2019 Class of the Commonwealth: Kentucky’s top high school football seniors
The Lexington Herald-Leader is proud to present its 28th edition of the Class of the Commonwealth, an annual selection of the state’s top football-playing seniors.
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.
Each of the 12 state finalist teams were guaranteed at least one selection. Ten honorable mentions were also named. Players are listed in alphabetical order.
2019 Class of the Commonwealth
* On a state finalist team.
Beau Allen, Lexington Catholic
Position: Quarterback.
Credentials: Finished a career in which he took snaps all four seasons for the Knights with 11,213 yards passing and 126 touchdowns, numbers that put him in the top five all-time in both categories and just a few yards behind a quarterback he hopes to draw favorable comparisons to in college — Tim Couch. The Kentucky commit passed for 3,456 yards and 37 TDs as a senior and continued to be a threat to run with 478 yards and 12 rushing TDs.
Jase Bruner, Somerset*
Position: Linebacker/Running back.
Credentials: Helped lead the Briar Jumpers to their first state title in six attempts with a performance that included a 43-yard touchdown run on a fourth-and-1 play on his team’s first series of the game. The UK preferred walk-on led Somerset with 116 tackles at linebacker and stepped up as part of a backfield-by-committee at running back after its primary carrier was lost for the season.
Charles ‘C.A.’ Collins, Breathitt County
Position: Running back.
Credentials: Collins’ 242 points scored ranked fifth-best in the state as he amassed 1,863 yards rushing with 37 TDs and also threw for a TD, caught a TD and had a TD kickoff return in a season he helped lead the Bobcats to a 13-1 record and a Class 2A semifinals.
Izayah Cummings, Male*
Position: Wide receiver.
Credentials: Led the Bulldogs in receiving with 1,100 yards and 12 TDs as Male reached back-to-back Class 6A finals and won the 2018 championship. A three-star recruit, according to 247Sports.com, the 6-3 wideout committed to Kentucky after an official visit in June.
Luke Duby, Tates Creek
Position: Quarterback.
Credentials: Threw for a state-high 4,685 yards along with 47 TDs and helped lead Tates Creek to its first district and region crowns since 2001. Duby threw for 333 yards and five TDs against Simon Kenton in the regional finals. The Cornell commit also threw for 535 yards and seven TDs in a duel with Lexington Catholic’s Beau Allen, topping the UK commit in both categories despite coming out on the losing side.
Gavin George, Central Hardin
Position: Wide receiver
Credentials: A two-way player on a Class 6A team, George, led the Bruins in receptions (62), receiving yards, (1,374), receiving TDs (12) and interceptions (nine) as Central Hardin went 9-3 on the season with two of their losses to RPI No. 2 rival North Hardin. George also returned a punt and a kickoff for a TD.
Jackson Hensley, Pikeville*
Position: Wide receiver.
Credentials: The leading receiver for the Panthers, Hensley caught two TD passes in the Class A title game, including a 63-yard slant over the middle in which he dodged a diving tackle and sprinted away to give Pikeville a two-score lead barely three minutes into the contest. The Harvard commit caught for 809 yards and 12 TDs, rushed for 206 yards and another score and had a fumble recovery TD, a punt return TD, and a kickoff return TD along with 69 tackles in his senior year.
Peyton Hensley, Belfry*
Position: Running back.
Credentials: Part of a ground attack that amassed 4,757 yards, Hensley was the leader in a dominating three-headed backfield that included Class 3A championship game MVP Isaac Dixon and Ben Bentley. It was Hensley’s 1,460 yards and 18 TDs that led the squad in 2019.
Jeriah Hightower, Madisonville
Position: Running back.
Credentials: Led the state in rushing yards, 3,001 and rushing attempts, 348, while scoring 33 touchdowns for the Maroons. His rushing total for a season ranks him No. 8 all-time, 2 yards behind Fort Knox’s Derek Homer.
Brady Holleran, Franklin County
Position: Defensive line.
Credentials: Has been among the state leaders in tackles and sacks each of the last two years. During the Flyers’ 11-1 campaign, Holleran led his team with 154 tackles (seventh in the state) and 19.5 sacks (second in the state).
Devin Johnson, Johnson Central*
Position: Running back/Linebacker.
Credentials: Led the Golden Eagles in rushing with 1,668 yards and scoring with 24 TDs and nine two-point conversations as Johnson Central went undefeated for its second state title and the program’s remarkable sixth straight Class 4A finals appearance. The Youngstown State signee was also fourth on the team in tackles with 91.
Joe Kuerzi, Male*
Position: Linebacker.
Credentials: Led the Bulldogs in tackles as a junior (117) and a senior (97) and helped them to back-to-back Class 6A state finals appearances that included the 2018 championship. Had a team second-best 99 tackles as a sophomore. Recorded a game-high-tying 14 tackles, including two for a loss, in the 2018 title game against Scott County.
Reed Lanter, Boyle County*
Position: Quarterback.
Credentials: Led the state in completion percentage, hitting his target 71.6 percent of the time for 3,286 yards and 41 TDs with only five interceptions and led the Rebels to a Class 3A state championship as a sophomore and Class 4A finals as a senior.
Jonathan Maher, Fleming County
Position: Quarterback/Linebacker.
Credentials: Named the Class 3A player of the year by the state’s coaches after a season in which he threw for 2,412 yards and 28 TDs and ran for 1,172 yards and 14 scores. He also led the team in tackles with 124.
Michael Mayer, Covington Catholic*
Position: Tight end/Linebacker.
