M-I FB FIRST-TEAM CAPS

Nov. 23—OFFENSE

QUARTERBACK

Brady Atwell

OWENSBORO CATHOLIC, 6-3, 225, JR.

Atwell was phenomenal all season long for the Aces, completing 203 of 272 passes for 45 touchdowns. He also rushed for 444 yards and 11 TDs. "Brady is a generational talent whose stats speak volumes," Aces coach Jason Morris said. "He can dominate a game at any time with his feet or arm. The greatest thing about Brady's future is that his best football is way ahead of him. We are very proud of how much he has improved since the eighth grade."

RUNNING BACKS

Evan Hampton

OWENSBORO, 6-1, 161, SOPH.

Hampton burst onto the scene in a big way for the Red Devils, rushing for 916 yards and 16 touchdowns. He also caught 38 passes for 465 yards and two scores. "Evan is equally effective running the ball and catching it," OHS coach Jay Fallin said. "In addition to carrying and catching the ball, he is a great teammate and blocks as hard as he can for his teammates when he doesn't have the ball. He is as fast as any kid we've had in a long time."

Elijah Baldwin

McLEAN COUNTY, 5-9, 160, SR.

Baldwin played bigger than his size, leading the Cougars with 802 yards rushing and 13 touchdowns. "Pound for pound, Elijah is one of the strongest players in the area," McLean County coach Zach Wagner said. "He's only 160 pounds, but he ran the ball like a 200-pound fullback. Grit and toughness are the adjectives to describe him." Baldwin caught seven passes for 139 yards, and also starred on the defensive side of the line for the Cougars.

WIDE RECEIVERS

Tutt Carrico

OWENSBORO CATHOLIC, 6-1, 195, SR.

The versatile Carrico was Brady Atwell's favorite receiver, catching 59 passes for 1,116 yards and 17 touchdowns. "Tutt is a matchup problem for every team we play," Owensboro Catholic coach Jason Morris said. "He is a lot faster than he gets credit for and he also knows how to use his strength to get himself open. Tutt broke the school record for touchdown receptions in a career." He has signed with NCAA Division II Hillsdale (Mich.) College

Noah Rhinerson

OWENSBORO CATHOLIC, 5-8, 160, SR.

A transfer from Apollo, Rhinerson brought his big-play capabilities to the Aces this fall — catching 42 passes for 708 yards and nine touchdowns for unbeaten Catholic. "Noah is very elusive and is great with the football in his hands," Aces coach Jason Morris said. "He is the perfect slot receiver in our offense, and we could also put him in the backfield. Noah is also very tough for his size and made some amazing catches for us this season."

Eli Masterson

APOLLO, 6-1, 175, SR.

Masterson was the Eagles' most explosive force this fall, leading the team with 36 receptions for 653 yards and six touchdowns. "Eli has been a great player for us the last four years," Apollo coach John Edge said. "He is a great wide receiver. He played on both sides of the ball and was our kick returner and long snapper on special teams. He has several Division 1 offers in football and will be a great addition to any school he chooses to play at."

LINEMEN

Major Pride

OWENSORO CATHOLIC, 6-3, 285, SR.

One of the seasoned veterans along the line, Pride had another exceptional season for the Aces up front. "Major has been Mr. Consistency for us," Aces coach Jason Morris said "He has worked very hard to improve his abilities as a center and his overall athleticism. The greatest strength Major has is his availability. He has never missed a practice or workout in four years at Owensboro Catholic, and he hasn't missed a snap in two years as a starter."

Jak Lindsey

OWENSBORO, 6-5, 276, SR.

Lindsey opened holes for Evan Hampton and others to run through. "Jak is a four-year starter for us on the O line, something that almost never happens at OHS and certainly hasn't in my 15 years here," Red Devils coach Jay Fallin said. "Jak is old-school tough, hard-nosed, a fearless competitor. Jak embodies what we mean when we talk about guys for whom it 'really matters.' He puts the work in and prepares week in and week out."

Whit Searcy

McLEAN COUNTY, 6-0, 265, SR.

