Vote now: Who should be SBLive’s Kentucky high school athlete of the week?
By Mitchell Forde
Here are the candidates for the Kentucky high school Athlete of the Week for Oct. 17-23 as nominated by coaches, fans and readers.
Read through the nominees and cast your vote. Voting will conclude Sunday at 11:59 p.m.
If you would like to make a nomination in a future week, email mitchellforde40@gmail.com.
Editor’s Note: Our Athlete of the Week feature and corresponding poll is intended to be fun, and we do not set limits on how many times a fan can vote during the competition. However, we do not allow votes that are generated by script, macro or other automated means. Athletes who receive votes generated by script, macro or other automated means will be disqualified.
Kylie Archer, West Jessamine girls soccer
During West Jessamine’s wins in the rounds of 16 and quarterfinals of the state soccer tournament, Archer netted a combined six goals and five assists. She had three goals and one assist in a 4-0 win over Prestonsburg, then three more goals and two assists in an 8-2 win over Corbin three days later.
Brady Atwell, Owensboro Catholic football
Atwell has had an impressive sophomore season, and that continued during the Ace’s 40-6 win over McLean County on Friday. Atwell completed 19 of 26 passes for 243 yards and four touchdowns while also rushing for 27 yards and a score.
Deuce Bailey, Bowling Green football
The Purples’ quarterback continued his strong sophomore season with an efficient outing during Bowling Green’s 50-7 win over Christian County. Bailey completed 15 of 18 passes for 284 yards and three touchdowns.
Blake Birchfield, Pikeville football
Birchfield continued his spectacular senior season by racking up 174 yards and four touchdowns on 16 carries during the Panthers’ 52-7 win over Hazard. Birchfield has now rushed for more than 1,000 yards and 19 touchdowns on the season.
Evan Brown, Lexington Christian Academy football
As usual, the Eagles put up big passing numbers during a 38-21 win over Danville, and Brown was the primary beneficiary. The senior caught 12 passes for 211 yards and a touchdown.
Camden Cardwell, Spencer County football
The Bears rolled past John Hardin with a 43-0 win on Friday. Cardwell only got seven touches, but he made the most of them. He turned his seven carries into 187 yards and three touchdowns.
Carson Class, Highlands football
The versatile junior had another big game for the Bluebirds. Not only did Class lead the team in receiving with 46 yards on three catches, he returned an interception for a touchdown during Highlands’ 34-5 win over Cooper.
Chase Crone, Simon Kenton football
The Pioneers picked up a big 38-31 win over Ryle keyed by Crone. The senior quarterback threw for 193 yards and two touchdowns while adding 180 yards and two more scores on the ground.
Sawyer Crum, Johnson Central boys soccer and football
Crum played the final game of his soccer season in the state championship on Tuesday after helping lead the Golden Eagles to a Region 15 championship this season. Then, on Friday, he made all five extra points for the Johnson Central football team to a 35-34 win over Letcher County Central, including the game-winning extra point with 37 seconds left.
Grace Gibson, Corbin girls soccer
Gibson netted three goals and had an assist in Corbin’s 5-1 win over Estill County in the first round of the state tournament. The Redhounds then fell to West Jessamine in the quarterfinals, but Gibson had another goal and assist in that match.
Mary Martin Hampton, Lexington Catholic girls soccer
Across the Lady Knights’ wins in the first two rounds of the state tournament, Hampton logged a combined three goals and two assists. She helped Lexington Catholic beat Highlands 5-0 and Bishop Brossart 3-0 to advance to the state semifinals.
Olivia Holbrook, Campbell County girls cross country
Holbrook won the Class 3A, Region 5 cross country championship with a time of 19:27. That helped propel the Camels to a team title, as well.
Lofton Howard, Greenwood football
Howard did a little bit of everything during the Gators’ 35-21 win over South Warren on Friday. Howard ran the ball six times for 100 yards and two touchdowns. He grabbed three passes for 60 yards and another score. And he also scored on a two-point conversion.
Jacob Jones, West Jessamine football
Jones did what he does seemingly every week: put up ridiculous numbers as both a rusher and a passer. During the Colts’ 48-34 win over Collins, the senior quarterback completed 12 of 16 passes for 148 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for 214 yards and six scores.
Tayvion Jones, Butler football
The Bears gave Manual, one of the top teams in Class 6A, a scare before ultimately falling 23-14. Senior Tayvion Jones was the primary reason Butler was able to keep the game close. The junior receiver caught seven passes for 181 yards and two touchdowns.
Mykel Malone, Fern Creek football
Malone served as Fern Creek’s only consistent source of offense during a 21-7 win over Southern. The junior running back carried the ball 16 times for 214 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Jeremiah Mundy-Lloyd, Bryan Station football
Several members of the Bryan Station offense put up impressive performances in the team’s 35-7 win over Madison Central. But Mundy-Lloyd’s stat line stands out most. The senior carried the ball 33 times for 242 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Malachi Peterson, Iroquois football
It hasn’t been the best football season for Iroquois, and that continued Friday with a 42-12 loss to Bullitt Central. But junior running back Malachi Peterson provided a bright spot. Peterson carried the ball 35 times for 197 yards and scored both of the Raiders’ touchdowns.
Montavin Quisenberry, Boyle County football
Quisenberry scored four touchdowns in four different ways during the Rebels’ 55-12 win over Bourbon County on Friday. The do-everything athlete ran the ball four times for 129 yards and a score. He caught an 18-yard touchdown. And he also returned both a punt and a kickoff to the house.
Tate Rice, Clay County football
Rice had an unforgettable outing during the Tigers’ 50-16 win over Magoffin County on Friday. The junior completed 16 of 19 passes for 264 yards and seven touchdowns. Also the team’s kicker, Rice booted six extra points and ran in a two-point conversion, meaning he had a hand in all 50 of the team’s points.
Jacob Savage, Ryle football
While Savage and the Raiders fell to Simon Kenton, it wasn’t Savage’s fault. The well-named freshman linebacker racked up a ridiculous 20 tackles during the contest.
Nathan Smith, Campbell County football
The Camels won their first football game over a district opponent since 2019 on Friday with a triumphant 49-19 victory over Dixie Heights. Smith led the way, carrying the ball 20 times for 2016 yards and four touchdowns. He also scored a two-point conversion.
Jackson Wasik, Lexington Catholic football
Wasik only attempted 13 passes during the Knights’ blowout win over Anderson County. But he completed 11 of them for 258 yards and seven touchdowns. The junior now ranks third in the state, regardless of classification, in touchdown passes on the season with 29 and fourth in completion percentage at 70.5.
Jaheim Williams, Henderson County football
The senior running back only touched the ball five times during the Colonels’ 43-7 win over McCracken County last week. He made them count. Williams rushed four times for 142 yards and two touchdowns and caught one pass for 38 yards and a score. That’s some impressive efficiency.
Stone Work, St. Xavier boys soccer
After scoring a goal and logging an assist in the Tigers’ 5-0 win over Butler in the first round of the state soccer tournament, Work netted the game-winning goal in the second half of the team’s 1-0 quarterfinal victory over Madisonville-North Hopkins.
Tanner Wright, Southwestern football
The senior running back shouldered the load for the Warriors during their 31-20 win over rival Pulaski County. Wright carried the ball 25 times for 217 yards and three scores.
