Poll results: Belleville East High School wide receiver is Week 1 Player of the Week
Keithen Jones of Belleville East High School is the winner of the first Belleville News-Democrat Football Player of the Week high school poll of 2023, as selected by readers of bnd.com.
Jones, a junior wide receiver, hauled in 6 receptions for 171 yards and a touchdown in a 24-21 win against Collinsville on Aug. 26. He scored the Lancers’ first touchdown to begin the 2023 season on a 41-yard catch in the 1st quarter.
Jones secured 41% of the votes after last Saturday’s game to kickoff the high school football season.
Here are the other candidates for week 1:
Robert Battle, East St. Louis High School, Senior, QB: Battled completed 12-21 passes for 232 yards and 2 touchdowns and 6 carries on 29 yards and 2 touchdowns on the ground in the Flyers’ 36-33 loss against Chicago Mount Carmel.
Peter Baxtron Jr. Cahokia High School, Senior, WR: Baxtron hauled 5 catches for 81 yards and one touchdown in Cahokia’s 22-12 victory against Alton. Baxtron also scored a touchdown on a 65 yard punt return.
Renaldo Fisher Jr., Cahokia High School, Junior, DT: Fisher had 6 tackles — including 4 tackles for loss — and 2 sacks in the Comanches’ victory.
Braylon Grayson, O’Fallon High School, Senior, QB: Grayson completed 10-14 passes (71%) for 283 yards and 4 touchdowns in a 54-9 Panthers’ win over Granite City.
Dierre Hill Jr., Althoff Catholic High School, Junior, RB: Hill rushed for 149 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries in Althoff’s 49-13 win against John Burroughs. Hill also ran in a 77 yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
Issac Phipps, Cahokia High School, Junior, OLB: Phipps collected 4 sacks, 7 tackles — including 5 tackles for loss — and one safety in Cahokia’s 22-12 victory over Alton.
Collin Quails, Triad High School, Senior, RB: Quails tied the single-game Triad school record with 5 touchdowns on the ground in 56-20 win over Mattoon. He accounted for 142 total yards, 108 yards on 10 carries and 34 yards on a pass reception.
A.J. Strong, Althoff Catholic High School, Senior, RB/DB: Strong rushed for 94 yards and 3 touchdowns on 5 carries in a 49-13 victory over John Burroughs. Strong also hauled in 2 receptions on 7 total yards and snagged 2 interceptions on defense.
Armon Vinson, Belleville East High School, Senior, QB: Vinson completed 20-36 passes for 413 yards and threw 2 touchdowns in a 24-21 win over Collinsville.
Ollie Williams, Cahokia High School, Junior, DB: Williams recorded 7 total tackles, interceptions a pass and recovered a fumble in a 22-12 win over Alton.
The poll ended at 10 a.m. Friday.
To be clear, this poll is not scientific. In fact, we invite you to vote as many times as you want. It’s all for fun, BND readers.
The next football player of the week poll will appear on the BND’s website — www.bnd.com — at 5 a.m. Wednesday. Please email nominations to alathan@bnd.com.
