BluegrassPreps.com Mr. Football Watchlist (10/4)

[DevilMayCare]

Berger Takes His Game To Greater Heights

Or rather, Dixie Heights. And he definitely took it to the Red Colonels. They suffered two weeks worth of preparation, determination, and frustration from Mitchell Berger following his Blue Colonel debacle and the ensuing bye week. Berger had emerged as a Mr. Football frontrunner through the first month of the season before he ran head on into a brick wall in Park Hills. He went from a career worst rushing performance against CovCath to a career best against Dixie Heights. His first two carries went for long touchdowns and there was very little let up from there. The Tigers dominated Dixie up front, allowing Berger ample room to pick up a career high 234 yards and five touchdowns. He followed up each of his scores with a made extra point, giving him 35 of Beechwood's 37 points on the night. Rounding out his triple threat talents, Berger provided snapshots of his defensive prowess, finishing his tackles as emphatically as he finished his runs.
 

Jones Dabbles In A Little "Wood" Working, Begins To Create Some Separation From District Rival

Woodford County had both hands full with Jacob Jones for a half. He looked every bit the part of Mr. Football for twenty-four minutes, scoring all four touchdowns for the Colts to keep them within a score of 5A's #2 team at halftime. Every time the Jackets scored in the first half, Jones answered, be it with his arm or legs, and sometimes both in the same play. WOFO solved his puzzle in the second half to pull away, but Jones' stock rose a little in defeat with 381 total yards (242 passing/139 rushing) and five touchdowns. 

Fortunately for Kenyon Goodin, stats are only part of the Mr. Football equation, because he is falling off the preposterous pace set by Jones. There's nothing pedestrian about Goodin's abilities, but his 289 yards and four touchdowns against Whitley County seem routine in comparison. The head to head with Jones on October 21st will have some bearing on where they ultimately fall in the voting, but his West Jess counterpart is beginning to pull away at the moment with a decided edge in both numbers and strength of schedule. 

 

Pulaski Duo Leaving Opposing Defenses Feeling Marooned On The Scoreboard

Johnny Hines' offenses have a strong track record in recent years of producing great quarterbacks and receivers. Names like Jake Johnson (state's all time leader in receptions and yards), Jake Sloan, Wiley Cain, and Riley Hall are splashed all over the KHSAA record books. Following the greats of the recent past, Brysen Dugger and Chandler Godby are carving out their own legacies at Pulaski County with stellar senior campaigns. Godby had a standout junior year to build on, but Dugger has been a revelation after taking the quarterback baton from injury plagued Drew Polston, another gifted signal caller in his own right. He ranks sixth in the state in passing yards and third in touchdown passes in his first full season taking the snaps. Godby has surely made for a smooth transition for his quarterback as the statewide leader in the triple crown receiving categories - receptions, yards, and touchdowns. They were both on their game last week in a blowout of South Laurel with Dugger completing 16 of 19 throws for nearly three hundred yards and five touchdowns. Godby reeled in all five scores and accounted for 211 receiving yards. 

It may take a state championship run by Pulaski County for either to have a shot at this, but there is a precedent for Maroons on the watchlist. Cain and Tristan Cox have appeared in past seasons, while Hall and Johnson were finalists for the award. Godby and Dugger are longshots, but they've earned a place here this week.

 

Odds And Ends

- The acres of space he enjoyed a week earlier shrunk considerably against Madison Central, but Blake Birchfield still cracked the century mark in another decisive blowout of a highly ranked opponenet. One of the hallmarks of a great back is getting what you can when the space isn't there. Birchfield can run wild and free against LCA or grind out the hard yards against a 6A school that's typically sturdy, defensively. 

- Jakob Dixon snagged three touchdown receptions on as many catches against Iroquois. The current stretch of schedule does him no favors, but upcoming opportunities against Manual and St. Xavier might.

- Speaking of the reigning 6A champions, Micah Carter and the St. X defense put Ryle in a chokehold for a shutout win in Week 7. The Tigers yielded around 30 yards of offense to the Raiders, with Carter recording a sack and forcing a turnover, as well as helping completely snuff out any threat of a running game for the opposition. 

- With a disappointing opener now in the distant past, Travis Egan is putting together an impressive body of work. He's attempted over a hundred passes and thrown for fifteen touchdows since his last interception. His most recent outing produced four total scores for Bullitt East in a rout of Danville.
 

Players Highlighted This Week

Mitchell Berger (RB/LB, Beechwood)

Season to date: 94 rushes for 848 yards and 16 touchdowns | 16 receptions for 203 yards and 2 touchdowns | 1 forced fumble and 2 recovered | 15/15 on extra points | 1/1 on field goals

Highlights: vs. Dixie Heights

 

Jacob Jones (QB, West Jessamine)

Season to date: 105/170 for 1,689 yards and 20 touchdowns with 3 interception | 1,365 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns

Highlights: vs. Woodford County

 

Kenyon Goodin (QB/DB, Collins)

Season to date: 84/134 for 1,208 yards and 15 touchdowns with 3 interceptions | 735 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns | 28 tackles | 1 pick-six | 1 forced fumble and 1 recovered 

