Long, tall combo receiver/corner comes up big in the first round and eyes a bright future on the diamond with the Hokies
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. That is why Virginia Polytechnic’s (VA Tech) head baseball coach, John Szefc, didn’t flinch in taking a commitment from one of Kentucky’s premier MIF/OF in LCA’s Sam Pearson. Guess what? Pearson can play a little football too.
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 WR/Corner, Sam Pearson (’27).
Pearson is primary known as a baseball superstar, at the high school level, and has already committed to play college baseball to Virginia Tech. Pearson caught a pair of passes against Metcalfe County (3-8) this past weekend covering 67-receiving yards. Both of the passes went for scores.
Lexington Christian Academy (LCA) perennially competes for KHSAA championships at its level of play. Players developing into stars, like Sam Pearson, has a ton to do with the program’s success.
Lexington, KY: Sam Pearson is a junior and is better known as a middle infielder/outfielder in baseball than a receiver/corner in football. This guy is a division one, power four (4) athlete committed to play baseball in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
to VA Tech to play baseball
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 coming back next season and one of the better classes of ’28s in Kentucky.
Among the ’28s, Matthew Montgomery is among 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).
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.
Pearson caught a pair of passes against Metcalfe County for 67-receiving yards. Both of the passes scored.
Pearson led the ball club in the KHSAA’s first round of the playoffs, scoring 12 of the team’s 35- points. Pearson didn’t register any defensive numbers of which we are aware in round one, but he has played defense this year and mighty well.
For the season, Pearson has caught 16-passes on the season for 315-yards with five (5) TDs. Pearson has registered five (5) tackles, an INT with 27 IRNYs, and a FF in limited defensive action showing an ability to come up big-time when given the opportunity. In addition, the cornerback headed to play baseball at VA-Tech has several passes broken up (PBUs) to go along with his other numbers.
Pearson is 6’2,” 180-pounds and seems to fit the bill of LCA players possessing long, tall, and lengthy frames which are optimal for where the players find themselves deployed. Pearson is long and lengthy for a corner and right in line for what colleges look for at the receiver post.
LCA (8-3) gets ready to entertain a Monroe County (8-3) team which will come to Lexington but will prove a considerable test in round two. LCA has then second highest RPI in the 2A classification in spite of suffering three (3) losses on the season.
The highest RPI belongs to Owensboro Catholic (10-1) with an .80209 with LCA (8-3) coming in with a .73312. Mayfield (10-1) is third with a .71845 and Belfry (10-1) is fourth hitting the scale at .71826. Beechwood (10-1) rounds out the top five with a .70149.
We don’t know who LCA is likely to get in a regional championship game. The KHSAA reseeds the playoffs after round two. Judging by the present RPI’s it would be Pestonsburg (11-0) in Lexington with the potential to see Mighty Mayfield (10-1) in the semis also in Lexington.
This is based on numerous assumptions and conjecture. The situation unraveling like it presently appears depends on a lot of favorites advancing and the RPI remaining constant with where it now is; which is never a “given” in the KHSAA world of playoff football.
Regardless, the Eagles are likely going to play quite a few rounds at home. Beating an 8-win, Monroe County team is far from a “given” and Monroe is an opponent it would be a mistake to overlook.
The ideal situation is to keep the home field until Kroger Field. Being a Lexington high school, Kroger Field might be home field for the Eagles too.
If we can take a title and play in Lexington every single week, that would sure be grand. There is that distinct possibility, because of the schedule the Eagles have played, that scenario may very well play out.
Sam Pearson is a baseball star and developing into quite a football player too.
Friday Night Fletch
LCA has worked hard to climb to 8-3 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 seven (7) 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 second visitor on this playoff journey will be 8-3, Monroe County. The Falcons are riding a six (6) of their last (8) win steak of its own coming into this second round game with LCA. Monroe narrowly survived its first round game, with DuBois Academy, winning 29-28. That wasn’t the best performance and was likely caused by the Falcons looking ahead to its second round matchup against another “bird of prey.”
The Eagles are on a six (7) 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, Pearson is a next level athlete or college baseball player. Pearson’s being so characterized has been determined by coaches paid to make such evaluations.
We believe Pearson could be a tremendous WR or corner at the next level should he wish to give it a go. Much will depend on whether the baseball coaches are willing to permit him to chance injury and whether Pearson has any desire to attempt the college double duty.
We know this, Pearson’s performance, this season, only strengthens (in our minds) these predictions. We also know Sam Pearson, Farmer, Hester, Mays, Bertram, Mathew Montgomery, and Nash Whelan are all strong, academic performers with both excellent class standings and sure-fire qualifying credentials for the NCAA Clearinghouse.
For now, Pearson is one other thing, in addition to all the other skills and assets we have highlighted. Pearson is among the best athletes, wide receivers, corners, middle infielders, and outfielders 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