Best of Bluegrass All-Star Game

[Commonwealthsports]

Thursday night, I had the privilege of taking in practices of both squads set to take on each other Sunday.

First, it was the state team.

The state team seems to be the bigger one. Their offensive line is HUGE. Headed by one of the best lineman in the state, Cullen Reynolds, they will have their work cut out for them with the athletic defensive line of the Metro team.

I think this group has the edge at wide receiver. With Pooh Jones (McCracken), Lucky Jackson (Lafayette), Jensen Feggins (Warren Central), C.J. Walker (Bryan Station) and slot back Jalen Washington (Frankfort) they'll have a lot of play makers on the field, at all times.

The state team will also have the game's best back in Marquez Trigg from Glasgow.

I assume Clay McKee (quarterback) will be the starter under center. This is going to be his first ever game in the spread after running the wing-t his entire career.

Then, it was the Metro team who hit the field.

Talk about athletes all over the field -- the top two being Tyler Jefferson (Doss) and Bryant Pirtle (DeSales).

And Pirtle is just the tip of the iceberg on that defensive line. The Metro team will have Ty'ron Horton (Manual) and Shaun Wittinghill (Moore) along the defensive front as well.

The Metro team has a few secret weapons.. Delvon Dunn and Malik Walker, both from PRP, may be the two best players in the state no one talks about. Without a quarterback that could really show what these two could do, they both had a pretty pedestrian year as seniors. Now with Davis Mattingly (Male) slinging the ball around these two have really come to life.

Walker has some range he can get balls that are thrown nearly any where within reach. He runs really good routes and can go up and get the ball, too. Dunn is one athletic guy, He's hard to bring down and he is trouble in open space. They both shined as much as anyone during the practice session.

If you're looking for two that are under the radar in this one with potential to have a huge game, these two are it.

Also watch out for two speedsters from the Metro team -- Arien Beasley (North Oldham) and Adrian Williams-Ralston (Western).

I'll be out at St. Xavier on Friday to watch the state team practice again, as well as on Sunday for the game.

This post was edited on 12/12 10:06 AM by Commonwealthsports

 

[Commonwealthsports]

* State team: QB - Clay McKee (Scott County), Corey Taylor (Corbin); RB - Jalen Boyd (Caldwell County), Marquez Trigg (Glasgow), Cody Crider (Graves County); WR - Lucky Jackson (Lafayette), Pooh Jones (McCracken County), Carl Walker (Bryan Station), Jalen Washington (Frankfort), Jensen Feggins (Warren Central); TE - Clark Griffith (Scott County); OL - Zachary Caldwell (Harlan County), Cullen Reynolds (Madisonville-North Hopkins), Christian Olmstead (Simon Kenton), Zack Ingle (Corbin), Chase Daff (Scott County), Logan Ross (Ryle), Andrew Wilks (Lincoln County); DL - Tevin Toler (Christian County), Derrick Caldwell (Campbellsville), Ben Holt (Bowling Green), Zack Barber (Scott County), Tim McCampbell (Mayfield), Josh Garry (Perry County Central), Jack Thompson (Metcalfe County), Heath Wiggins (Graves County); LB - Austin Hatfield (Belfry), Devon Quincy (Lafayette), Joseph McIntyre (Bowling Green), Joe Pierce (Wayne County), Desmond Quarles (Russellville), Evan Shaw (Lafayette); DB - Morgan Alexander (McCracken County), Tacorian Darden (Russellville), Layne Peavler (Mercer County), Airius Phillips (Owensboro), DeVon Wharton (Christian County), Nathan Pray (Perry County Central); K - Keaton Kennedy (North Laurel), Nick Locher (Owensboro).
* Louisville-area team: QB - Davis Mattingly (Male), James Harding (Oldham County), Koree Krupinski (Central Hardin); RB - Will Johnson (Butler), Adrian Williams-Ralston (Western), Trevor Carnell (Bullitt Central), Arien Beasley (North Oldham), Ellis Cain (Male); WR - Malik Walker (Pleasure Ridge Park), Tyler Jefferson (Doss), Jonis Griffith (Shawnee); OL - Zack Smith (Bullitt Central), Nathan Scheler (St. Xavier), Matt Bledsoe (DeSales), Houston Sparkman (Male), Nolan Johnson (Pleasure Ridge Park), Jacob Key (Manual), Jed Clay (Christian Academy), Taylor Austin (Central); DL - Damien Smith (Manual), Bryant Pirtle (DeSales), Ty'Ron Horton (Manual), Robinson Desroches (Butler), Ben Price (DeSales), Matt Hughes (North Hardin); LB - Jeremiah Draper (North Hardin), Milik Lewis (Iroquois), Shaun Whittinghill (Moore), Clark Campbell (St. Xavier), Collin Boldin (Manual), Connor John (South Oldham), Stephen Miller (Male), Daniel Elder (Elizabethtown); DB - Jordan Gonzalez (Manual), Delvon Dunn (Pleasure Ridge Park), Aldwin Jackson (Seneca), Malik Saunders (Iroquois), Garland Webb (Fern Creek); K -Blanton Creque (Collins); P - Turner Warren (Atherton).

