Standouts define 2014 prep slate: Pay attention to the following players in ’14

The beauty of high school football is the stories – the tales of triumph that are created, but will last within a young man’s life forever once it occurs.

This year will be no different, as more memories will be made that will create stories that will be told for the next several decades.

As with any story, there are characters. And this year, some of the characters that will form our plot will be new, first-year starters.

So here are a few players to keep an eye on in 2014 – a group of guys that will undoubtedly break out this fall.

You don’t know their names right now, but you will by the time November rolls around.

Now you can’t say that we didn’t warn you.

Players to watch:

E.D. White quarterback Ben Sposito

The Cardinals return their starting quarterback in 2014 – something that is a luxury all prep football teams would love to have every season. Sposito took lumps last season and struggled from time to time. But he got better as the year went on. After another full set of spring practices, a set of 7-on-7 drills over the summer and a full slate of fall practices, we fully expect Sposito to shine and have a solid new campaign.

Ellender halfback Justen Harris

The Patriots are shifting from a passing team to a run-first affair, and this places a heavy onus on Harris to be a standout and make plays. There’s no doubt that he can do it. He’s among the best prep athletes in our area. With elusive ability and a knack for making plays, we fully expect Harris to find the end zone plenty of times in the new season.

SL quarterback Harvey Allen

Last year, Harvey Allen was a gadget in the Tarpons’ offense – a wrinkle the team used to try and mix up opponents’ defenses. This year, he’s the guy. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Possessing both a solid arm and the ability to make defenders miss in the open field, we expect Allen to shine and have a solid 2014 season. Coincidentally, we expect his No. 1 target to be the Tarpons’ 2013 quarterback – Dominick Fillinich. That connection should work wonders in Galliano throughout the season.

Vandebilt Catholic linebacker Dylan Ward

How can we make this list without mentioning Ward? He’s a bruising, physical linebacker that will be a force in 2014 for the Terriers. We expect Ward to record 100 tackles – by the first six or seven games of the season. He’s a guy who can log 15-20 stops in a game without batting an eye or thinking twice.

Thibodaux High quarterback Peyton Bonvillain

One of the steadiest quarterbacks in our area in 2013, Bonvillain will look to shine bright in the new season. A lot of his weapons are gone from last year’s dominant offense, but talented individuals know how to make plays. And that’s what Bonvillain is – a talented individual. We fully expect Thibodaux to be in the thick of things in the competitive Bayou District.

Houma Christian quarterback Drake Battaglia

I don’t know how I can fully describe Drake Battaglia to do him justice. He runs around aimlessly like Johnny Manziel at times. But also like Johnny Football, he makes plays up the field and has the ability to scramble and gash defenses with his legs. But one thing Battaglia has that Manziel doesn’t is character and leadership abilities. If he stays healthy, we fully expect Houma Christian to make a return trip to the playoffs in Division IV. He’s that good – a rare talent for a smaller school to have.

Covenant Christian Academy halfback Jordan McKay

The Lions’ halfback routinely gashed opponents last season, racking up big-time yardage in CCA’s option-based offensive attack. He’s back again in 2014 and will surely post big numbers under first-year coach Randy Boquet. The defenses will be keying on him at all times, but it doesn’t particularly matter. He’s good enough to pound opponents for first downs even when the defense knows that it’s coming.