This week's look at MaxPreps.com's National Player of the Year candidates (listed alphabetically);
Mike Bellamy, RB, Charlotte (Punta Gorda, Fla.)
Team record: 9-0
Last weekend: Bellamy needed just 15 carries to pile up 137 yards and a touchdown in a 49-9 win over Port Charlotte.
Season: A Clemson verbal commitment, Bellamy has 1,814 yards and 32 touchdowns on just 155 carries this fall (11.7 yards per carry). Expect his numbers to pick up again in the coming weeks as the unbeaten Fightin' Tarpons charge toward Florida's 4A state championship.
Junior Johnathan Gray of Aledo (Texas) is emerging as a legitimate National POY candidate.
Photo by Kyle Dantzler
Team record: 10-0
Last weekend: Gray helped Aledo cap a dominating regular season with 256 yards and four touchdowns on 21 carries in a 48-0 win over Brewer (White Settlement).
Season: Gray's 2,199 yards and 38 touchdowns have helped the Bearcats average 49.8 points per game this season, including 40 or more in each of their last seven games.
Qyendairs Griffin, RB, South Panola (Batesville, Miss.)
Team record: 11-0, No. 2 in this week's Xcellent 25 High School Football Rankings presented by the Army National Guard
Last weekend: In preparation for South Panola's state playoff run, Griffin was limited to just four carries for 44 yards and a touchdown in a 50-7 win over DeSoto Central (Southaven).
Season: Griffin might top 2,000 yards on his next carry. The 6-foot, 215-pound senior has 1,979 yards and 28 touchdowns on 192 attempts for the year.
Jeremy Hill, RB, Redemptorist (Baton Rouge, La.)
Team record: 9-1
Last weekend: Hill's Player of the Year chances took a hit despite rushing for 167 yards in a 9-7 setback to Parkview Baptist (Baton Rouge). The future LSU Tiger had trouble securing and eventually lost a bad handoff just five yards away from the end zone with under a minute to go in the loss.
Season: The 6-1, 220-pound senior rushed for 1,978 yards and 30 touchdowns during the regular season for Redemptorist.
Johnny Manziel, QB, Tivy (Kerrville, Texas)
Team record: 9-1
Last weekend: Did not play. Manziel and the Antlers face Hays (Buda) in a first-round Class 4A Division 1 state playoff game.
Season: Entering the postseason, the future Texas A&M Aggie has thrown for 2,958 yards and 38 touchdowns while running for 1,414 yards and 24 scores.
Maty Mauk, QB, Kenton (Ohio)
Team record: 10-1
Last weekend: The yards and touchdowns continued to flow as Kenton opened the postseason with a 62-20 win over Carlisle. According to statistics submitted to MaxPreps.com, Mauk completed 24 of 47 pass attempts for 592 yards and seven touchdowns. He also ran for 55 yards and a score.
Season: The nation's leading passer is starting to put his totals out of reach with 4,911 yards and 60 touchdowns through the air. The 6-2, 185-pound junior has another 781 yards and 15 TDs on the ground.
Marquise Williams, QB, Mallard Creek (Charlotte, N.C.)
Team record: 11-0, No. 23 in this week's Xcellent 25
Last weekend: Williams ran for three scores and tossed another as Mallard Creek raced to a 45-0 halftime lead against Hough (Cornelius), eventually winning 52-0.
Season: Maybe all the yards and points have become too difficult for Mallard Creek to track because stats aren't available on the Charlotte Observer's site and haven't been submitted to MaxPreps. We do know this, the Mavericks are averaging 53.0 points per game and the future North Carolina Tar Heel at quarterback has accounted for 56 touchdowns through the air and on the ground.
Quentin Williams, QB, Jefferson (Tampa, Fla.)
Team record: 9-0
Last weekend: The Dragons led 55-0 at halftime and hung on for a 62-14 victory over Blake (Tampa) as Williams hit on 17 of 25 attempts for 250 yards and three touchdowns.
Season: Hillsborough County's all-time leading passer, Williams has 2,599 yards and 38 touchdowns through the air.
Northwestern (Rock Hill, S.C.), QB, Northwestern (Rock Hill, S.C.)
Team record: 11-0, No. 20 in this week's Xcellent 25
Last weekend: Worley notched his third 400-yard passing game in as many weeks – and fourth in six weeks – in a 42-0 win over Rock Hill. The future Tennessee Volunteer connected on 26 of 31 passes for 405 yards and four touchdowns.
Season: The 6-5, 195-pound Worley is completing 73 percent of his pass attempts, resulting in 3,968 yards and 47 touchdowns.
