West Kentucky News from Paducah, Kentucky • 15

HICKMAN Ful- ton County was limited throughout the 2021 high school football season, finishing the prep gridiron campaign 1-10 following a loss to Critten- den County in the opening round of the Class 1A State Playoffs. A longtime mem- ber of Class 1A, District 1, Fulton County blanked Ballard Memorial 8-0 for its lone win in the 2021 high school football season. Opponents out- scored the Pilots 447-94 in 2021. However, Fulton County is expected to show improvement during the 2022 high school football sea- son. Senior quarter- Max Gibbs is the top player back for the Pilots.

Gibbs led Fulton County through the air and on the ground during the 2021 high school football season, com- pleting 101 passes for 1,155 yards and nine touchdowns. On the ground, Gibbs rushed for 233 yards and three touchdowns. In addition to Gibbs, Fulton Coun- ty returns lead- ing tackler Luke Jackson. Thriving defensively in 2021, Jackson recorded a team-high 113 tack- les, 14 tackles for a loss and three sacks. Head coach James Bridges guides the Pilots.

Fulton 2022 schedule in- cludes games versus Gleason Marshall County, Calloway County, Ballard Memori- al, South Fulton Trigg Coun- ty, Russellville, Crit- tenden County, Lake County (Tenn.) and Murray. By Steve LeMaster Sports Writer Fulton County Pilots BENTON Mar- shall County returns its leading rusher from a team which exited the 2021 high school foot- ball season 3-8. The Marshals, under the di- rection of Steve Etheridge, com- plete in Class 6A, District 1. Marshall County has its top three rushers back from the 2021 season. Senior running Landon Utley is back to lead the Marshals.

As a junior in 2021, Utley rushed 139 times for 727 yards and eight touch- downs. Along with Ut- ley, running backs Kameron Bowerman and Aiden Dunigan are back for Class 6A, District 1 member Marshall County. Defensively, Ut- ley and Bowerman ranked as Marshall top two tacklers in 2021. Marshall Coun- 2022 schedule includes games versus Ballard Memorial, Fulton County, Northpoint Christian Calloway County, McCracken Coun- ty, Daviess County, Henderson Coun- ty, Apollo, Warren Central and Graves County. By Steve LeMaster Sports Writer Marshall County Marshalls MURRAY Murray will continue to look to push perennial state title contender Mayfield for the top spot in Class 2A, District 1 during the 2022 high school football season.

The Tigers, under the tutelage of head coach Darren Bowl- ing, compiled an 8-3 record in 2021. Xavier Biggers Kainoa Olive and Gage Sokolowski LB) are back to lead the Tigers. Sokolowski, Big- gers and Olive ranked as sec- ond-fourth-leading rushers in 2021. The trio combined to rush for 2,050 yards in the 2021 season. As a team, Murray rushed 446 times for 3,473 yards and 51 touchdowns in 2021.

Defensively, Biggers and Olive were among top five tacklers in 2021, rank- ing fourth and fifth, respectively. 2022 schedule includes games versus Critten- den County, Calloway County, Trigg County, Union County, Chris- tian County, Fort Campbell, Ballard Memorial, Caldwell County, Mayfield and Fulton County. By Steve LeMaster Sports Writer Murray Tigers MAYFIELD Pe- rennial state title contender May- field has reloaded for the 2022 high school football season. The Cardinals, under the direction of head coach Joe Morris, conclud- ed the 2021 high school football season 12-2. May- field lost to eventu- al state champion Beechwood in the 2021 Class 2A State Semifinals.

Junior quarter- back Zane Cart- wright is back to lead the Cardinals. As a junior in 2021, Cartwright com- pleted 127 passes for 2,225 yards and 23 touchdowns. In addition to Cartwright, May- field returns junior wide fensive back Bra- jone Dabney, senior running backer Jax Rogers and junior running Jutarious Starks. The second-leading rush- er in 2021, Starks rushed 73 times for 511 yards and 12 touchdowns. Defensively in 2021, Starks ranked as the third-leading tack- ler.

Starks exited the 2021 high school football season with 57 tackles, 13 tack- les for a loss and 7.5 sacks. 2022 schedule includes games versus Graves County, Hop- kinsville, Paducah Tilghman, McCrack- en County, Callo- way County, Fort Campbell, Caldwell County, Ballard Me- morial, Murray and Madisonville-North Hopkins. By Steve LeMaster Sports Writer Mayfield Cardinals LA CENTER Bal- lard Memorial, under the direction of head coach Letoun Bled- soe, ended a 20-game losing streak on Oct. 21. 2021.

With Bledsoe guiding the way, Ballard Memori- al outlasted Fort Campbell 8-6 for its only win in the 2021 season. The Bombers, who compete in Class 2A, Dis- trict 1, ended the 2021 season 1-10. Senior running safety Jerrico Wil- son is back to lead the Bombers. As a junior in 2021, Wil- son ranked as Bal- lard top rusher and receiver. Thriving through the air, Wilson hauled in 26 receptions for 464 yards and one touch- down.

Along with Wilson, quarterback Daniel Meinschein is back on the field for the Bombers. Meinschein passed for 429 yards and one touchdown in 2021. Defensively, Meinschein ranked as Ballard Memori- second-leading tackler during the 2021 high school foot- ball season, register- ing 35 tackles. Ballard Memori- 2022 schedule includes games versus Fort Camp- bell, Marshall Coun- ty, South Fulton Joppa-Maple Grove Fulton Coun- ty, Hopkins County Central, Caldwell County, Murray, May- field and Muhlenberg County. By Steve LeMaster Sports Writer Ballard Memorial Bombers PADUCAH Af- ter finishing as the Class 3A Runner-up in the 2021 high school football season, Paducah Tilghman is a contender for a state champion- ship.

Head coach Sean Thompson guided Paducah Tilghman to an 8-7 record in 2021. The Tornado finished runner-up to Bel- fry in Class 3A. A perennial state title contender, Belfry outlasted Paducah Tilghman 33-28. Several experi- enced players are back on the gridiron for talent-heavy Paducah Tilghman. The top returning players for Paducah Tilghman include junior offensive lineman Tomago Daniels, sophomore fensive back Jack James, junior run- ning back Malachi Rider and junior lineback- back Uriah Virzi.

James and Rider combined to pace Paducah offensive attack in 2021. Through the air, James complet- ed 201 passes for 2,849 yards and 35 touchdowns. On the ground, Rider rushed 228 times for 1,281 yards and 14 touchdowns. Virzi is another leader for the Tor- nado. Defensively, Virzi recorded a team-high 100 tack- les for Paducah Tilghman in 2021.

Paducah Tilgh- 2022 sched- ule includes games versus McCracken County, Graves County, Mayfield, South Warren, Henderson County, Trigg County, Hen- ry County Union County, Webster County and Hopkinsville. By Steve LeMaster Sports Writer Paducah Tilghman Blue Tornado 2022 High School Football Previews 2022 High School Football Previews 15WEST KY NEWS VFriday, August 12, 2022SPORTS.