Friday Night Lights: August 27
After each weekend, we will compile the results of both recruits and prospects here at Devils Illustrated. It will usually be a premium ticket item. Here is a FREE preview of what you can expect each week throughout the high school season. To become a member, check the bottom of the story for more information.
Believe it or not, but high school football is upon us. Each Saturday, Devils Illustrated will recap the Duke prospects and commitments and their respective performances in our Friday Night Lights recap. We will try to hit the road each Friday to see the players up close and personal. Here is a recap on a handful of players from around the nation.
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Commitments
Raphael Chestnut reeled in eight catches for 89 yards and a touchdown to help his Reidsville (N.C.) (2-0) program roll to its tenth straight victory with a 42-7 stomping over Eden-Morehead. The 6-foot-1, 180-pound receiver scored the first touchdown and set the tone for a solid passing game. After two games, Chestnut has 11 catches for 196 yards and three scores.
Statistically, Kinney Rucker had another solid night in Durham Jordan’s 27-12 victory over Durham Hillside but his emotions may have kept him from doing more. The 6-foot-3, 255-pound defensive end had two sacks in the victory but was ejected from the game after taunting the opposition. He now has five sacks in two games. Durham Herald-Sun
Requan Boyette, the 5-foot-9, 185-pound athlete from Wilson's Fike was amazing, rushing 22 times for 149 yards and touchdowns in a 50-26 victory for the Golden Demons.
We are still trying to gather information as the season begins on the rest of the pledges. Many of the recruits kick their seasons off next Friday.
Prospects
Around North Carolina
Even with two quarterbacks already verbally committed, keeping an eye on some of the top signal callers in the state isn’t a bad thing. You can never have enough quarterbacks. Concord Robinson’s Brett Clay, a 6-foot-3, 205-pound camp attendee, tossed a 70-yard score to athlete, and fellow Duke target, Fenn Allen in a 14-10 win over Northwest Carrabus.
Charlotte Latin High School will be a common name in the Duke football recruiting circles in the next couple of years. Targeted fullback Mark Paschal scampered for two touchdown runs 34-14 win over Monroe Parkwood. His level of interest with the Blue Devils has subsided of late but he’s still on the radar.
Another quarterback, North Mecklenburg’s Robert Irvin tossed a 17-yard touchdown score in his team’s 27-0 win over rival South Mecklenburg...Crest’s Travis Padgett, who was once considered committed to Duke, had 14 carries for 78 yards in his team’s 28-0 win over West Charlotte...Thomas Cathcart, a 5-foot-11, 160-pound athlete from Gastonia-Huss High School had a huge night in his team’s 47-13 win over Cheryville Cathcart. Cathcart scored three times on runs of 47, 60 and 10 yards.
All information gathered from the Charlotte Observer.
Around the Nation
Sometimes, the biggest compliment comes from the biggest rival. For South Carolina running back Bobby Wallace of Conway High School, he earned his keep, and the compliment, with eight carries for 167 yards and three touchdowns in a 48-0 blanking of St. James High School. After scoring on runs of 14, 93 and 26 yards, opposing coach called the 5-foot-8, 185-pound runner an “all-world” player. Myrtle Beach Sun-News
Two Indiana state prospects squared off against each other on Friday night in Indianapolis. Wide receiver Donald Washington, III’s Franklin Central team debuted their new $4.3 million stadium but all of the glitz and glamour couldn’t muster up a victory. The team dropped its first game in the new stadium to Roncalli, home of defensive lineman and Duke target Patrick Kuntz, by a score of 13-6 in front of 7,000 fans.
Washington caught the only two Franklin County receptions in the game for 38 yards. He also ran the ball four times for just two yards.
Kuntz made a big play in the game’s last drive inside the 50-yard-line. The 6-foot-4, 255-pound defensive end came up with a sack on third down, putting Franklin Central into a third and long situation, thus snapping their chances of tying the game. Indy Star
Even though Devils Illustrated didn’t go out to the football field on Friday night in the Atlanta, we kept close tabs on several prospects either on the television, radio or online. We watched fullback target Matthew Mann of Mableton Pebblebrook High School. His team dropped the Comcast Sports television game of the week, 35-13 to Starr’s Mill High School. Mann, a 5-foot-9, 200-pound runner plays, and hits, bigger than his size indicates. He muscles for yardage and knows how to punish blitzing defenses with his no-nonsense hitting. He ran for 61 yards on 10 carries but had three fumbles.
Across town, Duke targeted athlete Kenny McKinley showed why he’s quickly becoming one of the top prospects in the Peach State. The 6-foot, 160-pound prospect tossed three touchdown scores and ran for two more in his team’s 35-14 win over rival Osborne. McKinnley threw for 112 yards on seven of nine passing and ran for 38 yards on seven carries. His only offer is from the Blue Devils.
In one of biggest shockers of the night in Georgia, was North Clayton’s 47-0 demolishing of usual power Lovejoy. Leading the way was Dirk Engram, a 5-foot-10, 166-pound athlete with a Duke offer. He had touchdown catches of 11 and 95 yards respectively. He and sophomore quarterback Morgan Burnett were big time in the win. Their coach, Don Shockley, spoke highly of his players after the game.
“Those are two Division I athletes right there,” Shockley told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “They make plays, and everyone else feeds off of their efforts.”
Pittsburgh Upper St. Clair running back/linebacker Sean Lee, came up big in his team’s 14-12 win over Canon-McMillan. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound runner ran for 128 yards on 16 carries and two touchdowns. He scored the go ahead touchdown.
“Sean is a big-time player,” Upper St. Clair coach Jim Render told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “In a game like this, you have to get that guy the ball.”
Lee agreed. "I want the ball. I want the ball when the game is on the line," he said. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
We will have more on the Duke commitments and prospects when the season gets rolling across the nation. For more on North Carolina football, be sure to check out NCpreps.com.
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If you are a Duke recruit, prospect or parent and have results or a brief recap, email us with the information.
Archived Friday Night Lights: