Mid-Season Report: Section V Football
We are at the halfway point in the Section V football season. I wanted to do a mid-season report on the top players who have been putting on a complete show for their respected teams. These players below have put…
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Continue ReadingWe are at the halfway point in the Section V football season. I wanted to do a mid-season report on the top players who have been putting on a complete show for their respected teams. These players below have put up big-time numbers at their positions and deserve this recognition.
The tackling machine for East High School is Jeremiah Tucker Jeremiah Tucker 6’0″ | 220 lbs | DL East | 2025 State NY . This guy is leading Section V in tackles with 75 total tackles and has looked unstoppable. Simply flying around the football field making these outstanding tackles and showing that consistent pursuit is any football coach’s dream. Tucker is one of those defensive linemen that has the freakish talent to line up in any of the techniques on the defensive line. Tucker even has the talent to line up and play at the ILB spot if he really wanted to. Playing inside or outside on the defensive line, it does not matter because Tucker has been making an impact for his team. What flashes most on the tape, is Tucker’s speed getting off the snap of the ball. Creating that fast get off, grants him with the chance to get into the backfield to make a huge defensive play. Jeremiah Tucker Jeremiah Tucker 6’0″ | 220 lbs | DL East | 2025 State NY truly has been one of the best defensive players so far in Section V this season.
The elite senior QB for East High School that simply has looked unstoppable all season long. Zymier Jackson Zymier Jackson 6’1″ | 175 lbs | QB East | 2024 State NY is a true dual-threat QB that has a laser rocket arm. Jackson has been able to push the ball deep down the field on multiple occasions to hit his targets. The pure passing accuracy to make any type of throw was shown throughout Zymier’s tape. So far, Zymier has passed for 1,539 passing yards through 6 games. What impresses me the most about Jackson this season, is his poise in the pocket. Not locking on an intended target and going through his 2nd, 3rd, or 4th options was shown plenty of times. Even when pressure would be thrown into his face, Jackson was able to move out and hit his WR on the run. When Jackson does decide to run, his ability to make people miss in open space is electric. The ability to run away from defenders and turn a bad play into a positive one was shown throughout Jackson’s highlights. A big halfway point for arguably the best QB in Section V football.
Highlights
Gavin Horton Gavin Horton WR Webster Schroeder | 2024 NY
Gavin Horton Gavin Horton WR Webster Schroeder | 2024 NY
Over at Webster-Schroeder, the electric Gavin Horton Gavin Horton WR Webster Schroeder | 2024 NY has been the receiving leader in Section V football with around 480 yards. Horton can line up at any of the receiving positions, but the majority of his work has been done in the slot. Working in the middle of the field has allowed Horton to create a tremendous amount of separation on LBs and DBs. Being able to produce a huge amount of YAC has also been a highlight for Gavin. Plenty of times in games, Horton was able to break many tackles and out run defenders in the open field. The most effective route that Horton has ran is a corner route that allowed him to score on two separate occasions for his team. The corner route has been super effective for Gavin, especially in the red zone. Gavin has also been a force on the defensive side of the ball this season with a pick-six. A talented senior that is looking to finish the second half of the season in a strong way.
The other big-time play making WR in Section V that is off to a hot start is Tyrell Simmons Tyrell Simmons 6’3″ | 190 lbs | WR University Prep | 2024 State NY from University Prep. The pure physicality during and after the catch is made by this guy has been unbelievable to see. One play that stood out to me the most was against Canandaigua High School. Simmons ran a simple slant route and beat two DBs to the ball. During the monster TD catch, Simmons had three defenders around him going to the ground. Being able to have such strong hands and the ability to make consistent contested catches every game is fantastic to see. The natural athleticism to run around, through, and even jump over defenders that are attempting to tackle Simmons is elite play making at its highest level. Simmons has been a force on the defensive side of the ball as well, including his ability to get after the passer at the OLB position. As of right now, Simmons ranks in the top 5 in total receiving yards at 368 and will look to continue his dual threat ability the rest of the way for University Prep.
Highlights
Isaiah Ballard Isaiah Ballard 6’1″ | 210 lbs | DL Irondequoit | 2024 State NY has been a force of nature on the offensive and defensive side for Irondequoit High School. The physicality to want to run through the opponent just jumps off the tape here with Ballard. Starting on the defensive side, Ballard right now stands in the top 5 in sacks with 6. Coming off the LOS, Ballard’s pure power and speed is really what separates him in getting after the QB. I love his natural athleticism to be able to bend and dip around his blocks. That ability to bend really has granted him the ability to cause turnovers on QBs. So many times, Ballard was able to chase ball carriers down and make powerful tackles. This is a pure football player that wants to destroy the opponent. On offense, Ballard is a big body TE that can even be used at the WR spot. The underrated speed that Ballard has, mixed with the want to not go down on first contact really has stood out this season. You can tell that the DBs do not want to tackle this guy when he has the ball in his hands. A pure monster of a player that I am excited to see how his season ends and the more highlights that he produces.
The pick six master this season is Ervin Wiggins Ervin Wiggins 5’9″ | 175 lbs | DB East | 2024 State NY Jr. from East High School. Number 9 has looked unbelievable this season, and QBs really need to stop throwing his way because he could make it a house call in a flash. So far, Wiggins Jr. has 4 INTs on the season, and all of them were for TDs. The ability to bait the QB and react to a ball thrown his way with his great speed was shown throughout. That speed was also very useful on the offensive side of the football and on special teams. When it came to the WR position, Ervin was able to stretch the field vertically for his team. Being able to confidently beat defenders over the top or having to make over the shoulder catches were shown on film. East High School knows that simply getting this guy the football and letting him make a play will result in good things for their team. So much fun watching this young man’s highlights and will be as well at the end of the year.
Nazhier Wilson Nazhier Wilson 6’0″ | 220 lbs | LB Monroe | 2024 State NY from Monroe High School really reminds me of a bowling ball because of the way he is able to break through tackles at the RB spot. Wilson uses defenders like pins and throughout his tape was just knocking them down every single time. The ability to take off in a flash shows up time in and time out when Wilson would take a handoff at the RB spot. What is even more amazing is the RB position may not even be his best position on the field. Wilson has been so impactful at the LB spot for his team, and it’s amazing the work that he has been able to produce there. As of right now, Wilson has 66 total tackles on the year, and many of them popped so much fire as he brought defenders to the ground. Being able to split right through holes and bring complete force on the opposing ball carriers really showed the type of defender that Wilson is. A true football player that had me saying wow every time he made a tackle.
You have to show love to the linemen up front that are protecting the QBs and doing the dirty work to open up opportunities. The one guy that I have had my eye on all season and has been showing up all over Brighton High School’s tape is Val Kondratenko Val Kondratenko 6’5″ | 240 lbs | OL Brighton | 2024 State NY . The complete force and impactful blocks that Kondratenko has made all year has opened up key plays for Brighton this season on offense. So many times, Val was able to pancake block defender into the turf. Many times, Val would just throw the defenders to the ground at ease. The athleticism to also make a fluid pull action block in the run game showed up plenty of times as well. Opening up space for the ball carrier is a huge point of emphasis when Kondratenko would get to the second level of the defense. One of the best OT’s in Section V and will continue to be by the end of the year.