National Player of the Year Watch List

Marcus Coker, Chas Dodd, Malcolm Jones and Gavin Webster remain the leaders for MaxPreps.com’s National Player of the Year award, but signs point to this becoming more than a four-horse race in the coming weeks.

In fact, things could get complicated.

Unlike the previous two years where eventual winners Terrelle Pryor (Jeannette, Pa.) and Garrett Gilbert (Austin Lake Travis, Texas) emerged as the clear frontrunners by this point of the season, the picture is still cloudy and could be muddled further by several talented contenders;

-  In San Diego, Calif., Mission Bay High School all-purpose star Dillon Baxter has been virtually unstoppable over the past two weeks, accounting for 865 total offensive yards and 10 touchdowns in a pair of victories.

- In North Carolina, a Nov. 6 showdown between Charlotte-area powers Butler and Independence could propel one of the team’s quarterbacks into the thick of the POY picture. Both Butler’s Christian LeMay – just a junior – and Indy’s Anthony Carrothers have been masterful in guiding their respective teams to undefeated records so far this fall.

- Could a sophomore gain serious consideration? If Pennsylvania running back Rushel Shell continues to play the way he did in a big win for Aliquippa’s Hopewell High School over the weekend, it’s not out of the question.

- Finally, Alabama-bound quarterback Phillips Sims of Oscar Smith High School in Chesapeake, Va., is shaking off a bit of a slow start and is back to throwing touchdowns in bunches and blowing out opponents. The Tigers are in the hunt for their second consecutive state title.

Leaders

Marcus Coker, Sr., RB, DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.)
Update: The Marcus Coker Express was finally slowed against St. John’s (Washington, D.C.) – by a pulled groin. After tallying 45 yards on 11 carries, Coker left the game and sat out of the second half as DeMatha (7-0) rolled to a 37-7 win. He is expected to play next week against Bishop O’Connell. The future Iowa Hawkeye’s season totals stand at 1,289 yards and 17 touchdowns.
 
Chas Dodd, Sr., QB, Byrnes (Duncan, S.C.)
Update: Dodd racked up five more touchdowns on 18 of 27 passing with 263 yards in a 42-9 win over Hillcrest. The 7-1 Rebels have a huge game slated for Friday against unbeaten Dorman, who handed Byrnes its only loss in 2008. For the season, Dodd is completing almost 70 percent of his attempts (110-159) with 1,844 yards and 28 touchdown passes. He has also rushed for two scores.

Malcolm Jones, Sr., RB, Oaks Christian (Westlake Village, Calif.)
Update: Jones needed just eight carries to pile up 113 yards and three touchdowns in a 65-6 win for Oaks Christian (6-0) over Bishop Diego. The recent UCLA commitment has rushed for 1,067 yards and 14 touchdowns, adding another 79 yards and two scores catching passes. On the defensive side of the ball, Jones has 38 tackles, a sack and an interception.

Gavin Webster, Sr., QB, Lutcher (La.)
Update: Webster connected on 17 of 23 passes for 247 yards and four touchdowns as Lutcher (7-0) continued to steamroll its competition in a 41-12 win over Belle Chasse. The senior signal caller has accounted for 2,250 offensive yards (321.4 per game) and 31 touchdowns this season for the Bulldogs. He is completing over 67 percent of his pass attempts.

Contenders

Dillon Baxter, Sr., QB/RB, Mission Bay (San Diego, Calif.)
Update: Baxter followed last week’s 550-yard performance with over 300 more yards of offense and six touchdowns in a 49-27 win over Point Loma. The future USC Trojans threw for 170 yards and two scores while running for 145 with four trips to the end zone. Baxter’s exploits are becoming more impressive by the week as he has eclipsed 2,000 total offensive yards with 33 combined touchdowns in just six games – all wins for Mission Bay.

Michael Brewer, Jr., QB, Lake Travis (Austin, Texas)
Update: Brewer helped Lake Travis (8-0) ring up its 38th consecutive victory in a 58-15 win over Hendrickson, connecting on 15 of 17 passes for 324 yards and four touchdowns passes. He also ran for a score. The Cavaliers have surpassed the 50-point plateau in six of eight contests (51.5 points per game) this season behind Brewer’s 2,636 yards and 24 touchdown passes.

Ka’Deem Carey, Jr., RB, Canyon del Oro (Tucson, Ariz.)
Update: Gearing up for an expected deep run in the postseason, the Dorados kept Carey’s workload in check for the second straight week in a 35-7 win over Flowing Wells. Carey did manage to record three touchdown runs and 73 yards on just eight carries, bringing his season totals to 1,489 yards and 20 touchdowns. The star junior has had a run of 40 yards or longer in all but one game this fall.

Anthony Carrothers, Sr., QB, Independence (Charlotte, N.C.)
Update: With a huge Nov. 6 game against Butler looming, Carrothers and Independence (9-0) continue to take care of business. In a 55-28 win over South Mecklenburg, the diminutive signal caller completed 15 of 22 passes for 255 yards and four touchdowns.

