Game Notes, Cheltenham Panthers at Northeast Vikings
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Kahmir Prescott PA #19 ATH #2 HEIGHT 6'1" WEIGHT 190 POS ATH CLASS 2024 View Profile Kahmir Prescott State: Pennsylvania School: Neumann-Goretti Ronel Nukah PA #36 DL #6 HEIGHT 6'3" WEIGHT 235 POS DL CLASS 2023 View Profile Ronel Nukah…
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Continue ReadingCheltenham prospects had their moments, yet the night was dominated by the top 25 duo of Kahmir Prescott Kahmir Prescott 6’1″ | 190 lbs | ATH Neumann-Goretti | 2024 State PA and Ronel Nukah Ronel Nukah 6’3″ | 235 lbs | DL Northeast | 2023 State PA .
Kahmir Prescott Kahmir Prescott 6’1″ | 190 lbs | ATH Neumann-Goretti | 2024 State PA has come out the gates hot, putting up six total touchdowns in two games against solid competition. I don’t think there is enough hype building around this young man that just looked different in the open field. I have watched my fair share of high school football, with talent on both ends of the spectrum. Occasionally, you see a kid that you know is different. I got that feeling when watching Prescott torch an incredibly talented Cheltenham defense. We think of Prescott as a top-three defensive back in his class, yet we might want to reconsider his transition to ATH. Hard not to when you open up the tapes and see what’s he capable of with the ball in his hands. It’s hard to raise your stock when you are already highly thought of. Prescott is doing just that.
Some love needs to be shown to the often forgotten Ronel Nukah Ronel Nukah 6’3″ | 235 lbs | DL Northeast | 2023 State PA , a pass rusher that seemingly doesn’t get the national attention that he used to. He had himself a game to remind people just how dominant he can be on the field. Nukah broke this game open and ended all hope for a Cheltenham comeback with a massive strip-sack late in the game. Nukah also played out of position. His offseason work paid, making sure his body was right to play pretty much anywhere along the defensive line or even at linebacker. Attention should shift back to Nukah, a prospect I’m hoping can capitalize on a big night.
Khadir Rowe Khadir Rowe 6’1″ | 225 lbs | LB Northeast | 2023 State PA stood out to me. Manning the middle of the defense, Rowe was tasked with stopping Tre McLeod Tre McLeod 5’11” | 190 lbs | RB Imhotep Charter | 2024 State PA and the Panther running attack. The former ABW Viking held his own rep after rep, coming up with seven tackles on the night, two behind the line of scrimmage. Rowe showed up to play, just like he did last year when I saw him against Malvern Prep.
Highlights
Here are three more prospects who outplayed their ranks. Tasir Davis Tasir Davis 6’2″ | 295 lbs | OL Northeast | 2023 State PA , Rodney Benjamin Rodney Benjamin 6’1″ | 180 lbs | DB Northeast | 2023 State PA , and Andre Staley Andre Staley 5’8″ | 195 lbs | RB Northeast | 2023 State PA looked sharp and crisp. Each was focused on getting a win, each had their hand in doing so.
Andre Staley Andre Staley 5’8″ | 195 lbs | RB Northeast | 2023 State PA ran hard enough to score yet another touchdown this week, raising his season total to three on the year in two games. Staley’s build looks better than ever as well, this is a kid that local colleges should have on radar.
Rodney Benjamin Rodney Benjamin 6’1″ | 180 lbs | DB Northeast | 2023 State PA came up huge in run support all night, yet no stop was bigger than his punch-out forced fumble that led to a Prescott scoop-and-score. Benjamin looks to have some attitude in him at DB. He made a play when NE needed it most.
