Frederick Douglass vs Owensboro Top Performers
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This past week during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, I had the chance to go home to the Bluegrass State for a visit. While I was there, I got to check out a big time state semifinal match up. Frederick Douglass…
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Continue ReadingThis past week during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, I had the chance to go home to the Bluegrass State for a visit. While I was there, I got to check out a big time state semifinal match up. Frederick Douglass hosted Owensboro on Friday night for a chance to advance to the 5A State Championship. After a hard-fought defensive battle for the majority of the game, the Broncos were able to pull away in the fourth quarter for a 14-2 victory. They will face Bowling Green in the 5A State Championship Game at Kroger Field this weekend. While their was a ton of talent on display in this game, here are the players that stood out the most this past Friday.
Over the past couple seasons, Ty Bryant Ty Bryant 6’1″ | 190 lbs | ATH Frederick Douglass | 2023 State KY has established himself as one of the best players in the entire state. He continued to lead his team and stepped up in big moments this past Friday. On offense, Bryant was one of three main running backs featured in the Broncos’ offense and was the back that they leaned on down the stretch. He showed that he is tough to bring down as he has the strength to keep his legs churning to break tackles without breaking stride. Once he hits the open field, Bryant showed that he has the ability to make defenders miss and the speed to simply run away from the defense. He finished the game with 14 carries for 104 yards and a long touchdown run that sealed the victory for the Broncos. Bryant also continued to impress on defense at safety, doing a great job of communicating before the snap and filling the lane against the run, finishing the game with three tackles. Ty will get the chance to perform at his future home this weekend as he is committed to Kentucky.
Davaun Hart
Davaun Hart
Another running back for the Broncos that showed some promise on Friday was senior Davaun Hart. Hart is a tough downhill runner that has impressive vision. Once he sees the running lane open up, Hart hits it with a sense of urgency. He shows tremendous burst out of his stance and keeps his legs churning through contact to break tackles and pick up extra yards. Hart finished the game with nine carries for 30 yards and a touchdown. While Davaun doesn’t currently hold any official offers, he deserves some attention from college coaches as he has the talent to play somewhere at the next level.
Moving over to the defensive side of the ball, Isaiah Kenney Isaiah Kenney 5’11” | 180 lbs | DB Frederick Douglass | 2023 State KY continued to show that he is one of the best defensive backs in the state. Kenney lined up at safety and showed the ability to make an impact both against the run and the pass. Against the run, Kenney did a great job of filling the lane to provide support. Once he got to the ball carrier, he did a great job of running his feet through contact to secure the tackle. He also did a good job of taking perfect angles to the football when the play was away from him which helped put him in a position to make tackles in the open field. Kenney finished the game with a team-leading eight total tackles and one tackle for loss. He also looked great in coverage, showing the ability to read routes and the quarterback to put himself in a position to make a play on the ball. Kenney also showed impressive ball skills, coming away with an interception on Friday. Isaiah currently holds offers from Kentucky and Palmetto Prep and I see him being a very productive safety at the next level.
Another senior that stood out on the defensive side of the ball for the Broncos was defensive lineman Jalen Hand Jalen Hand 6’3″ | 280 lbs | DL Frederick Douglass | 2023 State KY . Hand caused disruption throughout the game against the run and the pass. Against the run, Hand was able to use his strength to drive his blocker into the backfield to cause disruption. He also showed the ability to stack and shed blocks quickly to get to the ball carrier. As a pass rusher, Hand showed an explosive first step and the speed to blow by opposing offensive linemen. Even when he couldn’t finish the sack, Hand made sure to make the quarterback uncomfortable when trying to throw the ball away. Jalen finished the game with four total tackles, one tackle for loss, and 1.5 sacks. Hand is committed to Western Kentucky where I see him developing into a key piece of their defensive line unit.