Marcus Lattimore, Sr., RB, Byrnes (Duncan, S.C.)
Update: For the second straight week, Byrnes kept Lattimore’s load light as he carried just 11 times for 64 yards and a touchdown in a 42-9 win over Hillcrest. The 6-1, 215-pound senior also blocked a punt. Expect the Rebels to lean on Lattimore much more against undefeated Dorman on Friday.

Christian LeMay, Jr., QB, Butler (Matthews, N.C.)
Update: LeMay’s efficiency over the past three weeks is video game-esque. While leading Butler (7-0) to an average of 58 points per game over that span, LeMay has connected on 32 of 39 passes for 718 yards and 11 touchdowns. He has played in just one second-half series since mid-September.

Josh Dorman, Sr., QB, Birdville (North Richland Hills, Texas)
Update: Birdville (7-0) was held to a season-low 24 points in a win over Mineral Wells, but Dorman still managed to throw for 302 yards and three touchdowns. According to statistics provided to MaxPreps.com, Dorman is No. 2 nationally in touchdowns passes with 37 and No. 3 in passing yardage with 2,715.

Kevin Parks, Sr., RB, West Rowan (Mt. Ulla, N.C.)
Update: Ho-hum, just 257 more yards and six touchdowns on the ground for Parks – the nation’s leading rusher – in a 55-12 West Rowan (9-0) win over Statesville. The Virginia commitment is up to 2,165 yards this season and 9,286 in his career.

Rushel Shell, So., RB, Hopewell (Aliquippa, Pa.)
Update: It’s becoming clear that Hopewell High School has an extremely special talent in Shell. In a 34-26 win over West Allegheny – 5-1 entering the contest – the sophomore back ran for 349 yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries to lift the Vikings to 7-0. His touchdown runs covered 84, 77 and 10 yards. Entering the final two weeks of the regular season, Shell has run for 1,492 yards and 22 touchdowns.

Phillip Sims, Sr., QB, Oscar Smith (Chesapeake, Va.)
Update: Sims led Oscar Smith to its 28th consecutive regular season victory, hitting on 12 of 22 pass attempts for 232 yards and four touchdowns. After a close call against Grassfield Sept. 25, Smith and the Tigers have outscored their last three opponents 153-16.

On the radar

Barry Brunetti, Sr., QB, Memphis University (Memphis, Tenn.)
Update: With the Owls pounding opponents by an average of nearly 30 points per game, Brunetti hasn’t been asked to post huge numbers, but his consistency and leadership deserves recognition. In leading Memphis University to an 8-0 record, the West Virginia commitment has thrown for 1,293 yards and 16 touchdowns and running for over 300 and six scores. University has big wins this season over Mississippi powers South Panola and Olive Branch.

Deontae Cooper, Sr., RB, Citrus Hill (Perris, Calif.)
Update: Cooper’s push to lead California in rushing two straight years is on track. The University of Washington commitment has churned out 1,472 yards and 19 touchdowns in leading Citrus Hill to a 6-0 record this season and 34 consecutive wins overall. In a game earlier this season against Great Oak, Cooper carried 59 times for 412 yards and four touchdowns.

Tony Jones, Sr., RB, Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.)
Update: In another abbreviated outing for Jones and other Don Bosco starters, Jones scored on a pair of first-half runs in a 41-0 win over Kennedy of Paterson. The 5-8 running back has 14 touchdowns in a 5-0 start for the Ironmen.

Lamarcus Joyner, Sr., St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
Update: An injury has slowed Joyner’s POY momentum, although he did return to action for national No. 1 St. Thomas Aquinas (6-0) this week in a 31-6 win over previously unbeaten Miramar. The blue chip defensive back prospect has touched the ball just 13 times this season for the deep and balanced Raiders, but has turned those opportunities into five touchdowns and 455 all-purpose yards (35 yards per touch). Joyner also has a fumble recovery defensively. Due to Aquinas’ spread-the-wealth approach – 14 players have scored touchdowns this season – Joyner is on the verge of slipping off the radar for top honors, but it would be a surprise if his role didn’t increase as the Raiders make a push for another state title.

Matt Viles, Sr., QB, Edison (Huntington Beach, Calif.)
Update: In a 34-10 win over Esperanza, Viles completed 19 of 31 passes for 305 yards and four touchdowns as Edison moved to 6-0. For the season, Viles has thrown for 1,626 yards and 13 touchdowns for California’s top-ranked team according to the computer-generated Freeman Rankings.

Robert Woods, Sr., WR/DB, Serra (Gardena, Calif.)
Update: While Woods’ receiving numbers have dropped off a bit from his junior campaign where he piled up nearly 1,400 yards and 19 touchdowns, his overall impact for Serra has still been huge. In addition to his 28 receptions for 452 yards and seven TDs, Woods has 32 tackles and five interceptions defensively for the 6-0 Cavaliers.