Every week, HighSchoolOT will publish the Starting 22, which highlights the top performances from each position in North Carolina.

It is recommended that coaches submit performance nominations to [email protected] for review on a weekly basis.

Offense

High School

Hudson Wilharm, a senior at Hoggard High School, is QB.

• Wilharm, who stands at 6 feet 5 inches, skillfully tore apart the tough Cleveland defense by completing 27 passes for 385 yards and scoring six touchdowns.

High School

Nick Diamond, a junior at Weddington High School, is also known as RB.

• The 5’9″ junior player had a productive game with 129 yards gained on 14 carries and three touchdowns during Weddington’s 44-27 victory against Grimsley. Grimsley’s defense had been strong against the run throughout the season.

High School

Senior Cuttler Adams attends Robbinsville High School.

• Adams’ successful career continued as he recorded 282 yards and four touchdowns in the Black Knights’ 44-14 victory against North Rowan.

WR — Aniziyon “Nas” Session, junior, Hoggard

• Session is an up-and-coming player in Division I. During Hoggard’s 51-35 victory over Cleveland, Session had an impressive performance with 167 yards and four touchdowns on only seven catches.

High School

Chet Yardley is a senior at Cardinal Gibbons High School.

• In the Crusaders’ unexpected 28-21 victory against first-seeded Rolesville, Yardley made 10 receptions for a total of 200 yards and scored a touchdown.

County High School

Senior Izay Bridges from Shelby County High School is a member of FLEX.

• In Shelby’s 37-20 victory against Forest Hills, the committed player from NC Central made a significant impact by contributing in multiple aspects. Brides received six passes for 141 yards and scored a touchdown, while also rushing for 85 yards and two touchdowns on five carries.

OL — Jack Sheehan, junior, Cardinal Gibbons

• The junior, who stands at 6 feet 6 inches and weighs 300 pounds, played a crucial role in the Crusaders’ victory over top-seeded Rolesville by contributing to a total of 412 yards of offense. The final score was 28-21 in favor of the Crusaders.

OL — Spencer Baldwin, senior, Mount Airy

• Spencer Baldwin, the 6-foot-6 guard for Mount Airy, was a standout player in their 42-21 victory against Eastern Randolph. Despite facing some challenging odd fronts, the Granite Bears managed to rush for 377 yards and score five touchdowns.

High School

Braxton Smith, a senior at Dudley High School, is a member of the OL team.

• Smith, who stands at 6 feet and weighs 295 pounds, has proven to be a valuable asset for the Panthers. In the Panthers’ recent 46-34 victory against previously undefeated Crest, he was given one of Dudley’s highest grades.

OL — Jason Smith, senior, Hoggard

• Hoggard’s 6-foot-3, 280-pound player on the inside line showed continued success with a strong performance in the Vikings’ 51-35 victory against Cleveland, a team known for their multiple shutouts this season.

HS

Jaden Buie, a senior at Dudley High School.

• Jaden Buie, standing at an impressive height of 6-foot-2 and weighing 318 pounds, proved to be a force to be reckoned with on the field as he dominated Crest’s defensive line in the Panthers’ victorious 46-34 game. Dudley’s offense was on fire, racking up a total of 433 yards against the Chargers.

---

Access previous versions of the Starting 22 by going back in time

Read past editions of the Starting 22 by revisiting previous releases.

---

Defense

DL — Malakahi West, senior, Hoggard

• The Vikings’ 51-35 victory against an elite Cleveland offense saw the defending HSOT All-State player record six tackles and three sacks.

DL — Camden Martin, junior, Independence

• Martin made two crucial plays on fourth down that helped secure Independence’s 10-7 victory in a thrilling defensive matchup against Butler.

High School

Jordyn Ratliff, a junior at Dudley High School, is a part of the DL program.

• Dudley’s 6-foot-1, 340-pound defensive tackle was responsible for seven total tackles, including three tackles for a loss and two sacks, in Dudley’s road win over top-seeded Crest.

LB — Dallas Brannon, sophomore, Independence

• The second-year middle linebacker was the top performer for the Patriots, recording 15 tackles in their impressive defensive showing against the favored Butler Bulldogs on the away field.

LB — Reagan Printy, senior, Hoggard

• Printy led the team with 13 total tackles in Hoggard’s victory against Cleveland. This total includes four tackles that resulted in a loss for the opposing team and three successful sacks.

Senior Keegan Queeglay from Independence is represented by LB.

• Keegan Queeglay, a senior linebacker for Independence, made 13 tackles, two of which were for a loss, in the Patriots’ 10-7 victory against the 6th seed Butler.

High School

DB stands for Defensive Back. Chip Coleman is a senior student at Cardinal Gibbons High School.

• Coleman performed exceptionally well in defending against a top-notch passing offense from Rolesville. He successfully disrupted several passes, executed strong tackles, and crucially forced a fumble just before Rolesville’s touchdown.

DB — Bryce Lofton, junior, Independence

• Lofton was responsible for the game-deciding interception against Butler’s quarterback, Zach Lawrence, leading the Patriots to a 10-7 victory. He also achieved two additional pass breakups and six tackles.

Nolan Wirick, a senior student at Cardinal Gibbons, is registered in DB.

• In the 28-21 victory for the Crusaders against Rolesville, spirited player Nolan Wirick made numerous aggressive tackles and performed effectively in defending against their strong passing game.

High School

Prince Will is a senior at Hickory High School.

• Prince recorded two interceptions and three tackles in Hickory’s 28-16 victory against West Henderson. West Henderson’s score of 16 points was 12 points lower than their previous season-low.

High School

Donovan Carpenter, a senior student at Robbinsville High School, specializes in SAF (Student Athlete Fundamentals).

• Robbinsville’s QB tallied 74 passing yards and one touchdown, as well as 51 rushing yards on the offensive end. He also made two crucial interceptions and a tackle while playing defense.

Source: highschoolot.com