Credentials: Helped lead the Colonels to their second state title in three years as a leader on offense and defense. The Notre Dame signe’s 50 receptions, 970 receiving yards, 18 TDs and 99 tackles were all team highs.
Ryan Miller, Trinity*
Position: Wide receiver.
Credentials: Raced for a 96-yard touchdown on a catch over the middle that helped seal Trinity’s 2019 state title against Male. Led the Shamrocks in receiving with 1,014 yards, scoring eight TDs via pass and run and averaging more than 72 yards per game.
Octavious Oxendine, North Hardin
Position: Defensive line.
Credentials: A 6-2, 308-pound three-star defensive lineman who began getting Division I offers the summer after his sophomore year, Oxendine notched 14.5 sacks and 62 tackles, including 17 tackles for a loss, for a defense that allowed fewer than 11 points per game. Also recovered two fumbles, one for a 25-yard TD return. Picked Kentucky over 12 other schools including Oklahoma and Penn State.
Walker Parks, Frederick Douglass*
Position: Offensive line/Defensive line.
Credentials: Regarded as the fifth-best offensive line recruit in the nation, Parks, a Clemson signee, helped create holes for one of the most dynamic offenses in the state and closed them up for one of its toughest defenses. Douglass ranked 13th in scoring and second in points allowed on its way to the young program’s first state finals appearance. Parks led the team with 5.5 sacks and had 12.5 tackles for a loss. His coaches credited him with 70 pancake blocks.
John Walker Phelps, Paintsville*
Position: Running back/Defensive back.
Credentials: Helped lead the Tigers to their first Class A finals appearance since 1985 with a team-high 1,334 rushing yards and 148 points scored. Being recruited as a two-star defensive back, Phelps had 57 tackles and three interceptions, including one for a 35-yard TD return.
Demetri Scott, DeSales
Position: Defensive line/Tight end.
Credentials: Led the state with 24.5 sacks for a defense that piled up 69.5 of them. Also led the team with 78 tackles, 23 tackles for a loss, and five fumble recoveries, including one for a touchdown. As a tight end, Scott led the Colts in receiving with 359 yards and eight TDs.
Jake Sloan, Pulaski County
Position: Wide receiver.
Credentials: Finished his career with 312 receptions, second only to fellow Maroon Jake Johnson on the state’s all-time list. Had a team-high 77 catches for 899 yards and five TDs in a 2019 season cut short by injury. The Eastern Kentucky signee has 1,666 yards and 13 TDs on 116 catches as a junior.
Miles Thomas, Tates Creek
Position: Wide receiver.
Credentials: Led the state with 1,797 yards receiving and scored 23 TDs. A three-star recruit with offers from Division I schools including Louisville, Thomas was part of the most successful Tates Creek team in nearly two decades.
Reese Smith, Boyle County*
Position: Wide receiver/Defensive back.
Credentials: Led the Rebels in receiving with 1,518 yards and 20 TDs and interceptions with seven, including 113 yards in interception returns and a TD. Like his quarterback, Reed Lanter, Smith, a West Virginia signee, was a huge part of Boyle’s 2017 championship and run to the 2019 Class 4A finals.
London Stephney, Bell County*
Position: Quarterback.
Credentials: Led the Bobcats with 1,642 yards passing and 19 TDs and 1,244 yards rushing and 17 TDs. He also had a team-high four interceptions as a defensive back. Stephney doubled the passing production he had as a junior and established himself as a true dual-threat quarterback who’s gotten offers from Army and Air Force.
Jayden Stinson, Mayfield*
Position: Quarterback.
Credentials: Ranked sixth in the state in passing yards per game with 262, amassing a total of 3,506 yards and 48 TDs in leading Mayfield to its 24th state finals appearance and third in a row. Stinson quarterbacked the Cardinals for each of those seasons, passing for more than 2,000 yards each year.
Honorable mention
Hagan Edge, Owensboro Catholic, wide receiver. Second in the state with 131 yards per game with 1,571 total and 24 TDs.
Tre Goodin, Taylor County, defensive back/running back. Eastern Kentucky signee helped Cardinals to regional title upset of Paducah Tilghman. Had 17 TDs to go with 1,301 rushing yards.
Drew Hartz, Owensboro Catholic, quarterback. First in the state with 348 yards-per-game average and 4,173 total and a state-high 57 passing TDs.
Dorian Heard, Kentucky Country Day, running back. 1,972 yards and 32 TDs for KCD’s state semifinals team.
Dane Jackson, Madison Southern, center/defensive lineman. North Texas signee started every game for the Eagles since his freshman year.
Devin Neal, Frederick Douglass*, safety/running back. Baylor signee showed knack for making big plays in big games on offense and defense and was the Broncos’ second-leading scorer and third-leading rusher.
Dalton Ponder, Williamsburg, quarterback. Passed for 3,739 yards and 48 TDs and ran for 593 yards and 13 more scores for district champ.
DeAirious Smith, Lexington Christian, wide receiver. Led state in receiving yards per game at 139 and had 20 TDs.
Austin Taylor, Scott County, offensive line. Helped break open holes for two 1,000-yard rushers and the eighth best run attack in the state.
Vito Tisdale, Bowling Green, defensive back. Four-star safety recruit with offers from 16 Division I schools was second on state semifinal team with 88 tackles and had four interceptions.
John Young, Christian Academy-Louisville, offensive line. Kentucky commit at heart of a Christian Academy team that won the Class 3A state title in 2018 and reached the Class 4A semis this year.
