Vote for one of six nominees for the PNJ Midseason Defensive Player of the Year in high school football.
Pace football wears out Crestview, 34-8
Pace football lost star running back Makael Williams early but still wore out Crestview in the second half for a 34-8 win.
We’ve hit the halfway point of the football season.
Every team in the Pensacola area has played at least one district game, and the remaining five weeks of the season will be about which teams have their eyes set on long playoff runs to ones who will start next year at the end of October.
Now, we want you to choose our midseason players of the year. This poll will be for Defensive Player of the Year, while there will be a separate poll for Midseason Offensive Player of the Year.
Here are the nominees. Only one player could be considered from each team. All stats are from public available information. Voting closes on Oct. 5 at 12 p.m.
Charles Benson, junior LB, West Florida: Benson is one of the few “iron-man” players in the Pensacola area outside of the rural division. He’s done a little of everything at linebacker, recording 27 tackles, five tackles for loss, three sacks and an interception. Benson also plays running back and has racked up a team-high 345 rushing yards and seven touchdowns.
Jayden Coleman, junior safety, Pensacola Catholic: Coleman has been a force for a Crusaders defense that’s gotten more stingy each week. He’s recorded a team-high 57 tackles and has two sacks.
John Flynn, senior DL, Tate: It’s been hard to slow down Flynn up front this season. He constantly finds himself in the backfield, with 11 of his 22 tackles going for a loss. Flynn also has five sacks.
Noah Hamlin, senior LB, Pace: The Arkansas State commits leads the Patriots in tackles (26). He also intercepted a pass in a 34-21 loss to Mary G. Montgomery (Alabama) on August 22.
Kolby Saladino, senior LB, Booker T. Washington: Saladino is another player opponents become way too familiar seeing. He leads the Wildcats with 45 tackles, including 14 tackles through their first four games.
Aiden Spratt, senior LB, Milton: Spratt is the area’s leading tackler, with a whopping 57 tackles in just five games. Nine have been for a loss and he also has one sack. The Panthers, who are 5-1 after going winless a year ago, have surrendered just 15.3 points per game.