article Bluegrasspreps Mr. Football Watchlist (11/6)

Front Runners

 

Beau Allen (QB, Lexington Catholic)

 

Week 11: In their regular season finale, Allen and the Knights scored more than twice as many points (31) against Frederick Douglass as the Broncos' other nine opponents combined (14). Allen played a vital role in pushing the Broncos harder than anyone has this year, but alas, a landmark first victory by a Fayette County school over Douglass was beyond LexCath's grasp. Allen threw for 286 yards with one touchdown through the air and another on the ground.

 

Season to date: 224/329 for 3,311 yards and 34 TDs/6 ints. - 418 yards rushing/10 TDs

 

 

 

Reed Lanter (QB, Boyle County)

 

Week 11: Lanter only played as long as it took to run the clock against Madison Southern. In a half of play, he completed 11 of 19 throws for 141 yards and two touchdowns. His TD/int ratio was cut in half after he threw his second interception of the season. He now sets his sights on the playoffs, where he sports an impressive ratio of 22/2 with an 8-1 record.

 

Season to date: 119/166 for 2,141 yards and 26 TDs/2 int.

 

 

 

Michael Mayer (TE/LB, Covington Catholic)

 

Week 11: The Colonels were off last week. They begin postseason play this Friday against Cooper.

 

Season to date: 33 catches for 676 yards and 11 TDs - 3 carries for 37 yards and a TD - 66 tackles/1.5 sacks/3 int./1 pick-six/3 forced fumbles

 

 

 

Reese Smith (WR/S, Boyle County)

 

Week 11: With a mild ankle injury carrying over from the week before, Smith saw very little action against Madison Southern. His one catch for 11 yards represent season lows, but all can be forgiven under the circumstances.

 

Season to date: 37 catches for 1,055 yards and 14 touchdowns - 15 carries for 116 yards and 3 rushing TDs - 20 tackles/4 ints.

 

 

 

 

Locks

 

Malachi Corley (RB/WR/DB, Campbellsville)

 

Week 11: Corley sat out his second game in a row and third overall this season. With Bethlehem coming up in a win or go home scenario, Corley's participation might be necessary to extend the Eagles' season. Even with him, Campbellsville eked out a 48-42 win over Bethlehem a few weeks ago.

 

Season to date: 46 rushes for 530 yards and 10 TDs - 21 catches for 606 yards and 9 TDs - 54 tackles/4 forced fumble/1 fumble recovery - 1 punt return touchdown

 

 

 

Izayah Cummings (WR, Male)

 

Week 11: Opportunities for high impact plays in the passing game were scant as the Bulldogs turned to their running game to escape Manual Stadium with a 22-21 win, preserving an undefeated regular season. Cummings only caught two balls for 26 yards, but his tenacious blocking was surely beneficial with Male chewing up yardage on the ground.

 

Season to date: 47 catches for 870 yards and 9 TDs

 

 

 

Franklin Hayes (WR, McCracken County)

 

Week 11: McCracken had to overcome a whirlwind of emotions and a winless, but defiant, Christian County squad to avoid a huge upset loss. Leading just 13-7 in the third quarter, the Mustangs lost star running back Hunter Bradley to a severe leg injury. Fortunately for McCracken, the Wheat to Hayes connection was able to pick them up and help deliver a win. Hayes continued his climb up the state's single season record books with three more touchdown receptions on as many catches. His 24 TD grabs places him at seventh on the all time single season list, leaving him four shy of tying the state record. At this pace, he should only need two more games at the most.

 

Season to date: 59 catches for 1,435 yards and 24 TDs

 

 

 

Jeriah Hightower (RB, Madisonville-North Hopkins)

 

Week 11: Despite the loss, Hightower had a very productive night against Mayfield. His output - 190 yards and three touchdowns - is exactly the type of performance you hope to see from him against a marquee opponent. Two of his scores came back to back, pulling the Maroons within two and then putting them ahead in the fourth quarter. Unfortunately, they were unable to hang on for the win.

