2022 Class of the Commonwealth: Kentucky’s top high school football seniors
The Lexington Herald-Leader is proud to present its 31st edition of the Class of the Commonwealth, an annual selection of the state’s top high school senior football players.
All choices were made by Herald-Leader digital sports writer Jared Peck using criteria that included: career statistics and accomplishments, senior season stats and accomplishments, recruiting rankings, advancement in the postseason and any other notable accomplishments in athletics.
The list includes 25 players, with each of the 12 state finalist teams guaranteed at least one selection and 12 honorable mentions named. Each group of players is listed in alphabetical order.
FROM THE STATE FINALISTS
AUSTIN ANDERSON, BOWLING GREEN, offensive/defensive line: Anderson, 6-4 and 290 pounds, was recently named KFCA Class 5A District 2 player of the year, an honor typically awarded to a skill position player rather than a lineman. A Liberty commit with offers from schools including Western Kentucky and Marshall, Anderson started on the Purples’ 2020 state championship team as a sophomore and helped this year’s Class 5A runner-up to district and region titles.
JACOB BAKER, CORBIN, kicker/defensive back: Baker, 6-1½ and 240 pounds, made 72 of 75 point-after attempts and eight of nine field goal tries this season while also serving as the Class 4A runner-up’s second-leading tackler with 99, five for a loss, and four interceptions. The Eastern Kentucky commit was recently named the KFCA Class 4A District 7 player of the year and his past honors include 2021 Associated Press and Courier Journal all-state honorable mention.
MITCHELL BERGER, BEECHWOOD, running back: Berger, 6-0 and 190 pounds, led the now three-time defending Class 2A champions in rushing but suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 8. His 1,119 yards and 21 TDs rushing remained tops on the roster and he had 251 yards and two TDs receiving, a field goal, and he went 19-for-19 on extra-point attempts. The KFCA Class 2A District 6 player of the year was a major contributor in each of Beechwood’s last three state titles. He’s committed to Eastern Kentucky baseball, his first sport.
BLAKE BIRCHFIELD, PIKEVILLE, running back: Birchfield, 6-0 and 175 pounds, earned Class A state championship game most valuable player honors in back-to-back seasons for the back-to-back champions and crossed the 2,000-yard rushing threshold each of the last two years. For 2022, he rushed for 2,031 yards and 35 TDs. For his career, he had 5,290 yards and 69 TDs rushing and 368 yards and four TDs receiving. He was named the Kentucky Football Coaches Association’s 2022 Class A player of the year.
TY BRYANT, FREDERICK DOUGLASS, defensive back/running back: Bryant, 6-1 and 189 pounds, scored a touchdown and grabbed an interception in the Broncos’ Class 5A championship game win over Bowling Green, helping earn game MVP honors. The Louisville Quarterback Club named Bryant its Paul Hornung Award winner as its pick for the state’s top senior. The Kentucky commit and three-star recruit, according to 247Sports.com, is Douglass’s all-time leading tackler. He had 498 yards and 12 TDs rushing, three punt return TDs, 22 tackles, 0.5 sack, one forced fumble and two interceptions in 2022.
GAVIN COPENHAVER, CHRISTIAN ACADEMY-LOUISVILLE, running back/linebacker: Copenhaver, 5-10½ and 185 pounds, led the Class 3A champion Centurions in rushing, scoring and tackles this season. He racked up 1,232 yards and 19 TDs rushing, had 295 yards and nine TDs receiving and scored on a fumble recovery and a punt return this season. He also had 118 tackles and three sacks. His 225 yards and two TDs rushing and team-high 13 tackles against Bardstown earned state championship game MVP honors.
TRAVIS EGAN, BULLITT EAST, quarterback: Egan, 6-2 and 200 pounds, led the Chargers to a come-from-behind win over Male in the Class 6A state championship game, earning MVP honors and the school’s first state football crown. Named KFCA’s Mr. Football and Class 6A player of the year, he had 2,934 yards and 35 TDs passing to go with 979 yards and 17 TDs rushing in 2022. His career totals: 6,793 yards, 76 TDs passing, 1,533 yards, 27 TDs rushing, 86 tackles, two defensive sacks and four defensive interceptions. He is Bullitt East’s all-time leading passer, surpassing his father on that list earlier this season.
MASON LYKINS, RACELAND, wide receiver/defensive back: Lykins, 6-2 and 185 pounds, led the Rams in with 737 yards and 12 TDs receiving while also having an impact on defense with 46 tackles, eight for a loss, four sacks and two interceptions, one for a touchdown. He had five catches for 85 yards and Raceland’s lone TD in the title game. As a junior at Russell, he had 383 yards and five TDs receiving and 53 tackles and an interception.
