“The Colando kid is very dangerous if you let him get loose.”: Jackson vs. Green Game Preview
Lucas Ecrement and Tyson Hunka Lead Their Teams into a Crucial Federal League Showdown, Featuring Key Players like Noah Colando and Evan Reed, with Both Sides Eyeing a Boost in the Federal League
Recently, it seems like Green and Jackson’s respective Federal League championship hopes in football are either heightened or derailed all together depending on the outcome of their early season matchup.
Jackson, as always, has a talented roster full of varsity veterans and newcomers. There are 20 returning lettermen for the Polar Bears; their 2023 season saw above average play with, in Jackson’s elite standards, below average results.
“Jackson has a very good football team.” Green head coach Mark Geis said.
Jackson has their dynamic junior, Lucas Ecrement, back from injury. During his sophomore year, Ecrement threw for 2,086 yards and 18 touchdowns, while rushing for 468 yards and two TDs before injuring his knee in a week ten loss at North Canton. This season, he’s had 48 completions on 81 attempts; he has 697 yards, eight TDs and two interceptions. Ecrement had 229 passing yards for three touchdowns against Mayfield last week; he only drifted outside the pocket once, where he was taken 2 yards the opposite way.
Ecrement’s top target, senior Noah Colando, hauled in three receptions for two touchdowns against Mayfield. Despite having only three catches, Colando racked up an impressive 153 receiving yards.
“The Colando kid is very dangerous if you let him get loose.” Geis said.
In terms of a dedicated rushing attack, Jackson has Kristian Satterfield. Satterfield turned his final season up a notch in week two, where he had 214 total rushing yards against Stow. Against Mayfield last week, he 64 rushing yards.
Jordan Warmath, a Jackson senior linebacker, has recorded 31 total tackles in 2024. Senior Zac Saleh currently has 35 tackles, with eight of those being tackles for loss. Linebacker Mitchell Braucher has three sacks so far, which is tied for the most in the Federal League.
Green’s quarterback, junior Tyson Hunka, plays in a similar style to Jackson’s improviser. Hunka had one of his best games to date against Hoover last week, he racked up 260 passing yards, three TDs and one interception on 13 completions. He runs the ball just as much as he passes, too; he had eleven run attempts for 27 yards in that same game.
Evan Reed, a Green junior, has proven to be a valuable bulldozer for his Bulldogs. He has 241 total rushing yards this season; his four touchdowns so far lead his team in the stat. His counterpart, junior Anthony McMichael III, had 28 yards in week three against Tallmadge.
“We strive for balance. We strive to be balanced; then we adjust in game accordingly to what we’re doing well, or what a team is giving us. We will be at our best when we can be balanced.” Geis said.
Green’s Dario Lombardi has also found himself being tied for the most in the Federal League; though, he’s a force on both lines.
Green senior receiver Anthony Fortunato had an incredible third down conversion against Hoover; his only reception was a shifty burst of speed through Hoover’s defense, where he took a catch 46 yards to the house. He also had a crucial interception in crunch time for the Bulldogs. AJ Fortunato, Anthony's identical twin brother, has been questionable after missing the past two weeks due to injury. If he returns at linebacker against Jackson, it could significantly impact the Bulldogs' defense.
One of biggest pieces in Green’s gameplan, senior all-Ohioan Antonio Martin, made his return last week after being sidelined with an ACL injury from basketball season. He made an immediate impact. Martin caught six passes for 60 yards and a touchdown against Hoover. Fittingly, his touchdown was the first score of that game.
Jackson secured a 20-13 victory last year; while two years ago, Green triumphed 29-28 with a 2-point conversion pass in the final 44 seconds. That win remains the Bulldogs' only victory over Jackson since joining the Federal League in 2015.
Jackson will aim to stretch Green’s defense by using wide formations, allowing Lucas Ecrement to exploit mismatches in the passing game while giving Kristian Satterfield lanes to run between the tackles. Defensively, Jackson will likely focus on containing Tyson Hunka by setting the edge and forcing him to stay in the pocket, minimizing his ability to scramble and create on the run. Linebackers will need to be disciplined in their pursuit to prevent big plays on the ground.
Green, meanwhile, will want to keep Jackson’s front seven on their heels by mixing in designed quarterback runs and short passes to slow down the pass rush. On defense, Green will look to pressure Ecrement by collapsing the pocket, forcing him to make quick decisions and limiting his ability to extend plays.
“Similar to playing Hoover, similar to playing Federal League competition…it will be a good football game.” Geis said.
The outcome will hinge on execution and in-game adjustments from both sides.
The Green Sports-Letter is proudly presented by 35° Brix, click their logo below to visit.
