2021 BluegrassPreps Mr. Football Watchlist (9/22)

[DevilMayCare]

Hergott and Anthony propel top ranked teams to victory in the season's biggest weekend yet; Speaking of  #1 teams... from Pikeville to Corbin, two of EKY's best display talents that transcend regional borders; And LCA's Moore steps down at quarterback, but steps up at receiver 
 

In alphabetical order:

Vinny Anthony (WR, Male)

Season to date: 14 reception for 396 yards and 4 touchdowns ; 1 kick return touchdown

Highlights: vs. Trinity

Week 5: Big stage: ✅ Big plays: ✅ Big win: ✅ Last Friday versus Trinity checked every box for Anthony's return to the watchlist. The future B1G baller gave Badger fans a glimpse of what to expect against the Shamrocks. His seven grabs for 164 yards and three scores is arguably the greatest performance of his Bulldog career. The highlight of the night: a back shoulder throw that Anthony high points before turning on the jets and striding to paydirt. 

 

Brady Clark (QB, Bardstown)

Season to date: 46/69 for 712 yards and 9 touchdowns with 1 interceptions ; 221 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns 

Highlights: vs. Spencer County

Week 5: Bardstown needed all of Clark's 313 yards of offense and four touchdowns, plus a second half shutout by the defense, to escape Spencer County with a 42-37 win. Prior to last week, he had run for 212 yards and three touchdowns in his career, which made his 111 rushing yards and two scores against the Bears a surprising and welcome addition to the Tigers' offense. He was picked off for the first time this year and just the fifth time in the last season and a half.

 

Cam Hergott (QB, Beechwood)

Season to date: 43/60 for 807 yards and 8 touchdowns with 0 interceptions ; 664 rushing yards and 9 touchdowns

Highlights: vs. CovCath

Week 5: The reigning Mr. Football wasted no time in making his presence felt against Covington Catholic in one of last week's most hyped contests. He tucked and ran on the opening snap, crossing up CovCath linebacker Aiden Jones on his way to a 62 yard pick-up. He ignited the second quarter in similar fashion as the first, except this time there were no white jerseys to impede his momentum to the endzone from fifty yards out. He only attempted five passes, but completed all of them, and ran for 173 yards and a couple of touchdowns. There was a bright light shone on this game and Hergott delivered a strong individual showing and a Beechwood win.

 

Joe Humphreys (QB, Daviess County)

Season to date: 122/182 for 1,496 yards and 15 touchdowns with 7 interception ; 160 rushing yards and 6 touchdowns

Highlights: vs. MNH

Week 5: Humphreys' arm took a back seat to his legs against Madisonville-North Hopkins. He did throw a pair of touchdown passes, but it's hard to top 151 rushing yards and four scores on the ground, and all on just five carries. His mobility has always been an asset, but this was a career best performance running the ball. This week, he faces a Marshall County team that he worked over for 381 yards of total offense and six touchdowns a year ago.

 

Clint McKee (RB, Graves County)

Season to date: 108 carries for 716 yards and 14 touchdowns ; 10 catches for 165 yards and a touchdown

Highlights: vs. Grayson County

Week 5: A highly efficient and productive night against Grayson County has moved McKee into a tie for the statewide lead in rushing touchdowns. He ran over the Cougars for 183 yards and four touchdowns on just nine carries. The district slate outside of Owensboro netted McKee over 1,000 from scrimmage and 18 touchdowns last year. Duplicating those numbers again this season won't do much to raise his stock against sub-par competition, but it should be enough to build a head of steam for the only game left that really matters for his candidacy.

 

Isaac McNamee (QB, Pikeville)

Season to date: 47/70 for 630 yards and 10 touchdowns with 2 interceptions

Highlights: vs. Belfry

Week 5: After finding themselves on the losing end of the scoreboard against Belfry in 17 of the previous 18 meetings (most of which were blowouts), Pikeville has now won three in a row over their rival. The latest installment resulted in a 29-0 Panthers win, due in no small part to the play of their star quarterback. McNamee completed a tidy 14 of 17 throws and connected on three touchdown passes. He'll share the field this week with two other watchlist performers, Mason Moore and Xavier Brown, as Pikeville heads to Lexington for a date with LCA.

