4 Small School Playmakers Who Have Excelled So Far in 2023

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We are four weeks into the high school football season and fireworks have been aplenty. But those fireworks don't always come from the marquee, upper-class schools many gravitate towards. The smaller schools throughout the state have incredible talent that should never go unnoticed. This time, we focus on four standout class 1A and 2A athletes. One word can describe all four of these guys: gritty. Check out who has made noise early on in the 2023 campaign.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Michael Good","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'3u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2407","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Laville","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"The Laville Lancers are off to a great start, beginning the season 4-0. One guy who has done his part his senior Michael Good. The big tight end currently leads the team in a few different categories on both sides of the ball, but also leads the conference in receiving yards. Standing at 6'3u0022, Good knows how to create space and make himself open, regardless of it he lines up out wide or in line. This is actually one of his best attributes. His versatility. Because not only does he make plays on offense, he's a legit edge rusher as well. Simply put, he can lay the hammer down on opposing ball carriers. Good will be relied on once again this Friday, as the Lancers battle for first place in the HNAC with the Knox Redskins. Good is good.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eTwitter: @michaelgood06","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1032216' first='Wesley' last='Javins']","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"6'3u0022","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"2406","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"Bishop Luers","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_1_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Let's run it back with another stud TE/DE. This time, it's [player_tooltip player_id='1032216' first='Wesley' last='Javins'] out of Bishop Luers High School. Simply put, Javins can create HAVOC. Lining up on the Knights defensive line, he is an incredible athlete and makes it look easy at times running through blockers. You'll find him in the backfield at a frequent rate. Let's look at last week's matchup, for instance. Javins filled the stat sheet, recording 7 tackles, 4 of them for loss, and 2 as sacks. On top of that, he also recovered a fumble. Luers is a 2A school in the mighty Summit Athletic Conference, so the competition level is most certainly there. Javins is someone to keep an eye as the season progresses.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eTwitter: @JavinsWesley","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1715115' first='Gavin' last='Jones']","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"5'10u0022","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"2495","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"Andrean","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_2_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"I really like how [player_tooltip player_id='1715115' first='Gavin' last='Jones'] plays, and he has stood out through his first four weeks of his sophomore season.  Don't write him off based on his age. He is an instinctive cornerback who can shine in pass coverage but also step up and make an open field tackle in the flats. Jones is extremely athletic and is able to easily make adjustments mid-play. The list of things he does well is lengthy, and he will only get better as he gains more and more experience. Andrean High School is littered with high end talent and [player_tooltip player_id='1715115' first='Gavin' last='Jones'] is next in line to get his. The sky is the limit with him and he is one you have to keep an eye on as he develops.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eTwitter: @gavin_jones1","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1126357' first='Elijah' last='Boone']","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"5'10u0022","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"2408","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"Bishop Noll","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_3_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Bishop Noll in Hammond, Indiana has some great young talent that is beginning to make an impact at the varsity level. History goes against the Warriors but I believe that Tyler Milby can get things going in the right direction, with this year as his first at the helm. One of those young, high-potential players is sophomore running back, [player_tooltip player_id='1126357' first='Elijah' last='Boone']. He can contribute in multiple aspects, being a hard nosed traditional back while also being a plus pass catcher. It's evident when watching Boone that he runs with purpose and is always looking to take the ball to the house. Through four weeks, he's averaging over 6.5 yards per carry. The Warriors have a few young foundational pieces on their roster who can help build something great, and Boone is certainly one of them.rnrnTwitter: @ElijahBoone_","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":4,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-650106e8867ee"} /-->