Memphis-area high school football: Week 1 top performers

Welcome to the 2019 high school football season. Here's Week 1 Memphis-area top performers, as reported to The Commercial Appeal:

OFFENSE

Zach Baker, Arlington. Baker threw for 136 yards and two TD passes (9, 19) in a 32-0 win against Halls.

Faulker Mitchell, Arlington. Mitchell had 11 carries for 125 yards and a touchdown (51 yards) in a 32-0 victory over Halls.

DJ Jones, Bartlett. Jones hauled in three catches for 125 yards, including TD passes of 39 and 71 yards in a 20-0 victory over Douglass.

Thomas Jones, Bartlett. Jones led the Panthers in rushing (74 yards) and added a touchdown in a 20-0 win against Douglass.

Ty McNeal, Bartlett. McNeal threw for 123 yards and two touchdowns (39, 71) in a 20-0 victory over Douglass.

Nick Johnson, Brighton. Johnson completed 16-of-22 passes for 259 yards and two touchdowns in a 50-9 win over Raleigh-Egypt.

Al Wooten, CBHS. Wooten scored twice in the fourth quarter to help the Purple Wave rally past Bob Jones, 40-24. Wooten totaled 130 yards on the ground and also had a 97-yard kickoff return.

Mitch Austin, Collierville. Austin was a stellar 19-of-30 passing for 248 yards and two touchdowns in a 29-28 win over Southwind.

Duple Travillion, Collierville. Duple finished with 110 rushing yards on 23 carries, including a game-winning 32-yard TD run, in the Dragons’ 29-28 victory against Southwind.

Andrew Smith, Collierville. Smith caught nine passes for 120 yards and one TD (22) in a 29-28 victory over Southwind.

Marcus Hayes, Covington. Hayes was explosive from the get-go, carrying the ball seven times for 123 yards and long TD runs of 71 and 40 yards in a 35-0 victory at Munford.

Cole Putnam, FACS. Putnam threw for 103 yards and two touchdowns, and ran for another 66 yards in a 30-28 loss to Jackson Christian.

Draylen Ellis, Kirby. Ellis goes 17-for-37 passing for 301 yards with three touchdowns in a 38-0 victory over Hillcrest.

LaCalvin Wilson, Kirby. Wilson makes six catches for 107, including two TD receptions, in a 38-0 win against Hillcrest.

Kyle Lowe, Lausanne. Lowe ran for 108 yards, threw for 116 more and accounted for three touchdowns in a 45-22 loss at Mayfield (Ky.).

Joyner Stephens, Middle College. Stephens rushed for 129 yards, two touchdowns and a 72-yard kick return for another score in a 44-8 victory over Rossville Christian.  

Hunter Kendall, MUS. Kendall ran for 116 yards on 17 attempts and two touchdowns (7 and 6 yards) in a 35-3 win over Ridgeway.

Romal Webb, Southwind. Webb was in midseason form already, running for 132 yards and one TD (76) and catching three passes for 111 yards, including a 90-yard score, in a 29-28 loss at Collierville.

Nick Seward, St. George’s. Seward was 8-of-15 passing for 138 yards and two touchdowns in a 21-14 loss at Trinity Christian.

DEFENSE

Keith Dylan and Thomas Jalen, Arlington. The Tiger duo combined for 11 tackles in a 32-0 victory over Halls. Dylan had two of his team’s tackles for loss.

Dorius Bell, Bartlett. Two of Bell’s team-high six total tackles went for a loss in a 20-0 win over Douglass.

Braden Acuff, CBHS. In a 40-24 victory at Bob Jones, Acuff registered five tackles, two assists and one interception.

Branden Barnes, CBHS. Barnes capped the scoring of an eventful fourth quarter with a 38-yard fumble return in a 40-24 win over Bob Jones. Barnes also added three tackles and one assist.

Jared Dawson and Ethan Hassler, Collierville. The Dragon duo contributed six tackles apiece and combined for three sacks in a 29-28 victory over Southwind.

Camden Estes and Heath Scoggins, FACS. The Crusader duo each registered six tackles in a 30-28 loss to Jackson Christian.

Ethan Dabbs and Kylen Hodges, Lausanne. The Lynx duo tallied 14 and 11 total tackles, respectively, in a 45-22 loss at Mayfield (Ky.).

Jermaine Parker, Middle College. Parker led the Bulldogs with 12 tackles, including five TFL, in a 44-8 win against Rossville Christian.

Colby Ring, MUS. Ring led a balanced defensive effort for the Owls with 6.5 total tackles in a 35-3 victory over Ridgeway.

Louis Wilbert, Ridgeway. In a 35-3 loss at MUS, Wilbert was a bright spot for the Roadrunners with nine total tackles, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble.

Datavious Bledesoe and Kevion Patterson, Southwind. The Jaguar duo combined for 13 tackles in a 29-28 loss at Collierville. Bledesoe also had an interception, while Patterson had a pair of pass breakups.

Dante Carrasco and Caleb Daugherty, St. Benedict. The Eagle duo each registered 6.5 total tackles in a 41-0 loss to visiting Senatobia. Daugherty also forced a fumble.

John Miraglia and Luke Washington, St. George’s. The Gryphon duo combined for seven tackles and seven assists during a 21-14 loss to Trinity Christian. Miraglia also had a sack.

Tate Wirth, St. George’s. The Gryphon middle linebacker led his team with four tackles and six assists in a 21-14 loss to Trinity Christian.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Caleb Myers, Collierville. The Dragons’ kicker booted two field goals, including a 42-yarder, in a 29-28 victory over Southwind. Myers also had six touchbacks on kickoffs.

Darius Brown and Peter Dailey, MUS. The Owls got interception returns for TDs from both Brown (44 yards) and Dailey (71 yards) in a 35-3 win over Ridgeway.

Submit your Top Performers by midnight every Friday to: sports@commercialappeal.com