2022 Roy Kidd Bowl Top Performers
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The moment we have all been waiting for is finally here, the 2022 high school football season has officially begun! To open the season, I had the pleasure of watching two of the top teams in the state of Kentucky…
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Continue ReadingThe moment we have all been waiting for is finally here, the 2022 high school football season has officially begun! To open the season, I had the pleasure of watching two of the top teams in the state of Kentucky face off against each other. The Madison Central Indians hosted the Lexington Christian Academy Eagles in this year’s Roy Kidd Bowl. In a very back and forth game, the Indians won the game 38-34 on a touchdown in the final seconds of the game, giving head coach Mike Holcomb his 300th career win. While there was a ton of talent on the field on both sides, here are the players that stood out to me the most.
To kick things off for the winning team, my Player of the Game for Friday night if I had to choose would be wide receiver Jayden West Jayden West 6’3″ | 165 lbs | ATH Madison Central | 2023 State KY . He was a nightmare for the LCA defense on the outside all game, showing the speed to pose as a deep threat and route running ability to create separation anywhere on the field. West also showed very impressive contested catch ability, catching three touchdown passes in the corner of the end zone, including the game winner. He was also impressive on defense, lining up at corner and coming away with an interception, while also having a couple impressive kickoff returns. Jayden currently holds one offer from Eastern Kentucky but definitely put college coaches on notice last night!
Next up is the young man that was throwing West the ball, Hagan Harrison Hagan Harrison 6’2″ | 200 lbs | QB Madison Central | 2023 State KY . I was very impressed with Harrison’s mobility last night. He showed the ability to keep his eyes down the field when scrambling out of the pocket and throw on the run or simply tuck the ball and run. As a ball carrier, he showed impressive speed and elusiveness in the open field but also showed the strength to run over defenders. As a passer, he showed off a very impressive deep ball while also showing solid accuracy in the short and intermediate passing game. Hagan is also a talented basketball player so it remains to be seen which sport he will play at the next level but he definitely has the talent to be a college quarterback.
Highlights
If you follow high school football in the state of Kentucky, Malachi Wood Malachi Wood 6’8″ | 280 lbs | OL Madison Central | 2023 State KY is a name that you should already know. Wood stands out on the field as he is a massive left tackle, measuring in at 6’8″, 280 pounds. He is very athletic for his size, showing the ability to get back into his pass sets quickly and mirror opposing pass rushers. In the run game, he is a physical blocker who has an explosive first step and creates movement off the line of scrimmage. Wood also played defensive end where he showed the ability to win off the edge and put pressure on the quarterback. Malachi is committed to Kentucky and I expect him top develop into a very solid player for them at the next level.
Brady Hensley Brady Hensley 6’0″ | 200 lbs | RB Lexington Christian Academy | 2024 State KY is a player that I have been very impressed with when evaluating film this summer as I came into this game with him as my top running back in the state in the class of 2024. In my first time seeing him in person, he definitely lived up to my expectations! Hensley is a physical, downhill runner that hits the hole with a sense of urgency. He has the ability to run over defenders and also showed off an impressive spin move in the open field on multiple occasions. Hensley was a big part of the Madison Central offense, finishing with the game with two touchdowns. He also started at inside linebacker and did a great job of coming downhill and laying hits on ball carriers both in the open field and in the gaps. Brady currently holds an offer from Eastern Kentucky but I expect more to come over the next two seasons as he is a very talented football player.
A new name that jumped out to me in this game is defensive back Brock Eads Brock Eads 5’10” | 165 lbs | ATH Madison Central | 2023 KY . He showed the ability to play all over the secondary, lining up at both safety and corner. Eads was impressive in both man and zone coverage, but he stood out the most against the run. Throughout the game, he did a great job of filling the lane against the run and making tackles in the open field. He had the hardest hit of the game, causing a game changing fumble in the fourth quarter. Eads also was dangerous on special teams, using his speed to pick up big gains on kickoff returns. Brock doesn’t currently hold any offers but he should be on college radars as he has the talent to play somewhere at the next level.
Moving on to the Eagles, quarterback Cutter Boley Cutter Boley 6’5″ | 200 lbs | QB Lexington Christian Academy | 2024 State KY has been arguably the most impressive player I have watched so far this season and continued to impress in his first regular season game as the Eagles’ starting quarterback. Boley finished the game with 367 passing yards for three touchdowns and an interception while also rushing for a touchdown. He showed a very impressive arm, launching the ball for multiple 50+ yard touchdowns. I was also impressed with his poise in the pocket as he stood tall and moved throughout the pocket to avoid pressure. Boley also showed solid accuracy and the ability to tuck and run the ball when nothing was there. Cutter currently holds a long list of Power 5 offers and I expect that list to continue to expand over the next few years.
Drew Nieves
Drew Nieves
A player that I hadn’t gotten to watch yet this season that stood out to me for the Eagles was Drew Nieves. After leading LCA to two state championship games as a quarterback, Nieves made the move to receiver with the arrival of Boley. Nieves impressed in his first game at his new position, showing impressive speed in the deep passing game. He started off the game for the Eagles, running past his defender and scoring on a deep touchdown pass. Nieves also showed the ability to make defenders miss in the open field to pick up yards after the catch and the athleticism to go up and win jump balls. He also played defensive back and came away with an interception while also showing the ability to provide support against the run. Drew currently holds an offer from Union College but I expect more to come as he has the skill set to play multiple positions at the next level.
A player that I’ve had on my watch list in the city of Lexington coming into this season was senior running back, J’Veontae Emerson J’Veontae Emerson 6’1″ | 225 lbs | RB Lexington Christian Academy | 2023 KY . Emerson had an impressive game for the Eagles, scoring two touchdowns on the ground. He is a physical downhill runner that is very tough to bring down on first contact. Emerson also played defensive end and had some solid reps against Wood. He did a great job of squeezing the edge against the run and getting to the football while also applying pressure on the quarterback as a pass rusher. J’Veontae currently has an offer from Union College and I expect more to come for him as he has been receiving college interest and has the talent to be a solid player at the next level.
Garrison McKinney Garrison McKinney 6’2″ | 280 lbs | OL Lexington Christian Academy | 2024 State KY has been one of my top offensive linemen in the state that I have evaluated this off-season and he lived up to my expectations on Friday. McKinney did a great job of getting back into his pass sets to protect Boley’s blindside at left tackle. He also showed very good hand strength as he made it very difficult for defenders to shed his blocks when he got inside position. In the run game, he showed a strong first step and impressive mauling ability, driving his man down the field. McKinney currently holds an offer from Eastern Kentucky and I expect more to come over the next two seasons as he has true Division I talents.
Evan Brown Evan Brown 6’0″ | 160 lbs | ATH Lexington Christian Academy | 2023 State KY is a player that I have been very impressed with at defensive back this summer. However, he shined the brightest on the offensive side of the ball on Friday. Brown lined up on the outside at receiver and showed the speed to run by defenders in the deep passing game, opening up the second half on a long touchdown pass from Boley. He also showed the speed and elusiveness to pick up big plays after the catch when he got the ball in the open field. Brown continued to impress at corner, showing the ability to open up and run with receivers in man coverage. He also showed the ability to read the receiver and react at the right moment to make plays on the ball. Brown currently holds an offer from Campbellsville University but more offers should come as he has the ability to be a very good player on either side of the ball at the next level.