State Championship Report: Jackson Lumen Christi

Jackson Lumen Christi adds another trophy to their overflowing collection. For decades, this program has been an absolute powerhouse, and they show zero signs of slowing down. After last season, many people, including myself, doubted whether they could four-peat. Well, they've done it, and they did it with several starters that will be back next season. Today, I'll outline five players who stood out to me from the press box.   It's Black Friday Weekend! Please use code "BlackFriday2025" for 50% off a Prep Redzone subscription. This is genuinely the best deal I've ever seen for PRZ, so don't miss out!   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   RB | [player_tooltip player_id='1648003' first='Ayden' last='Gatewood'] | FR   Was only in for 1 snap in first drive- it was a 25-yard rushing TD. No broken tackles, just went outside and outran everyone.   Not a super high-volume rusher, but was efficient when out there. Just like his tape, Ayden's athletic ability pops. His first carry was a 25-yard TD, where he simply earned the outside and outran several defenders for the score. At the end of the first half, he totaled 2 carries for 30 yards and a TD. Not bad for a freshman in the state championship! Ayden also played on the kick return + kickoff team. Absolutely a few areas to improve, but I'm also extremely confident in Lumen Christi to develop Ayden. Without a doubt, he's one of Lumen's cornerstone players moving forward.   S | Johnny Walters | JR   An extremely efficient defender for Lumen. He first popped early in the game, where I watched him go sideline-to-sideline, nearly making an incredible tackle. He flashed on multiple other occasions, including a big-time first-drive pass breakup and a late-game INT. He's one of those safeties who plays like a linebacker- excellent play speed and physicality. Per usual for Lumen Christi, Johnny is a smart, high-effort defender. Based on today's game, I absolutely think he's on track to earn college offers this Spring.   LB | Sean Walicki | SR   11 tackles in the first half alone and 17 TOT, Sean performed at an extremely high level all game. His most impressive tackle was at the goalline- Sean came in from the backside, and threw the Kingsley ballcarrier backward. Kingsley did a good job blocking at the line of scrimmage, but Sean was usually there to stuff anything between the tackles. He's a rock-solid off-ball linebacker who excels at playing downhill. Additionally, Sean totaled 11 carries for 142 yards and 2 TDs. He showcased good contact balance and enough speed to break away at the second level. One of Lumen Christi's cornerstone pieces, Sean leaves with yet another ring.   DT | [player_tooltip player_id='1225724' first='Antwon' last='Baker'] | SR   Man! Antwon is someone I've had an eye on for years, and I'm happy with how he's developed year after year. Playing on the interior D-Line, Antwon totaled a whopping 7 solo tackles (8 TOT). Especially early on, I thought Kingsley was doing a nice job getting movement upfront, but Antwon was a major headache all night. He's greatly improved his anchor over the years, as well as his IQ and all-around agility. I'm extremely impressed with how Antwon was able to stay anchored, keep his eyes in the backfield, and make high-effort solo tackles.   QB | Benny Gatson | JR   Benny did a phenomenal job at quarterback today. He went 8-13 passing for 111 yards and 1 TD, plus another 21 yards on the ground. You rarely see such an efficient quarterback in D6. First offensive play, Benny slung a pass to [player_tooltip player_id='1882787' first='Broden' last='Burgess'] for 19 yards. It quickly became apparent that Benny can sling it, showing great velocity and overall arm talent all game. Better yet, Benny is an excellent leader. Amazing energy all night, and you could tell his teammates looked up to him. Leadership is something that is rare and something I hold in high regard- I love that Benny is a vocal leader. I'm incredibly excited to see what Benny is capable of this offseason and next season!

Jackson Lumen Christi adds another trophy to their overflowing collection. For decades, this program has been an absolute powerhouse, and they show zero signs of slowing down. After last season, many people, including myself, doubted whether they could four-peat. Well, they've done it, and they did it with several starters that will be back next season. Today, I'll outline five players who stood out to me from the press box.