Highlights
Junior linebacker Darion Neal Darion Neal 6’0″ | 225 lbs | LB Frederick Douglass | 2024 State KY is a player that I have been intrigued by this season as he comes from a line of talented players in his family that have come through the Frederick Douglass program. Darion continued to make a name for himself this past Friday as he made plays all over the field from the inside linebacker spot. He did a great job of reading his keys and filling his gap in a hurry. Once he got the ball carrier, he showed the ability to explode through contact to secure the tackle. Neal showed a very high motor, running all over the field to make plays. Against the pass, Neal showed the ability to time his blitzes quickly to burst into the backfield to put pressure on the quarterback before the opposing offensive linemen had a chance to react. Neal finished the game tied with Kenney with eight tackles along with 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack, and a huge forced fumble and recovery. Darion holds an offer from Eastern Kentucky and I expect more offers to come his way going into his final season as he has the talent to be a very productive linebacker at the next level.
Jeremiah Goodwin Jeremiah Goodwin 6’2″ | 200 lbs | LB Owensboro | 2023 State KY is a player that I’ve had high on my radar since the off-season. He continued to impress on Friday as he was the best player on the field for Owensboro. On defense, Goodwin lined up at outside linebacker and was a huge threat to stop the run and get to the quarterback. He showed a great combination of strength and speed off the edge. Goodwin was able to win off the edge by simply running by the opposing offensive tackle and also going straight through them. He showed the ability to cause disruption and get into the backfield, coming away with a safety and the only points of the game for Owensboro. Goodwin also served as the team’s punter, showing a strong leg and also being used on a couple of fake punt attempts, and he also got some carries out of the backfield on offense. Jeremiah currently holds offers from Morehead State, Southeast Missouri State, and Lindsey Wilson, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see more come his way as he has received a good amount of college interest and has the talent to be a very solid player at the next level.
Highlights
Another player that stood out to me on Owensboro’s defensive front was senior defensive end Sahvon Hines Sahvon Hines 6’2″ | 260 lbs | DL Owensboro | 2023 State KY . Hines was very disruptive throughout the game, using his strength to be a true run stuffer. He showed the ability to stack the opposing offensive linemen and shed them as soon as he found the ball. Once he got to the ball carrier, Hines did a great job of running his feet to secure the tackle. Hines also showed the ability to use his strength and speed to put pressure on the quarterback. While Sahvon holds an offer from Kentucky Wesleyan, I could see more coming his way as he has received a ton of college interest and has the talent to play at the next level.
Xander Early Xander Early 5’10” | 190 lbs | LB Owensboro | 2023 State KY is another senior linebacker for Owensboro that I have had high on my radar for a while now. Early continued to lead his defense from the inside linebacker spot and make a big impact on Friday. Against the run, Early did a great job of reading his keys and coming downhill quickly to fill his gap. Once he got to the ball carrier, he did a great job of running his feet through contact to secure the tackle and not allow for any extra yards to be gained. Early also showed the ability to rush the passer off the edge, showing a quick first step and the speed to run right by opposing offensive tackles, finishing the game with a sack. Xander currently holds offers from Hanover, Kentucky Wesleyan, Pikeville, and Culver Stockton, and I can see him developing into a solid player for any of those programs.
Highlights
As it was a slow night for the most part for the Owensboro offense, senior running back Kenyata Carbon Kenyata Carbon 6’0″ | 180 lbs | RB Owensboro | 2023 State KY was one of the main players that showed much promise against the very talented Frederick Douglass defense. Carbon showed that he is a hard runner, keeping his legs churning through contact and showing the ability to lower his shoulder to break tackles and fall forward for extra yards. Once he hit the open field, Carbon showed a nice amount of elusiveness, making defenders miss on a few occasions. Carbon also made an impact on defense at safety, showing the ability to fill the lane and tackles in the open field against the run. Kenyata doesn’t have any official reported offers but he should be on the radar of college coaches as he definitely has the talent to play at the next level.