PNJ Midseason Football Report: Who's in contention for PNJ's All-Area Superlative Awards

The 2023 Pensacola-area high school football season has zoomed by at the speed of a Formula 1 race car.

Entering Week 7, 12 of the area's 13 teams have played at least five games, with Booker T. Washington as the lone exception. The Wildcats have hit the gridiron four times. Before you know it, teams will hit the home stretch as their make their final pushes toward the postseason.

But before we move towards the future, here is a look back at the year to this point. Specifically, 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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For the players not on this list, a strong second half and postseason could vault them into contention. But as we move past halfway, here are some of the top prospects in position for recognition down the line.

MVP

Miequle Brock, Pine Forest

Being just a piece to a devastating running attack alongside T.J. Wilson and Kobe Johnson the past several years, Brock is now the main guy in the Eagles backfield, and boy, has he risen to the spotlight. The electric senior tailback opened the season with more than 200 all-purpose yards at Tate. Following a career-best five touchdown performance in Week 6 against Fort Walton Beach, Brock leads all skill-position players with 19 touchdowns.

Stats entering Week 7: 19 TDs (16 rushing, 2 receiving, 1 special teams)

Christian Neptune, Tate

Neptune spent limited time on the field with the Aggies last year, but after raising his profile with tremendous showings during college summer camps, the junior wide receiver is leading a team turnaround as he is possibly the most uncoverable wide receiver in the area. He exploded onto the scene with a nine-catch, 200-yard effort against Pine Forest. With several deep receptions and a brilliant one-handed snag that night against the Eagles, as well as other splendid catches later in the year, Neptune has proven there aren’t many passes he can’t snag.

Stats entering Week 7: 23 recs, 499 yds, 5 TDs

Nick Simmons, Pace

This dual-threat quarterback has beaten quality teams with both his arms, and mostly, with his legs. The junior is among the area leaders in rushing with 580 yards and has completed 54 percent of his passes with seven touchdowns to three interceptions. Simmons’ best game so far was in the Patriots’ season opener against Choctaw, as he went 9-for-15 passing for 169 yards and three scores. He also had 23 carries for 187 yards and two scores.

Stats entering Week 7: 54 cmp %, 433 passing yds, 7 passing TDs, 3 unts; 106 car, 499 yds, 5 rush TDs

Lejon Williams, Escambia

There’s any number of players to choose from a stacked Gators defense, which has produced shutouts in their last three games, but the nominee here leads from the middle. Williams isn’t just one of the area’s best linebackers, but he’s one of the smartest, both on and off the field. One year after totaling a team-best 122 stops, the Army commit leads Escambia with 47 tackles this season.

Stats entering Week 7: 47 tks, 2.0 sks, 1 FF, 4 TFL

Offensive Player of the Year

Battle Alberson, Gulf Breeze

The senior quarterback has flourished in just five games in Jeff Gierke’s air-raid offense. One of those contests was for the record books. During a 73-42 win at Milton, Alberson broke several school marks after going 30-for-42 passing for 463 yards, eight touchdowns and one interception. He also had 97 yards and a score on the ground. Averaging 38 passing attempts per game, the senior has thrown an area-best 20 touchdowns. He is also the Dolphins’ top rusher with 273 yards and two scores.

Stats entering Week 7: 58 cmp %, 1,573 passing yds, 20 passing TDs, 6 ints; 27 car, 273 yds, 2 rush TDs

PNJ Football Leaderboard: Escambia, Santa Rosa County stats entering Week 7 of 2023 season

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Anthony Hall, Escambia

Aside from a subpar showing in Week 2, the Gators senior has a strong case to receive some postseason recognition. No player has thrown for more yards (1,599) this season. Even at his pace, he’s taken care of the ball, owning a sparkling 12-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Hall’s finest showing came in a Week 5 win at Milton, as he went 20-for-28 passing with 347 yards and two touchdowns.

Stats entering Week 7: 63 Cmp %, 1,599 passing yds, 12 passing TDs, 1 Int; 12 car, 50 yds, 1 rush TD

Connor Mathews, Navarre

Defenses have stacked the box to try and stop the junior bruiser, and not many have had success. The area rushing leader has only been held below 100 yards once (Week 2 at Pine Forest), and he still finished with 91 yards and 5.1 yards per carry. During his last time on the field, Mathews set a career high with 236 rushing yards and four touchdowns in a road victory last week against Carroll (Ala.).

Stats entering Week 7: 96 car, 747 rushing yards, 13 rushing TDs, 1 Int; 5 recs, 48 yards

John Nicholas, West Florida

While Alberson has the most touchdown passes and Hall has the most passing yards, Nicholas is the area’s highest-rated passer at 134.0. And while his offense isn’t as geared to take shots down the field, the senior quarterback is capable of making all the throws. He has long completions of 78, 49, 68 and 65 yards. Nicholas’ best statistic game was in a 34-31 loss to Walton where he completed 21-of-29 passes for 365 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions.

Stats entering Week 7: 68 Cmp %, 1,043 passing yds, 13 passing TDs, 1 Int; 25 car, 93 yds, 1 rush TD

Defensive Player of the Year

Ladarian Clardy, Escambia

The 6-foot, 175-pound free safety has established himself as one of the premier ballhawks on the Panhandle, snagging three interceptions from the safety position so far this season. Basically, if any pressure impacts a throw, odds are the speedy junior is going to get it. Clardy has posted 27 tackles, 18 of which were solo stops. He has recently received offers from Vanderbilt and Charlotte, bringing his Division I total to 13.

