Charlotte Area + Beyond Week 9 Playmakers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>All across the Charlotte Metro Area &amp; beyond in Week 9, there were big-time performances, and we're going to highlight them here with a bit of commentary tacked on as well for select players. Please make sure you are sharing your performances with me via Twitter/X @pepman704, especially if you are in the Charlotte Metro Area, to be considered for inclusion! We will have this series all year long on Prep Redzone North Carolina, and we will recognize everyone – including linemen! Stats and film will help a TON when being evaluated for inclusion! All right, let's get started.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1124842' first='Jayden' last='Jones']</strong> - Independence - 180 Rushing Yards and a Touchdown - Jayden looks to be back to his old self after missing a couple of games earlier this season. A fresh [player_tooltip player_id='1124842' first='Jayden' last='Jones'] makes the Patriots a dangerous matchup in the upcoming 7A playoffs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='915835' first='Jared' last='Street']</strong> - Independence - 127 Passing Yards &amp; 3 Touchdowns plus 138 Rushing Yards and Rush TD - Jared showed his dual-threat abilities well in this one and took advantage of what the defense gave him in the passing game. If he can continue this level of efficiency, the Patriots will be a tough playoff out. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1571334' first='King' last='Rhodes']</strong> - Independence - 2 Receiving Touchdowns &amp; 65 Receiving Yards - King has always been a player with a lot of potential, and he broke out a bit in a big game with these touchdown catches. King's height and athleticism are intriguing, and with a strong finish to the season, he can jump on some college football coaches' radars. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='771231' first='Dallas' last='Brannon']</strong> - Independence - 11 Tackles, Tackle For Loss, &amp; Strong Overall Play - Dallas continues to play some of the best football of his career, and it's not a coincidence that the Patriots are starting to peak at the right time heading into the state playoffs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1239187' first='Caleb' last='Cooper']</strong> - Providence Day - In 1 half of action - 12 Tackles, 5 Solo Tackles, 2 Tackles For Loss - Caleb has been a tackling machine for the Chargers and their defense is the main reason why they are the favorite to win another state championship under Head Coach Chad Grier's leadership. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Bryce Nixon</strong> - Olympic - 165 Rushing Yards on only 8 carries for the entire game</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1610634' first='Kenyan' last='White']</strong> - Olympic - 10 Tackles, Tackle For Loss, and 55 Yard Interception Return for Touchdown - I've said this before, but once again I think Kenyan is one of the most under-the-radar Division 1 players in North Carolina. His play is a big reason why the Trojans sit in first place in the Greater Metro Conference. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='651159' first='Braylon' last='Clark']</strong> - Country Day - 9 Catches, 172 Yards, 3 Touchdowns plus 76 Yard KO Return For Touchdown - The #1 player in the 2028 Class in our rankings has done nothing but be consistently dominant week in and week out for the Buccaneers, accounting for 4 touchdowns and keeping his team in the game for as long as possible here. A Power 4 offer per week seems to be the going rate for Braylon. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1106930' first='Jamal' last='Rule']</strong> - Charlotte Christian - 18 Carries for 284 Rushing Yards and 4 Touchdowns - After missing a few games, Jamal is back in action and looked very impressive in a big win for his squad. Him being available to play this week against rival Providence Day makes that game very interesting, to say the least. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1668973' first='Sione' last='Latimore']</strong> - Cox Mill - 9 Catches for 187 Receiving Yards and 3 Touchdowns - Sione had the breakout game I knew he was capable of when I saw him in action at the CFI Carolinas MEGA Showcase this spring. Excellent route running and speed were on display all night. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Chris Williams</strong> - Chambers - 10 Tackles, Tackle For Loss, a Sack, and a Pass Breakup - We've talked about Chris's speed to the football and propensity to make game-changing plays for the Cougars. Both of those were on display in a big way in a nice rival victory over the Vikings. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jalen Fletcher-Mclean</strong> - East Lincoln - 14 Carries, 104 Rushing Yards, and a Touchdown, plus 28 Receiving Yards</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1122961' first='Shannon' last='Wingate Jr']</strong> - Maiden - 27 Carries, 251 Rushing Yards, &amp; 2 Touchdowns - Shannon showed why he was selected to the Queen City Senior Bowl in this one, as his combination of speed and power carrying the football helped his Blue Devils defeat rival Bandys. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jaron Ward </strong>- Hendersonville - 12-15, 242 Passing Yards, and 4 Touchdown Passes</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1593034' first='Jadarius' last='McCombs']</strong> - Mooresville - 15 Carries, 112 Yards, 3 Rushing Touchdowns</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Ronan Nieland </strong>- Hickory - 4 Touchdown Receptions from QB Maddox Mcree. Big win over East Lincoln! The biggest star players always find a way to shine brightest on the biggest stages, and Ronan certainly did that in the biggest regular-season stage Hickory will have before the playoffs. Ronan has some nice size and strong hands, and I'm looking forward to studying his game even more. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Nate Poplin </strong>- South Stanly - 9 Tackles, 2 Tackles For Loss, &amp; 2 Sacks</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1321018' first='Luke' last='Meador']</strong> - Providence - 337 Passing Yards and 4 Touchdowns in OT Comeback Victory over Palisades - Luke is starting to rack up some real signature wins here for the Panthers, as he led a comeback down on the road 28-7 to win in overtime against a very good Palisades team. This victory put them in first place in the conference, and if the Panthers continue to play like this, they have an outside shot at hosting a first-round playoff game. