Newcomer Spotlight: Which Pennsylvania freshman have impressed?

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The first four weeks of the 2024 high school football season is complete in Pennsylvania and through the early parts of the season, there have been several impressive freshmen across the Keystone State making early impacts. While these players may be relatively unknown today, they could be the stars of tomorrow on the field. Below, PrepRedzone Pennsylvania will take a look at a handful of impressive freshman performers on the offensive side of the ball. <br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- 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='1508951' first='Jharee' last='Moore-Stewart']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2028","_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_weight":"170","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2408","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Bloomsburg","_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66e9bd59943d8"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The 5-foot-10, 170-pound Bloomsburg standout is a hard nosed runner and has become a key cog in their offense through the first four weeks of the season. In four games, Moore-Stewart has totaled 38 carries for 220 yards and two touchdowns. He also has 11 receptions for 184 yards and one touchdown. The freshman tailback is elusive and shows vision beyond his age. Shows good patience for his age as well, allowing for holes to develop. He has a chance to become quite a special running talent over the next few years. <br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- 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":"Harrison Ortiz","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2028","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'2u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"165","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2409","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Middletown","_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66e9bd5994513"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Ortiz is an impressive freshman quarterback who is putting up quality numbers. He already has nice size for the position but shows decent accuracy as well as arm strength. His offensive line doesn't appear to be the strongest, there's a lot of plays where he's rolling out of the pocket by design but with that being said, he's been forced to throw the ball a lot while on the move. The results obviously are up-and-down but on his four game highlight reel, there are a few several impressive throws in terms of ball placement. Middletown isn't asking him to do too much which is nice to see and has as a result performed rather well, completing 35-of-56 passing attempts for 473 yards and four touchdowns with three interceptions. <br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["992349"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66e9bd599458f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Smith is the top freshman quarterback in the state statistically with 808 passing yards through four games while completing 53.8% of his passes, he also has nine touchdowns and five interceptions. The good start isn't too surprising for us, SMith is a top-40 prospect overall and a top-5 quarterback in the initial 2028 rankings. Notably, he's leading one of the better 3A programs in the WPIAL as well, which makes his performance from top to bottom all the more impressive. Smith has the potential to rise up the rankings in a major way over the next few years. He's got great arm strength for a freshman quarterback and the ball comes out of his hand with a trip zip. As he continues to improve in terms of his accuracy, the sky will be the limit for Smith. <br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- 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":"Trey Newton","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2028","_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_weight":"147","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2410","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Delaware Valley","_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66e9bd5994663"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Delaware Valley is off to a slow 4-0 start this season, but Newton has been a bright spot for their offense. Through four games, the freshman wide receiver has 19 receptions for 262 yards and is coming off his biggest game yet. Against Scranton Prep, Newton recorded six receptions for 144 yards. He also had a seven reception, 97 yard performance against a very good Jersey Shore offense in week two. No HUDL tape is available for Newton but I have had multiple people from his area give me a heads up about his talents thus far that I had to include him. It appears that he has quality size for a freshman as well at 5-foot-11, and 147-pounds. I look forward to seeing his tape soon. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1265746"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66e9bd59946dc"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The passing numbers will have to improve going forward as he's completed just 24-of-55 passing attempts but the Hopwell standout has proven to be a true dual threat quarterback early in his career with 77 rushing attempts for 266 yards and six touchdowns so far this season. As a passer, Armstrong has a big arm, good mechanics, and throws the ball with plenty of velocity. Improvement will come through the air with thime with Armstrong but he's going to be an exciting quarterback to watch develop over the next several years. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Other names to know:</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Fletcher Thompson (Williams Valley)</strong>: 81 carries, 504 yards, 5 TD</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Zach Moats (Seneca)</strong> - 56 carries, 449 yards, 6 TD</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='618715' first='Demarcus' last='Murray'] (Eastern York):</strong> 6 receptions, 181 yards, 4 TD</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Janziel Torres (West York Area):</strong> 6 reception, 144 yards, 1 TD</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->