By Kevin Askeland
MaxPreps.com
Garrett Gilbert of Lake Travis (Austin, Texas) tossed five touchdowns for the third straight week, keeping the defending Texas 4A Division II champion undefeated on the season. His performance highlights this week’s MaxPreps Player of the Year Watch.
Matt Barkley, Mater Dei, Santa Ana (Calif.)
Barkley tossed four touchdown passes in a 42-0 win over JSerra Catholic. He also completed 16 of 22 passes for 275 yards and no interceptions. For the season, Barkley has completed 123 of 211 passes for 1,921 yards and 18 touchdowns.
Garrett Gilbert, Lake Travis, Austin (Texas)
Gilbert and the Cavaliers had a bye last week and will meet undefeated Dripping Springs on Halloween night in the biggest league test of the season thus far for Lake Travis. For the season, Gilbert has completed 149 of 222 passes for 2,466 yards and 30 touchdowns with just one interception.
Russell Shepard, Cypress Ridge, Houston (Texas)
Cy Ridge whipped Jersey Village 47-0 with Shepard going over 100 yards over land and through the air. He completed 11 of 19 passes for 142 yards and a touchdown and also ran 14 times for 114 yards and two scores. Shepard has been getting plenty of help from teammate Hasan Lipscomb, who rushed 20 times for 174 yards and three touchdowns. For the season, Shepard has completed 75 of 138 passes for 1,135 yards and 11 touchdowns while rushing 129 times for 815 yards and 11 scores.
Bryce Brown, Wichita East, (Kan.)
Brown made it six straight weeks over 200 yards, although just barely as he gained 201 yards on 24 carries in a 38-18 loss to undefeated Derby. Brown scored all three of East’s touchdowns. Brown has carried 178 times for 1,681 yards and 29 total touchdowns on the year.
Morgan Newton, Carmel (Ind.)
The Greyhounds rebounded from their only loss of the season to drub Noblesville 41-0. Newton had a superb outing, although with limited attempts. He completed 13 of 15 passes for 158 yards and three touchdowns and ran just three times for 76 yards and a score. The touchdown was good for 76 yards. He has completed 122 of 180 passes for 1,416 yards and 16 touchdowns. Newton has gained 1,008 yards rushing on 147 carries with 15 touchdowns.
Trent Richardson, Escambia (Fla.)
After struggling in mid-season, Richardson and Escambia are on a roll. The senior running back went over 200 yards for the second straight week, rushing a season-high 31 times for 291 yards and five touchdowns in a 40-20 win over Washington of Pensacola. For the season, Richardson has run 152 times for 1,498 yards and 21 scores.
Washaun Ealey, Emanuel County Institute (Ga.)
Ealey added to his Georgia career touchdown scoring mark with two more touchdowns last week in a 40-14 win over Metter. Ealey ran 26 times for 218 yards and two scores, marking the eighth time this year he has scored at least two TDs in a game. Easley has rushed for 1,676 yards on 157 carries with 25 total touchdowns.
Jeremiah Young, Steelton-Highspire (Pa.)
Young only played one quarter of a 53-14 win over East Pennsboro due to a sprained ankle, but he still managed to gain 131 yards on seven carries with two touchdowns. The yardage was enough to push him over 8,000 career yards. For his career, Young has 8,021 yards and 103 total touchdowns. For the season, Young has carried 170 times for 1,808 yards and 20 touchdowns.
Cierre Wood, Santa Clara, Oxnard (Calif.)
Wood sparked a 21-7 win over Oak Park, scoring three touchdowns and a two-point conversion while rushing 21 times for 256 yards. One of the touchdowns went for 67 yards. For the season, Wood has rushed 107 times for 1,373 yards and 24 total touchdowns. He has also caught 7 passes for 180 yards.
Rex Burkhead, Plano (Texas)
Burkhead had his biggest game of the season in a 38-31 win over McKinney Boyd. Besides rushing for three touchdowns and catching the winning touchdown pass from Carson Meger, Burkhead ran 33 times for 248 yards, a season high. He also caught five passes for 63 yards. Burkhead has run 195 times for 1,319 yards and 21 touchdowns on the season. He has also caught 27 passes for 317 yards and two touchdowns.
Marcus Lattimore, Byrnes, Duncan (S.C.)
Dorman held Lattimore to his lowest output of the season in Byrnes’ first loss of the season. The junior running back ran 20 times for 72 yards and two touchdowns. For the year, Lattimore has 1,361 yards on 161 carries with 17 touchdowns.
Scott Young, Denton Ryan (Texas)
Scott Young of Ryan High School in Denton is the best Denton Young since Denton True (Cy) Young of baseball fame. He’s certainly proved it last week as he completed 25 of 40 passes for 412 yards and seven touchdowns in a 66-43 win over Wichita Falls. Young may be the national leader in TD tosses this season as he has 42 in eight games. He has completed 173 of 270 passes for 2,788 yards in leading the Raiders to a 6-2 record.
Montee Ball, Timberland (Mo.)
Timberland is undefeated on the season and Ball is the reason why. In a 42-0 win over Fort Zumwalt South last week, Ball carried just 10 times, but gained 159 yards and scored on runs of 1, 31, 10 and 65 yards. For the season, Ball has rushed 154 times for 1,757 yards and a Missouri best of 34 touchdowns.
Ryan Kasdorf, Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.)
Taking over for the departed Dayne Crist, Kasdorf hasn’t missed a beat in leading Notre Dame to a top 10 spot in the MaxPreps/National Guard national rankings. The junior quarterback completed 8 of 13 passes last week for a modest 175 yards and three touchdowns in a 35-0 win over St. Paul, but he had been over 220 yards each week through the first six weeks of the season while also averaging 57 yards per game rushing. Kasdorf has completed 98 of 147 passes for 2,081 yards and 22 touchdowns and has run 60 times for 400 yards and three scores.
Tavon Austin, Dunbar (Baltimore, Md.)
Maryland’s all-time leading rusher has led Dunbar to seven straight wins since a season-opening 33-32 loss to Gwynn Park that snapped a 25-game Poet winning streak. Austin has rushed for 1,352 yards and scored 21 touchdowns in eight games and now has the state career rushing record (6,639 yards) and touchdown scoring mark (113). He ran 11 times for 245 yards and three scores last week in a 50-0 win over Frederick Douglas.
