Hood has shown considerable skills both on the gridiron and hard wood
College coaches prefer recruiting athletes who compete in a multitude of sports as opposed to just attempting to specialize in one. No less than former Alabama head football coach, Nick Saban, arguably among the finest college football coaches in the sport’s history, was known for being adamant that he preferred athletes who played multiple sports because it provided different competitive situations, led to well-rounded athletes, and was a sign of a competitor. Saban also said early specialization in one sport can lead to burnout and is (actually) less valuable than having athletes who have experiences in diverse athletic environments. It is important, and stressed by LCA’s administration, that kids should compete in as many sports as they wish and prove able. Daven Hood, ’27 ATH, contributes in multiple phases for the Eagles and in multiple sports as he is a SG in basketball. Hood had a big game in the second round against Monroe County. With Mayfield traveling to Lexington, it will be “all hands on deck” this coming weekend.
HB Lyon, Scouting Director, “KPGFootball”
eCampus.com was built on a simple idea: make textbooks affordable, convenient, and accessible for every student. Founded in 1999 in Lexington, KY and backed by visionary investors like Wendy’s founder Dave Thomas, the company has grown into a premier online textbook retailer for high school and college students nationwide.
Their mission has always been supporting student success both on and off the field through affordable access to the course materials they need. eCampus.com is excited to invest in our student-athletes through Kentucky Prep Gridiron (KPGFootball) which was founded to promote and assist young high school football players get promoted to “next level,” college football opportunities.
That is why eCampus.com sponsors the KPGFootball, Big Man on the eCampus series. This week’s Big Man on the eCampus is Lexington Christian Academy’s RB/WR/Defender, Daven Hood (’27).
Hood is primary known as a footballer (in our minds anyway) but he has shown flashes of brilliance as a shooting guard in basketball at the high school level. Hood (’27) rushed for 93-yards on only six (6) carries and tallied four (4) tackles on defense in the Eagles 51-21 win over Monroe County in the KHSAA playoff’s second round.
Lexington Christian Academy (LCA) perennially competes for KHSAA championships at its level of play. Players developing into stars, like Daven Hood, has a ton to do with the program’s success.
Lexington, KY: Daven Hood is a junior and is known equally throughout the Bluegrass as a promising athlete on the gridiron and on the basketball court. Hood has done a little of everything for the Eagles this season.
For the Eagles so far, Hood has completed a pass for a 46-yard TD, rushed for close to 300-yards with seven TDs, caught 12-passes, and scored 42-points on offense. His contributions have been more extensive than what he has done offensively.
On defense, Hood has registered 22-tackles, a TFL, and picked off a pass which he housed. Most importantly, Hood has shown all season an ability to come up big-time when given the opportunity. In the playoffs, against Monroe County, he couldn’t have come up much bigger.
In round two, Hood rushed for 93-yards on only six (6) carries. Hood also tallied four (4) tackles on defense. Hood’s Eagles advanced over Monroe, 51-21. The Eagles now brace for a visit from one of 2A’s toughest challenges, “Mighty Mayfield.”
LCA, or Lexington Christian Academy to some, has one of the more athletically skilled rosters competing in football across the commonwealth of Kentucky. LCA is considered young with a great ’27 class returning next season and one of the better classes of ’28s in Kentucky.
Among the ’28s, Matthew Montgomery is one of the finest in the class at the OL position, Kentucky-wide. Nash Whelan is a dual-threat guy who has gotten better and better this season. Dawson Farmer is a guy who is coming on as the playoffs arrive and may have had one of his stronger offensive performances in the season’s last game against a Louisville 6A ball club in Pleasure Ridge Park (PRP). Hood is a ’28 guy who has shown glimpses and flashes of football genius and from whom much is expected going forward.
Read more at: https://www.kentucky.com/sports/high-school/article311877704.html#storylink=cpy
The ’27s include players like Sam Pearson; Bennett Gudalis, the club’s second leading rusher; and Aiden Lyons, who leads the team in tackles and is among the club leaders in TFLs. What we are telling you is simply this, the Eagles will be good again next year and are in the title hunt this season.
