(Michael Kluge 5-10 285 Sr. OL/DL) |
As of late we have heard a lot about the nationally ranked Jesuit line returning this season. They are loaded up front and on the perimeter and should be an unquestioned #1 ranked team coming into 2012. That said the Aloha Warriors bring back a line that could not only compete, but potentially win the battle up front. That’s saying a lot, lets check the match ups…
Jesuit returns Andrew Kirkland (6-5 295 Sr. OL) and Max Rich (6-7 295 Sr. OL), two kids who have already received Pac 12 offers and are two of the more highly ranked athletes in the region. You can’t forget one of the strongest football players in the country in Doug Brenner (6-3 280 Sr. DE/C/TE), who can play multiple spots and was also offered by Oregon St last week. Brenner is ranked the #1 DL in Oregon by NEI.
Add in other line stand outs Dominic Baldocchi (6-3 265 Sr. OL/DL), Henry Mondeaux (6-4 230 Jr. TE/DE), Maka Moon (6-4 255 Sr. DL), Ryan Brown (6-6 265 Sr. OL), and Braden Nelson (6-2 260 Sr DL) and you have what amounts to one of the top lines in the country. Anybody averaging 6-5 280 across the board is going to be good, but these guys aren’t just big they are extremely athletic and coached by one of the best HS offensive line coaches in the country in John Andreas.
So who in their right mind thinks they can compete with this? The Aloha Warriors and for good reason. The 2010 State Champions have a special class to say the least, and we have seen multiple Warrior athletes break out on the NEI/Barton Regional Combine Tour.
Brayden Kearsley (6-5 300 Sr. OL) has become a household name and is considered one of the top lineman in the country. The soft BYU commit talks about his recruiting, and his talented teammates via video prior to one of our events above.
Two kids that have gone off over the spring and jumped up the recruiting boards have been Michael Kluge (5-10 285 Sr. OL/DL) and AJ McCollum (6-1 265 C/DE). Both have been dominant against all competition and MVP’d our regional combines. Kluge has set national high school bench press records, but its his football ability that sets him apart. He has completely dominated every top lineman he went against from his defensive spot and has unquestioned D1 ability. The height question continues to pop up on the recruiting front, but if there was ever a kid that could get past that it’s Kluge.
Both him and McCollum should be considered two of the better D lineman in the northwest. McCollum did some of the same at our event in Vancouver, and proved how talented he was with overwhelming 1 on 1 matchup wins against some of the northwest’s top kids. McCollum has jumped up our boards, and is a kid we are extremely excited about moving forward.
Add in Bryson Sullivan (6-4 250 Sr. TE/DE), NEI’s #1 ranked TE in Oregon and one of the NW’s top D ends, and you have a foursome that can most definitely rival Jesuit’s up front cast. Sullivan has been recovering from a knee surgery, but is as talented a two way threat as there is in the northwest.
The other big man that could have a huge year for the Warriors is Dre Johnson (6-3 320 SR. OL). He is considered one of Oregon’s top sleepers and could potentially have a very big year.
Regardless, don’t make any plans for the evening of October 19, 2012 at Jesuit HS. How can you not be excited about Doug Brenner and Michael Kluge knocking heads. Those two alone could be two of the 5 strongest football players in the nation with no exaggeration.
One of the most high profile kids in Oregon history, Thomas Tyner (6-1 210 Sr. RB) will get the biggest test of his career. Grant transfer Dominic Johnson (6-2 255 SR. FB/LB) should be an incredible blocking fullback for Tyner, and one cant help but think how can this Aloha run game be stopped?
Jesuit’s Player of the Year Candidate AJ Glass (6-1 195 Sr. RB/S) will get his opportunity to match Tyner after running for over 2000 yards and 25 Tds just a season ago. Glass went off as a junior and could break multiple school, conference, and even state records with the line in front of him.
I don’t think I can ever remember anticipating an Oregon line match up, like the one about to take place a little over 4 months from now. You will have 7-10 potential D1 kids battling for a Metro League Title, as both the Crusaders and Warriors will be ranked at the top of the polls. Be very excited for this 2012 season, it will be like none ever before.
(AJ McCollum 6-1 265 Sr. C/DL)
