Here are the Week 1 standouts from our weekend research. We have a brief write-up on each of the 10 athletes we selected, along with individual game footage from Hudl, when available.
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Kevin Hartsfield
JR Newton
Running Back
Newton upsets #8 ranked Douglas County 34-27, powered behind the legs of JR running back Kevin Hartsfield. The athletic back rushed for 216 yards and a touchdown, spinning out of tackles and shredding the Douglas County defense that is no short on talent. Newton vaults into the top 10 at #7. Hartsfield looks well on his way to an All-State season in 7A.
Austin Stinson
SR Houston Co.
Running Back
Stinson set the tone on the very first play of the game against West Forsyth with a 79-yard touchdown. He finished off the night with 311 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries, helping his team to a 38-14 win. The Colorado State commit was named MVP of the Game. Houston County goes into Week 2 as our #3 team in 6A.
James Mobley IV
SR Calvary Day
Quarterback
Mobley rallied his team to a 49-22 win over 6A’s Glynn Academy after being down 22-13 at halftime. The Preseason All-State passer was 20-27 passing for 319 yards and rushed for 49 yards on 7 carries and a touchdown. Calvary Day stays atop our Class 4-2A Private rankings.
Kamden Patterson
JR Baldwin
Quarterback
Baldwin JR Kamden Patterson picked up where he left off last season with an insane 335 passing yards, 145 rushing yards, and 9 tackles performance in a 47-20 win over Washington Co. Patterson had a whopping 480 total yards and 6 touchdowns on the night.
Jordan Singleton
SR Mary Persons
Quarterback
In his first start, Mary Persons’ SR QB Jordan Singleton managed to rally his team to a 32-31 win against their rival Jackson, scoring 22 straight points. Singleton was 23-33 passing for 347 yards and three touchdowns while also rushing for 109 yards and two touchdowns. Mary Persons entered the season ranked #10; they now move up a spot to #9 in 3A. Singleton looks to be a major X-factor for the 2026 season.
Brycen Gault
JR Evans
Athlete
Evans JR Brycen Gault put up huge numbers in the 37-20 win over Harlem. Gault had 320 all-purpose yards with 231 on the ground and 1 TD, plus 2 interceptions; the last one being a pick-six that clinched the game. Gault was an All-Region player as a sophomore and put in a lot of work last offseason.
Cameron Keeve
SR Bradwell Institute
Running Back
Cameron Keeve for Bradwell Institute burst onto the scene in Week 1 with 255 rushing yards on 13 carries, plus another 40 yards receiving on just one reception. His 4 touchdowns helped his team to a 47-34 win over New Hampstead. The SR back has legit breakaway speed and is an emerging prospect in the class of ’27.
Landon Ryan
SR Whitefield Acd.
Quarterback
Whitefield Academy’s Landon Ryan was a workhorse in their 42-35 win over Wesleyan. He rushed 22 times for 201 yards and 4 touchdowns, plus another 131 passing yards and a touchdown, giving him a total of 5 touchdowns on the night. The staff at Whitefield Academy believes the senior signal-caller is set for an All-State caliber season in private, so be on the lookout.
Zalen Green
SR Douglass
Wide Receiver
Streaks are meant to be broken, and Douglass’ SR Zalen Green was the roadblock for Carver-Columbus’ 27-game winning streak. The SR ECU commit had 200 all-purpose yards, capped off by an 84-yard punt return that gave his team a 20-0 lead in the 3rd quarter. On the night, Green had 6 receptions and scored all 4 of his team’s touchdowns in a 28-7 victory over the reigning 2A State Champs. Green, the state’s fastest athlete, is set for a special season this fall.
Charlie Baxter
SOPH Christian Heritage
Quarterback
Christian Heritage’s Charlie Baxter started his sophomore campaign by completing 19/31 for 291 passing yards, 3 touchdowns, 19 carries, 172 yards, and another 2 touchdowns in their 37-28 win over Darlington. Baxter totaled 463 yards in Week 1. Christian Heritage moves onto the bubble of our Private rankings and is well-positioned with the talented 2029 passer leading the way.
Charley was outstanding and dominant. He is also a fine young man.