Searcy was a major presence up front, opening holes for backs in the Cougars' vaunted hybrid Wing-T attack in his final prep campaign. "Whit has been a three-year starter for us on the offensive line," McLean County coach Zach Wagner said. "He has a good football IQ and that allowed him to make our line calls and understand defensive fronts. In addition, he had a physical presence that we ran behind when we needed to get tough yardage."

Jerrick Williams

OWENSBORO, 6-0, 273, SR.

One of the Red Devils' most versatile and talented linemen, Williams produced a banner campaign. "Jerrick has started at every position on the offensive line during his time at OHS," Red Devils coach Jay Fallin said. "It is such an asset to a team to have a guy who can play center, guard and tackle, and he has filled that role very well. Jerrick has battled injury over the years, but this year he has stayed healthy and has had the best season of his career."

Luke Frey

OWENSBORO CATHOLIC, 5-11, 215, SR.

Few offensive linemen in the entire commonwealth were as efficient as Frey during the 2023 season, as he protected high-profile quarterback Brady Atwell time and again. "Luke has anchored our offensive line at left tackle this year," Owensboro Catholic coach Jason Morris said. "He has been very good at blocking our quarterback's backside. We have thrown the ball well over 300 times on the season, and Luke did not give up a single sack."

DEFENSE

LINEMEN

Courtland Howard

OWENSBORO, 6-2, 279, SR.

Howard anchored the Red Devils defense throughout the fall. "Courtland has become a force for us on the interior of the line over the past two seasons," OHS coach Jay Fallin said. "An incredibly big and athletic presence, Courtland almost always demands double teams. He is very quick and athletic for his size and he pursues the ball very well. Even on plays where Courtland doesn't make the tackle, he is still a big part of making the play."

Michael Lyon

OWENSBORO CATHOLIC, 6-0, 190, JR.

Lyon plugged the gap with consistency for the much-improved Aces defense throughout the fall, exhibiting a wide range of capabilities on the front line. "Michael Lyon is a matchup nightmare for opposing offenses," Owensboro Catholic coach Jason Morris said. "He is very strong and plays the run very well. However, his athleticism and speed make him a dual-threat defensive end as he can also get after the quarterback with his pass rush."

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Coby Dant

McLEAN COUNTY, 5-9, 275, SR.

Dant was a major force on the defensive line for the Cougars, finishing with 58 total tackles, a team-best 10 tackles for loss, four sacks, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. "Coby is a true defensive tackle, big and mean," McLean County coach Zach Wagner said. "He was able to eat up opponents' blocks and get into the backfield on any given snap." As a junior, Dant registered 54 tackles, including four TFL's and 2.5 sacks.

Ryder Cunningham

DAVIESS COUNTY, 6-2, 220, SR.

A steadying influence throughout his senior season, Cunningham led the Panthers defense with 97 tackles. He also registered five tackles for loss and a sack. "Ryder is a positive influence on our football ream, a great natural leader, and that's why he's one of our team captains," Daviess County coach Matt Brannon said. "He's had a great attitude playing next to our younger players, and it helped us improve as a team as the season went along."

LINEBACKERS

Vince Carrico

OWENSBORO CATHOLIC, 5-10, 220, JR.

The irrepressible Carrico was at it again this fall, leading the Aces with 150 tackles, including 10.5 for loss, and four sacks. He had an interception, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. "Vince is a great leader on our team," Aces coach Jason Morris said. "Our defense is designed around him. He has led or been right at the top of the state in tackles all three years he has played. He has natural instincts for finding and getting to the football."

Aiden Weatherholt

HANCOCK COUNTY, 5-10, 152, SR.

Also a star for the Hornets on offense, Weatherholt was the heart and soul of the defensive unit — amassing 136 tackles, including nine for loss, with six sacks. He also forced six fumbles, recovering three. "Aiden is a great kid and truly loves the game," Hancock County coach Bobby Eubanks said. "He's fearless on the field. His determination, tenacity and toughness is second to none. He's one of the best players that I've had the opportunity to coach."

Kayleb Duckett

MUHLENBERG COUNTY, 5-9, 175, SR.

