'29 Ballers With Experience Ready to Rock the Next Step

For the class of 2029 last fall was a trial by fire as they got their first taste of the varsity game.   For most freshmen it means watching and waiting for their opportunity to see some game time and continue to work at getting bigger, faster and more skilled.   In this report we will take a quick look at five guys from the class of '29 who were able to get some varsity action and are now deeply invested in having a big off-season so they can take the next step in the journey this fall.   So without further adieu, let's check these guys out:     [player_tooltip player_id='1743366' first='Rhys' last='Poggio']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/rhys-poggio/"></a> , K/P, Blue Valley SW, '29, first up for the soon-to-be sophomores is the only special teams player on the list. He came in last year as a 4-star, 5-tool kicker/punter who started as a freshman and wasted little time making his mark at the varsity level going 16 out of 17 on PAT's and also kicked four field goals. On kickoffs he consistently drives the ball deep and also averaged 30+ yards a punt. He has been busy this off-season perfecting his craft and will be starting the camp circuit in a couple of weeks when he gets on the road to Chicago for the Kohl's Spring Showcase and then in June will hit some smaller camps before heading to the big national Kohl's camp in July. This guy is going to have a breakout year this fall as the Wolfpack return to prominence.   [player_tooltip player_id='1707575' first='Evan' last='Valencia'], 5'11, 175, RB/ATH, Holcomb, '29, next up is a guy I have had my eye on since last year as a running back who averaged 9+ yards per carry. Since then he has also honed his skills this spring in 7v7 for the Kansas Colts, where he played well enough with the 14U team to be bumped up to play with the 18U guys. He has since transitioned into track where he runs the 100M and the 4x1 and has gotten faster since last fall. He has spent a lot of time catching passes and will continue to fine-tune his game playing 7v7 locally this summer. His camp schedule is getting ready to get busy in a hurry as he will be attending events at KU, K-State, Colorado, Texas Tech and is considering Miami, North Dakota State and Chadron State. This guy is going to bring the fireworks this fall.   [player_tooltip player_id='2075596' first='Jacob' last='Cannezzaro'], 5'10, 215, OL/DL, Blue Valley, '29, in the third spot is a guy who has flown under the radar somewhat but has had a strong off-season getting ready for this fall as a bruising baller in the trenches on both sides of the ball. He can play either guard and with his quick feet can pull and lead backs on the perimeter or quickly chip off and pick up fast-flowing linebackers. Once last year's football season was over he went right into lifting and doing speedwork with Gridiron Fit and has already gotten bigger, faster and stronger than he was last fall. He is also attending the Trinity Academy Showcase in Wichita this weekend and recently earned an invite to the Top Gun FBU Camp that will feature some of the best athletes in the country. This guy is ready to take his game to the next level.   Tucker Rice, 5'11, 165, DB/QB, Salina Central, '29, next up is another another talented athlete who caught my eye when I was following some of his teammates on last year's 5A State Championship run. He was able to pick up a lot of good experience that will enable him to step up this year and contribute. He is a two-way baller who is a dangerous dual-threat quarterback on offense and is a speedy defensive back on the other side of the ball who makes things happen in the secondary. He has been training with Sharp Performance with teammates King Anderson and GriffinHall, as well as playing 7v7 with GrindTime. Currently he is on the track team where he runs the 100, 200 and 400 and recently ripped off a sizzling 10.9 100M. He will be at the Washburn camp in a couple of weeks and will roll into this fall as a guy ready to show off his game.   [player_tooltip player_id='1881645' first='Riley' last='McEvoy'], 6'4, 195, WR/TE, Spring Hill, '29, and last but certainly not least we have a multi-sport athlete who is coming off a freshman season where he quickly established himself as varsity ready. On offense he showed glimpses of greatness last fall as a hybrid WR/tight end who has prototype size, athleticism and a huge catch radius that he can utilize to high-point the ball or make the difficult, contested catch. He is also a standout baseball player as a middle infielder who can play second or third or in the outfield and has already got his homerun stroke down. He has been focused on baseball but has also been working in the school's off-season program with his teammates. This guy hasn't got a lot of attention yet but get ready as he is going to bust out with a big sophomore year.     In conclusion, get out and see these talented playmakers - you won't be disappointed! Also, if you know of any players not getting any/enough coverage that they deserve, please feel free to DM me via X so we can take care of that!   And, most importantly...   Keep Grindin'

For the class of 2029 last fall was a trial by fire as they got their first taste of the varsity game.