2022 Statewide Top Performers: Week 7
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Another week has come and gone, and the 2022 high school football regular season is coming down the home stretch. The seventh week of the season provided us yet another week full of outstanding performances. While it was hard to…
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Continue ReadingAnother week has come and gone, and the 2022 high school football regular season is coming down the home stretch. The seventh week of the season provided us yet another week full of outstanding performances. While it was hard to narrow down, these are the top ten performances in the state of Kentucky that stood out in week seven.
Hughes is a player that has caught our attention at Prep Redzone Kentucky a few times this past year. He continued to impress this past Friday, getting the job done in multiple ways for Union County’s offense. Hughes finished the game with 380 all-purpose yards, one rushing touchdown, and receiving touchdown, and also scored on a two-point conversion. Kris lined up both on the outside at wide receiver and out of the backfield as a running back. At receiver, he showed the speed to pose as a deep threat along great contested catch and high point ability. As a ball carrier, Hughes came downhill in a hurry out of his stance, showing the speed to burst into the second level of the defense quickly and the elusiveness to make defenders miss once he hit the open field. Hughes also showed value on special teams, returning a kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown on Friday. While Hughes doesn’t currently hold any official offers, I expect some to come soon as he has received a lot of college interest and has the talent to play at the next level.
Byron May Byron May 6’3″ | 235 lbs | DL Rowan County | 2023 State KY is a player that I have been very high on for a while now. The statewide leader in sacks but on another very impressive performance this past Friday, finishing the game with four sacks and six tackles for loss. May lived in the Holmes backfield on Friday night, using his speed to blow right by opposing offensive linemen, He also showed the ability to use pass rush moves to get off blocks with ease. Once he got to the ball carrier, he did a great job of running his feet on contact to secure the tackle or sack. When the play was away from him, May did a good job of reading the play and coming down the line to make plays from the opposite side. Byron currently holds an offer from Morehead State but I expect more to come as he has the talent to be a very successful defensive end in college.
Highlights
Making my top performers list once again this week is one of the state’s best receivers, Chandler Godby Chandler Godby 5’9″ | 170 lbs | WR Pulaski County | 2023 State KY . Godby put on another very impressive performance this past week, catching seven passes for 211 yards and five touchdowns. He showed the speed to run by defenders in the deep passing game and elusiveness to make them miss in the open field after the catch. I also liked that Godby showed great ability as a blocker in this game, with the willingness to block in the run game and the strength to drive his man out of the play. With the season he is having, it is still shocking to me that Godby hasn’t picked up an offer. I believe some will come soon for him as his talent is undeniable.
Highlights
Tristan Cook Tristan Cook 6’5″ | 300 lbs | OL Woodford County | 2023 State KY showed once again this past Friday why he is one of our top ranked offensive linemen in the class of 2023. He was a big part of Woodford County’s success against West Jessamine, especially in the run game. Cook was dominant as a run blocker from the guard position, exploding out of his stance and driving his man off the line of scrimmage. He played with a very high motor and blocked through the whistle, resulting in several pancake blocks. Cook also showed the ability to mirror pass rushers to keep them away from the quarterback and did a great job of finding defenders to block in the open field. Tristan is committed to Ball State and I expect him to develop into a very good offensive lineman once he gets there.
Highlights
Another player that I have had on my radar for a while now is running back Bennie Hill Bennie Hill 5’10” | 185 lbs | RB Scott | 2023 State KY from Scott High School. Hill had another strong outing on Friday, carrying the ball 32 times for 328 yards and six touchdowns. This game put him over 1,000 yards on the season. Hill ran the ball very hard, keeping his feet running through contact to pick up extra yards. Once he hit the open field, Hill showed the ability to make moves to make defenders miss. He also showed a very good burst through the hole and the speed to outrun defenders to pick up big gains. Bennie currently hold offers from Findlay and Walsh, and I expect more to come as he has received a lot of college interest and has the skill set to be a very successful running back at the next level.
