam Thompsen’s fourth-quarter heroics helped lift the Dragons over the Antlers with his 57-yard touchdown run that sealed the game. In the end, Liam totaled 106 rushing yards and a touchdown on just nine carries. On that TD run, you could see Liam use his vision to find the right lane and show great burst as he hit the gap. Once he hit the open field, Liam tapped into his top gear and showed off his wheels as he outraced everyone to the end zone. Overall, Liam showed great balance and strength in his base while battling through tackles all night. He showed nice shiftiness in tight quarters with the ability to make quick cuts as he maneuvers through defenses. Lots of upside shown in this game—looking forward to seeing more from Liam!
Notable Standouts:
Jaden Peters, 2027 – LB – 5’9″ 180 lbs – (@jadenpeters27)
Senior Jaden Peters is the type of linebacker who brings grit and a high motor that can elevate a linebacker room, and that showed in this game. Peters ended with six tackles and recovered a fumble. Jaden really stands out with his ability to pin his ears back and get after the ball as he crashes downhill. He plays with great instincts and a high IQ that allows him to quickly pull the trigger when he keys in on the run. Jaden fills his gaps very well and is a sure tackler when meeting backs in the hole. His wrestling background gives him a strong understanding of leverage, especially when taking down the ball carrier. Jaden also displayed the ability to flip his hips and be fluid in coverage. He has good lateral quickness that can span the middle of the field with solid closing speed to arrive at the ball in time to challenge catches. Solid LB prospect who should pick up some more looks on the recruiting trail!
Henry Hildebrand, 2027 – TE/LB – Washburn Commit – (@hhilde18)
Gretna’s Henry Hildebrand has already established himself as one of the state’s top TEs and has committed to Washburn, but this game really opened my eyes to his effectiveness at OLB. Henry recorded four tackles and two TFLs, but when you look back at the film, you see his impact on nearly every run play. He did a great job setting the edge to disrupt outside runs and divert them back inside, also showing the closing speed to track down ball carriers from the play’s backside. Hildebrand’s motor and tenacity kept him in every play, which was able to generate a lot of pressure that may not have resulted in sacks but definitely threw off the QB’s rhythm. On offense, Henry was a very effective as a blocker on a night that was very run-heavy, displaying great leg drive, hand placement, and leverage when engaging with defenders. Great pickup by the Ichabods!
Blake Skiles, 2027 – WR – 6’4″ 180 lbs – (@BlakeSkiles8330)
Gretna senior wideout Blake Skiles may not have posted eye-popping numbers against the Antlers, but he did display a ton of upside in my first in-person look at him. What stood out from watching Blake was his taller, lengthier frame, standing at 6’4″ and 180 pounds, with a massive catch radius. His bigger frame usually gives him an advantage at the LOS when he’s trying to get off pressing DBs. Skiles can also make plays above the rim, with the hops to get up and snag the ball at the high point. Good target on 50/50 balls and in the redzone. Blake has started getting some attention on the recruiting trail and should continue to see his stock boost as the Dragons continue rolling.
Maclin Wilcox, 2028 – OL/DL – 6’2″ 270 lbs
The Dragons were strong in the trenches with several players standing out on both sides of the ball. One player who really piqued my interest was junior Maclin Wilcox, who started on both the OL and DL. I was especially impressed with his play on the defensive side as he proved to be a tough run defender who was constantly clogging up lanes and getiing in the QBs face. At 6’2″ and 270 pounds, Maclin has size that projects well to the next level, along with the power in his base to drive blockers off their spot and work his way into the opposing backfield.
