Week 8 Update: State Leaders in Tackles
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Following week 8 of the season, the competition throughout the state of North Carolina has been very competitive. The leading tacklers on this list are all relatively close in totals, and their performances have gone a long way for their…
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Continue ReadingFollowing week 8 of the season, the competition throughout the state of North Carolina has been very competitive. The leading tacklers on this list are all relatively close in totals, and their performances have gone a long way for their team’s success as well. Below, take some time to recognize each player’s contributions, along with their overall potential to shift the tide in a positive direction for their team.
Payton Wright
Payton
Wright
6'0" | 200 lbs | LB
Eastern Alamance | 2024
State
NC
– Eastern Alamance
Lucky enough for Wright, his efforts on the defensive side of the ball have helped his team to a 6-1 record so far this season, with 3 of those wins having come in their conference. This comes as no surprise when looking at Wright’s contributions, as he has already totaled 106 tackles this year, and has seen himself rack up an average of 15.1 tackles a game. To add to this, out of these total tackles, 58 of them were solos, and 49 were assists. Even more, 3 of these tackles were for a loss, and Wright also had a recorded sack as well. As the weeks continue to go by, look for him to up his game, not just for his team, but against his competition on this list. The competition is getting stiff, and we have no doubt that the end of this season will be phenomenal for each of these players.
Ben Watson- Newton-Conover
So far this season, Watson has continued to play out of his mind for his team. Unfortunately, this has not always equated to wins, as his team currently sits at a 3-4 record, with a 2-2 overall record in their conference. In addition to this, Watson has also averaged around 15 tackles a game over 7 games due to his amazing total of 105 tackles to this point of the season. Most impressively, most of these tackles have come on a solo basis, as he has racked up 64 solo tackles, to 41 assists. With this, Watson can be seen to have been one of the more effective players in pursuit, and in the backfield on this list, as he has also racked up 6 tackles for a loss, and 4 sacks. As the season begins coming to a close, and if he can continue to perform at this rate, it will be very interesting to see who will finish at the top of this list.
Mason Chastain- Bessemer City
Unlike any other player on this list, Chastain has already played in 8 games this season, giving him a bit more of an advantage in placement on this list compared to the other prospects. Entering into this next game, Chastain has already tallied up 96 tackles, and has an average of 12 tackles a game. In addition to this, each of the tackles he has recorded so far has been listed as a solo tackle. To add to this, Chastain has also had plenty of success in the fact that he has racked up 5 tackles for a loss, and 2 sacks. Moving forward, if he can continue to rack up numbers such as these, we have no doubt that he will have a good chance of remaining on this list when it is all said and done.
Roderick B-Loftin
Roderick
B-Loftin
5'11" | 195 lbs | LB
Hunt | 2024
State
NC
– Hunt
B-Loftin, out of Hunt High School, has come up just shy of Chastain’s 96 tackles, as he has totaled 95 tackles to this point of the season. The major difference between the two is that he has done so in 7 games, rather than 8. For B-Loftin, these 95 tackles have also come with an average of 13.6 tackles a game, 42 solo tackles, 53 assists, and 10 tackles for a loss. Needless to say, his production has been off the charts at the MLB position. As the season begins to wind down, look for him to continue to be a leader for his team, and to produce numbers wise, as well as in big time situations, proving to his team that he is irreplaceable.
Cross Killen
Cross
Killen
5'10" | 200 lbs | LB
Charlotte Christian | 2024
State
NC
– Charlotte Christian
After 7 games, Killen has already had his fair share of success, as he has totaled 93 tackles, with an average of 13.3 tackles a game. Out of all of these tackles, 55 of them have been solos, and 38 of them have come through assists. Killen has also been very effective in the backfield, and in pursuit, and this has shown by the 9 tackles for a loss that he has found himself with, as well as the sack he has totaled as well. Moving forward, look for him to continue to perform at a steady rate, but time will only tell if it will be enough to stay on this list by the end of the season.