2023 Team MVP Predictions: 6A (Part 1)

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As we approach the end of May, the 2023 high school football season is quickly approaching. With that in mind, it is time to start previewing the upcoming season. As I begin to preview some top players and teams to watch in the 2023 season, I wanted to focus on which player I believe will make the biggest impact for each individual team. With that being said, I will kick off my “Team MVP” prediction series with a group of teams from the 6A class in Kentucky. <br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Bullitt East: </strong>There's no better way to start this series off than focusing on the reigning 6A champs. For the Chargers, a lot of eyes will be focused on a player who made a huge impact for them last season, [player_tooltip player_id='305210' first='Isaiah' last='Hare']. The incoming senior defensive end was a dominant force during his junior year, finishing with 74 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, and four sacks. He also plays tight end on offense, catching one touchdown pass last season. Isaiah is currently receiving a ton of college interest and has been taking full advantage of the camp circuit this off-season. He currently holds offers from Eastern Illinois and Bethel (TN) and I fully expect more to come his way as he is a Division I caliber prospect.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Male: </strong>Next up is the team that fell just short to Bullitt East in last year's 6A State Championship Game. Male has been a continuous powerhouse program in Kentucky and is returning an abundance of talent this season. The one player that stands out above the rest in my eyes is incoming senior wide receiver [player_tooltip player_id='418716' first='Max' last='Gainey']. Gainey was unfortunately only able to play on seven games last season due to injury but was very productive when on the field, catching 37 passes for 445 yards and five touchdowns. He is a very skilled route runner with impressive speed and ability to make plays with the ball in his hands after the catch. Gainey currently holds an offer from Purdue and I expect more to come his way as he is a Power 5 caliber wide receiver. <br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Saint Xavier:</strong> Saint Xavier is another top notch high school football program in Kentucky that will be looking to continue their success this season. A lot of this continued success will rest of the shoulders of their senior quarterback, [player_tooltip player_id='317787' first='Trevor' last='Havill']. He is coming off a solid junior season in which he completed 81/135 passes for 1,006 yards, 12 touchdowns and only three interceptions. Havill has a very strong arm with the ability to lead his receivers down the field and has also shown impressive ball placement with his passes. He has also shown the ability to make plays with his legs, scoring four rushing touchdowns last season. Havill is currently committed to play lacrosse at Ohio State but is picking up a ton of recognition as a legit quarterback prospect, recently receiving his first Division I football offer from Bucknell.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Trinity: </strong>Trinity is another Louisville powerhouse program that will be in the mix this year. While always have an abundance of talent, incoming junior defensive back [player_tooltip player_id='735613' first='Caleb' last='Ricks'] stands out the most. Ricks is our top-ranked defensive back in the 2025 class and is coming off a solid sophomore season in which he finished with 24 tackles and an interception. He is a lockdown corner in man coverage, showing the ability to mirror receivers' routes and react quickly when the ball is thrown his way to make a play. Caleb is committed to play baseball at Louisville but definitely has the talent to play football at the Division I level if he were to have a change of heart. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>DuPont Manual: </strong>Manual is a team that had a strong 2022 season and will be looking to build off their recent success. A big reason for this success is the impressive performance of their star running back, [player_tooltip player_id='418572' first='Zah'Ron' last='Washburn']. Zah'Ron had a breakout junior season, carrying the ball 199 times for 1,388 yards and 20 touchdowns. He has an impressive blend of speed and power, showing the ability to run away from the defense and run straight through defenders that are able to catch him. Washburn has also shown the ability to catch passes out of the backfield, finishing this past season with 11 receptions for 113 yards. While he currently holds offers from Tiffin, Lindenwood, and Eastern Kentucky, I expect many more to come his way as Washburn is a true Division I caliber running back. <br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Ballard:</strong> Ballard is a program that has some nice talent themselves but will have to fight hard to keep up with the surround powerhouse programs in Louisville. One player that stands out as a big component of their future success is incoming junior offensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id='331714' first='Logan' last='Russell']. He is very high on our radar at Prep Redzone KY, currently sitting as our fourth-ranked offensive lineman in the 2025 class. Russell starts at left tackle and is very reliable as both a run and pass blocker. He plays with a ton of physicality in the run game, showing the ability to drive his man down the field and has the quick footwork to mirror opposing pass rushers off the edge as a pass blocker. Logan currently holds an offer from Eastern Kentucky and I expect more to come his way as he is a Division I caliber prospect. <br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Pleasure Ridge Park:</strong> PRP is another program that has some nice talent coming back this season. Among that talent is incoming senior wide receiver [player_tooltip player_id='523030' first='Santana' last='Crayton']. Crayton had a solid junior season, finishing with 29 receptions for 478 yards and seven touchdowns. He has a ton of versatility as he also showed some ability as a ball carrier, running the ball 13 times for 34 yards and a touchdown this past season. Crayton is also electric as a returner on special teams, returning four punts for touchdowns last season. He also plays a role as a defensive back, coming away with one interception as a junior. Crayton doesn't currently hold any offers but has received some college interest and should pick up some offers soon as he will be a can't-miss player this season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Eastern: </strong>Eastern (Louisville) is a program that has some solid returning talent that will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2022 season. Incoming senior, <strong>J'Cory Points</strong> will be a key part of their quest for a bounce back season as he plays a key role on both sides of the ball. On offense, Points was in more of a rotational role last season at running back, carrying the ball 29 times for 129 yards and four touchdowns. His role will likely increase this season now that last year's lead back [player_tooltip player_id='522929' first='Quintel' last='Thomas'] has graduated. Points had an outstanding junior year on the defensive side of the ball at linebacker as he finished as the team's leading tackler with 96, along with three tackles for loss and two sacks. J'Cory doesn't currently hold any offers but he will be a name to watch as he is a player that could play on either side of the ball at the next level.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Fern Creek:</strong> Fern Creek is another team from the Louisville area that is looking to have a bounce back season. They have a ton of returning talent but incoming senior [player_tooltip player_id='423719' first='Ramari' last='Taylor'] stands out from the group. Taylor is a very impressive playmaker on both sides of the ball. On offense, Taylor lines up at receiver and finished this past season as the team's leading receiver with 12 catches for 198 yards and one touchdown. He is also very impressive as a defensive back. As a junior, Taylor finished with 31 tackles, two tackles for loss, and two interception. Taylor currently holds offers from Eastern Kentucky and Southeast Missouri State, and I expect more to come his way as he is a Division I caliber athlete that could play multiple positions at the next level. <br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Southern: </strong>To wrap up the first group of 6A programs, I have Southern High School (Louisville). Southern has some intriguing prospects returning this season but incoming junior <strong>Da'Maury Streater</strong> stands out the most. As a sophomore, he did most of his damage as a ball carrier, running the ball 32 times for 164 yards and one touchdown. Streater also showed some ability in the passing game, catching 12 passes for 51 yards and a touchdown. He also played a key role on the other side of the ball as a defensive back, finishing this past season with 25 tackles, one tackle for loss, one sack, and an interception. While Da'Maury doesn't currently hold any offers, he will be a player to keep an eye on that has potential to be an intriguing college prospect. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->