August is here and high school football season is not far behind.
As the 2023 season approaches, let’s catch up on the recruiting scene for top St. Louis area prospects entering their senior class.
East St. Louis enters the season as the area’s top team and is a strong contender for another Illinois state championship. Several of its top players have made their collegiate decisions, led by senior quarterback Robert “Pops” Battle who gave a commitment to Lindenwood University.
Battle will be joined at Lindenwood by Rico Bond, a 6’0” 175-pound wide receiver who caught four touchdown passes for the Flyers last season. A pair of Flyers standouts have given commitments to Purdue. Defensive back Leontre Bradford and wide receiver Jesse Watson plan to be Boilermakers.
Bradford, a three-star recruit, is a 6’0” 190-pound safety. He had 87 solo tackles, three quarterback sacks and one interception last season. The 5’10” 150-pound Watson had 35 receptions for 516 yards and nine touchdowns.
Also, the Flyers’ Taylor Powell, a 6’4” 185-pound athlete, gave a commitment to Northern Illinois.
Standout lineman Tionne Gray of Hazelwood Central has committed to Oregon. The 6’6” 295-pound Gray is a three-star defensive tackle and is among the top prospects in Missouri. Joseph Anderson, a three-star defensive end from Westminster Christian, has committed to Iowa. The 6’5” 210-pound Anderson is also a track and field standout who was a state champion in the triple jump at the Class 4 state meet in Jefferson City.
Caleb Redd, a three-star defensive end from Desmet, committed to Kentucky. The 6’4” 220-pound Redd had 21 sacks last season to lead the St. Louis metro area.
Jude James, a 6’4” standout athlete from Francis Howell, committed to Missouri. James had 584 yards receiving and nine touchdowns on offense along with 119 tackles and four interceptions on defense for the Vikings’ Class 5 state championship team.
Quarterback Antwon McKay of Class 3 state champion Cardinal Ritter gave a commitment to Northern Illinois. McKay passed for 1,654 yards and 16 touchdowns last season for the undefeated Lions.
*Basketball stars make their choices
Webster Groves boys’ basketball standout Iziah Purvey has given a commitment to the University of Missouri-St. Louis. A skilled 6’4” combo forward, Purvey helped lead the Statesmen to the Class 5 state championship in 2022 as a sophomore. He averaged 12.9 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists a game. As a junior, Purvey averaged 16.3 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists while shooting 50 percent from the field and 39% from 3-point range.
Cardinal Ritter girls’ basketball standout Hannah Wallace recently gave a commitment to Saint Louis University. A 6’1 guard, Wallace is one of the most versatile players in the state of Missouri. As a junior, she averaged 11.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.6 blocks.
*Fall League Basketball Registration
Registration is open for the Ramey basketball Fall Basketball League, which will be held from September 9 to October 8 at Cardinal Ritter College Prep. The league will field teams in three divisions; fifth and sixth grade; seventh and eighth grade; and high school. To register, visit the website, www.rameybasketball.com.
The Sweet Hoops Girls Summer League will begin its sixth year on September 10 at Lift for Life Academy. The league will feature players in the junior high and high school divisions. To register, visit the website, www.sweethoopsevents.com. The deadline for registration is August 18 with the league draft taking place on August 26.