ISAAC STEVENSON, MAYFIELD, wide receiver/defensive back: Stevenson, 5-8 and 150 pounds, led the Class 2A runner-up Cardinals with 822 yards and nine TDs receiving while contributing 62 tackles, one for a loss, and an interception on defense. Stevenson scored one of the TDs against Beechwood in the finals. He totaled, 1,780 yards and 18 TDs with 183 tackles for his career.
DANIEL SWINNEY, MALE, running back: Swinney, 5-11 and 216 pounds, led the Class 6A runner-up in rushing with 1,218 yards and 10 TDs, including 119 yards in the championship game. Swinney missed four games this season due to injury. As a junior, he rushed for 1,659 yards and 29 TDs on another state runner-up campaign for the Bulldogs. College offers include Central Michigan.
SHANNON TONGE, BARDSTOWN, wide receiver/defensive back: Tonge, 5-11 and 165 pounds, led the Class 3A runner-up with 858 yards and 10 TDs receiving and also tallied two punt return TDs and a kickoff return TD this season. On defense, he notched 39 tackles and three interceptions. As a junior, he racked up 946 yards and 14 TDs receiving to go with 26 tackles and four interceptions. He had more than 2,000 yards and 27 TDs receiving for his career.
TOMMY ZIESMER, BOYLE COUNTY, defensive end/tight end: Ziesmer, 6-2 and 240 pounds and a Kentucky commit and three-star recruit by 247Sports.com, has been a four-year starter and key part of the Boyle’s three straight Class 4A state championship teams and runner-up finish in 2019. In 2022, he had 83 tackles, nine sacks, three forced fumbles and scored a rushing TD in the Rebels’ championship game win over Corbin. Career stats include 210 tackles and 30 sacks.
AT-LARGE HONOREES
MICAH CARTER, ST. XAVIER, defensive line: Carter, 6-5 and 260 pounds and a three-star recruit who recently flipped his commitment from Purdue to Louisville, helped lead one of the state’s toughest defenses to score against in 2022. He chose Louisville over offers from at least nine other schools. Carter led the Tigers (10-2) in tackles (56) and sacks (four) this season.
SAADIQ CLEMENTS, HENDERSON COUNTY, defensive line: Clements, 6-5 and 265 pounds, helped the Colonels earn their first district championship since 2012 and led the team 62 tackles and a whopping 21 sacks, the second-most quarterback takedowns in the state. A three-star recruit, according to 247Sports.com, Clements recently flipped his commitment from Purdue to Louisville after the new coaching hire. He had offers from at least seven other colleges, including Michigan.
CRISTIAN CONYER, SOUTH WARREN, cornerback: Conyer, 6-1 and 180 pounds, is a Tennessee commit who rates as a three-star recruit by 247Sports.com. He picked the Volunteers over offers from at least 11 other schools, including Kentucky. He helped the Spartans (6-6) to the 2021 Class 5A state championship. Career stats include 736 yards and nine TDs receiving, 113 yards and one TD rushing; 31 tackles, one interception and a kickoff return TD. Past honors include 2021 CJ all-state honorable mention.
CHASE CRONE, SIMON KENTON, quarterback: Crone, 6-3 and 193 pounds, earned his second consecutive KFCA Class 6A District 6 player of the year honor as a dual-threat QB for the Pioneers (8-4) with 1,387 yards and 13 TDs passing to go with 971 yards and 19 TDs rushing. The four-year starter’s career stats include 6,597 yards and 52 TDs passing and 2,971 yards, 48 TDs rushing. He recently committed to Thomas More.
JAKOB DIXON, PLEASURE RIDGE PARK, wide receiver: Dixon, 6-4 and 197 pounds, got an offer from Kentucky last June and followed up with 919 yards and 13 TDs receiving for PRP (6-5) his senior season. He also had a fumble recovery TD. Career stats include 1,582 yards and 22 TDs receiving. He’s rated as a three-star recruit by 247Sports.com and also plays basketball and runs track.
CHANDLER GODBY, PULASKI COUNTY, wide receiver/defensive back: Godby, 5-10 and 178 pounds, led the state in receiving for the Maroons (9-3) with 1,546 yards and 26 TDs, helping him earn KFCA Class 5A District 8 player of the year. He also had three interceptions, one for a TD, as a defender and returned a kickoff for a score. For his career, he racked up 2,906 yards and 46 TDs receiving. Past honors include 2021 CJ all-state third team offense and AP all-state honorable mention offense.
KENYON GOODIN, COLLINS, quarterback/defensive back: Goodin, 6-3 and 185 pounds, ranked as one of the most prolific dual-threat QBs in the state while also leading the Titans (6-5) on defense. Goodin racked up 1,928 yards and 23 TDs passing and 1,225 yards and 18 TDs rushing to go with 67 tackles, four defensive interceptions, one for a TD, in 2022. He was named KFCA Class 5A player of the year. Before his conversion to quarterback his junior year, Goodin was Collins’ leading receiver and had 854 yards and 13 TDs receiving.
