Attica @ Notre Dame – Saturday, 1: 30 pm – Notre Dame High School
Key Players
- Jake Strzelec (Attica)
- Alex Piexhocki (Attica)
- Phil Wilshire (Attica)
- Damien Marchetti (Attica)
- Levi Snyder (Attica)
- Derek Walker (Attica)
- Joe Zickl (Notre Dame)
- Josh Johnson (Notre Dame)
- Jack Sutherland (Notre Dame)
- Peter Daversa (Notre Dame)
- Ethan Osborne (Notre Dame)
- Dakota Weidman (Notre Dame)
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Friday, October 10, 2014
Under the spotlight in our Game of the Week, Attica and Notre Dame will take to the field on Saturday afternoon for what is guaranteed to be a quality matchup. Winning five straight games to begin the season, the Blue Devils enter Week 6 with an eye on the GR League Title, while the Irish hope to play the role of spoiler and come out with the upset.
In my opinion, however, it is going to take a lot for Notre Dame to win this game.
Going up against what is one of the strongest defensive units in all of Class C, the Irish will likely find it difficult to get any 
momentum going on the offensive side of the ball on Saturday. Although they possess a strong defense themselves, ND has not shown great rhythm on the other side of the ball, with the exception being their explosion on offense last week versus CG Finney.
If they hope to compete in this one their running backs, Jack Sutherland and Peter Daversa, will have to get going early, and the offensive line will have to outlast the talented Attica front – a task which has been impossible for each opponent on the Blue Devils’ schedule this season.
Led by Adam Weber and Phil Wilshire, the Attica defensive line has put on several outstanding displays thus far during 2014. Outmatching whoever has lined up against them, the size and strength of this group has really shown through time after time as the season has progressed. In addition to their apparent advantage defensively, I also believe the Blue Devils have the edge on the other side of the ball.
Equipped with perhaps the most talented running back in the league, Attica will come into this weekend’s contest with the ability to light up the scoreboard. Jake Strzelec, who returned from injury last week in a game where he scored 5 touchdowns, will present a unique challenge for Notre Dame that will be unlike anything that they have experienced so far this year. With adequate lateral quickness for such a big guy, along with the ability to truck any defender who steps in front of him, the Blue Devils’ RB is sure to force the Irish to bring more than one tackler to the ball each time he totes the rock.
Complimenting the Attica running game, Damien Marchetti, Derek Walker, and company have shown the ability to air the ball out when they need to this season. Walker, along with Alex Piechocki who also shares time with Strzelec at running back, provide their team with the athleticism that a great team needs along the outside on third down and in the red zone. In their game against Holley for example to begin the season, Attica threw the ball up to Piechocki several times, creating mismatches throughout the contest.
With Notre Dame’s strength defensively being stopping the run between the tackles and on sweep, it will be interesting to see how they can adapt to whatever the Blue Devils throw at them – whether it be a steady diet of their big running backs, or a few helpings of their highly-talented passing attack.
All in all, I expect a good game on Saturday, but that being said, I also foresee another victory for the Blue Devils on the horizon. From my point of view, I understand Attica to be the more physically-superior team, and I see their ability to win at the point of attack being the difference in this one. Although anything can happen in the game of football, give me the away team in this matchup.
Prediction: Attica 24 Notre Dame 12
Who do you think will win?
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