Key pieces to the puzzle: Check out five football players who will have significant impacts

QUINCY — The discussion of the best football player in the area starts and stops with Aneyas Williams. An argument could be made that the Hannibal senior running back, who has committed to the University of Notre Dame, is the top offensive talent in the state of Missouri.

If you talk quarterbacks, one name tops the list above all others. Quincy High School junior gunslinger Bradyn Little already owns all of the Blue Devils’ single-season and career passing records and he has two seasons left to add to those numbers.

That makes it easy to see why both Quincy and Hannibal are considered the top contenders to be the last area team standing come November.

If either is going to make it to Thanksgiving weekend or beyond — Illinois will play its state championship games November 24-25, while Missouri will play its title games December 2-3 — it takes more than one superstar. Use Camp Point Central’s run to the Class 1A state championship a year ago as a prime example.

Running back/linebacker Isaac Genenbacher earned all-state plaudits, but he was just one piece of a very talented puzzle.

So who are the players that will be pivotal pieces to success this season? These are the ones who might not be prominent on a stat sheet or find their way into headlines, but they will be crucial contributors every step of the way.

Here are five players who fit that mold and will need to be cornerstones of success:

Ryan Ross, Sr., Offensive line, Hannibal

The Pirates are going to be explosive. Williams alone makes that possible, but junior quarterback Waylon Anders is a burgeoning superstar. And as usual, the Pirates have athletes all over the field, but those athletes only get the ball and space to do something with it if the line is strong and stout.

Ross is as burly and a bully along the front line. He’s a road grader who is one piece of what is expected to be one of the best units around. What most people don’t realize is how nimble Ross is. An infielder on the Hannibal baseball team, Ross has great footwork, the ability to get out in front of ballcarriers and deliver downfield blocks and can lock up defensive linemen and move them out of the way.

Demarius Deverger, Jr., Defensive line, Quincy High School

Derverger emerged as a run-stopper and a gap-plugger as a sophomore and will be asked to create havoc up front for the Blue Devils. He’s strong, quick and has a knack for overpowering offensive linemen. The 6-foot-2, 260-pound lineman racked up 56 tackles last season and four sacks, which was second on the team.

Pairing Derverger with sophomore Todd Smith, who is 6-foot-5 and 265 pounds, gives the Blue Devils two space-eaters in the middle of the defensive front who will be difficult to move.

Reese Wilkey, Sr., Offensive guard/defensive tackle, Camp Point Central

Some of the players returning from the Panthers’ Class 1A state runner-up team from a year ago are better known commodities, but Wilkey’s versatility and flexibility sets him apart. He epitomizes the sprint-based attack Central employs, standing 6-foot and 185 pounds but using his quickness to be a dominant guard who is a devastating downfield blocker.

Defensively, Wilkey is a matchup nightmare along the defensive line. He totaled 67 tackles a year ago to go with two sacks, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble. Simply put, he’s extremely difficult to contain.

Collin Altgilbers, Sr., Offensive tackle/defensive end, Quincy Notre Dame

His commitment to the weight room in the offseason was impressive, and he fits the bill of being the sizable tackle the Raiders need to run behind, checking in at 6-foot-1, 210 pounds. The Raiders’ offensive line has experience with Ben Schwartz the anchor at center and Jackson Meyer returning at left tackle.

Altgilbers gives QND another bookend and a physical presence that will be needed against a loaded schedule, especially the first three weeks when the Raiders travel to Quincy High School and Richmond-Burton and face Mahomet-Seymour in the home opener.

Gabe Creel, Sr., Offensive line/defensive line, Monroe City

The Panthers will employ the Wing-T offense with a young, but talented backfield, meaning the presence of Creel and others, such as Jordan Walkup, will be vital up front. Still, Creel’s ability to get in the backfield from his defensive line position is where he will make the most impact.

Monroe City relied heavily on linebacker Ceaton Pennewell to be the thumper in year’s past, but Creel has the ability to be that guy this season, albeit from a different position. His diligent work in the offseason has made the 6-foot-1, 195-pound Creel stronger and quicker, which opposing quarterbacks and running backs need to be concerned about.