Man, figuring out this year’s best players for South Carroll Football wasn’t straightforward. Let me tell you how I actually tried to dig into this.
Where I Started
Heard folks talking about South Carroll being strong this season. Decided to see for myself what all the buzz was about, specifically who the standout guys were.
First thing I did? Tried checking the usual places online. Big mistake. Team page had basic rosters, but almost zero stats or highlights. MaxPreps had some numbers, but felt super incomplete. Like, how do you judge “best” without seeing what these kids actually do on the field? Frustrating.
Taking the Direct Route: Talking to Humans
Figured, forget the internet. Best way is to ask the people actually involved. Went to a home game a couple of weeks back. Atmosphere was great, real Friday night lights stuff.
Found myself chatting with some parents in the stands. Names kept coming up:
- #10, Quarterback: Parents kept pointing him out. Kid had a cannon for an arm, seriously. Saw him thread a pass right between two defenders – poise under pressure stood out.
- #22, Running Back: Okay, this kid was fast. Like, “breeze past everyone” fast. Saw him break off a big run in the 3rd quarter where he just left defenders grabbing air.
- #55, Middle Linebacker: Someone next to me yelled “Watch #55!” nearly every defensive play. Heard the “thump” every time he made a tackle. Dude was everywhere.
- The Offensive Line: A dad kept emphasizing this whole unit, mentioning #70 and #72 specifically. Watched them – they opened up huge holes for #22 and gave #10 tons of time. Hard to miss how dominant they were.
Talked briefly to an assistant coach grabbing a hot dog at halftime. He confirmed what I was seeing, especially praising the QB’s leadership and the linebacker crew’s intensity, led by #55. “Core group carrying us right now,” he said before hurrying off.
Putting It All Together (As Best I Could)
So, based purely on watching that one game and talking to people at the game – fans and a tiny bit of coach insight – here’s the deal:
- #10 (QB): Looks like the real deal, clearly the offensive spark. Strong arm, calm, makes plays.
- #22 (RB): Pure speed. Home run threat every time he touches the ball.
- #55 (LB): Anchor of the defense. Relentless tackler setting the tone.
- The O-Line (Especially #70 & #72): Unsung heroes making everything else work. Dominant in the trenches that game.
Honest truth though? This is just based on one night. Stats are hard to come by reliably for high school ball around here. Maybe #12 the WR is amazing, but they didn’t throw much that night. Maybe a safety on defense is a ballhawk. I don’t see every practice, every game.
My “research” was basically boots on the ground – being there, watching hard, listening to the folks yelling beside me. No websites gave me the real picture, talking to people actually watching these kids every week did. That’s the best I got for figuring out who stands out on South Carroll this year.