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All-area football, large schools defense: LB Gage Batten centered Dwyer's 'Rude Nation' defense
Friday, December 23, 2011
LARGE SCHOOLS FOOTBALL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
By JEFF GREER
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
There's a reason Dwyer's defense is called Rude Nation. The Panthers' defensive unit was downright nasty in 2011, stifling opposing offenses on a consistent basis all season.
Only three teams scored in double figures against Dwyer in the regular season. Four were shut out. Opponents averaged 46 yards rushing in the regular season.
In the process, Dwyer pummeled area offensive stars such as Lake Worth quarterback Evan Moore (14 total yards of offense) and Royal Palm Beach's Tremane McCullough (22 rushing yards). Moore finished the season with more than 2,000 yards of offense; McCullough ran for 1,700 yards.
Right in the thick of that talented defensive unit was Gage Batten, Dwyer's burly middle linebacker who transferred from King's Academy before his senior season. Batten (6-foot-1, 220 pounds) led his team in tackles (74) and tackles for loss (15), an impressive feat on a stacked defense.
He was the sideline-to-sideline presence Dwyer's 4-3 base defense required and the lone senior in Dwyer's young-but-talented linebacking corps - both huge roles for a defense that relies on communication and assignment discipline.
Perhaps the biggest testament above all else is Batten's resiliency: The senior 'backer was hobbled by an ankle injury early in the season. It was painfully obvious that Batten, who'd established himself as one of the area's best linebackers while at King's, wasn't quite the same.
But he kept going. And just like that Dwyer defense, his relentless ways paid off. Big time.
LARGE SCHOOLS FOOTBALL FIRST-TEAM DEFENSE
Mike Minns
Dwyer
Senior, DL
An interior menace to opposing offensive lines, led Dwyer's frighteningly good defensive line with 13 tackles for loss.
Andy Daceus
John I. Leonard
Senior, DL
Imposing and quick defensive end turned heads this fall and earned several BCS college scholarship offers.
Malik Brown
Dwyer
Junior, DL
Two-way star who also plays tight end posted 41 tackles, nine sacks and 13 tackles for loss.
Kyle Shortridge
Seminole Ridge
Junior, DL
Perfect fit for Ridge's 3-4 edge-pressure system, stormed onto stage with big playoff performance vs. Gardens.
Gabriel Terry
Palm Beach Central
Senior, DL/LB
Hybrid pass rusher and Miami commit was a breakout star in 2011, collecting 58 tackles and six sacks.
Marc Danieli
Boca Raton
Senior, LB
Senior leader and heart of Boca's defense known for his gritty play tallied 132 tackles.
Ja Wand Blue
West Boca Raton
Senior, LB
Ferocious run stopper and Virginia Tech commit made his impact with speed and power.
Teddy Matthews
Royal Palm Beach
Senior, LB
Gained a reputation as hard-hitting pass rusher and all-around defensive star.
Brisly Estime
Atlantic
Senior, DB
Best defensive player in a loaded secondary, intercepted four passes and scored four special-teams touchdowns.
Julian Whigham
Dwyer
Senior, DB
Standout safety and Syracuse commit collected nine interceptions as Dwyer's ballhawk in the secondary.
Tim Haynes
Park Vista
Senior, DB
Fantastic cover corner for one of the area's toughest and most complex defenses.
Jhavon Williams
Palm Beach Central
Senior, DB
Don't let thin statistics (one interception, eight pass breakups) fool you: No one threw at the UConn commit all season.
LARGE SCHOOLS FOOTBALL SECOND-TEAM DEFENSE
DL - Keith Bryant, Atlantic, Jr.
DL - Mark Kelly, Dwyer, So.
DL - Anthony Hicks, Palm Beach Gardens, Sr.
DL - Dakwon De Polo, Palm Beach Gardens, Sr.
LB - Shawn Boone, Dwyer, So.
LB - Cory Moore, Lake Worth, Sr.
LB - Sam Weimerskirtch, Park Vista, Sr.
DB - DeAndre Simmons, Royal Palm Beach, Jr.
DB - Duke Crawford, John I. Leonard, Sr.
DB - Gerard Fulton, Atlantic, Sr.
DB - Mike Almonte, Seminole Ridge, Jr.
LARGE SCHOOLS FOOTBALL HONORABLE MENTION
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN: Matthew Andre, West Boca Raton; Paul Brown, Jupiter; Jason Shepherd, Seminole Ridge; Peter Sylvain, Palm Beach Gardens; Ted Taylor, Dwyer; Lukeson Versalien, Atlantic.
LINEBACKERS: Kyle Brockert, Jupiter; Jared Brown, Dwyer; Rayfield Dixon, Seminole Ridge; Andy LeMay, Wellington; Mike Maldonado, Palm Beach Central; Thomas Marciante, Park Vista; Bruce Thomas, Atlantic; Korey Wells, Palm Beach Gardens.
DEFENSIVE BACKS: D'Andre Coleman, Park Vista; Glen Collier, Jupiter; Shamar Jackson, Wellington; Kevin Jerome, Seminole Ridge; Keymonni Miller, John I. Leonard; Omar Pierre-Louis, Seminole Ridge; Darrion Richardson, Atlantic; Deago Sama, Olympic Heights; Anthony Williams, Dwyer.
