There is no better time than the present to anoint another Independence Bank Player of the Week. Independence Bank is proud to sponsor a weekly article highlighting players in the areas where Independence Bank flourishes who embody the same type of revolutionary service to their respective football teams which has made Independence Bank unique and special in the banking industry.
Independence Bank has a goal of achieving everyday excellence, and this week we are focusing on a player whose performance exceeded expectations in 2019 and who will be vitally important to The Blue Tornado’s success in 2020. Today, we are focusing on Class of 2023, QB/Athlete, Darionte Ragsdale, from Paducah Tilghman High School.
Ragsdale’s The Blue Tornado are located right down the road from three (3) Independence Bank branches. These locations are on 2711 New Holt Road (West Park Branch), 3312 Lone Oak Road (Lone Oak Branch), and 211 U.S. Highway, 41-A (Highway 41-A Branch). Go and visit the most rapidly growing bank in the commonwealth of Kentucky, with 20 locations, Kentucky-wide, Independence Bank. Independence Bank has started a revolution in the banking industry.
You have before heard us mention All-State team inclusion is far from a perfect process. We have never seen an All-State team published which didn’t have some serious omissions and that includes the 8 we have, ourselves, published.
One athlete on whom we probably missed (not the only one but certainly one) was Paducah Tilghman’s Darionte Ragsdale. First of all, who has heard of a freshman cracking the lineup on Friday nights at a premier program like Coach Johnathan Smith’s Paducah Tilghman in the first place?
Well, Ragsdale completed 36 of his 69-pass attempts over his freshman campaign for 556-yards passing and 7-TDs. Sure he had 5-interceptions, but you did hear the freshman part, right?
Ragsdale had a rushing TD, caught a pass for 17-yards, and picked off a pass. Saving his best for the playoffs, he had his best game of the year in round-one. Against Webster County, Ragsdale was 7 for 12 for 192-yards passing, with 3-passing TDs, leading them to a convincing victory.
Coming into the Fall, the Blue Tornado, who finished 9-4 in 2019 losing to Taylor County 38-28 in the Regional Championship Game, has a tiny QB quandary on its hands. The dilemma, who trots out as QB-1 when the season starts?
Rising senior, Camdon Marshall led the team at QB a year ago, going 59 for 107 for 1,112-yards passing with 9-aerial strikes against 4-picks. Darionte Ragsdale is only going to be a sophomore and represents more upside potential resulting from the simple fact the staff will have more than just one year to refine his already considerable skill-set.
We don’t know how The Blue Tornado will handle this dilemma. We do know two things…it will be fun to watch and whoever trots out there, the other will play and play a lot and Paducah Tilghman will be in the thick of things like almost every other year The Blue Tornado has fielded a HS football team.
Congratulations to Darionte Ragsdale, both for his Revolutionary Play in 2019 and that which is to come in 2020. His outstanding play, both in the past and that which is sure to come, has earned him this week’s recognition from the fastest growing bank in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, your friends at Independence Bank.
This is Coach HB Lyon, reporting for Kentucky Prep Gridiron and reminding you that WE’RE JUST CALLING IT LIKE WE SEE IT!
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