Week 0: Morgan named PWS top athlete
the PineyWoodsSports.com Athlete of the Week for his efforts
during the period of Aug. 22-28. (Photo by John Krueger)
The opening weekend of high school football games was huge for the Piney Woods area high school quarterbacks. While the college teams wait another week to get underway, several area schoolboy athletes dominated play in their season openers as six of the eight local teams produced victories.
PineyWoodsSports.com, with the help of its readers, has selected Carthage senior quarterback Anthony Morgan as the PineyWoodsSports.com Athlete of the Week. Tenaha's Reginald Davis, Center's Ryan Goodwin, Carthage's Jalen Claiborne, Garrison's Desmond McKibbens and Shelbyville's Brad Estes all finished a close second and received 'Superlative' recognition by the website.
Area athletes named to the PineyWoodsSports.com Honor Roll included Carthage's Hunter Holland, Center's Quincy Ratcliff, Tenaha's Chavis Gregory, Joaquin's Austin Bloodgood, Tenaha's Keitron Smith, Mount Enterprise's Grant Grubbs, Tenaha's Chavis Gregory, Timpson's Lance Richard, Mount Enterprise's Marlon White and Center tennis player Amber Noble.
Each week during the year we will honor area athletes with recognition of Athletes of the Week, Superlative performers and an honor roll as we brag to our readers about these outstanding efforts.
We are asking coaches to please send statistics on each game, no matter what sport, so athletes can be honored.
PineyWoodsSports.com Athlete of the Week
Anthony Morgan - QB - Carthage High School
Carthage senior quarterback Anthony Morgan was instrumental as the No.3-ranked Bulldogs went to Jacksonville and recorded a 41-26 victory over the Class 4A Indians.
Morgan was calm in the pocket all night long, completing 77.3% of his passes (17-of-22) for 274 yards and four touchdowns - not bad for the opening night of the season.
The Bulldog senior was flushed out of the pocket several times and completed passes on the run. He completed six passes in a row at one point, with two of going for scores of 36 and 23 yards. He also finished the game with another run of five straight completions, throwing scoring strikes of 30 and 34 yards. He also did not throw an interception.
PineyWoodsSports.com Superlative Efforts
Ryan Goodwin - QB - Center High School
Senior Ryan Goodwin stepped into a starting role by breaking off huge chunks of real estate for the Roughriders in their season opening 47-0 demolishing of Rusk.
According to team statistics, Goodwin rushed for 129 yards on 11 carries and two touchdowns. Not only that, He completed 6-of-13 passes for 86 yards and a touchdown, while being on the receiving end of two passes for 32 yards.
Goodwin's touchdowns were from 8 and 34 yards out in the first half when the Roughriders took control of this contest.
Jalen Claiborne - WR - Carthage High School
Carthage senior wide receiver Jalen Claiborne averaged 19.9-yards per reception Friday night, hauling in 10 catches for an impressive 199 yards and three touchdowns in the Bulldogs' 41-26 win over Jacksonville.
Claiborne had a pair of acrobatic catches and excellent runs after catches as he scored on receptions of 36, 30 and 34 yards. Two of his scores came in the key second half.
Desmond McKibbens - RB - Garrison High School
Garrison senior running back Desmond McKibbens was handed the football 19 times and finished the Bulldogs' season-opening 42-30 win over Hemphill with 205 yards and two touchdowns as they improved to 1-0 on the year.
McKibbens has almost a third of the yards rushing he finished with in 2009 as he scored on runs of 19 and 34 yards. His final touchdown put Garrison ahead 42-22 midway through the fourth quarter.
Brad Estes - QB - Shelbyville High School
Shelbyville senior quarterback Brad Estes was instrumental in the Dragons' 34-27 win over Troup last Thursday night at the Brook Hill Classic. Estes completed 15-of-22 passes for 187 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.
Estes completed 68.2% of his passes, with scoring strikes coming from 30 and 39 yards out, while scoring on a four-yard run of his own. Both of his TD passes came in the first half of play.
