Andrean’s Tyler Vo is a sophomore. But he’s a savvy varsity veteran and shows that vs. Hobart. ‘He’s smart.’

Andrean sophomore Tyler Vo’s touchdown against Hobart on Friday night largely encapsulated his qualities as a wide receiver.

The 5-foot-9, 170-pounder has physical skills. But his football IQ also factors into the equation too.

“That play was all about the setup,” Andrean coach Chris Skinner said. “He had to sell a block to get those guys to bite and then leak up the sideline. That’s about being smart. It’s not about outrunning anybody. That’s being smart about settling on a block, letting them commit, and now there’s nobody over top.”

Vo’s 41-yard TD catch, on a pass from senior quarterback Brady Elish, capped his performance in the 59ers’ 17-7 Northwest Crossroads Conference win against visiting Hobart.

Vo finished with seven catches for 90 yards for the 59ers (4-1, 3-0), who are ranked No. 4 in the Class 2A coaches poll. He entered the game against the Brickies (4-1, 2-1), who are ranked No. 8 in the 4A coaches poll, with 17 catches for 259 yards and two TDs, all team highs.

“He’s a great receiver,” Elish said. “I love throwing to him. He has super good hands. He was just a freshman last year. Now he’s a sophomore this year, and he’s really advanced for his age. He’s one of my favorite targets on this team. It’s so easy throwing to him. You put it in his vicinity, and he catches the ball.

“His athleticism is off the charts. He’s fast. He runs his routes perfectly. He just knows our concepts really well. He knows how to run in this offense.”

Elish passed for 182 yards with one TD and one interception, and junior running back Ethan Reyna had 87 yards, including a 76-yard burst, and a TD.

For the Brickies, junior quarterback Aleks Tatum threw a 9-yard TD pass to junior wide receiver Stephen Miller.

Vo’s TD play was especially satisfying for him after he lost a fumble early in the second quarter.

“After the fumble, I felt so down on myself,” he said. “I kept on saying I needed a touchdown to get me back up. It got my confidence up a lot.

“It felt amazing. I loved it. It got me so hyped up.”

This season overall has been satisfying for Vo. Last year, he suffered a broken left collarbone — the same injury his brother Thomas, a 2022 Valparaiso graduate, suffered during his junior season — against Munster in Week 4 and didn’t return until Andrean’s Class 2A sectional final against Bremen.

“I have more plays for me this year,” Vo said. “Last year, I had a lot of plays too. But this year, I like how we can run the ball and pass the ball.”

Indeed, Vo had 30 catches for 270 yards, second on the team only to then-senior star Jimmy Finley, and a TD last season.

“He’s very talented,” Skinner said of Vo. “He’s smart — that’s very important in our offense. He was doing these kinds of things last year. Unfortunately, he broke his collarbone and missed some time. He did a good job of bulking up a little bit in the weight room.

“Obviously, he’s not a big guy. It’s about quickness. It’s about finding windows. It’s about understanding how to run routes.”

Andrean’s route toward the NCC title continues after defeating the Brickies for the first time since 2022.

“We know this is always a battle,” Skinner said. “I don’t even know how many years in a row it’s come down to the fourth quarter.

“I don’t want to downplay this game at all. But we never look ahead. I’m not a believer in that. Every week in the conference is an opportunity for us to stay undefeated in the conference. You know the stakes, but we don’t talk about it. I just told them you don’t peak in Week 5. It’s a good win. We have a lot of respect for them. But it’s a win.”

Vo appreciates that win.

“It’s very important,” he said. “It gives us a big step in the conference.”