I had the pleasure of watching the top-ranked junior running back in the state last Thursday, he proved his rank and some. This was my first time seeing Tre McLeod Tre McLeod 5’11” | 190 lbs | RB Imhotep Charter | 2024 State PA in a Cheltenham uniform, it was also the best version of Tre McLeod Tre McLeod 5’11” | 190 lbs | RB Imhotep Charter | 2024 State PA I’ve seen to date. Cheltenham was already up against the odds, considering they were without Anthony Torres or Jonathan Ingram Jonathan Ingram 6’1″ | 175 lbs | QB Cheltenham | 2024 State PA . The quarterback situation was shaky at best, yet Tre McLeod Tre McLeod 5’11” | 190 lbs | RB Imhotep Charter | 2024 State PA ‘s efforts behind center helped alleviate the pain. McLeod seemingly touched the football on every offensive play, either handing the ball off or taking the rock himself. This is a stout Northeast defense, McLeod was admittedly beaten up and cramped to death towards the end of this one. My respect goes out to McLeod, he showed real toughenss.
McLeod chewed up yardage in between the tackles or scrambling as a passer. He finished runs with authority, the authority of a top prospect at his position. McLeod even passed the ball some, coming up with a huge pass to Julian Arthur Julian Arthur 6’0″ | 180 lbs | WR Cheltenham | 2024 State PA for a score in this one. Couldn’t be more impressed by the young man.
The same can be said about top 20 prospect Kion Wright Kion Wright 6’3″ | 235 lbs | DL Cheltenham | 2023 State PA . I know all about Kion Wright Kion Wright 6’3″ | 235 lbs | DL Cheltenham | 2023 State PA the pass rusher, yet unfamiliar with Wright the all-around linebacker. His frame suits this type of versatility. He’s thinned out, which could elevate his stock even further.
Plenty of TFLs were made by the senior, showing off his timing as a blitzer, as well as his speed through the gap when reading the run. Kion set the tone for the Panther defense.
Highlights
Safe to say Zahiem Welton Zahiem Welton 5’10” | 195 lbs | RB Cheltenham | 2023 State PA out-played his rank Thursday night. I was pleased to see him running hard for the Panthers while bringing some attitude to the defensive side of the ball. Welton punched the first score of this game on a tough run between the tackles. That run gave me a sense of how he was coming that night. I’m hearing he played well week one as well. Stock is raising.
Mekel Smallwood Mekel Smallwood 5’9″ | 170 lbs | DB Cheltenham | 2024 State PA played a huge hand in containing the Northeast attack on the ground. Smallwood can play the pass at safety, yet was in the box helping in run support for the majority of this game. He did one hell of a job doing so. Here’s another kid who earned my respect, doing his best to fight through injury to help the defense contain the run. Smallwood ran well in pursuit of the football, good tackling tech, and good angles.
I admittedly was looking for Strange in a #11 jersey. I thought he wasn’t in the game, yet #18 looked huge and was making plays against the run. Turns out, Strange was #18, shedding linemen well and getting after the ball carrier. I’m much more interested in seeing Strange work against the pass, as we believe he could be a top 10 pass rusher as a junior next year. I didn’t get to see his full repertoire in this one. Despite that, Landiin still managed to make stops in the backfield.
Production through the air was hard to come by considering Cheltenham didn’t throw the ball because of personnel woes. That being said, Julian Arthur Julian Arthur 6’0″ | 180 lbs | WR Cheltenham | 2024 State PA , formerly out of Norristown HS, was able to beat his defenders consistently downfield. McLeod hit Arthur for a deep touchdown to spark a Cheltenham comeback effort. Arthur will be a difference maker with a viable quarterback behind center.
Rasheab Bradsher
Rasheab Bradsher
Here are two unranked prospects who caught my attention. #55, who I believe to be Rasheab Bradsher, was making plays left and right in the trenches. This game was played heavily on the ground, so each stop should be valued. Time and time again I saw Bradsher clog the interior, stand up his linemen with leverage, or force the NE ball carrier to bounce runs outside. Impressed.
Also my first time getting a chance to see Malachi Wyche Malachi Wyche WR Neumann-Goretti | 2023 PA , a WR/ATh formerly out of Neumann-Goretti. He flashed athleticism and speed as a kick/punt returner for the Panthers. We know how potent the attack could be with Zaire Williams Zaire Williams 5’9″ | 170 lbs | ATH Cheltenham | 2024 State PA and Julian Arthur Julian Arthur 6’0″ | 180 lbs | WR Cheltenham | 2024 State PA . Don’t leave Wyche out of the equation, he provided a spark on special teams that could lead to more playing time.