Comparing the quarterbacks competing in the Class 5 state semifinal game

Quarterback Kaleb Eleby (5) looks over the Vianney defense before calling for the ball in the Class 5 quarterfinal match-up.

The quarterback is usually the star player on every football team, and with the Class 5 state semifinal game between Pattonville and Fort Zumwalt North on Saturday, Nov. 18, let’s take a closer look at the signal callers on both teams.

When you compare Pattonville’s quarterback Kaleb Eleby with Fort Zumwalt North’s quarterback Jack Ederer, their playing styles are very different.

Eleby is more of a pocket-passer quarterback who has 21 passing touchdowns and 2,373 passing yards. Ederer on the other hand is a more mobile quarterback with 17 passing touchdowns and only 1,412 passing yards on the season, but he is also the team’s leading rusher, gathering 1,320 yards on the ground.

Senior cornerback Charles Shelton elaborates on how the defense will stop Ederer.

“We just want to keep him contained,” Shelton said. “He can do a lot of dangerous things if he gets loose into open field.”

Defensively, Shelton has 3 interceptions this season and a total of 48 tackles, but it’s offensively that the two-way player dominates. Shelton leads Pattonville with 10 total receiving touchdowns and 672 receiving yards.

“I want to win. So if that means going as hard as I can to where they have to carry me off the field at the end of the game, thats’s what I’ll do,” Shelton said. “Every time I touch the ball I’ll run like the ground is on fire. Anything to put my team in a position to win the game.”