No other football player at the high school, college or professional level has had a run over the past three weeks as impressive as Dillon Baxter of Mission Bay High School in San Diego, Calif.
Baxter, a 6-foot, 205-pound senior quarterback and running back, has been unstoppable in leading the Buccaneers to wins over San Diego foes Lincoln, Point Loma and Hoover, piling up 1,235 offensive yards and 19 touchdowns in those three contests alone.
It started Oct. 9 against Lincoln as the USC verbal commitment completed 15 of 32 passes for 282 yards and four touchdowns and ran for 268 more with two scores on the ground.
A week later against Point Loma, Baxter aired it out for 169 yards and a TD while running for 145 with four trips to the end zone.
Friday against Hoover, Baxter gave his arm a rest (although he did throw for 57 yards and a pair of TDs) and rushed for 314 yards and five touchdowns.
The future Trojan’s season totals include 1,007 yards and 13 touchdowns through the air with 1,549 yards and 25 scores in the running game. Mission Bay is 7-0 and for the first time this season, a favorite may have emerged for MaxPreps.com’s National Player of the Year award.
The Top 10
Dillon Baxter, Sr., QB/RB, Mission Bay (San Diego, Calif.)
Update: The new leader in the clubhouse? Baxter has made a serious POY impression in recent weeks, tallying 1,235 offensive yards and 19 touchdowns in Mission Bay’s last three victories alone. In a 48-14 win over Hoover on Friday, the future USC Trojan ran for 314 yards and five touchdowns and threw for 57 more with a pair of TDs. Baxter has accounted for 2,556 yards and 38 scores for the 7-0 Buccaneers.
Chas Dodd, Sr., QB, Byrnes (Duncan, S.C.)
Update: The Rebels, ranked No. 2 nationally, put their passing attack on the shelf in a big win against previously undefeated Dorman and allowed star running back Marcus Lattimore to take over. Dodd still has over 2,300 yards through the air with 30 touchdown passes against just three picks this season.
Gavin Webster, Sr., QB, Lutcher (La.)
Update: The numbers and wins are coming easy for Webster and Lutcher (8-0) right now. The Bulldogs skunked Ellender 54-0 in their latest outing, getting 224 yards and five touchdowns on 14 of 18 passing from Webster, who has accounted for 2,486 yards and 37 scores this season.
Kevin Parks, Sr., RB, West Rowan (Mt. Ulla, N.C.)
Update: West Rowan improved to 10-0 behind Parks’ 263 yards and four touchdowns on 21 carries in a 41-7 win over East Rowan. The Virginia commitment is up to 2,428 yards and 35 touchdowns this season and 9,549 yards with 134 trips to the end zone in his career.
Malcolm Jones, Sr., RB, Oaks Christian (Westlake Village, Calif.)
Update: Jones tacked on another 135 yards and two touchdowns on just 11 carries as Oaks Christian (7-0) smacked Carpinteria, 43-0. The future UCLA Bruin has 1,202 yards and 16 TDs on the season in addition to being the team’s second-leading tackler at linebacker.
Marcus Coker, Sr., RB, DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.)
Update: A pulled groin kept Coker out of a 35-7 DeMatha (8-0) win over Bishop O’Connell. The future Iowa Hawkeye’s season totals stand at 1,289 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Marcus Lattimore, Sr., RB, Byrnes (Duncan, S.C.)
Update: Byrnes (8-1) turned Lattimore loose against previously unbeaten Dorman and the star senior back delivered with 158 yards and two touchdowns on 33 carries. The victory snapped Dorman’s 20-game regular season win streak. Lattimore has 1,065 yards and 16 touchdowns on the year.
Rushel Shell, So., RB, Hopewell (Aliquippa, Pa.)
Update: Trailing 14-10 entering the final quarter against Montour, Hopewell (8-0) needed Shell to step up and he did with 263 yards and two touchdowns – including a 58-yard jaunt out of the Wildcat formation to take the lead. Shell has run for 1,724 yards and 24 touchdowns on the season.
Michael Brewer, Jr., QB, Lake Travis (Austin, Texas)
Update: Lake Travis (8-0) did not play this week. Brewer’s season totals stand at 2,636 yards and 24 touchdowns.
Ka’Deem Carey, Jr., RB, Canyon del Oro (Tucson, Ariz.)
Update: Carey’s workload was limited for the second week in a row as Canyon del Oro (9-0) eased past Pueblo, 52-0. Despite getting just nine carries, the 5-9 junior scampered for 158 yards and two touchdowns, bringing his season totals to 1,647 yards with 22 trips to the end zone. He is nearing 2,000 all-purpose yards.
On the radar (listed alphabetically)
Barry Brunetti, Sr., QB, Memphis University (Memphis, Tenn.)
Anthony Carrothers, Sr., QB, Independence (Charlotte, N.C.)
Deontae Cooper, Sr., RB, Citrus Hill (Perris, Calif.)
Josh Dorman, Sr., QB, Birdville (North Richland Hills, Texas)
Michael Dyer, Sr., RB, Little Rock Christian (Little Rock, Ark.)
Kofi Hughes, Sr., QB, Cathedral (Indianapolis, Ind.)
Tony Jones, Sr., RB, Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.)
Christian LeMay, Jr., QB, Butler (Matthews, N.C.)
Phillip Sims, Sr., QB, Oscar Smith (Chesapeake, Va.)
Matt Viles, Sr., QB, Edison (Huntington Beach, Calif.)
