By TODD GIBSON CoachesAid.com North Carolina content coordinator
Our Week 7 Hot List includes a regular visitor as well as a trio of quarterbacks who put up big numbers this past week. We've even got a defender who single-handedly turned a game around on one play. Here's a look at this past week’s hot performers:
J.J. Graves, RB, Holly Springs: The Golden Hawks’ senior bowling ball repeatedly rolled over the Panther Creek defense in Holly Springs’ 23-20 win. Graves scored all three Golden Hawks' touchdowns on runs of 18, 2 and 10 yards. The fullback carried the ball 20 times for 159 yards.
Tyler Brosius, QB, Tuscola: Just a few days after backing out on his pledge to play for the University of Virginia and then committing to play for N.C. State, the senior led his team to a 31-14 win over Brevard. Brosius tossed two TD passes and helped the Mountaineers improve to 4-1-1 overall and 2-0 in the Appalachian Athletic Conference.
Jarrod Spears, RB, Harnett Central: Spears showed tough-luck Clayton why he's considered one of the top sophomore running backs in the state. Spears tallied 250 yards rushing on 20 carries in the Trojans’ 49-21 win over the Comets. Of those 20 carries, five went for touchdowns as Spears scored on runs of 1, 1, 9, 25 and 8 yards. Harnett Central is 7-0 on the year.
Kevin Parks, RB, West Rowan: Parks, a weekly Hot List visitor (and rightly so), continues his assault on the record book. Against West Iredell, the senior and University of Virginia recruit roared to 238 yards and four touchdowns as the Falcons stayed unbeaten (7-0) with a 32-0 victory. Parks now has 1,557 yards rushing in seven games as he continues his pursuit of becoming the state's all-time leading rusher.
Kameron Bryant, QB, Panther Creek: You can't fault the junior quarterback for the Catamounts’ 23-20 loss to Holly Springs. Bryant completed a stellar 24 of 28 passes against the Golden Hawks for 258 yards and three touchdowns. Just a junior, Bryant is the fourth-ranked passer in the Triangle area and has had passing nights of 390 and 389 yards already this season.
Jeoffrey Pagan, DE, Asheville: With his team about to surrender what was once a 21-8 lead, Pagan made a play that turned the game around for the Cougars. Clinging to a five-point advantage, Pagan, a senior, picked off a Caleb Pressley pass at the Asheville 15-yard-line and rumbled 85 yards to help give the Cougars a 28-16 lead. Asheville went on to beat rival Reynolds, 35-24.
Josh Snead, RB, Smithfield-Selma: Once again the Duke recruit put up huge numbers in a losing cause. The smooth senior rushed for 248 yards and had scoring runs of 1, 63 and 70 yards in a 55-20 loss to 4A No. 2 Southeast Raleigh. It's the second week in a row Snead scored three or more touchdowns.
Antonio Francis, RB, Concord Robinson: Francis was a multi-purpose wrecking crew for Robinson in its big rivalry battle with Concord, as the senior rushed for 284 yards as well as catching a 64-yard touchdown pass in a 40-32 victory.
Gabe Henderson, QB, Southeast Raleigh: The Kent State recruit used his arm and his legs to power the Bulldogs past Smithfield-Selma. The senior signal-caller passed for 191 yards and three TDs and added 179 yards rushing and one TD just for good measure. His touchdown run was a 79-yarder.
Juanne Blount, RB, Marshville Forest Hill: Blount, who has already amassed an eye-opening 1,185 yards and 19 TDs during his senior season, blitzed West Stanly for 273 yards on just 22 carries and cracked the end zone five times in a 48-13 win.
Hot List season leader: Kevin Parks, Sr., RB, West Rowan (4)
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