Lutz, October 18, 2019- TGIF, it’s here. Week 8 ball is upon us and we’re presenting you with the other standout prospect, as promised, whos contributions are thriving as a game-defining playmaker. For your football Friday, we give you senior gunslinger and Florida International University commit, Haden Carlson. Let’s get up to date on how the warriors have showcased such an unstoppable win streak as playoff match-making slowly creep their way into the conversation.
As a faily new team established just a decade ago, Steinbrenner’s been all gas no brakes this season as a Class 8A powerhouse program (finished at 6-5 in 2018 mind you), ranked 54th in the sunshine state they’ve recorded a 7-0 overall and 2-0 in their district 7 standings. The Warriors are sitting pretty at number 1 of 78 teams in their Class 8A standings. Steinbrenner has the most scores posted with 344 Points For and a mere 49 Points Allowed all season (lights out D-FENCE- 23 sacks, 10 INTs, 58 TPG, 406 total tackles with 84 TFLs) in those same Class 8A standings; they also lead the pack of 5 teams in their district (Alonso, Plant, Palm Harbor, and Wharton) with 96 points scored and only 7 against them.
The first apparent trait you realize from watching Carlson is his impressive accuracy wherever he sees an open set of familiar hands. He does take most snaps predominately from the shotgun position (as many HS QBs do), but if he is flushed out of the pocket, you can bet he’ll make something out of nothing with his legs; dangerously elusive as a 6’3″ 200-pound, dual-threat signal-caller. His chemistry with his pass-catchers is a bond yet to be broken and that speaks volumes to the effortless ways they’ve been able to move those chains so efficiently throughout this 2019 campaign.
As a four-year man for the warriors, the senior captain has amassed quite the stat-line (career: 3,201 passing yards, 252 completions, 31 pass TDs, 5 rush TDs, and counting according to MaxPreps). This season though in his final ride through seven matchups played, Haden and his receiving company have led the team to a hefty 176.9 receiving yards per game. Personally, he’s thrown for 1,069 yards with 82 completions on 128 attempts, 18 passing scores, 1 rush TD on 11 carries for 21 yards, totaling a 126.6 QBR, showed off his boot with 2 punts good for 82 yards with one landing inside the 20-yard line and has protected the ball well, with only 1 measly interception.
The Steinbrenner Warriors (7-0) will seek to keep the flawless streak alive on their own stomping grounds (3-0 with the home crowd) when they take on the Palm Harbor Hurricanes (4-4) tonight at 7:30 p.m.
Vaughan Sixbury, BCP Contributor