FB: Van Dyke, Jimison put on a show

During the preseason we named Alex Van Dyke Jr. from Cosumnes Oaks of Elk Grove as our No. 7 WR prospect in the state and that may have been too low as he put on a highlight reel worthy performance in a 40-21 win by the Wolfpack on Friday over Vista del Lago of Folsom 40-21.

With the score tied at 7-7 Alex Van Dyke Jr. made his first big catch of the game in the final seconds of the first quarter as he went 59 yards for a score to finish the first quarter with four catches for 109 yards and a touchdown.

Vista del Lago quickly responded as Matt Jimison found Tyler Kaim for a 5-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 14 but the Eagles had little time to celebrate. On their very next offensive play, the Wolfpack’s Alex Kropp found standout L.J. Reed and he made guys miss and then outran several defenders to complete an 80-yard TD. It gave Cosumnes Oaks a 20-14 lead it never surrendered.

Kropp and Van Dyke Jr.’s big first half wouldn’t end there. On the next offensive possession, the two connected for an 82-yard touchdown pass to extend the lead to 26-14. Kropp completed 13 of his 18 pass attempts for 357 yards and four touchdowns in just the first half. It included eight straight completions and a six-throw span he had four touchdown passes. Van Dyke Jr. ended the first half with six catches for 202 yards and two touchdowns.

Almost looking like they were trying to run out the clock for most of the second half, the lone touchdown pass of the second half came on a trick play as Kropp found Reed on a backwards pass and Reed then chucked it down field to Van Dyke Jr., who out-jumped his defender and walked into the end zone for a 49-yard touchdown.

Kropp finished the night 15 of 26 for 381 yards and four touchdowns while Van Dyke Jr. ended with nine catches for 266 yards and three touchdowns while also making sure his quarterback smiled for the picture we had them take together after the game. Reed finished with three catches for 92 yards and a touchdown while also throwing a touchdown pass. Junior Sammy Gray scored the game’s final touchdown with just over two minutes remaining as he was handed the ball and 79 yards later he was standing in the end zone for six points.

Matt Jimison’s arm got quite the workout for Vista del Lago as he finished 48 of 71 for 422 yards and three touchdowns. The 71 passing attempts will get him a spot in our Cal-Hi Sports state record book and is almost a state record as the state record stands at 75 passing attempts in a game set earlier this season by Trey Tinsley from El Toro. The Eagles had just three rushing attempts on the night and they were all by Jimison on what looked to be designed pass plays.