10 Players You Need to Know: 5A Title Game

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The night game of Friday's championship day, Picayune will take on West Point in the 5A title game down in Hattiesburg at Southern Miss. Starting at 7 PM this Friday, these two talented teams will battle it out for 4 quarters to take home the trophy. For some of these players, this game will be their last. Others will have the opportunity to continue playing football at the next level (or in their next high school season). </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Our eyes are going to be all over this game. These two teams are LOADED with talent, especially in the backfields and trenches. Today, we will highlight 10 players you MUST know before watching the 5A championship.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>Picayune</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["108971"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"The 5A winner of the 2022 Mr Football award, few running backs have had as good of a career as Picayune's [player_tooltip player_id='108971' first='Dante' last='Dowdell']. Committing to Oregon before the start of the season, Dowdell has rare speed, physicality, and burst to his game, making him one of the best football players in the state of Mississippi. Dowdell has rushed for 1,975 yards and 28 touchdowns and will look to finish out his senior season with another state title to his name.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63890eb7499d6"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["344053"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Davis, a junior who will take over the backfield next season as the lead rusher, is an explosive back with blazing fast speed in the open field. While Dowdell has more power, Davis can make defenders miss in the open field with ease. Adding to his game, the rising star has plenty of value in the return game on both punt and kick return teams. With the speed and athleticism this guy has, he is a threat to score from anywhere on the football field.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63890eb749a3f"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["344138"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Leading his team in both tackles for loss and sacks with 24 and 11.5 respectively, [player_tooltip player_id='344138' first='Jamonta' last='Waller'] is one of the premier players on Picayune's defense. At defensive end, this guy is a machine against both the run and the pass. As a run defender, Waller uses his length to create separation with offensive linemen. His natural speed off the ball helps him quickly get into the backfield to make plays. As a pass rusher, Waller has a variety of moves to get after the quarterback and a motor that runs hot.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63890eb749a8a"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["340826"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='340826' first='Zavion' last='Coleman'] is another one of Picayune's special defensive linemen. The senior plays tackle for the front and does a great job at eating up space and dominating the interior offensive line. Trying to run on this guy is near impossible - Coleman is just too powerful and explosive off the football. Playing with heavy hands, he easily defeats blocks from linemen and can cause trouble in the backfield.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63890eb749acf"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Jessiah Contee","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2023","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'10u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2411","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Picayune","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"A two way athlete for Picayune, senior Jessiah Contee leads the team in both receiving and interceptions for the Maroon Tide. As a wide receiver, Contee does a great job at going up and getting the football. Only catching 8 balls on the season, Contee knows how to create explosive gains in the pass game, averaging 35.4 yards per catch. On defense, Contee plays with smooth hips and can lock up receivers downfield. His ball skills on offense translate well over to the defensive side of the football.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63890eb749c45"} /--> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>West Point</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["344052"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"The quarterback for West Point, [player_tooltip player_id='344052' first='Kahnen' last='Daniels'] is one of the most explosive players in the 2024 class with the ball in his hands. While the offense does not throw the ball around a whole lot, Daniels operates the triple option to near perfection. When he gets a pull read or is given a designed quarterback run, Daniels can score from anywhere on the field. He has impressive contact balance and can make defenders miss in the open field, or just run right by them. The junior has a chance to make plays on the biggest stage this weekend.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63890eb749cac"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["340856"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"The downhill thumper has been a huge piece to this West Point defense for a while now. [player_tooltip player_id='340856' first='Jhance' last='Mallard'] plays inside backer and provides a ton of veteran leadership to the unit. An excellent blitzer, Mallard uses great tempo to accelerate through the gap he's responsible for to blow up runs or quarterbacks. He runs well sideline to sideline and has a nose for the football - rarely do ball carriers escape him. Mallard is also an excellent tackler that can bring the boom when he needs to.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63890eb749d07"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='367409' first='Keshawn' last='Henley']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2023","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'11u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2408","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"West Point","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"The dynamic running back for the West Point offense, [player_tooltip player_id='367409' first='Keshawn' last='Henley'] makes up a big portion of offensive production. Henley is a decisive running back that reads his blocks really well, exploding through the hole when it opens up. With his speed and burst in the open field, Henley is another playmaker that can score from anywhere. Henley is also a tough player to bring down that fights for every yard he earns.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63890eb749d7c"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["370239"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"This game is going to be filled with dominant defensive linemen and Zay Lowery is one of them. Lowery is an agile and powerful defensive tackle that can ruin offensive game plans. Lowery is explosive off the ball and can quickly use his hands to get into the backfield before the ball carrier even has time to cut. As a pass rusher, Lowery has a nasty bull rush move that can overwhelm opposing guards and tackles.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63890eb749dc2"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Bryson Wells","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'1u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2496","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"West Point","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Only a sophomore, Bryson Wells has been a standout linebacker for West Point this season. Similar to Mallard, Wells is a stout player on the inside that can use his athleticism to create huge plays against both the run and pass. What stands out most about Wells' game is his ability to read and diagnose plays quickly. With his speed and football IQ, the sky is the limit for the young backer.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63890eb749e31"} /-->