Stats entering Week 7: 27 tks, 3 ints, 3 PD

Tylon Lee, Pace

The area’s best Class of 2025 prospect is exceeding the hype in his junior campaign. The defensive end is dangerous swarming from the edge rusher, posting four sacks while leading the Patriots with 10 tackles for loss and 15 hurries. He also has caused two fumbles and totaled 37 tackles. Lee currently has 22 Division I offers.

Stats entering Week 7: 37 tks, 4.0 sks, 10 TFL, 15 hurries, 2 FFs

Turner McLaughlin, Pensacola Catholic

The transition from Gulf Breeze to rival Pensacola Catholic hasn’t just been a smooth one for McLaughlin as he’s emerged as a key player on a defense filled with talent. Leading the Crusaders in tackles, the senior is always a threat to strip the ball. He has an area-best four forced fumbles and has recovered a pair of fumbles along the way. Against possibly the area’s best team, McLaughlin had a season-best 15 tackles (3 TFL) in a 13-12 win at Escambia.

Stats entering Week 7: 42 tks, 1 sk, 6 TFL, 4 FFs

Jackson Ward, Pace

No area player has racked up more tackles over the past two years than Ward, and at the rate 2023 is going, he’ll extend that to three years. The Super-Senior linebacker leads the area with 63 tackles and 5.5 sacks. He’s put up double-digit tackles in every game this season. That includes a 17-tackle effort during the team’s Week 2 defeat in Lincoln. Meanwhile, he is one sack away from doubling his career total over the past two years.

Stats entering Week 7: 63 tks, 5.5 sks, 7 TFL, 1 int, 2 FFs

Breakout Player of the Year

Andre Caldwell, West Florida

It was difficult for Caldwell to see the field on a Jaguars defense that was loaded up front last season. But with many of those players graduating, the junior defensive lineman has stepped up their place. He’s the team’s second-leading tackler (35) while topping West Florida in sacks (2.0). Caldwell made an impact with a pair of double-digit tackling performances, but easily his biggest moment of the season was a late sack to help the Jags seal a 26-23 win against Pine Forest.

Stats entering Week 7: 32 tks, 2.0 sks, 1 FF

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James Clark, Pine Forest

Transferring over from Navarre and with a plethora of targets at his disposal, Clark has thrived as the area’s most accurate quarterback. The senior has completed 70 percent of his passes for 1,010 yards, nine touchdowns to just two interceptions. His first very throw as a Pine Forest starter was certainly a sign of things to come, as he completed an 80-yard touchdown pass in a win at Tate.

Stats entering Week 7: 70 Cmp %, 1,010 passing yds, 9 passing TDs, 2 Int

Carson Secchiari, Tate

Opposing defenses entered the year knowing in order to slow down the Aggies, it had to stop senior running back Andre Colston. But with Secchiari springing into the fold, Tate operates with a two-headed monster out of the backfield. The junior is the team’s leading rusher with 544 yards and six touchdowns. He is averaging 10.1 yards per carry.

Stats entering Week 7: 63 tks, 5.5 sks, 7 TFL, 1 int, 2 FFs

Coach of the Year

Matt Adams, Pensacola Catholic

One of the area’s best defenses has played up to its talent. Adams deserves credit for that, but it’s the work his team has done offensively despite roster changes and injuries that’s most noteworthy. After seeing Koby Howard transfer out of the school, the Crusaders were dealt another blow with Arkansas State commit Jayvion Showers missing the majority of the season due to injury. The injury bug has also hit the offensive line, but the team has managed to put points on the board, averaging 28.4 points per game.

Crusaders record entering Week 7 - 4-1

Mike Bennett, Escambia

It’s easy to take Bennett’s success with the Gators for granted, as year in and year out, the program churns out wins. Escambia’s worst season since 2017 is its 6-3 campaign in 2021. Backed by a vaunted defense and well-rounded yet explosive offense, the team is well on its way to its seventh consecutive winning season. There’s plenty of football left to be played, with plenty of potential roadblocks within the district, but if the team can handle its business the rest of the regular season, dreams of a deep playoff run is within reach.

Gators record entering Week 7 - 5-1

Rhett Summerford, Tate

Has there been a better turnaround than what’s going on in Cantonment? So far the answer is no. In his second season at his alma mater, Summerford has Tate one more win away from matching their win total from the past four years combined. The team has hammered the opponents it should have and competed with others that have been perennial contenders. A couple more wins and the Aggies won’t have to worry about being back on the rise, they will have arrived.

Aggies record entering Week 7 - 3-2

Brian Watson, Jay

Not a lot of people had the Royals as the last Pensacola-area team to suffer a loss this season. But Jay earned that distinction thanks to a tough running game and a gritty defense that relinquished just 12 points per game through the first four weeks of the season. Watson has created a program to his image: hard-nosed and physical. With a few more wins, Jay can collect its first winning season since 2018.

Royals record entering Week 7 - 4-1

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: Which Pensacola-area players have excel at 2023 midway point?