We are officially entering the home stretch of the high school football season. The game day temperatures might be dropping but the stakes of each game are continuing to rise. While Hurricane Matthew caused some issues for Nebraska’s Florida recruits, it was still a successful week for the Husker recruits. It was headlined by Jaevon McQuitty pulling double duty to help Battle defeat Jefferson City and win the unofficial mid-Missouri championship.
Let’s take a look back at week seven of high school football, including an exclusive interview with Mustang, Oklahoma, defensive tackle Deontre Thomas.
Willie Hampton
American Heritage had a BYE this week.
Season Stats: 25 tackles, 5 TFL, 3 FF, 1 INT (returned for a TD)
Next Week: American Heritage (5-0) will host Cardinal Gibbons (5-0)
Jaevon McQuitty
Battle (Mo.) defeated Jefferson City (Mo.) 40-33
McQuitty and his teammates won their second nail-biter in a row, edging Jefferson City 40-33 to remain undefeated on the season. McQuitty contributed three huge plays for his Spartan squad — a 73-yard touchdown pass, a 28-yard touchdown pass and an interception from his safety position to seal the game. The victory pushed Battle’s record to 8-0 and helped the team rise up to No. 11 in Maxprep’s Missouri state rankings.
Season Stats: 35 receptions, 811 yards (23.2 yards per catch), 12 TDs
Next Week: Battle (8-0) will travel to face Hannibal (7-1)
Keyshawn Johnson Jr.
Calabasas (Calif.) defeated Westlake (Calif.) 46-16
Keyshawn Johnson Jr. put up one of his best games of the season last Friday, leading the Coyotes with five receptions for 85 yards in the team’s victory. Calabasas’ record now sits at 7-0 entering its matchup with Newbury Park.
Season Stats: 28 receptions, 469 yards (16.8 yards per catch), 5 TDs
Next Week: Calabasas (7-0) will go on the road to face Newbury Park (5-2)
Tristan Gebbia
Calabasas (Calif.) defeated Westlake (Calif.) 46-16
Tristan Gebbia turned in his most efficient performance last Friday, completing 21-of-24 passes for 261 yards and three touchdowns in the Coyotes’ victory. Gebbia has now thrown for over 2,000 yards, putting him on pace to match his junior season passing totals.
Season Stats: 143/203 (70.4% completion percentage), 2,148 yards, 25 TDs, 5 INTs
Next Week: Calabasas (7-0) will go on the road to face Newbury Park (5-2)
Austin Allen
Aurora (Neb.) defeated York (Neb.) 15-14
Austin Allen has yet to play this season due to a knee injury he suffered over the summer. He is hoping to be back in time for the start of the state playoffs.
Next Week: Aurora (5-2) will host Grand Island Northwest (5-2)
Brenden Jaimes
Lake Travis (Texas) defeated Westlake (Texas) 49-7
Brenden Jaimes anchored the blindside as the Cavaliers crushed its rival Westlake 49-7. Jaimes and his fellow offensive linemen helped pave the way for over 400 yards of total offense as the third ranked Cavaliers steamrolled the fifth-ranked Chaps.
Next Week: Lake Travis (5-1) will look to keep rolling in a road contest against Lehman (2-5)
Avery Roberts
Concord (Del.) defeated Newark (Del.) 44-12
While no defensive stats were returned, Avery Roberts did contribute a 68-yard touchdown run in the Raiders 44-12 victory over Newark. Roberts and his little brother Grahm combined for three touchdowns as the Raiders pushed its record to 5-0.
Season Stats: 41 tackles, 9 TFL, 5 sacks, 2 FF (stats only current through four games)
Matt Sichterman
Kings (Ohio) defeated Milford (Ohio) 55-28
Matt Sichterman and his teammates got back to winning with a 55-28 victory over Milford last Friday. Sichterman and the offensive line paved the way for 255 rushing yards and 479 total yards in the victory.
Next Week: Kings (5-2) wwill travel to face Walnut Hills (4-3)
Broc Bando
IMG Academy (Fla.) had to cancel its game due to Hurricane Matthew.