**** via Courier-Journal****

 

[Commonwealthsports]

Wanted to post some takeaway notes from the week that was:

First of all, I thought the state team would be on the winning end of this one. Congrats to the Louisville area team, on that note. State team looked as if they would be the ones with the most talent and had the edge in prospects heading to FBS.

With that said, it shows there's some sleepers on the Louisville team. Will Johnson and as mentioned at the top Delvon Dunn and Malik Walker looked like guys deserving of a D-I offer.

DeSales' Bryant Pirtle is a monster. The DE heading to WKU will likely be an outside linebacker or safety when he gets there, but it was fun to see him with his hand on the ground for, perhaps, the last time. On the other side of him Shaun Wittinghill showed off why his name became known around recruiting circles during the summer and into the season. Both were fast and athletic at the line and Wittinghill, like Pirtle, is going to be a linebacker next year.

Still a large number of kids looking for schools to play for next year, ones that project from D-I to NAIA l. M. Walker, Dunn, Johnson, Jensen Feggins, Pooh Jones, C.J. Walker, Christian Olmstead, Tacorian Darden, Davis Mattingly, Adrian Williams-Ralston, Arien Beasley, Ellis Cain, Jonas Griffith, Houston Sparkman, Will Johnson, Milik Lewis and Connor John.

It surprises me that a lot of those kids don't have D-I scholarships yet.

The backfield of the state team is going to be one to remember. Cody Crider, Marquez Trigg and Jaylen Boyd is a western Kentucky trio, who put up a lot of points and yards during their time in high school. You had the speedster -- Boyd. The bruiser -- Crider. And a mix of both -- Trigg.

C.J. Walker really looked good during the game, like he's done the past two years. He was such a big part of the state team's offense.

The Best of Bluegrass All-Star Game just saw it's best roster, yet. The four-year-old event took a big step forward with this one.

 

[Farmy75]

Thanks for the write up, good to hear
Posted from Rivals Mobile

 

[Commonwealthsports]

Originally posted by Farmy75:
Thanks for the write up, good to hear
Posted from Rivals Mobile

Thank you.

I had a lot of fun being out there with those guys. Also thought it was funny how the state team thought it was gonna be all fun and games..... then Scott Co.'s Coach McKee gave them a rude awakening.

- 6 am wake-up call (which was especially hard for the guys who live by central time)

- no talking during practice (which was loosely followed)

- everything had to be done right, or they did it again

- several practice sessions a day

I couldn't have thought of a better guy for the job than McKee. He really owned it. And that's saying something during a all-star game.

I'm sure those guys enjoyed their time, but they had to work for it right up until the kickoff.