2022 1A All-Tournament Team: Defense

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As we enter the holidays, another great high school football season has come and gone in the state of Kentucky. The year ended in entertaining fashion with outstanding football being played in the state tournament in every class. With that being said, I would like to reflect on some of the top performers in each class during the playoffs. I started this series off with the top playoff performers on the offensive side of the ball in 1A so now I will move my attention to the defensive side of the ball.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["287567"],"_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='287567' first='Ben' last='Taylor'] is a player that I've had my eye on all season that continued to impress during the playoffs. Taylor played a key role in Raceland's deep playoff run, finishing the playoffs with 30 tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack. He is an impressive pass rusher off the edge that explodes off the ball with a quick first step. Taylor does a great job of using a variety of pass rush moves to beat opposing offensive tackles. Against the run, Taylor plays with a high motor, constantly working to get to the ball and is a very reliable open field tackler. Ben holds one offer from Kentucky Christian but deserves more attention from college coaches as he has the talent to play at the next level.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"Rico Perez","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"2023","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"5'10u0022","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"2406","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"Pikeville","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_1_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Rico Perez is a player that stood out to me during Pikeville's State Championship run. He played a key role at defensive end, finishing the playoffs with 23 tackles, seven tackles for loss, and one sack. Perez explodes out of his stance and uses his speed to burst into the opponent's backfield before the opposing offensive linemen have a chance to react. He does a great job of reading the play and coming down the line to stop the run. Perez also has shown the strength to shed blocks quickly while continuing to look for the ball carrier. Once he gets to the ball carrier in the run game or quarterback in the passing game, Perez does a great job of exploding through contact to secure the tackle or sack. Rico currently holds one offer from Pikeville but I could see more coming his way as he has the talent to play somewhere at the next level.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["145764"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"During Pikeville's State Championship run, [player_tooltip player_id='145764' first='Carson' last='Wright'] continued to prove that he is one of the best linebackers in the entire state. Wright finished the playoffs with 42 total tackles and six tackles for loss. He does a great job of reading his keys and coming downhill in a hurry. Wright flows well to the ball and puts himself in a position to make a play. Once he gets to the ball carrier, he explodes through contact and doesn't allow many extra yards to be gained. I also like the motor that he plays with as he has shown the ability to run all over the field to make tackles. Wright currently holds offers from Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky, and Pikeville, and I can see him developing into a very good linebacker at the next level wherever he decides to play","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"Luke Ray","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"2023","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"5'11u0022","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"2496","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"Pikeville ","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_3_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Another Pikeville linebacker that impressed me during the playoffs was Luke Ray. The senior made a huge impact on defense, finishing the playoffs with 42 total tackles and six tackles for loss. Like Wright, Ray does a great job of reading his keys and coming downhill quickly to fill his gap. On his way to the ball carrier, Ray has shown the ability to shed blocks with ease. Once he gets to the ball carrier, he does a great job of running his feet through contact to secure the tackle. Luke currently holds one offer from Pikeville but deserves more attention from college coaches as he definitely has the talent to be a very productive linebacker at the next level.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"Tyler Ballard","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"2023","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"5'11u0022","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"2496","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"Louisville Holy Cross","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_4_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"Tyler Ballard is a linebacker that I had my eye on throughout the season and continued to impress in the playoffs. Ballard finished his final playoff run with 37 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, and six sacks. Once Ballard reads his keys, he comes downhill in a hurry, meeting the ball carrier in the gap. When he arrives at the ball carrier, Ballard explodes through contact and finishes his tackles with a ton of physicality. Ballard also plays with a very high motor and flows well to the ball, showing the ability to run all over the field to make tackles. He also made a big impact on offense as a running back but I still like him best at linebacker. Ballard currently holds offers from Wilmington and Georgetown (KY), and I can see him developing into a very good player at the next level.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_5_player_details_player_name":"Cain Grim","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_5_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_5_player_details_height":"5'11u0022","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_5_player_details_position":"2496","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_5_player_details_school":"Paintsville","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_5_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_5_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"Cain Grim is a player that I didn't get the chance to evaluate during the regular season but stood out to me in the playoffs. The junior linebacker was Paintsville's leading tackler in the playoffs, finishing with 33 total tackles and two tackles for loss. Grim plays the middle linebacker position and does a great job of reading his keys and flowing to the ball. Once he gets to the ball carrier, he is a very reliable open field tackler. He also does a great job of using his speed to burst into the backfield before offensive linemen have much of a chance to block him. Cain doesn't currently hold any offers but I can see some coming his way going into his final season as he has the talent to play somewhere at the next level.","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_6_player":["381938"],"_player_evaluations_6_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='381938' first='Noah' last='Wallace'] is a player that I've been high on for a while now and he continued to impress during the playoffs. While he plays a key role on both sides of the ball, he looked his best on defense at safety during the playoffs, finishing with 46 total tackles, three tackles for loss, and an interception. Wallace is very impressive against the run as he does a great job of reading the play and filling the running lane in a hurry to provide run support. He comes downhill so quickly that offensive linemen don't have a chance to block him and he does a great job of running his feet through contact to secure the tackle. In pass coverage, Wallace does a great job of reading route combinations and times his breaks on the ball perfectly to put himself in a position to make a play. Noah doesn't currently have any offers but I can see some coming his way soon as he is a dynamic player that has the talent to succeed at the next level.","_player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_7_player":["381924"],"_player_evaluations_7_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_7_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_7_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"Another safety that I've had on my radar this season that continued to impress during the playoffs is [player_tooltip player_id='381924' first='Sam' last='Wright'] from Pikeville. Wright played a key role in their State Championship run, finishing the playoffs with 20 total tackles and one tackle for loss. He is very good against the run, filling the lane to provide support and finishing his tackles with a ton of physicality. Wright also has shown promise in pass coverage, doing a great job of read the play to put himself in a position to make plays. Once the ball is in the air, he comes downhill in a hurry to break up the pass. While he doesn't currently hold any offers, I expect some to come his way going into his senior season as he has the talent to play at the next level.","_player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_8_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_8_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_8_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_8_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_8_player_details_player_name":"Deonte Stevens ","_player_evaluations_8_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_8_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_8_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_8_player_details_height":"6'2u0022","_player_evaluations_8_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_8_player_details_position":"2495","_player_evaluations_8_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_8_player_details_school":"Pikeville ","_player_evaluations_8_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_8_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_8_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_8_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_8_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_8_evaluation":"Another Pikeville defensive back that stood out to me during the playoffs was Deonte Stevens. The sophomore lined up both at nickel and safety, and finished the playoffs with 20 total tackles and an interception. He also scored a touchdown on a fumble recovery during the State Championship Game. Stevens does a great job in pass coverage of reading the play and covering a lot of ground quickly to make a play on the ball. He has the ball skills to go up and catch interceptions at the highest point. Stevens also does a great job of coming downhill and providing support against the run. He has shown the ability to shed blocks on his way to the ball carrier and is a very reliable open field tackler. Deonte doesn't currently hold any offers but will definitely be a player to watch over the next couple seasons.","_player_evaluations_8_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":9,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63a284d35983c"} /--> <!-- wp:heading {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"17px"}}} --> <h2 style="font-size:17px">Honorable Mention:</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"15px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:15px">Brenden Anthony (2025 Linebacker, Pikeville), Luke Runyon (2023 ATH, Newport Central Catholic), [player_tooltip player_id='386755' first='Devin' last='Derossett'] (2023 Linebacker, Pikeville), Jules Farrow (2023 Defensive Back, Raceland)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->