Highlights: vs. Whitley County

 

Brysen Dugger (QB, Pulaski County)

Season to date: 117/163 for 1,679 yards and 20 touchdowns with 3 interceptions | 179 rushing yards and 6 touchdowns 

 

Chandler Godby (WR, Pulaski County)

Season to date: 56 receptions for 1,041 yards and 16 touchdowns | 1 pick-six | 1 kick return touchdown

Highlights: vs. South Laurel

 

Blake Birchfield (RB, Pikeville)

Season to date: 107 carries for 920 yards and 14 touchdowns | 1 interception 

 

Jakob Dixon (WR, Pleasure Ridge Park)

Season to date: 26 receptions for 624 yards and 9 touchdowns

 

Micah Carter (DL, St. Xavier)

Season to date: 37 tackles | 5 tackles for loss | 4 sacks | 1 forced fumble 

Highlights: vs. Ryle

 

Travis Egan (QB, Bullitt East)

Season to date: 89/135 for 1,121 yards and 16 touchdowns with 3 interception | 339 rushing yards and 7 touchdowns | 1 defensive interception

[Voice of Reason]

Re Berger, he also is Beechwood's punter. One of his 50 yard+ punts against Dixie was downed at the 1 yard line and led to the safety Beechwood got against Dixie, so you could say he had a hand in all 37 of Beechwood's points.  Berger has hit numerous 50 yard+ punts with hangtime throughout the year and at least a 1/2 dozen of his punts have been downed inside the ten. 

 I will also add that when Beechwood needs a big kick off, Berger does the kickoffs. He can put the ball in the end zone on kickoffs.

The young man is a special athlete.  I have said several times this year that if Berger was able to focus on punting more, he could be a college punter. If he was able to spend more time on place kicking, he could be a college level place kicker.

[Geek61]

Although I must admit I don’t stay up on it every year, but I don’t recall another Mr. Football candidate like Berger. IMO, a true “Mr Football.”Offensive and Defensive star and adding in kicking and punting. More importantly, a great representative for his school and KY HS sports.  

[Geek61]

5 minutes ago, Voice of Reason said:

Re Berger, he also is Beechwood's punter. One of his 50 yard+ punts was down at the 1 yard line and led to the safety Beechwood got against Dixie, so you could say he had a hand in all 37 of Beechwood's points.  Berger has hit numerous numerous 50 yard+ punts with hangtime throughout the year and at least a 1/2 dozen of his punts have been downed inside the ten. 

 I will also add that when Beechwood needs a big kick off, Berger does the kickoffs. He can put the ball in the end zone on kickoffs.

The young man is a special athlete.  I have said several times this year that if Berger was able to focus on punting more, he could be a college punter. If he was able to spend more time on place kicking, he could be a college level place kicker.

I was typing my response when you posted this.  Couldn’t agree more.  I love to watch him punt.  He’s an artist, whether they need a precise 40 yarder or booming all max yardage, he’s gotten it done. Deep in the playoffs this is going to be a difference maker. 

[ImJustHere]

Is Berger the favorite right now? Aside from his game versus Cov Cath he looks undeniable. 

[DevilMayCare]

On 10/4/2022 at 12:45 PM, Voice of Reason said:

Re Berger, he also is Beechwood's punter. One of his 50 yard+ punts against Dixie was downed at the 1 yard line and led to the safety Beechwood got against Dixie, so you could say he had a hand in all 37 of Beechwood's points.  Berger has hit numerous 50 yard+ punts with hangtime throughout the year and at least a 1/2 dozen of his punts have been downed inside the ten. 

 I will also add that when Beechwood needs a big kick off, Berger does the kickoffs. He can put the ball in the end zone on kickoffs.

The young man is a special athlete.  I have said several times this year that if Berger was able to focus on punting more, he could be a college punter. If he was able to spend more time on place kicking, he could be a college level place kicker.

 

On 10/4/2022 at 12:47 PM, Geek61 said:

Although I must admit I don’t stay up on it every year, but I don’t recall another Mr. Football candidate like Berger. IMO, a true “Mr Football.”Offensive and Defensive star and adding in kicking and punting. More importantly, a great representative for his school and KY HS sports.  

 

5 hours ago, ImJustHere said:

Is Berger the favorite right now? Aside from his game versus Cov Cath he looks undeniable. 

Mitchell Berger caters more to my definition of "best football player" than anyone else in recent memory. He's a modern day Paul Hornung. He runs it, catches it, tackles it, and kicks it, and he does it all in a way that would merit All-State honors at three different positions. Maybe Beechwood's OC can work in a few halfback passes somewhere along the way. We know he's got an arm good enough that he might not even play college football.

In the interest of not showing singular favoritism, Ty Bryant is another. He's  probably an All-State shoe-in at defensive back and the last player you'd want to kick the ball to. He'd run for a bunch of yards and touchdowns as the feature back for 98% of the schools in the state, but Douglass has the luxury of being selective about his offensive touches. 

There are exceptions, but players that impact the game in a variety of ways appeal to me more.

[DearToday]

I wouldn’t count out Jacob Jones. Puts up video game numbers every week. Reminds you some of Joe Humphries as far as numbers go.