A familiar name tops the list of central Ohio’s premier individual performances from Week 5 of the high school football season.
That tends to happen when one player accounts for more than 600 yards of offense.
Perhaps not coincidentally, that player’s team remains undefeated.
Here is a look at which central Ohio players had the best games in Week 5.
This list was gathered from games covered by the USA Today Network and statistics submitted to The Dispatch by area teams or otherwise shared publicly. The Dispatch encourages all central Ohio programs to submit information to sports@dispatch.com, dpurpura@dispatch.com and fdirenna@dispatch.com as soon as possible following games:
1. Jackson Szabo, Worthington Kilbourne
Statistics: In a season full of huge performances, this might have been
the best so far for the junior quarterback. He accounted for 633 yards of offense – 424 passing with two touchdowns and 209 rushing with four scores – as the Wolves (5-0, 2-0 OCC-Capital) beat Dublin Scioto 49-20.
Next game: Sept. 25 vs. Delaware Hayes
2. Blaike Jackson, Grove City
Stats: The senior running back amassed 436 yards and four touchdowns on 44 carries and added a fifth touchdown on special teams, finishing the night with 534 total yards as the Dawgs (3-2) outlasted Dublin Coffman 42-35. According to Ohio High School Athletic Association records, Jackson’s performance is sixth best in a single game all-time for central Ohio running backs.
Next game: Sept. 25 at New Albany
3. Landon Dawson, Mount Vernon
Stats: The junior scored all four of the Yellow Jackets’ (2-3) touchdowns in a 28-21 win over previously undefeated Newark Catholic. Dawson caught seven passes for 154 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 84 yards and two scores on five carries. Dawson’s receiving touchdowns were from 49 and 14 yards, and he ran for scores of 2 and 61 yards.
Next game: Sept. 25 at Granville
4. Noah Dumas, Pickerington North
Stats: The junior receiver caught four passes for 150 yards and touchdowns of 76 and 63 yards – all in the first half – as the Panthers (4-1) routed Olentangy Orange 51-7.
Next game: Sept. 25 at Westerville Central
5. Kolton Peterson, Newark
Stats: The senior became the all-time leading rusher for the Wildcats (3-2, 1-1 OCC-Buckeye), amassing 203 yards and touchdowns of 1, 18, 53 and 3 yards on 18 carries in a 59-33 win over Logan. Peterson now has 2,425 career yards.
Next game: Sept. 25 at Canal Winchester
6. Drew Hughes, Jonathan Alder
Stats: The sophomore quarterback completed 21 of 27 passes for 325 yards and four touchdowns – two of which went to Danny Bentley – as the Pioneers remained undefeated (5-0) with a 35-0 win at Springfield Shawnee.
Next game: Sept. 25 vs. New Carlisle Tecumseh
7. Kyson Cline, Bloom-Carroll
Stats: The senior running back amassed 246 yards and two touchdowns on 37 carries, complementing a Bulldogs (3-2, 2-0 MSL-Buckeye) defense that forced four turnovers in a 30-13 win at Fairfield Union.
Next game: Sept. 25 vs. Logan Elm
8. Tramaine Petty, South
Stats: The junior ran for 158 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries to help the Bulldogs (5-0, 2-0 City League-South) pull away to a 35-8 win over Independence. Petty ran for 129 yards after halftime, including a 92-yard score.
Next game: Sept. 25 at Eastmoor Academy
9. Chris Mosher, Danville
Stats: The senior safety totaled 25 tackles to lead the Blue Devils (5-0, 2-0 Knox-Morrow Athletic Conference) to a 43-13 rout of Fredericktown. Danville’s average margin of victory this season is 35 points, and the Blue Devils have not won a game by fewer than 26.
Next game: Sept. 25 vs. Galion Northmor
10. Graham Smith, Watkins Memorial
Stats: The senior running back’s 256 yards and a touchdown on 32 carries helped the Warriors (3-2) hold off Heath 17-10.
Next game: Sept. 25 at Licking Valley
High school sports reporter Dave Purpura can be reached at dpurpura@dispatch.com and at @dp_dispatch on X.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Which central Ohio high school football players had top Week 5 games?
