What We Saw: Standout Garner-Middle Creek Defenders

The Garner Trojans and Middle Creek Mustangs met in a battle of RDU unbeatens on Friday, and Prep Redzone was on hand to witness a fun game.   The Trojans won 41-17 in a much closer game than the scoreline suggests, and I left feeling that both teams could be dangerous in the playoffs; that Garner looked impressive, more so than Middle Creek looked overmatched. In the first of two pieces on this matchup, here's a breakdown of the best defensive players in a hard-fought game.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Top Defensive Standouts in Garner-Middle Creek</h2>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">What We Saw</h3>   Both offenses struggled down to down early in the game, with Garner taking an early lead on a few big plays, rather than by consistently marching down the field. The Trojans were determined to get the ball on the perimeter to negate a strong Middle Creek pass rush.   Middle Creek had little success until late in the first half on the offensive side of the ball, a credit to Garner's speed on defense. The Mustangs switched approach in the second half, using more tempo and hitting a few passes across the middle of the field. Ultimately, the Garner offense had too much firepower as the Middle Creek defense wore down. As the Mustangs started pressing offensively, the Trojans took advantage, widening the gap late in the contest.   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Middle Creek Standout Defenders</h3>   I'll start with two guys who impressed me, who I didn't expect to be at the top of my scouting list. Middle Creek linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1880225' first='Connor' last='Smith'] plays fast and downhill, and he was in on several key tackles for the Mustangs. He played some as an off-ball edge rusher and some as a true linebacker. Just a sophomore, he has college size (6'3," 225) and the quickness to stick off the ball if he doesn't continue to grow into a college edge rusher.   [player_tooltip player_id='1880228' first='Honor' last='Paxton'] was a guy who probably should've been in our 2026 rankings sooner, but who blew me away on Friday. When he debuts in the rankings, he'll sit in the FCS range thanks to his impressive physical profile and versatility. He made a slew of tackles, excelled in pass coverage (pick six), and made an incredible chase-down tackle that not only saved a touchdown but forced a fumble through the end zone as well.   The physical profile alone is enough to excite college coaches, but that, combined with the motor and production, makes him a true Division 1 prospect.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/whelms21/status/1964116309286728012 </div></figure>   Garner did a great job of neutralizing the Middle Creek defensive line, but guys like Campbell commit [player_tooltip player_id='1663952' first='Davis' last='Prichard'] and interior lineman [player_tooltip player_id='809409' first='Cullen' last='Hunt'] still flashed. Princhard was in on several tackles, many of them from the back side, and also had a sack. Hunt's raw power is impressive for a guy his size, and he won his fair share of battles up front. Sophomore edge rusher Ezra Jobe flashed as well, and you can see his potential.   Finally, I have to give some love to the special teams. Kicker/punter Ben Ladue was booming punts, and he forced multiple muffs with high hangtime and plenty of yardage. He also nailed a field goal and sailed every kickoff through the back of the end zone. At least from what I saw on Friday, he's a true college punting prospect.   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Garner Standout Defenders</h3>   I was impressed with the Garner defense as a unit, as the Trojans forced three turnovers and held Middle Creek to just 17 points. It really was a team effort, but it started up front before the secondary shone late.   Derek Taylor had an early sack, and the defensive line limited Middle Creek's ability to run the ball consistently in the early going, forcing the Mustangs into third-and-long situations.   [player_tooltip player_id='1702833' first='Tyquan' last='Richardson'] is undersized, playing a position he won't play in college, but his get-off is so good that he's able to create pressures off the edge against much larger offensive linemen. He also plays bigger than his size; he's physical and unafraid of contact, but he doesn't just bounce off bigger linemen; he can generate real push.   Late in the game, the secondary took over, with [player_tooltip player_id='1397877' first='AJ' last='Randle'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1656365' first='Tayden' last='McPhatter'] picking off passes. Randle is a bigger defensive back who may move to a true safety position in college, but he's smooth at his size, and it's easy to see what colleges see in him.   McPhatter will probably play something on the offensive side of the ball in college, but his explosive athleticism works at defensive back for Garner (In addition to all the work he did on offense and special teams).   There are playmakers at every level of the defense, and to see the Trojans play this well against a high-quality offense gives me real optimism about their chances in a tough conference.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Defensive Player of the Game</h2>   While there were plenty of standouts on both teams, the defensive player of the game was Middle Creek's [player_tooltip player_id='1880228' first='Honor' last='Paxton']. As the game was winding down, I spoke with a few other media guys about how impressive Paxton looked. As we spoke, he made two or three other plays that showed his range, motor, and energy.   In terms of moving the needle in our rankings, Paxton moved the most I've ever moved a player after seeing him in person for the first time.   Which games should we attend this season? Let me know on Twitter (@<a href="https://x.com/whelms21">whelms21</a>)

The Garner Trojans and Middle Creek Mustangs met in a battle of RDU unbeatens on Friday, and Prep Redzone was on hand to witness a fun game.