 

Season to date: 233 rushes for 2,231 yards and 23 TDs

 

Mayfield High School - Jeriah Hightower highlights - Hudl

 

 

 

Octavious Oxendine (DT, North Hardin)

 

Week 11: North Hardin put away Pleasure Ridge Park 48-20, with Oxendine collecting a modest four tackles, including two behind the line of scrimmage. The Trojans enter the playoffs with 6A's #1 scoring defense.

 

Season to date: 43 tackles/9 TFL/12 sacks

 

 

 

Walker Parks (OT/DL, Frederick Douglass)

 

Week 11: Parks is mostly known for his blocking prowess as an offensive tackle, but it was his defensive contributions that stood out most against Lexington Catholic. The Knights had their hands full keeping him out of their backfield, with Parks making several stops behind the line of scrimmage, including 2.5 sacks of Beau Allen.

 

Season to date: 28 tackles/9.5 TFL/5.5 sacks - The Broncos are averaging 8 yards per carry and have only allowed one sack this season.

 

 

 

Jayden Stinson (QB, Mayfield)

 

Week 11: Up 36-13 at the half, it appeared that the Cardinals were going to coast to victory over Madisonville-North Hopkins behind a razor sharp performance from Stinson. But the Maroons refused to go quietly into the night, storming back to turn what looked like a possible blowout into a shootout. Stinson was picked off twice in the second half, including a pick-six, to allow MNH to pull even and eventually take a brief lead in the fourth quarter. His defense and kicker helped bail him out with an interception with under three minutes left to help set up the game winning field goal. His two picks give him nine this season after just four in fifteen games last year, but all's well that ends well, right? He finished with 320 yards and four touchdowns and, along the way, became Mayfield's all time leading passer. Yeah, it was an eventful night in Madisonville.

 

Season to date: 132/204 for 2,567 yards and 33 TDs/9 ints.

 

 

 

 

On The Bubble

 

Jayden Barnhardt (QB, Lexington Christian Academy)

 

Week 11: Barnhardt's 300 passing yards and three touchdowns helped send the Eagles into the postseason on a high note with a 35-7 win over 1A #3 Paintsville. Included among LCA's last six games are wins over Lexington Catholic, Williamsburg, Somerset, and now Paintsville. He's accounted for 16 touchdowns in those four games.

 

Season to date: 155/257 for 2,496 yards and 27 TDs/9 ints. - 441 rushing yards and 8 TDs

 

 

 

Charles Collins (RB/DB, Breathitt County)

 

Week 11: Collins has spent the season lingering in the outskirts of the watchlist. He's clearly one of the best players in small school football, but he was lacking that one performance that made him impossible to ignore. In the eleventh hour - or in this case, week - he delivered the missing puzzle piece. He's forced his way into the conversation with 281 yards rushing and seven touchdowns in Breathitt's 56-22 pasting of Pike County Central. Collins is averaging nearly 16 yards per carry and a touchdown every three rushes. If you're thinking, "but their schedule…", you're not out of bounds. Breathitt's schedule is lacking, but he would produce no matter where he played. He just surpassed 5,000 career rushing yards last Friday and has a shot to join the 100 touchdown club with a deep playoff run. He currently has 91 career trips to the endzone.

 

Season to date: 77 rushes for 1,218 yards and 27 TDs - one kickoff return TD - 41 tackles/1 sack

 

C.A. "Geeny" Collins 2

ttt

If I'm putting a ballot of finalists together, it's:

 

Beau Allen

Reed Lanter

Reese Smith

Michael Mayer

Jayden Stinson

If I'm putting a ballot of finalists together, it's:

 

Beau Allen

Reed Lanter

Reese Smith

Michael Mayer

Jayden Stinson

 

The winner will be Allen, Lanter, or Smith because of voter bias, as much as anything.