By Kevin Askeland
MaxPreps.com
Matt Barkley, Mater Dei, Santa Ana (Calif.)
Barkley concluded his career with a 38-35 loss to Tesoro in the second round of the Pac-5 Division playoffs. Barkley completed 12 of 33 passes for 233 yards and one touchdown with four interceptions. For the season, Barkley has completed 178 of 322 passes for 2,877 yards and 23 touchdowns. Barkley finishes his career with 9,471 yards (606-1038) and 79 touchdowns. He is the all-time leading passer in Orange County history.
Garrett Gilbert, Lake Travis, Austin (Texas)
Gilbert had little trouble with Alice in the third round of the Texas 4A playoffs as he completed 12 of 25 passes for 241 yards and a touchdown in a 55-32 win. Gilbert continues to impress on the ground as he racked up a season-high 126 yards on 12 carries with five touchdowns. Gilbert has rushed for 12 touchdowns in the last three playoff games and has scored 17 on the seasons. For the season, Gilbert is 236 of 345 for 3,868 yards and 44 touchdowns.
Russell Shepard, Cypress Ridge, Houston (Texas)
Although Cypress Ridge lost to Copperas Cove 55-48, Shepard went out with the best game in his high school career. Besides rushing 31 times for 311 yards and three touchdowns, Shepard also completed 12 of 20 passes for 227 yards and three scores. Shepard ends his senior season with 115 completions in 211 attempts for 1,849 yards and 18 touchdowns. He carried 257 times for 1,947 yards and 29 touchdowns.
Bryce Brown, Wichita East, (Kan.)
Brown’s season ended two weeks ago completed his season with 1,872 yards and 30 touchdowns.
Morgan Newton, Carmel (Ind.)
Center Grove scored 22 unanswered points in the final quarter to come from behind and end Carmel’s chance of a second straight state title, 36-33. Newton was phenomenal in the loss, rushing for 211 yards on 19 carries and two scores while completing 12 of 19 passes for 78 yards and a touchdown. For the season, Newton completed 172 of 257 passes for 1,924 yards and 22 touchdowns and gained 1,668 yards rushing on 233 carries with 26 touchdowns.
Trent Richardson, Escambia (Fla.)
The Gators finished the regular season 5-5 and did not advance to the playoffs. Richardson ends the season with 225 carries for 2,090 yards and 26 touchdowns.
Washaun Ealey, Emanuel County Institute (Ga.)
The Bulldogs had their closest game of the season, edging Bremen 13-7 in the third round of the Georgia A playoffs. Ealey ran 30 times for 294 yards and scored once in the win. He now has 2,698 yards rushing on 259 carries on the season. He also had 41 total touchdowns, including 36 on the ground.
Jeremiah Young, Steelton-Highspire (Pa.)
Young and the Steamrollers topped Bishop McCort 27-9 with Young rushing for 352 yards on 32 carries and two touchdowns. With 8,858 career rushing yards, Young is now the 10th all-time leading rusher in national history, passing Emmitt Smith (8,804), Monte Williams (8,844) and Wes Danaher (8,855). For the season, Young has 2,643 yards on 256 carries with 30 touchdowns.
Cierre Wood, Santa Clara, Oxnard (Calif.)
Wood finished his season last week. For the season, Wood rushed 144 times for 1,636 yards and 26 total touchdowns. He also caught 8 passes for 182 yards.
Rex Burkhead, Plano (Texas)
Burkhead’s season is over after losing to Trinity last week. For the season, Burkhead ran 256 times for 1,775 yards and 28 touchdowns. He has also caught 42 passes for 592 yards and five touchdowns.
Scott Young, Denton Ryan (Texas)
Young threw for 500 yards and completed a whopping 43 of 68 passes with five touchdowns, but it wasn’t enough to lift Denton Ryan past Frenship, which won 38-35 to eliminate Ryan from the Texas 4A playoffs. Young, a junior, ends the season with 289 completions on 458 attempts for 4,495 yards and 65 touchdowns.
Montee Ball, Timberland (Mo.)
Ball’s season is over. He ends the year with 2,187 yards on 203 carries with 41 touchdowns.
Ryan Kasdorf, Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.)
Kasdorf and the Knights lost to Lutheran of Orange in the second round of the Pac-5 Division playoffs. Kasdorf had his lowest passing totals of the season, completing 9 of 19 passes for 128 yards and no touchdowns. For the season, Kasdorf completed 171 of 248 passes for 3,291 yards and 36 touchdowns.
Tavon Austin, Dunbar (Baltimore, Md.)
Austin scored four touchdowns and ran for 213 yards in a 48-12 win over Catoctin last week, putting Dunbar in the Class 1A Maryland state championship game. For the season, Austin has 2,469 yards rushing and 34 touchdowns. For his career, Austin has 7,756 rushing yards.
Brandon Wegher, Bishop Heelan Catholic (Sioux City, Iowa)
Wegher completed his season with a state championship last week. Wegher finished the season with 362 carries for 3,238 yards and 51 touchdowns.
Spencer Keith, Pulaski Academy (Little Rock, Ark.)
Keith leads the nation in passing yardage and touchdowns and he has Pulaski Academy in the Arkansas 5A state finals against Central of West Helena, the only team to defeat Pulaski this year. Last week against Greenwood in a 54-24 win, Keith completed 44 of 62 passes for 515 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for a pair of scores. For the season, Keith has completed 376 of 584 passes for 5,074 yards and 68 touchdowns.
Zach Barket, Schuylkill Haven (Pa.)
Barket leads the nation in rushing and scoring with 4,042 yards on 368 carries and 64 touchdowns. Last week in a 43-38 win over Riverside, Barket had 244 yards on 41 carries with four touchdowns. Barket is just the fifth player in national history to rush for over 4,000 yards. His 64 touchdowns are the fifth-highest single season total in national history as well. Barket faces off against Jeremiah Young’s Steelton-Highspire Steamrollers this week in a game featuring the No. 1 and No. 3 all-time leading rushers in Pennsylvania history.
