The Best from the District in 2022
JACKSON – January 21, 2023 – Brendon D. Miller
2022 was a great football season in District 7! Four teams, Breathitt County, Middlesboro, Leslie County and Morgan County competed for the title, while Knott Central did not compete for the District and did not play either Breathitt or Middlesboro. The four teams nearly all go separate ways in the new KHSAA Football Realingment as Middlesboro drops to 1A, and Morgan heads to 3A. Breathitt and Leslie will continue to be District foes as the shift to District 6.
Apologize for the timing of the post as this team was put together in December before the State Championship games, however, I have just not gotten it on the website.
Breathitt ran the table in the District going 3-0 , and outscoring their opponents 109-20 in those games. This was tempered by the fact that KFCA District Player of the Year Cayden Grigsby of Middlesboro missed the Breathitt game due to injury. This also affects the team as assembled as Grigsby did not get to face the Breathitt defense. Given the fact that Knott did not compete in the District, there are no Patriots on this team.
Also, it was determined to recognize a player only once on either offense or defense, despite players who were worthy on both sides of the ball.
I personally did not assemble this team, or participate in anything but the foregoing text and publishing same, as is not appropriate with my son Evan being on it. The team was selected by BSN announcers, who are former players, State Champions, and coaches, Rob Hounshell and Eric Collins, who called each of the games in which Breathitt played the other District teams and saw first hand the performances of each of the team members for their evaluations for the team.
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
QB – Tyler Bryant – Senior – Breathitt County – District Offensive Player of the Year
RB – Jayden Gibson – Freshman – Breathitt County
RB – Dalton Maggard – Junior – Leslie County
WR – Austin Sperry – Sophomore – Breathitt County
WR – Kameron Wilson – Junior – Middlesboro
WR – Wyatt Hensley – Senior – Leslie County
OL – Evan Miller – Junior – Breathitt County – District Lineman of the Year
OL – Bradee Davidson – Senior – Leslie County
OL – Richie Logan – Senior – Middlesboro
OL – Sawyer Hall – Freshman – Breathitt County
OL – Waylon Abner – Freshman – Breathitt County
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
QB – Cayden Grigsby – Junior – Middlesboro
RB – Vincent Smith – Senior – Middlesboro
RB – Bradley Nickell – Junior – Morgan County
WR – Dalton Baker – Junior – Leslie County
WR – Rylee Foster – Junior- Middlesboro
WR – Joe Spencer – Junior – Morgan County
OL – Dylan Spencer – Senior – Breathitt County
OL – Josiah Sparks – Junior – Leslie County
OL – Tristan Hatfield – Junior – Middlesboro
OL – Mathew Napier – Junior – Leslie County
OL – Tre King – Junior – Middlesboro
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
DL – Michael Hudson – Senior – Breathitt County – Co-Defensive Player of the Year
DL – Bryce Hoskins – Senior – Breathitt County
DL – Terrence Brooks – Senior – Middlesboro
LB – Kory Combs – Sophomore – Breathitt County – Co-Defensive Player of the Year
LB – Bryce Pugh – Junior – Leslie County
LB – Brady Tincher – Junior – Breathitt County
LB – Tyler Sturgill – Senior – Middlesboro
DB – Blake Ritchie – Senior – Breathitt County
DB – Isaac Turner – Junior – Breathitt County
DB – Wyatt Ostrander – Senior – Leslie County
DB – Case Bayless – Junior – Middlesboro
K – Sopheaktra Sin – Senior – Middlesboro
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
DL – Ryan Robertson – Senior – Breathitt County
DL – Landon Coffey – Junior – Middlesboro
DL – Gage Whitt – Junior – Leslie County
LB – Jason Tolson – Sophomore – Breathitt County
LB – Chance Wright – Junior – Morgan County
LB – Landon Lewis – Junior – Leslie County
LB – Preston Brock – Senior – Leslie County
DB – Wesley Abner – Junior – Breathitt County
DB – Cameron Rodgers – Sophomore – Morgan County
DB – Tanner Estep – Junior – Leslie County
DB – Xavion Shehan – Freshman – Middlesboro
K – Braxton Terry – Sophomore – Breathitt County
HONORABLE MENTION
QB – Landry Collett – Sophomore – Leslie County
OL – Jacob Parker – Junior – Breathitt County
DB – Bradley Hall – Senior – Beathitt County
RB – Caden Bowling – Junior – Breathitt County
LB – Brayden Barnett – Freshman – Breathitt County
OL – Brayden Adams – Sophomore – Morgan County
OL – Skyler Lowe – Junior – Morgan County
DB – Jacob Nickell – Junior – Morgan County
LB – Cayden Caldwell – Freshman – Leslie County
OL – Caleb Fugate – Senior – Leslie County
OL – Trey King – Junior – Middlesboro
DL – Bryce Bowling – Junior – Middlesboro
DL – Braxton Sexton – Sophomore – Morgan County