Next Week: IMG (5-0) will travel to face undefeated Oxbridge Academy (6-0)
Robert Porcher IV
Dr. Phillips (Fla.) had a BYE last week.
Season Stats: 39 tackles, 11 TFL, 3 sacks, 4 PBU
Next Week: Dr. Phillips will host Freedom High (1-4)
Ben Miles
BR-Catholic (La.) defeated East Ascension 37-21
No individual stats were returned, but you can check out Miles’ highlights below.
Next Week: BR- Catholic (6-0) will hit the road to face Broadmoor (2-4)
Guy Thomas
Booker T. Washington (Fla.) lost to Miami Northwestern (Fla.) 44-28
No individual stats returned from this game.
Next Week: Booker T. Washington (4-3) will look to get its season back on track when it faces Hialeah-Family Lakes (1-4) on the road.
Reese Leitao
Jenks (Okla.) defeated Edmund Memorial (Okla.) 59-21
Reese Leitao turned in another solid effort last Friday, catching three passes for 23 yards while also tallying four tackles and one sack from his defensive end position. Leitao’s efforts helped the Trojans post its 28th victory in the past 29 games, an impressive feat in Oklahoma Class 6A football.
Season Stats: 21 receptions, 269 yards (12.8 yards per reception), 2 TDs
Next Week: Jenks (7-0) will travel to face Yukon (0-6)
Deiontae Watts
Plano East (Texas) defeated McKinney Boyd (Texas) 61-0
Watts was a man among boys last Friday, controlling the middle of the field as his Panthers crushed McKinney Boyd 61-0. No individual stats were returned, but you can check out highlights of Watts performance below.
Next Week: Plano East (3-3) will travel to face McKinney (4-2)
Player of the Week: Deontre Thomas
This week’s player of the week is Mustang, Oklahoma, defensive tackle Deontre Thomas. The 6-2, 270 pound Thomas missed the majority of the first three games with a suspension but has come back with a vengeance, tallying sacks in all three games that he has played in since returning. Last Friday, Thomas terrorized Edmund North, tallying nine tackles and two sacks in the Mustang’s 58-21 victory. Thomas has now has over 25 tackles and four sacks through just three full games this season.
HV: How do you feel about your individual performance midway through the season?
DT: I feel really good about my performance. I feel that my play has been pretty consistent, especially since most teams we’ve faced have been trying to run away from and keep me from making the play.
HV: Your team is currently sitting at 4-2 with four games remaining on the schedule. What do you and your teammates need to in order to finish the season strong and make a run in the playoffs?
DT: As a team, we just need to trust the next man up to do their job and make a play. We also need to make sure we are having fun and flying around and punish our opponents.
HV: What do you consider your greatest strength on the football field right now?
DT: I feel that my greatest strength is my knowledge about the game of football. I’ve played so long that I know exactly what to do in every situation as far as reading a block and studying my opponents. But I can always work on being a stronger leader both on and off the field.
HV: Are there any players, college or professional, that you look up to or pattern your game after?
DT: No, not really. I do look up to Coach Parrella. I’m counting on him to make me the best football player and man that I can possibly be.
HV: You committed to Nebraska following the spring game, choosing the Huskers over Michigan. What was it about Nebraska that put the Huskers over the top?
DT: The relationship that was built between me and Coach JP. We had an instant bond.
HV: Have any schools remained in contact with you even though you are committed to Nebraska?
DT: Yes. Oklahoma and Texas Tech are still coming at me pretty hard.
HV: Are you planning to take any other official visits, or was your unofficial to Nebraska for the Wyoming game the only one you’ll take?
DT: I don’t have any official visits planned right now, but I will be taking another trip to Nebraska at some point.
HV: What was your impression of Nebraska during your unofficial visit?
DT: I love the place and the environment. It never gets old.
HV: Are you planning to be an early enrollee this year or will you wait until next fall to arrive in Lincoln?
DT: I will be a fall enrollee.
HV: Any final things you’d like to say to Husker Nation?
DT: I need more Twitter followers.
