2024 State Quarterfinals Players to Watch: 1A

<p>With the month of November moving quickly to its end, we are getting closer and closer to crowning state champions in each class in the state of Kentucky. As we head into the state quarterfinals this week, I wanted to focus on a player from each of the remaining teams in each class who has stood out in the playoffs so far and who I believe should be a player to continue to watch. With classes 2A-6A already being covered, I'll now turn my attention to my players to watch in the state quarterfinals in class 1A in the state of Kentucky.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><span style="text-decoration: underline">Kentucky Country Day vs. Newport</span>:</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1264309' first='Parker' last='Rudolph'] is a player who has caught my attention with an impressive junior year so far. He has played a key role in KCD's win last week over Louisville Holy Cross after their first-round bye, running the ball 20 times for 135 yards and three touchdowns. Parker is a strong runner, showing the ability to keep his legs churning through contact while keeping his balance to break tackles with ease. He has also shown the speed to run away from the defense on long runs once he hits the open field. Rudolph doesn't currently hold any offers but he is a player who college coaches should be keeping a close eye on. </p>     <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1610655' first='Sean' last='Hurry'] has a strong sophomore regular season and has carried his success over into the playoffs. Hurry lines up at defensive end where he is very impressive off the edge as a pass rusher. He explodes out of his stance and uses his speed to blow by opposing offensive tackles on his way to the quarterback. Through the first two rounds, Hurry has come away with four sacks. He has also been reliable against the run, accounting for 19 tackles and five tackles for loss during the playoffs. Sean doesn't currently hold any offers but he should be a player to continue to watch as he continues to develop. </p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><span style="text-decoration: underline">Campbellsville vs. Newport Central Catholic</span>:</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='504243' first='Kace' last='Eastridge'] is a quarterback who has been on my radar for a while now and has continued to stand out this season. He has been impressive during Campbellsville's playoff run, completing 12/17 passes for 272 yards and three touchdowns. Kace is an accurate passer, showing the ability to hit his receivers out of their breaks so that they can make catches in stride. He has been even more productive as a ball carrier, running the ball 17 times for 290 yards and three touchdowns during the playoffs. Kace is committed to play baseball at Eastern Kentucky but he is still an exciting quarterback to continue to watch on the gridiron. </p>     <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='373808' first='Kaleb' last='Cole'] is a player who has played a key role on both sides of the ball for NCC. He has been very impressive out of the backfield during their playoff run, running the ball 18 times for 199 yards and four touchdowns. Cole is a strong runner, showing the ability to break tackles with ease in the open field but also has the speed to break away on long runs. He has also been impressive at linebacker during the playoffs, accounting for 10 tackles, one tackle for loss, and one interception which he returned for a touchdown. Kaleb currently holds offers from Centre, Marian, Mount Saint Joseph, and Gannon, and I can see him being a key contributor wherever he decides to play at the next level. </p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><span style="text-decoration: underline">Sayre vs. Pikeville</span>:</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='373049' first='Luke' last='Pennington'] has continued to prove that he is one of the best quarterbacks in the state this season. He has impressed during the playoffs, completing 24/29 passes for 361 yards, nine touchdowns, and two interceptions. Pennington has a very strong arm which he uses to stretch the field in the deep passing game. He has also shown impressive ball placement, putting the ball where only his intended receiver has a chance to catch it. Luke has also scored one rushing touchdown during Sayre's playoff run. Pennington is committed to Dayton where I can see him being their quarterback of the future. </p>     <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='586098' first='Brenden' last='Anthony'] is a player who has been high on my radar for a while now and has continued to impress as a senior. He has been productive out of the backfield in the first two rounds of the playoffs, running the ball 16 times for 129 yards and three touchdowns. Anthony is a physical runner who has shown the ability to run straight through defenders without breaking stride. He has also shown the speed to run away from the defense once he hits the open field. Brenden has also caught three passes for 83 yards and a touchdown during the playoffs, and has made an impact on defense at linebacker, accounting for nine tackles. Anthony currently holds offers from UVA Wise and Pikeville, and I can see more coming his way as he has the talent to play on either side of the ball at the next level. </p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><span style="text-decoration: underline">Raceland vs. Hazard</span>:</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1610662' first='Jacob' last='Waller'] has caught my attention during Raceland's playoff run. He has been impressive during the first two rounds, completing 21/27 passes for 288 yards, six touchdowns, and an interception. Waller is an accurate passer, showing the ability to hit receivers out of their breaks so that they can make catches in stride. He has also shown the ability to escape pressure while keeping his eyes down the field to make tough throws on the run. Jacob doesn't currently hold any offers but he should be a player to keep an eye on as he continues to develop. </p>     <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1284268' first='Connor' last='Holbrook'] is a player who has done a little bit of everything for Hazard this season. He has been a key piece of their offense at receiver during their playoff run, catching 13 passes for 185 yards and four touchdowns. Holbrook has impressive speed which he is able to use to blow by opposing defensive backs in the deep passing game and to pick up yards after the catch on short passes. He has also returned two kickoffs for touchdowns during the playoffs and has made an impact on defense, accounting for 14 tackles and one interception which he returned for a touchdown. Connor doesn't currently hold any offers but he will definitely be a player to keep an eye on over the next few years. </p>

With the month of November moving quickly to its end, we are getting closer and closer to crowning state champions in each class in the state of Kentucky. As we head into the state quarterfinals this week, I wanted to focus on a player from each of the remaining teams in each class who has stood out in the playoffs so far and who I believe should be a player to continue to watch. With classes 2A-6A already being covered, I'll now turn my attention to my players to watch in the state quarterfinals in class 1A in the state of Kentucky.