Duckett was a stalwart at linebacker for the Mustangs in his final prep season, finishing with 56 tackles, including seven tackles for loss. He also recovered two fumbles. "Kayleb is an extremely intelligent football player who has a nose for the ball," Muhlenberg County coach Josh Staples said. "He's an undersized player who led the Mustangs in tackles over the last two seasons. Without question, he is the leader of the defense for our team."

Eli Hampton

OWENSBORO, 5-9, 178, SOPH.

Hampton was highly active from his linebacker post for the Red Devils, with a team-high 68 tackles. "Last year Eli did something that is very hard to do as a freshman, starting multiple games at inside linebacker for OHS," Red Devils coach Jay Fallin said. "This year, he accepted the challenge of increased expectations perfectly. He truly is the quarterback of the defense. He sets our fronts and coverages and knows the scouting report front to back."

BACKS

Tutt Carrico

OWENSBORO CATHOLIC, 6-1, 195, SR.

Carrico was utilized all over the field on defense for the Aces, registering 79 tackles, including 8.5 for loss, four interceptions, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. "Tutt is a Division 1 type talent at safety," Aces coach Jason Morris said. "He can play pass coverage against the best players on every team we've faced, but he is also strong enough to fit the box in the run game. He is also athletic enough to make tackles in space — a special talent."

Brodie Cline

McLEAN COUNTY, 6-1, 160, SR.

The Cougars' quarterback on offense, Cline was tremendous in the secondary, with a team-high four interceptions, to go with 37 tackles, three tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. "Brodie was tasked with the responsibility of covering our opponents' top receivers every game," McLean County head coach Zach Wagner said. "He has great ball skills, a quick ability to break on the ball, and is a sure tackler in the open field."

Eli Pendley

MUHLENBERG COUNTY, 5-11, 165, SR.

Pendley was not only a veteran presence in the Mustangs secondary, he was a threat to score whenever he got his hands on the football — returning two of his three interceptions for touchdowns. He also registered 14 tackles, including two tackles for loss. "Eli continued to grow as a player throughout the season," Muhlenberg County coach Josh Staples said, "and he finished his high school career as the Mustangs' most dependable defensive back."

SPECIAL TEAMS

KICKER

Peter Saang

OWENSBORO, 5-8, 152, SR.

A newcomer to the program, Saang drilled 49 of 52 conversion tries and made his only field goal attempt. "Peter is the latest in a long legacy of OHS soccer players who have made great kickers for us," Owensboro coach Jay Fallin said. "Peter came out this spring and was able to learn the ropes. It is incredibly difficult to play soccer at a high level and kick, and he handled the balance and sacrifice with a great deal of maturity and toughness."

PUNTER

Nate Harper

MUHLENBERG COUNTY, 6-0, 170, SR.

Harper not only had a strong leg, he also has the ability to pin the opposition deep in their own territory with his punts. "Nate is a fundamentally sound kicker and was very dependable throughout the season," Mustangs coach Josh Staples said. "His punting was crucial in some of the Mustangs victories because of his ability to flip field position." Harper also was perfect on 15 conversion tries and made his only field goal attempt.

RETURNER

Tutt Carrico

OWENBSBORO CATHOLIC, 6-1, 195, SR.

Carrico was a fearless threat to go the distance every time he touched the football in 2023, constantly changing the field position in favor of the Aces. "Tutt is as dangerous of a punt and kick returner as anyone I have ever coached," Owensboro Catholic coach Jason Morris said. "First, we gain extra yardage because he never lets punts hit the ground. Next, when he catches it, he is great in the open field and at making defenders miss."

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR

Evan Hampton

OWENSBORO, 6-1, 161, SOPH.

Hampton stepped into the storied Red Devils program and made an immediate and season-long impact — leading the team in both rushing and pass receiving. "Evan did this while splitting carries for most of the games and against some great defenses," Owensboro coach Jay Fallin said. "He has tremendous speed, and if he gets in the open he isn't going to be caught. He is also durable enough to handle 15-20 carries and run between the tackles."