From a Press Release:

CBS, through their high school sports mega-site Maxpreps, has announced their five finalists for the National Player of the Year award to be handed out in early January.

According to Jason Hickman of Maxpreps, Dillon Baxter of San Diego leads the field with Michael Brewer of Austin, Kevin Parks of North Carolina, Gavin Webster of Louisiana and Ka’Deem Carey of Canyon del Oro filling out the list of finalists.

Here is how Maxpreps has set the field:

Dillon Baxter, Mission Bay (San Diego, Calif.)
6-0, 205, Sr., All-Purpose
USC verbal commitment
Team record: 11-0, San Diego Section Division IV playoffs
Key statistics: 4,053 passing and rushing yards, 64 touchdowns
Pro: Baxter is having a year for the ages and has already tied the California record for most combined touchdowns in a season. The future USC Trojan has also helped turn a team that went just 6-5-1 last year into a dominant force in the San Diego Section.
Con: A loss in the section playoffs could hurt Baxter’s push for POY honors.

Michael Brewer, Lake Travis (Austin, Texas)
6-0, 170, Jr., QB
Team record: 13-0, Class 4A state playoffs
Key statistics: 219-308 passing (71 percent), 3,792 yards, 37 touchdown passes, four interceptions
Pro: Brewer is putting up huge and extremely efficient numbers for a Lake Travis team that has won 43 straight games and could be making a case as the best team in Texas.
Con: Could the best high school football player in America really be at Austin’s Lake Travis High School for the second straight year? Current University of Texas freshman Garrett Gilbert claimed the honor last season after guiding the Cavaliers to a state title.

Ka’Deem Carey, Canyon del Oro (Tucson, Ariz.)
5-9, 185, Jr., RB
Team record: 13-0, Class 4A Division I state playoffs
Key statistics: 197 carries, 2,471 yards, 38 touchdowns
Pro: Carey has rushed less than 10 times on three occasions this season due to lopsided scores and hasn’t seen much action in the fourth quarter all year. As incredible as the numbers are, they could be even better. When needed, the junior back has really produced. Two weeks ago in a 63-35 win over Glendale Apollo, Carey piled up 427 yards and six touchdowns on 28 carries.
Con: Just a junior and playing in a non-traditional football power state, Carey may need another year to show the nation he is for real.

Kevin (K.P.) Parks, West Rowan (Mt. Ulla, N.C.)
5-8, 195, Sr., RB
Virginia verbal commitment
Team record: 14-0, Class 3A state playoffs
Key statistics: 3,275 rushing yards, 50 touchdowns
Pro: Based on statistics submitted to MaxPreps, Parks is No. 2 nationally in rushing yards and should take over the top spot this week as the season is over for No. 1 T.J. Stinde of Lexington, Ill. Parks is averaging over 10 yards per carry and has topped the 200-yard mark in seven straight games.
Con: Like all the players on this list, we are nit-picking to find a hole in Parks’ season. The fact that West Rowan doesn’t have to go through some of North Carolina’s traditional powers en route to a state title is about the only thing we can come up with.

Gavin Webster, Lutcher (La.)
5-10, 200, Sr., QB
Team record: 13-0, Class 4A state playoffs
Key statistics: 2,948 passing yards, 37 touchdown passes (five interceptions), 1,238 rushing yards, 26 touchdown runs
Pro: Webster has been putting up PlayStation numbers all year and has the Bulldogs in the favorite role in Louisiana’s Class 4A.
Con: Tough to find any, but like Baxter, team success will be vital to Webster’s bid for POY honors.

Images from the AIA 4A I & II State Championship Press Conference Yesterday:

(Santa Rita did not attend but Jeff Scurran was available via telephone)

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