JAMARRION HARKLESS, FREDERICK DOUGLASS, defensive line: Harkless, 6-4 and 290 pounds, anchored the state’s No. 1 defense, starting at nose tackle in the Broncos’ 28-7 win over Bowling Green in the Class 5A state championship game. A three-star recruit, according to 247Sports.com, he recently committed to Purdue after reopening his commitment after the title game. He received more than 20 college offers. He notched 30 tackles and two sacks in 2022.
LOFTON HOWARD, GREENWOOD, linebacker/tight end: Howard, 6-5 and 205 pounds, helped the Gators (9-3) earn their most wins since 2016 and led the team in tackles (106) and sacks (seven) while also piling up offensive numbers, including 515 yards and 18 TDs rushing and 389 yards and three TDs receiving. A four-year starter and Western Kentucky commit, his past honors include 2021 CJ and AP all-state honorable mention defense.
KADEN MOORMAN, FRANKLIN COUNTY, running back: Moorman, 5-11 and 210 pounds, returned from a midseason injury to help the Flyers (8-6) earn a third straight Class 4A region title. In 2022, he had 779 yards and 11 TDs rushing to go with 216 yards and three three TDs receiving. For his career, he racked up 2,832 yards and 51 TDs rushing and 880 yards and eight TDs receiving as well as two kickoff return TDs. A three-star recruit, according to 247Sports.com, his past honors include 2021 CJ and AP all-state second-team offense and 2021 KFCA Class 4A, District 4 player of the year.
ANTONIO ROBINSON, BEECHWOOD, wide receiver/defensive back: Robinson, 5-10 and 181 pounds, transferred from Florida this season and helped the Tigers capture their third straight Class 2A title with 588 yards and seven TDs receiving and a kickoff return TD. He also had two interceptions and forced two fumbles on defense. The son of Super Bowl winner Antonio Robinson Sr., he is the top-ranked recruit in the state and the only one given four stars by the 247Sports.com composite rankings. Robinson chose Wake Forest over offers from at least 38 colleges, including Michigan and LSU.
MALACHI WOOD, MADISON CENTRAL, offensive line: Wood, 6-8, 280 pounds, helped open holes for Class 6A’s top rusher, Brady Hensley, for the class’s fourth-most prolific rushing offense. A three-star recruit, according to 247Sports.com, Wood picked Kentucky over offers from at least nine other schools. Madison Central won a district and region championship his junior year.
TANNER WRIGHT, SOUTHWESTERN, running back: Wright, 5-10 and 200 pounds, led one of the state’s top rushing offenses and helped the Warriors (13-1) capture their fourth straight district title and first region title since 2011. He racked up 1,681 yards and 27 TDs rushing in 2022 and 4,160 yards and 52 TDs rushing for his career. Past honors include 2021 AP all-state honorable mention.
HONORABLE MENTION
Tristan Cook, Woodford County, offensive line: Four-year starter for back-to-back district champs and 2021 region champs. Three-star recruit and Ball State commit.
Max DeGraff, Lexington Catholic, kicker/wide receiver: Set school records for career made field goals and receiving yards in a game (274). Had 1,425 yards and 21 TDs receiving in 2022.
Brysen Dugger, Pulaski County, quarterback: Among state leaders with 3,188 yards and 41 TDs passing in 2022.
Oryend Fisher, Great Crossing, defensive end: Three-star recruit and West Virginia commit who led the Warhawks with 13.5 sacks in 2022.
Jalen Hand, Frederick Douglass, defensive line: Western Kentucky commit who was part of the Class 5A champs’ stingiest defense in the state.
Andrew Hardwick, Boyle County, offensive line: Three-star recruit and Army commit who helped Rebels earn third straight Class 4A title.
TJ Horton, Frederick Douglass, running back: Three-star recruit and Ball State commit who led Class 5A champions with 774 yards and 14 TDs rushing.
Jacob Jones, West Jessamine, quarterback: Among state leaders in both passing and rushing. Three-star recruit, according to 247Sports.com. More than 6,000 yards passing and 2,500 yards rushing for his career.
Daisjaun Mercer, Hopkinsville, wide receiver/defensive back: Three-star recruit and Miami (Ohio) commit. More than 2,000 career receiving yards.
Aden Nelson, Woodford County, wide receiver: Western Kentucky commit with more than 1,400 career receiving yards.
Ryan Rayno, Logan County, running back: His 1,776 yards rushing this year broke a school record for the back-to-back district champs. Career stats: 3,165 yards 41 TDs rushing.
Preston Stacy, Woodford County, running back/linebacker: Yellow Jackets’ all-time leading rusher with 3,840 yards and 47 TDs rushing. Three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons.
This story was originally published December 22, 2022 at 6:30 AM.
