Marquel Tinsley is leading the Revolution at Davies County High School

This week's Independence Bank's Revolutionary Player of the Week is...

Do you know how many times since McCracken County High School opened its doors and started fielding a football team, the Mustangs have lost a game to District opponent Davies County High School, or for that matter, to any Class 6A, District 1 opponent? Before this past Friday night’s second round game in the KHSAA football playoffs, the answer would have been none. Now to be fair, McCracken, as a consolidation of three former, local high schools (Heath, Lone Oak, and Reidland), did just open its doors in August of 2013, but it has played Davies County every one of those years with most of the contests not just favoring McCracken but, generally, concluding on a running time clock. Prior to losing to Davies, McCracken has been virtually ruling District 1 of the 6A Classification. Oh well, let the Revolution begin…

Now here at Kentucky Prep Gridiron, we boldly predicted the Mustangs from McCracken County could be heading to Upset City in an article published on the site November 9, 2017. In the face of Davies having lost to McCracken during the regular season 56-40, the game being played Friday night in Paducah, and with McCracken never having before lost any game to a 6A, District 1 opponent, how could we be so brazen as to believe and publish an article that Davies County would have any chance in this game? Well, I will tell you.

Marquel Tinsley pretty popular around Panther Nation

First, Davies County entered that game 6-5 (now 7-5) but had barely lost to Owensboro Catholic 33-31, were narrowly defeated by John Hardin 28-26, and dropped a game by one score (34-27) to a good Henderson team. That’s just a few plays away from 9-2. Second, I am familiar with Coach Marc Clark, who is a bright and capable young High School head football coach but who has never led a team past the 2nd round of the KHSAA playoffs in the seven or so years he has been a Head Coach at the High School level. This is in spite of having two teams at HHS, while the Head Coach there, heavily favored to advance but both of whom were upset in the 2nd round. Someone’s streak was going to end here, either the Mustang streak of besting the Panthers (or any team in 6A, District 1, for that matter) or Clark’s streak of exiting in the second round. I basically had a 50/50 chance. The final reason I believed Davies would be ripe for an upset is Davies County had the ability to design plays to this week’s Independence Bank, Revolutionary Player of the Week, Marquel Tinsley.

Davies County can really throw the football. I mean they really throw it around the old ball park. Coming into the playoffs, Davies QB, Joseph Cambron, a first year starter as a Junior, had thrown for 3,513 yards and 46 passing TDs against only 10 picks. Cambron was completing almost 55% of his passes (185 for 339) during the regular season which is pretty solid for a HS quarterback. Of course it does help when you have the best receiver in Kentucky to whom to throw, however.

Marquel and his Panther Teammates have scored and scored plenty this season

During the regular season, Marquel Tinsley caught 61 passes for 1,349 receiving yards and 21 TD receptions. I am not sure, but would expect, the receiving yards and TD reception numbers are close to the very top of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, if not number one in both categories. Tinsley is a 6’2″ 210 pound WR who doubles as a Corner with a vertical leap of 34 inches. I mention that vertical leap because not all players who tip the scales at 210 pounds can register a 40 yard dash in 4.6 seconds flat and one might be suspicious that reported time may be a bit fudged. This time is spot on as the vertical leap of 34 inches is proportionately appropriate for a 40 time of 4.6 flat which means the numbers align. The forty and vertical jibe. One corroborates the other. Tinsley is a hard WR for a HS corner or safety to press up, man to man, owing to his impressive strength. Tinsley has a registered back squat of 435 pounds and benches 245 pounds with both numbers being elite strength numbers for a player in his Class and at his position. Tinsley is a 2019 player in whom Division I schools are showing increasing interest. Marquel Tinsley is a sure-fire, Division I, Saturday Player at either the FCS or even FBS, Power 5, level.

This is Fletcher Long reporting for Kentucky Prep Gridiron reminding you to PLAY THROUGH THE WHISTLE and congratulations to this Week’s Independence Bank Revolutionary Player.

About Fletcher Long 1447 Articles
Two-time winner of Kentucky Press Association awards for excellence in writing and reporting news stories while Managing Editor of the Jackson (KY) Times-Voice

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