 

Seth Mills (RB, Corbin)

Season to date: 56 carries for 585 yards and 8 touchdowns ; 7 receptions for 189 yards and 3 touchdowns ; 1 passing touchdown ; 1 pick-six 

Highlights: Mid-season

Week 5: Mills continued to show why he's one of the most dangerous and valuable playmakers around in Corbin's 52-6 pasting of Somerset. The Jumpers looked helpless trying to corral him on his two touchdowns, one of which was a short catch and long run. The other, an interception return. He added 60 yards rushing, for good measure. If you count the ground he covered on the pick-six, his eight touches totalled 211 yards.

 

Mason Moore (ATH, Lexington Christian Academy)

Season to date: 36 carries for 270 yards and 1 touchdowns ; 13 catches for 268 yards and 3 touchdowns ; 6/8 for 73 yards and a touchdown ; a blocked punt return touchdown ; one interception

Highlights: vs. LexCath

Week 5: With Drew Nieves back taking the snaps, Moore returned to his usual offensive role, catching instead of throwing. The move couldn't have come at a worse time for Lexington Catholic, who now had to contend with an LCA offense in full flight. The vertical passing game is now back in the picture, as evidenced by a beautiful Nieves deep ball hauled in by Moore for a score. All together, Moore caught seven passes for 139 yards and a touchdown, plus a rushing touchdown and the ensuing two point conversion to trigger the running clock in the Holy War.

 

Jack Sivori (QB, St. Xavier)

Season to date: 40/68 for 469 yards and 9 touchdowns with 4 interceptions ; 512 yards rushing and 7 touchdowns

Highlights: vs. Elder (OH)

Week 5: Put one in the win column for the Commonwealth against the GCL. We were working on an 0-fer versus Cincinnati's highly regarded Catholic football league before the Tigers come-from-behind win over Elder. Sivori was a consummate leader whose upper and lower body each had their moments, such as the 29 yard touchdown run that put X on top for good or the dime he dropped right over the shoulder of Mekhi Smith. On the night, he tallied 271 yards of total offense and 3 touchdowns. The brightest light in all of Kentucky high school football will shine his way this week as X and T meet at Cardinal Stadium.

 

Jadairion Smith (DL, Ballard)

Season to date: 39 tackles ; 13 tackles for loss ; 10.5 sacks

Highlights: vs. Butler

Week 5: Is there no one who can stop Smith's reign of terror on opposing quarterbacks? He's registered multiple sacks in three straight games after recording two more against Butler. And  he's not really one to discriminate between ball carriers, be it the ones taking snaps or the ones taking hand offs. If you have a ball in your hands, he will find you like a heat seeking missile. Manual's JaWaun Northington has the pleasure of evading Smith's relentless pursuit this week.

 

Noteworthy performances from Week 5:

Kylan Galbreath (RB/LB, Mayfield) - 5 carries for 148 yards and 2 touchdowns against Calloway County

Cole Lanter (WR, Boyle County) - 9 catches for 103 yards and a touchdown, plus a rushing touchdown against Bowling Green 

Easton Messer (ATH, CAL) - 195 yards from scrimmage and 4 total touchdowns, including a 100 yard pick-six against Owensboro Catholic

JaWaun Northington (RB, Manual) - 169 rushing yards and a touchdown, plus a passing touchdown against La Salle (OH)

Nic Schutte (QB, Male) - 14/20 for 222 yards and 3 touchdowns against Trinity

[DevilMayCare]

Covid cancellations, injuries, and underwhelming performances have left the watchlist a little on the leaner side the last couple of weeks, but Week 5 has fattened it back up. So many great performances last Friday.

[Brown]

Humphries has wheels (4.5 40 yard dash).  I think the interceptions are going to hurt him.  He has a chance if he can beat Hendo/McCracken/Apollo and go to semis in playoffs.