Labor Day Ballers Coming Down The Home Stretch

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's another Monday morning armchair QB peek behind the curtain this fine Labor Day morning as we rapidly approach the kickoff to the 2025 season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One more week to prove you are ready or in fine-tuning your already established skill sets in order to take off like a rocket later this week.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With <em>Mother Nature</em> smiling on practices the last week or so, the ballers are not getting burn-out by 100-degree outings and should be amped up to bring their A-game this Friday.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In this report, we will take a quick look at five guys who I have been following closely this off-season as they ramp up for this fall. First out of the gate are a couple of freshman studs <em>who have already secured starting positions</em>, followed by a sophomore running back/linebacker ready to make a splash and then wrap up with a couple of seniors on the cusp of breakout seasons.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>So, without further adieu, let's take a quick pre-season look at what these guys have to offer:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1582714' first='Blake' last='Thomas']</strong>, 5'11, 185, ATH, <em>Blue Valley SW</em>, '29. Most freshman are just glad to be on the field and slowly but surely getting acclimated to the varsity game. Then there are guys like this young baller who came in with a game-plan to hit the ground running and will start as a slot receiver and probably see action in the secondary as well. His off-season has been cram-packed with specialized training programs and competing extensively in the summer camp-combine circuit. With his combination of speed, explosiveness, and sticky hands along with elite-level athleticism, a strong work ethic in the weight room and training with his sprint coach has prepared him to play at a young age. He will likely transition to being a hybrid weapon at RB/WR and will undoubtedly be a player to watch in the coming years. He is also the holder for another standout freshman who we will check out next. Get your popcorn ready, they are both going to put on a show.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1743366' first='Rhys' last='Poggio']</strong>, K/P, <em>Blue Valley SW</em>, '29. I usually don't cover the kickers and punters as close as I should but having played both and coached specialists for a number of years at the college level it is something I still follow closely. This young-gun kicker/punter caught my eye earlier in the summer when I saw him booming 50+ yard field goals wherever he happened to be at the time, traveling to events, kicking at sunrise or at night or even barefoot between trees at the butt-crack of dawn. He is a rising 4-star, 5-tool kicker/punter who is not only ready to make the jump to high school ball, but will start for the varsity right out of the gate. With his powerful leg he drills kickoffs deep into the endzone, is accurate from 60 yards in on FG's and is a versatile punter who can boom the towering traditional punts or is also adept at executing the roll-out, Aussie style punt. Get used to hearing about this guy, he is going to be around for awhile.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1658644' first='Max' last='Walters']</strong>, 5'11, 180, RB/LB/ATH, <em>Centralia</em>, '28. He is a baller I ran across earlier in the year when I saw some tape on him as a standout two-way athlete playing running back/fullback on offense and as a head-pounding linebacker on defense. Earlier in the summer he showed and tested well at the Nemaha Central combine and built on that to see big gains in strength, speed and explosiveness. He and his teammates just wrapped up their pre-season jamboree, where he turned heads on both sides of the ball, playing three drives at fullback and one at quarterback. He carried the ball seven times for 30+ yards and scored a pair of TD's. On the defensive side of the ball he was moved to outside linebacker and responded with eight tackles. Get out and see this guy in action, he has been generating momentum all summer and is ready to deliver a standout sophomore season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1261248' first='Gad' last='Munganga']</strong>, 6'0, 175, WR/ATH, <em>Topeka West</em>, '26. My buddy and colleague, the legendary <em>Coach Buckets</em> (@PreWarWesley), gave me a head's up on this guy during the summer months and I have had him on my watchlist ever since. <em>Buckets</em> even went out on a limb and said this guy is arguably the best receiver in the <em>Topeka</em> area and with the ballers up there that is quite an endorsement. I reported on him earlier in the summer after seeing him in action. He is a well-rounded, versatile wideout who can also line up in the slot or split out on the weakside to force mismatches in the secondary. He is also used in a number of creative ways, on reverses, jet sweeps, quick-strike short passes where he picks up big yardage after the initial hit or in roasting teams on the long ball down the sideline. With his speed and explosiveness, he creates immediate separation before rolling into polished routes. This guy is ready to blow the doors off this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Aiden Honeywell</strong>, 6'1, 215, LB/OL, <em>Atchison</em>, '26. Last and certainly not least, we have a guy flying under the radar so far but is right on the verge of a big season this fall to show the state what they have been missing. This off-season has been busy as he trained hard in the weight room and speedwork on the field and in the process packed on 30 pounds of muscle while still getting faster. The work has paid off as he was moved to inside linebacker and will also help bolster the offensive line and the offense as a whole. I recently covered his star-studded teammates on offense, <em>[player_tooltip player_id='1598868' first='Leighton' last='Boldridge']</em>, one of the best all-around three-way players in the state and the equally talented <em>[player_tooltip player_id='1466494' first='Kolten' last='Bonnel']</em> as the team's dual-threat quarterback. With his training discipline, consistency and a burning desire to win, <em>Honeywell </em>is poised and ready to help his team take it to the next level this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In conclusion, get out and see these guys in action – you will not be disappointed.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>And, as usual…</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Keep grindin'</em></strong>…</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->