Reginald Davis - QB - Tenaha High School
Tenaha first-year quarterback Reginald Davis handled his new duties well in the 34-0 season-opening win over Joaquin as he completed 5-of-10 (50%) passes for 73 yards and no interceptions. He also rushed for 75 yards on 11 carries, according to team statistics.
Davis has touchdown runs of 7 and 3 yards in the first quarter as the Tigers quickly built a 13-0 lead en route to a 27-0 halftime advantage and they cruised from there.
PineyWoodsSports.com Honor Roll
Hunter Holland - RB - Carthage High School
Carthage senior running back Hunter Holland debuted his senior season as a workhorse, carrying the football 22 times for 160 yards and two touchdowns as he helped the Bulldogs to 481 total yards of offense in their 41-26 win over Jacksonville.
Holland had scoring runs of 28 and 1 yard as he averaged 7.3-yards per carry.
Quincy Ratcliff - LB - Center High School
Center senior linebacker Quincy Ratcliff had a dominating effort to start the season, finishing with 16 tackles, including an impressive eight for losses, as Center held Rusk to only 88 yards of total offense.
Ratcliff also added a sack, forced a pair of fumbles and recovered another in Center's 47-0 win over the Eagles.
Grant Grubbs - S - Mount Enterprise High School
Mount Enterprise safety Grant Grubbs did what few other athletes are able to accomplish in their careers when he picked off three passes in the Wildcats' 14-8 victory over Cushing in the team's season opener last Friday.
His effort on defense was instrumental in the team's 1-0 start to the 2010 season.
Keitron Smith - LB - Tenaha High School
Tenaha junior linebacker Keitron Smith anchored the Tigers' defense in the season-opening 34-0 win over Joaquin by recording 20 tackles, according to team statistics. In fact, he was the only Tenaha player in double figures in tackles.
Chavis Gregory - RB - Tenaha High School
Only a freshman, Chavis Gregory led a balanced Tenaha offense against Joaquin in the opener by rushing for 123 yards on eight carries, according to team records. Gregory had one TD on the night as it came from 29 yards out.
Gregory also added four tackles on the defensive side of the ball.
Austin Bloodgood - RB - Joaquin High School
Joaquin junior running back Austin Bloodgood carried the ball 16 times, racking up 127 yards rushing in the season opener for the Rams. He averaged 7.9-yards per carry.
Bloodgood also played on defense, recording one tackle.
Marlon White - RB - Mount Enterprise High School
Mount Enterprise two-way starter Marlon White led the Wildcats' offense, rushing for 111 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries to lead his team to a 14-8 win over Cushing in the season opener.
White scored the Wildcats' first TD of the night, from 9 yards out.
Lance Richard - RB - Timpson High School
Timpson junior running back Lance Richard only had seven rushing plays last Friday night, but gained 86 yards in the Bears' season-opening 34-12 setback at West Sabine. He averaged 12.3-yards per carry.
Amber Noble - Tennis - Center High School
Center No.1 girls' singles tennis athlete Amber Noble continued her early season winning ways by recording a 6-1, 6-1 win at Jacksonville on Saturday. She helped the Roughriders defeat the Indians, 10-9.
Noble was also victorious in doubles action, combining with Caroline Chadwick for a 6-3, 6-3 win. She is currently 2-0 on the season in No.1 singles, 1-0 in girls' doubles and 1-0 in mixed doubles action.
John Krueger's email address is pineywoodssports@yahoo.com.
PINEYWOODSSPORTS.COM
WEEKLY INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
Week of Aug. 22-28
ATHLETE OF WEEK
Anthony Morgan - QB - Carthage
SUPERLATIVE AWARDS
Reginald Davis - QB - Tenaha
Ryan Goodwin - QB - Center
Jalen Claiborne - WR - Carthage
Desmond McKibbens - RB - Garrison
Brad Estes - QB - Shelbyville
HONOR ROLL
Hunter Holland - RB - Carthage
Quincy Ratcliff - LB - Center
Chavis Gregory - RB - Tenaha
Austin Bloodgood - RB - Joaquin
Keitron Smith - LB - Tenaha
Grant Grubbs - S - Mount Enterprise
Marlon White - RB - Mount Enterprise
Lance Richard - RB - Timpson
Amber Noble - Tennis - Center