Now should the Eagles get by Mayfield (10-1), a 55-0 winner over an eight (8) win Hancock County team, it appears the Eagles would get the winner of Owensboro Catholic and Somerset, with the game with Catholic being in Owensboro while Somerset would have to travel to Lexington.
Either team would be quite the test. First the Eagles must solve the Mayfield riddle.
One advantage may be mental. Last year, the Eagles played Mayfield in the regional championship game in Mayfield’s War Memorial stadium. LCA won that game 47-7, something folks around Graves county probably remember, and remember quite well.
Hood is a 5’11,” 170-pound athlete who looks bigger on the field than his frame would suggest. That is a good thing. Hood carries himself well, wears his pads well. While Hood doesn’t quite have the frame some of his teammates possess, it hasn’t impacted his performance. Other players make excuses; Hood makes plays.
LCA (9-3) gets ready to entertain a Mayfield (10-1) team which will come to Lexington proving to be a considerable test for the region’s championship. LCA has the second highest RPI in the 2A classification in spite of suffering three (3) losses on the season.
The highest RPI belongs to Owensboro Catholic (11-1) with an .80209 with LCA (9-3) coming in with a .73312. Mayfield (10-1) is third with a .71845 and Belfry (11-1) is fourth hitting the scale at .71826. Beechwood (11-1) rounds out the top five with a .70149.
It would be a huge mistake to overlook this Mayfield team because we beat them last year so convincingly on the road. This isn’t last year’s team, for them or us.
We can’t afford to look toward the semis either and whether we are traveling to Owensboro or remaining home to entertain Somerset. We just have to take matters as they present and be ready for anything.
If we can take a title and play in Lexington every single week, that would sure be grand. Provided we get a little help, Somerset upsetting Owensboro Catholic (and our getting by Mighty Mayfield) there is that distinct possibility, because of the schedule the Eagles have played, that scenario may very well play out with successive home games, throughout the playoffs, straight through the 2A title game at Kroger Field.
Sam Hood is a football and basketball prospect
Friday Night Fletch
LCA has worked hard to climb to 9-3 on the year. The Eagles had lost three in a row to powerhouses Christian Academy-Louisville, Boyle County, and Franklin County prior to getting on this immediate eight (8) game win streak.
Beginning with the “Holy War” with Lexington Catholic, the Eagles are riding a win-streak and can continue this climb, but only if we are firing on all cylinders. The staff has done an excellent job of insuring the team is both ready to play, regardless of opponent, and executing in fine form each and every week.
Our third visitor on this playoff journey will be 10-1, Mayfield High, Ketucky’s all-time winningest football program. The Cardinals are riding an eight (8) game win-streak of its own (nine if you count the round one forfeit) coming into this regional championship round game with LCA.
The Eagles are on a eight (8) game win steak and are a consistent title contender in the 2A classification. The Eagles are rounding into playoff form at just the right time.
Obviously, Hood is a next level athlete with the ability to play collegiately in either football or basketball. Hood’s being so characterized has been determined by coaches and analysts paid to make such evaluations.
We know this, Hood’s performance, this season, only strengthens (in our minds) these predictions. We also know Daven Hood, Sam Pearson, Farmer, Hester, Mays, Bertram, Mathew Montgomery, and Nash Whelan are all strong, academic performers; all possessing excellent class standings and sure-fire qualifying credentials for the NCAA Clearinghouse.
For now, Hood is one other thing, in addition to all the other skills and assets we have highlighted. Hood is among the best athletes and shooting guards in the KHSAA’s ’27 graduating class in addition to his being our eCampus.com, Big Man on the eCampus for this week!
Join us next week as we return to honor another eCampus.com, Big Man on the eCampus. Until then, from any classroom to every field, eCampus.com delivers an easy, fast, and affordable way to order textbooks for students everywhere.
This is Friday Night Fletch, reporting for KPGFootball, reminding you to PLAY THROUGH THE WHISTLE!
If you enjoyed this article and wish to gain full-access to the site, then subscribe monthly to Kentucky Prep Gridiron by following the prompts!
© The information contained on this site is the copyrighted intellectual property of KPGFootball. Any unauthorized dissemination of this material without the author’s express written consent is strictly prohibited!
Leave a Reply