Championship Top Performers: Amite vs. Many

Amite had waited a full year for another shot at Many after a heart-breaking quarterfinal loss. And, even on the biggest stage of Louisiana high school football, the Warriors were more than ready for the occasion with a dominant, near-shutout performance in an eventual 17-6 victory. Here were several of the top performers. <strong>AMITE</strong> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="137105" first="Liam" last="Adamson"] (2022)</strong> <strong>5-6, 145 K/P</strong> The state championship was a storybook ending for the Warriors’ specialist, who had to be helped off the field injured on a roughing-the-kicker play as a freshman in 2018. Adamson worked his way not only back onto the field during the past couple years, but into one of Louisiana’s best kickers and punters. And back in the Superdome, as he’d envisioned, he was able to make key impacts for Amite with his well-placed punts downed inside the 20, including one inside the 5 late in the second quarter to help set him up for a 34-yard field goal before halftime for the game’s first points. <strong>Ja’Marion Dunomes (2022)</strong> <strong>5-10, 165 DB</strong> Another comeback story for Amite in the athletic defensive back, who suffered a season-ending injury early his junior year and returned as one of the team’s most impactful players as a senior. Many didn’t pass much Friday, but Dunomes was able to deflect one or two of the nine aerial attempts. And he showed his comfort level coming downhill and helping contain the run, including a fourth-down stop. <strong>Earl Jackson (2022)</strong> <strong>6-0, 195 ATH </strong> "E.J." made plays in all three phases for the Warriors, including a team-high 84 all-purpose yards and a 9-yard touchdown run to push the lead to an ultimately insurmountable 17-0. Jackson caught three passes for 61 yards, returned a punt 17 yards and helped make a couple key tackles on defense. <strong>Jalen Robinson (2023)</strong> <strong>6-1, 155 QB</strong> The junior quarterback rushed eight times for 32 yards, including the 17-yard dash that stretched a 3-0 lead to 10-0, and completed six of his 13 passes for 109 yards, including a 45-yarder to Jackson. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="187024" first="Zamian" last="Waller"]</strong> <strong>6-1, 315 DT</strong> The big men up front, Waller and Deshun Martin, helped plug the running lanes Many would have feasted on against most other opponents. The seniors set the tone in the middle, forced the Tigers to the outside against the Warriors’ speedier defenders and helped keep linebackers free to pursue and make big plays near or behind the line. <strong>Ashton Wilson</strong> <strong>6-0, 245 LB/DL</strong> The senior earned Outstanding Player honors for his disruptive presence in the box to lead the Warriors’ near-shutout effort. Wilson consistently stayed free of or shed blockers to make his way quickly through lanes to the backfield or the perimeter to help contain plays the Tigers attempted to bounce outside. &nbsp; <strong>MANY</strong> <strong>Garet Culverson (2023)</strong> <strong>6-2, 185 LB</strong> Many’s most well-known prospect is [player_tooltip player_id="138353" first="Tackett" last="Curtis"], but another junior linebacker was also among its top performers Friday. Culverson was active from the outset getting into the Amite backfield and chasing Robinson around, including a pair of sacks. He also dove quickly on a ricocheting fumbled snap to recover possession. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="138353" first="Tackett" last="Curtis"] (2023)</strong> <strong>6-2, 205 LB/DB/ATH</strong> The junior star rushed eight times for 31 yards and completed a couple passes for 27 yards, but made his biggest impact on his more natural side of the ball as a heat-seeking missile of physicality. Curtis repeatedly showed his speed downhill and explosive tackling ability on contact. <strong>Blake Matkin (2023)</strong> <strong>6-0, 195 TE/DL</strong> Another junior defensive standout for the Warriors, Matkin was right there with Culverson on one play after another near or behind the line of scrimmage, including a couple tackles for loss and a pursuit that helped turn into Culverson’s 14-yard sack. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="139482" first="Tylen" last="Singleton"] (2024)</strong> <strong>6-2, 200 DB/ATH</strong> One of the top players on the field excelled, even in a challenging matchup against Mississippi State-committed [player_tooltip player_id="136480" first="Javae" last="Gilmore"]. Singleton flew all over the field in tight coverage and broke up multiple passes with his speed and long arms or jarring strength. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="136796" first="London" last="Williams"] (2022)</strong> <strong>5-10, 175 RB</strong> The Tigers’ lead running back capped his ultra-productive senior season with his team’s Outstanding Player honors and a game-high 127 all-purpose yards in the defensive slugfest. Williams rushed 22 times for 101 yards and Many’s only touchdown and returned his lone kickoff 20 yards.