Darland is among ‘the youth movement’ which has Eagle fans so excited about the future
It really didn’t take a crystal ball to forecast Bode Darland was going to be a star in high school, and right quickly, regardless of how stocked the roster he was joining happened to be. As it turns out, we were all right. Darland left middle school one of the commonwealth’s more ballyhooed and talked about prospects and a few years into his high school career he is still performing at an enviable clip. The Eagles appear smack-dab in the middle of a title run and entertain Belfry this coming Friday night in Lexington. Belfry is mighty good and sitting at 12-1 boasting one of the better ground games and offensive fronts in the KHSAA. LCA counters with a stalwart line of its own and plenty of offensive balance and weapons making defending its offense a nightmare proposition. Add a final nightmare to the puzzle and that will be containing Mr. Darland and all the physical prowess and skills he brings to the run box defensively. This will be one for the ages. We can’t wait! What a semi-final this will prove to be!
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 LB/DL, Bode Darland (’28).
Darland is primary known as a defensive stalwart particularly in the run box and even upfront some for the Eagle defense. Darland (’28) has amassed around 44-or so total tackles with 13-TFLs and 3-sacks (second to Logan Mays’s 5.5). Darland has 2-FRs to go along with his other defensive numbers all of which are very good for a sophomore toiling away on one of the KHSAA’s deeper and more talented rosters.
Darland and his co-horts have already dispatched “Mighty Mayfield” in these playoffs and await a visit from an eight (8) time, former KHSAA football champion in Belfry High tonight. It won’t be easy; but then again, nothing is this late in November/early December.
Lexington Christian Academy (LCA) perennially competes for KHSAA championships at its level of play. Players developing into stars, like Bode Darland, has a ton to do with the program’s success.
Lexington, KY: To say anyone is surprised about the stellar play of sophomore, Bode Darland (’28 LB/DL), would be anywhere from dishonest to deceptive. Coming out of high school among the more talked about and ballyhooed players, Kentucky-wide, had prognosticators, fans, and coaches all confident Darland would likely be a “plug and play” type, high school roster piece.
Dareland in this, his sophomore year, has been pretty terrific. Darland (’28) has amassed around 44-or so total tackles with 13-TFLs and 3-sacks (second to Logan Mays’s 5.5). Darland has 2-FRs to go along with his other defensive numbers all of which are very good for a sophomore toiling away on one of the KHSAA’s deeper and more talented rosters, as we have already above set forth but which is worthy of reiteration in our minds anyway.
In the regional championship round, Darland and his teammates dispatched “Mighty Mayfield,” a 13-time, KHSAA football champion at its classification of play. In the semi-state, the Eagles draw eight (8) time champion, Belfry High. Well, at least the game is at home.
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 ’28 class returning the next couple of seasons.
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.
No one in the ’28 class has contributed much more than 6’0,” 220-pound Bode Darland. If you look at Darland’s physical numbers it is easy to see from where the prowess emanates, from hard work.
Darland runs the 40-yard dash in 4.8-seconds. Darland shuttles (5-10-5) in 4.6-seconds, bench presses 260, reps the high school rep-weight (185), 16 repetitions, and squats 365-pounds.
Is he explosive, this Bode Darland? The kid, who is just a sophomore, pulls or deadlifts 410. Yeah, that is right twitchy.
As for intellect, Darland has that in spades; a common trait among the ’28 class of LCA football players. Darland carries and 3.75-GPA at one of Kentucky’s finer college preparatory curricula.
LCA (9-3) gets ready to entertain a Belfry (12-1) team which will come to Lexington proving to be a considerable test for the semi-state. The next game is at Kroger Field, a neutral site, so RPI isn’t very important anymore. What is important is that Belfry has a world of experience playing championship level football.
It would be a huge mistake to overlook Belfry, a team which won 11-games playing 3A football a year ago. This isn’t last year.
We can’t afford to look toward the finals either. We just have to take matters as they present and be ready for anything.
LCA has worked hard to climb to 10-3 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 nine (9) game win streak. If we can get to 10-straight, it comes with some impressive hardware, rings, and a lifetime of memories.
Bode Darland is a freaking football playing savant, my new favorite word!
Friday Night Fletch
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 fourth visitor on this playoff journey will be 12-1, Belfry High School, among Ketucky’s all-time winningest football programs. The Pirates are riding a 10-game win-streak of its own.
The Eagles are looking to push its streak to 10 and are a consistent title contender in the 2A classification. The Eagles are rounding into playoff form at just the right time.
Obviously, Darland is a next level athlete with the ability to play collegiately. Darland’s being so characterized has been determined by coaches and analysts paid to make such evaluations.
We know this, Darland’s performance, this season, only strengthens (in our minds) these predictions. We also know Bode Darland, 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, Darland is one other thing, in addition to all the other skills and assets we have highlighted. Darland is among the better and more powerful and explosive athletes in the KHSAA’s ’28 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