William Carrico
William Carrico
William “Tutt” Carrico is a player that jumped onto my radar this past week. He got the job done in a big way on both sides of the ball for Owensboro Catholic. Carrico finished the game with six receptions for 210 yards and four touchdowns, along with 15 tackles. He lined up in the slot on offense and used his impressive speed to create separation in the deep passing game and run away from the defense after the catch. Carrico also used his speed and elusiveness in the open field to turn short passes/screens into big plays. On defense, Carrico played in an outside linebacker role and did a great job of reading his keys and flowing to the ball. On his way to the ball carrier, he showed the ability to get off blocks and showed that he is a very reliable tackle once he got there. While he doesn’t currently hold any offers, Carrico is definitely a name to watch over the next two seasons.
Another Owensboro Catholic player that looked great this past week was sophomore quarterback, Brady Atwell Brady Atwell 6’3″ | 225 lbs | QB Owensboro Catholic | 2025 State KY . Last Friday against Todd County Central, Brady completed 19/27 passes for 440 yards and five touchdowns. Atwell has a very strong arm with the ability to push the ball down the field and lead his receivers away from their defenders. He also has shown great accuracy in the short/intermediate passing game with the ability to zip his passes into tight windows when necessary. Atwell also showed a little dual-threat ability on Friday, running the ball four times for 41 yards. Brady doesn’t currently hold any offers but will be a big name to watch over the next few years as he has been receiving some interest from Division I programs and has the potential to develop into a high caliber prospect.
Highlights
Mitchell Berger
Mitchell Berger
Mitchell Berger has been one of the most impressive players in the state so far this season and continued to play at a high level this past Friday. Berger ran the ball 22 times for 234 yards and five touchdowns against Dixie Heights. As a ball carrier, he showed the ability to find the running lane and come downhill in a hurry. Once he got through the line of scrimmage, he didn’t stop as he was able to show the speed to run away from the defense. Berger also made an impact on defense at linebacker as he was flying all over the field making tackles. He used his ability to read his keys to react quickly and make good angles to the ball to put himself in a position to make a play. Mitchell is committed to play baseball at Eastern Kentucky but could definitely play football at the college level if he were to have a sudden change of heart.
Darius Evans Darius Evans 5’11” | 170 lbs | WR Martha Layne Collins | 2023 State KY made an impact in several different ways for Collins this past Friday night. He did a lot of his damage on offense at receiver, catching seven passes for 137 yards and a touchdown. Evans showed strong route running ability, using his smooth breaks in his routes to create separation. After the catch, Evans used his speed to turn up the field and pick up extra yards and showed the ability to make defenders miss in the open field. Evans also made an impact on defense/special teams, recording five tackles, two interceptions, and a fumble recovery for a touchdown. On defense, Evans lined up on the outside at corner and took some reps at safety as well. He showed an impressive ability to read the play and break on the ball at the perfect time to catch the interception in stride. At safety, he showed the ability to read the quarterback and cover ground in a hurry to make a play on the ball in the deep passing game. Darius doesn’t currently hold any offers but college coaches should be taking a long look at him as he has the potential to be an impact player at the next level.
Another player that made an impact for his team in multiple ways this past Friday is junior Will Ray Will Ray 5’11” | 170 lbs | ATH North Hardin | 2024 State KY from Bethlehem. Ray hauled in six catches for 141 yards and a touchdown while also accounting for 5.5 tackles, and two fumble recoveries for touchdowns. On offense, Ray lined up in the slot and was able to use his smooth route running skills to create separation. He also showed very reliable hands and the ability to catch the ball at its highest point. Ray lined up in a nickel role on defense and showed great awareness, finding the ball and making plays when the ball was on the ground. Ray doesn’t currently hold any offers but he should be a name to watch over the next two seasons as he has the talent to be a difference maker at the college level.