PNJ Midseason Football Report: Who's in contention for PNJ's All-Area Superlative Awards
The 2022 high school football regular season is halfway home.
With all of 13 teams having played five games and some already playing six, the Pensacola-area's gridiron warriors are charging toward a postseason push this November, and possibly December. As teams are beginning to jockey for the right to play playoff football, several players and coaches have emerged as top candidates for PNJ superlative awards, which will be announced when the Fall All-Area teams are released during the holiday season.
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With that said, here are some of the top prospects in position for recognition down the line.
MVP
Tim Gulley, Pensacola Catholic
Committed to play football at Arkansas State, the 6-foot-2, 291-pound senior defensive tackle is in the middle of a menacing Crusaders defensive line. Gulley is tied with Courtney Clark and Gulf Breeze's Phillip Dillard for the area-lead with four sacks. He is also tied for the team-lead with six hurries.
Stats: 18 tackles, 9.0 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks
Jamarkus Jefferson, Northview
The next two players may be as valuable to their offenses and to teams as any other. First, no player has rumbled into the end zone more than the Chiefs senior running back, scoring 18 times in just five games. Jefferson has an area-best 985 rushing yards.
Stats: 97 carries, 985 rushing yards, 18 rushing TDs, three catches, 93 receiving yards
Akeem Stokes, Escambia
There's no wide receiver that's been more productive this season that Stokes. The senior leads the area with 651 receiving yards while also scoring twice on special teams. Escambia's defense has played well as season, but the offense has been held 20 points on four occasion. If hasn't been Stokes, the Gators, who are on a four-game winning streak. would have a mighty time putting points on the board.
Stats: 38 catches, 651 receiving yards, 7 total TDs (5 receiving, 2 special teams)
T.J. Wilson, Pine Forest
The reigning PNJ MVP has been just as spectacular out of the gates in 2022. The senior quarterback has completed 61 percent of his passes with a 10-to-3 touchdown-to-interception ratio. He also doubles as the team's second-leading rusher. Wilson's stats would be better if he played the entire game, but with Pine Forest pushing out to such comfortable advantages, the quarterback often watches the fourth quarter from the bench.
Stats: 47-for-77 passing, 894 passing yards, 10 TDs, 3 INTs, 49 carries, 514 rushing yards, 6 rushing TDs
Offensive Player of the Year
Aidan Byrd, Pensacola Catholic
An area-best sixteen passing touchdowns to no interceptions, you can't have a better ratio than that. Completing 58 percent of his passes, Byrd has taken care of the ball while engineering an offense that has scored more points than any other area team.
Stats: 70-for-119 passing, 1,088 passing yards, 16 TDs, 0 INT
Troy Coughlin, Gulf Breeze
The senior workhorse is enjoying the finest season of his high school career and the finest Dolphins' season since Tyler Dittmer's all-state campaign in 2018. While Coughlin's chances at a 2,000-yard season may be a long shot, he's still putting together one of the area's most productive efforts, rushing for more than 100 yards in five of six games.
Stats: 138 carries, 919 rushing yards, 8 rushing TDs
Donielle Hayes, Pine Forest
One year removed averaging more 24 yards per catch, the senior has proven to be a threat on short, intermediate and deep routes. The ypc has dropped by seven yards, but in less than half of the games, Hayes, a Minnesota commit, is only two catches shy from his total last season. His has 28 of Pine Forest's 47 receptions.
Stats: 28 catches, 481 receiving yards, 8 total TDs (7 receiving, 1 rushing)
Defensive Player of the Year
Ahmarion Moultrie, West Florida
No player in the area has totaled more tackles the Jaguars senior linebacker. He has recorded double-figure tackles in every game this season, including a season-best 21 stops on Sept. 9 at Pace. Moultrie is on pace for 140 tackles.
Stats: 70 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, INT, FC
Markell Redding, West Florida
The senior athlete has proven to be more than just a quarterback. Redding, a Navy commit, has snagged an interception in four of the Jaguars' five games. With four interceptions, he is tied with Northview's Wyatt Scruggs for the area lead in that department.
Stats: 24 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, 4 INTs
Elijah Douglas, Pine Forest
Committed to play football at Georgia Tech, Douglas is the best player on possibly the area's best defense. Although he's missed action due to injury, the 6-3, 280 defensive lineman has been impactful upfront. The senior scored his first career touchdown on an interception return during the season-opener against Tate.
Stats: 18 tackles, 2.0 sacks, INT, defensive TD
Lejon Williams, Escambia
Allowing just 12 points per game, the Gators defense has provided resistance all season long, with the junior linebacker serving as one of the chief reasons why. Williams tops Escambia with 54 tackles and eight tackles for loss. He had a season-best 12 tackles during the team's shutout of Milton on Sept. 23.
Stats: 54 tackles (36 solo), 8 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks
Newcomer of the Year
Eddie Love Jr., Navarre
One of the area's fastest sprinters in the spring, the sophomore running back has displayed his blazing speed on the gridiron. Love displayed his talent most during the Raiders' win at Tate on Sept. 16, finishing with 197 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
Stats: 83 carries, 661 rushing yards, 7 total TDs (5 rushing, 1 receiving, 1 special teams)
Nigel Nelson, Pensacola Catholic
The sophomore linebacker ranks second on the Crusaders with 40 tackles while racking up a team-best 15 tackles for loss. Nelson made the biggest play of Catholic's season when he grabbed an interception in overtime to propel the team to an overtime win at Mobile Christian.
Stats: 40 tackles, 15 TFL, 2 sacks, INT
Nick Simmons, Pace
One year after watching his older brother Nate take the snaps for Pace, Nick Simmons has done an admirable job in his debut campaign, which started with a fourth-quarter, game-winning drive at Choctaw. A threat on the ground and through the air, the sophomore quarterback has totaled 16 touchdowns.
Stats: 419 passing yards, 514 rushing yards, 16 total TDs (10 rushing, 6 passing)
Coach of the Year
Matt Adams, Pensacola Catholic
The Crusaders have benefitted from an easy schedule, but regardless of the opponent, Adams has had his 6-0 squad ready to take on any challenge. That wasn't more evident than on Sept. 23, when Catholic stormed back from a two-score deficit to capture an overtime victory at Mobile Christian.
Ronnie Douglas, Pine Forest
Massive expectations haven't been a distraction for Douglas and his unbeaten Eagles. No team has allowed less points (45) and only Pensacola Catholic (232) has scored more than Pine Forest (231). There's a reason why the Eagles are a favorite to take home a state title.
Wes Summerford, Northview
In his third season leading the Chiefs, Summerford has the program off to its first 5-0 start since 2010. The team is one win away from matching its win total from last year.
Patrick Bernadeau is a sports reporter for the Pensacola News Journal. He can be reached at (850) 503-3828, on Twitter @PatBernadeau or via email at pbernadeau@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Football: Here are the PNJ All-Area frontrunners at the halfway point
