Last week was loaded full of great plays throughout Georgia, but one standing above the rest was junior receiver Ryder O’Malley’s 68-yard score against Chattahoochee.
The explosive 6’2″ receiver caught a deep ball 35 yards downfield, coming back to the football, which left the defensive back out of position. O’Malley turned upfield, sprinting towards the left pylon, setting the Chattahoochee defensive back up for a last-second cutback. O’Malley left the defender grasping at air as he jaunted into the endzone.
The play cemented itself as the best of the week making the top 10 on Sunday night; then Monday night O’Malley was voted the #1 Play of the Week. The electric play showcased the junior’s big-play ability and illustratively summarized his junior season.
“It’s been a great season so far. We have a new coaching staff with Coach Pullen, and the energy and excitement around our St. Pius X football team have been awesome,” O’Malley said. “We’re winning games, and we’re prepared for region play. We switched from a wing offense to a spread this offseason, and it’s really starting to click. Winning Play of the Week was exciting, but I’m focused on what we can accomplish together as Golden Lions in the second half of the season.”
So far this season, the junior has 8 catches for 130 yards and 2 touchdowns. St. Pius has won 3 of its last 4 games, and as they enter the meat of region play, they are starting to play their best football.
“My goals are to win our region, help our team make a deep playoff run for Coach Pullen and our new staff, and keep getting better every week. I want to be a leader my teammates and coaches can count on, whether I’m catching the ball or blocking. Long term, my goal is to play college football at a school where I can also get a great education, so I’m putting in the work now to be ready for that. I’ll be posting new film every week as the season goes on,” he said.
O’Malley believes his game has improved in the last season. Roll back the film, and you can see the varsity experience and transition to a more open offense have drastically increased his targets, and O’Malley was prepared, spending the last offseason in preparation.
“I’ve improved the most as a leader, in my speed, and in my route running. I’ve also worked on getting off press coverage and understanding defenses. I play year-round with Speed Killz 7v7, which keeps me competing against great talent and has helped me feel more confident applying all of it in games this year,” he said.
The recruiting journey just began for the 2028 receiver. He said he is more focused on his team and getting better, but did mention, “I have been building a list of schools that fit me academically and athletically, and I’m sending my film and information to coaches this fall.”
O’Malley’s main priorities are finding a college program where he can compete, develop his skills, and succeed in the classroom. With a 3.9 GPA and a solid 6’2″ frame, O’Malley has the potential to attract high-academic programs. As of now, he doesn’t have any visits planned this fall, but spoke about those potential opportunities.
“Nothing is scheduled yet, but I’d love to see college programs in person. I’m planning to get to junior days and camps this winter, spring and summer, and I’d welcome game-day invitations from any coaches who want to get to know me,” he said.
The junior receiver’s enthusiasm is palpable, and we believe O’Malley is in store for some big games during the 2nd half of the schedule. St. Pius is 3-2 this season, and in Week 8 they are facing Centennial.
That should present an interesting matchup, where O’Malley will face off against Centennial’s D1 CB prospect Junior Howard, so check back to @RecruitGeorgia to see the result of that exciting game with O’Malley’s film, plus more players from around the state.