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Shawn Matthews</strong> - Providence - 84 Receiving Yards and 3 Receiving Touchdowns</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1467712' first='Tyler' last='Johnson'] </strong>- Community School of Davidson - 2 Rushing Touchdowns and 1 Receiving TD - 125 Total Yards of Offense - Tyler has shone in the athlete role this season for the Spartans, and they've had some tough luck losses to some good teams who all have just one loss each on the season. They will not be a team people want to see in the playoffs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1548852' first='Cooper' last='Peterson'] </strong>- Corvian - 4 Touchbacks and 51 Yard Punting Average with 3 Punts Inside 20 Yard Line</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1788150' first='Infinite' last='Morrow'] </strong>- Central Cabarrus - 9 Tackles, Touchdown, 2 Point Conversion</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Andre Ramseur</strong> - Mountain Island - 120 Rushing Yards, 2 Touchdowns, plus 164 Passing Yards &amp; 3 Touchdowns</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Mikelis Hobgood</strong> - JF Webb - 22 Carries, 384 Rushing Yards, 8 Rushing Touchdowns! - Mikelis had an absolutely incredible performance in this game. The power and speed with which he ran was impressive, but you also have to give credit to his blocking backs and offensive line for their performance as well. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1607782' first='Aury' last='Greenfield']</strong> - JM Robinson - 15-18 Passing, 340 Passing Yards, 3 Touchdowns - Plus 80 Rushing Yards! - Aury really showed off his dual-threat abilities in this game, and he's just continued to get better as the season has gone along for the Bulldogs. I'm anxious to see how he performs in the upcoming state playoffs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1176263' first='Ennis' last='Stiles']</strong> - JM Robinson - 12 Tackles, 3 Tackles For Loss, Plus Rushing Touchdown</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1692741' first='Jackson' last='Laws']</strong> - Cannon School - 14 Tackles, 9 Solos, 3 Tackles For Loss, and 2 Sacks - Jackson continues to be among the state leaders in sacks, but his impact on games is getting to be much deeper than that now. College coaches really need to start paying attention to Jackson's overall game. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1044292' first='Skylar' last='Alston'] </strong>- Cardinal Gibbons - 16 Tackles, 9 Solos, 7 Tackles For Loss, and a Pass Breakup</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Lemar Grier</strong> - AL Brown - 26 Carries, 182 Rushing Yards, and 3 Touchdowns - Quietly, Lemar is having a very strong season for the Wonders, as he has been one of the consistent offensive threats that has kept the chains moving for them all season. He's only a junior, so he's definitely on my list to watch for the rest of this season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Dhilyn Hollis</strong> - AL Brown - 10 Tackles, 4 Tackles For Loss, and 3 Sacks</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1224735' first='Carter' last='Stevens'] </strong>- Christ The King - 4 Catches, 103 Yards, 2 Receiving Touchdowns, Rushing TD, Interception</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Dorian Morgan</strong> - Lake Norman Charter - 5 Catches, 218 Receiving Yards, 3 Touchdowns - Dorian is a shorter slot type of receiver, but he really wins with speed and agility, and I really like watching his highlight package. He's an impressive guy once he gets out into space. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1301262' first='Josh' last='Falzarano Jr'] </strong>- Myers Park - 3 Rushing Touchdowns and 78 Total Yards in 8 Total Touches</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1665917' first='Jayden' last='Howard'] </strong>- Havelock - 15 Carries, 186 Rushing Yards, and 2 Touchdowns</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1626325' first='Brennen' last='Wallace']</strong> - Christ The King - 16 Carries, 168 Rushing Yards, 14 Tackles, Fumble Return For Touchdown</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1858055' first='Mike' last='McLean'] </strong>- Scotland County - Freshman Rushed 13 Times For 150 Rushing Yards and 4 Touchdowns - My colleague Joshua Graham, who covers Eastern North Carolina for us, has raved about the talent of Mike, and he got to show it off in this game, flashing some incredible vision and speed to make several highlight runs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Tijurian White</strong> - Scotland County - 15 Carries, 190 Rushing Yards, 3 Rushing Touchdowns</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jay Taylor - West Stokes </strong>- 12 Carries, 103 Rushing Yards, 2 Rushing Touchdowns, 94 Yard TD Reception, 36 Passing Yards</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jamir Jackson - Monroe</strong> - 20 Carries, 153 Rushing Yards &amp; 2 Rushing Touchdowns</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='657710' first='Jaxson' last='Kemp'] - Northern Guilford</strong> - 5 Passing Touchdowns and 143 Passing Yards - Excellent Efficiency!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1654186' first='Brody' last='Hunt'] - South Iredell </strong>- 256 All Purpose Yards, 2 Receiving Touchdowns, Interception, Kick Return Touchdown - Brody is really showing his overall athleticism and speed - getting some special things done on both special teams and on defense. He's an all-around talent, period. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Cole Perry - Heritage </strong>- 245 Passing Yards and 3 Touchdown Passes, plus 36 Rushing Yards</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1048930' first='Brody' last='Lowe'] - Grimsley</strong> - 16-19, 274 Passing Yards and 4 Passing Touchdowns. Freshman! - The talented freshman continues to show he has special abilities to throw the football all over the field. The anticipation and accuracy Brody throws the ball with is tremendous. I'm excited to see many more years of him lighting up defenses across the state. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='378966' first='Savion' last='Lindsay'] - Ashbrook</strong> - 11 Carries, 117 Rushing Yards, TD plus 78 Yard Touchdown Catch</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Christopher Wurster - Stuart Cramer</strong> - 2 Rushing Touchdowns, 12 Total Tackles, Interception</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->