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User Comments:
Gage Really ? commented on December 23, 2011 at 11:25 a.m.: report abuse
Are you serious...He not the best player @ Dwyer! Please somebody watch film on this kid and you will see how bad he is. He is blessed to be around excellent athletes. Put him at Jupiter and nobody would know about him. He not a playmaker and he is stiff, slow and unathletic. He should think all of his teammats for earning him this award. WOW!!
Hold up commented on December 23, 2011 at 11:33 a.m.: report abuse
Batten is 230 pounds
Post Reader commented on December 23, 2011 at 11:44 a.m.: report abuse
Congrats to Gage Batten and all of the great players mentioned in the article!
@ Gage Really commented on December 23, 2011 at 11:46 a.m.: report abuse
You seem a little too sensitive. HAHAHA
Susan Smith commented on December 23, 2011 at 11:48 a.m.: report abuse
Gage Batten deserves this award! He has an unbelievable work ethic. A leader on & off the field.
Stop the Haterz! commented on December 23, 2011 at 11:50 a.m.: report abuse
Come on Gage Really and anyone else...stop with the nasty comments! Sounds like sour grapes. You are very poor sports - just makes you look bad.
Dwyer Player commented on December 23, 2011 at noon: report abuse
I was part of the Rude nation this year playing alot with gage he is so desereving of this award. He is a leader both on and off the feild. He was more than a blessing to the Dwyer football program. Anyone who says that Gage doesn't deserve this award is just crazy
Truth about Haters commented on December 23, 2011 at 12:03 p.m.: report abuse
Jealousy is just love and Hate and the same time. hop off the kid it's probably just kings players who wish they had the defensive player of the year or thier team.
Stats wrong commented on December 23, 2011 at 12:13 p.m.: report abuse
DWYER STATS ARE BEFORE THE PLAYOFFS!!!!! Post needs to fix that
Tim commented on December 23, 2011 at 3:49 p.m.: report abuse
Jeff-
this is the worst piece of journalism I've seen in ages..............You didn't even list the height / weight. Most papers include pictures............and the type all runs together frm name to name.
truth be told commented on December 23, 2011 at 4:16 p.m.: report abuse
watched a lot of football this year, here goes. batten had pretty good year, was non existent in manatee game and got a huge personal foul penalty on last drive. POLO is the best d linemen around, 2nd team? r u kidding? m brown couldnt hold his jock. cory moore was by far the best lb in the area, 2nd team? LMAO almonte from ridge was best DB around, 2nd team? batten is a nice player, there are 50 guys better, great season
@ truth be told commented on December 23, 2011 at 4:43 p.m.: report abuse
What High School football season were you watching? It appears you're jealous. POLO, Almonte and Cory Moore didn't have the stats and if they did they would have been on 1st Team.
tadpole commented on December 23, 2011 at 5:36 p.m.: report abuse
this is the biggest joke i've ever seen i can name at least 2 other DL that had better stats than all these guys and they both play for Gardens. what a joke must be a buddy list give me a break.
GATORADE commented on December 23, 2011 at 6:26 p.m.: report abuse
Gardens are you kidding me? You must be drinking "gatorade". Go back and review the PBGametime weekly leading defense stats and Gardens' defense wasn't never in the top. So maybe Gardens' stats book didn't look like YOUR book.
GATORADE TOO commented on December 23, 2011 at 6:35 p.m.: report abuse
You're right GATORADE,those 2 other DL at Gardens are seniors and they didn't even make the county BIG BROARD top players. Oh! one is # 59 and were are the others.
truth b told commented on December 23, 2011 at 10:35 p.m.: report abuse
@ truth be told, u r clueless, if it was picked on stats polo had 15 sacks, more than the others combined, i saw cory moore play twice and he must have had 35 tackles, and FYI POLO is a junior
@ Truth b told commented on December 23, 2011 at 11:16 p.m.: report abuse
It appears your stats don't match the book stats. You going on what you feel, not what is in the stats book.
@Truth B Told and this is a Joke commented on December 23, 2011 at 11:56 p.m.: report abuse
Your right just look at Polo and Hicks' stats both have more tackles for loss and both were in double digit sacks. Give me a break. Looks like someone is trying to get back on Jacks good side after that recuriting article earlier ths year.
Joke you are right as well how do you get player of the year when your not even the best player on your own team........ unbelievable
Looks like Daddy bought another one.
Be serious commented on December 24, 2011 at 12:20 a.m.: report abuse
Malik Brown was a huge part of the Rude Nation. Who ever said he cant hold his his jock is blind. He is a terror coming off the edge. I bet Avery Young cant block him to save his life.
@Truth B Told & this is a Joke commented on December 24, 2011 at 7:48 a.m.: report abuse
Team Batten is playing it close to the chest on the offers. They are letting NOTHING out about offers. Batten has plenty of interest so get over it! Until 02/01/2012 comes & goes nobody should be making any comments or slams about offers. Kid WILL continue to play. Remember he is not only a star athlete he is a star student. The combo makes him an interesting and desired prospect.
"Looks like Daddy bought another one." - Hard work, leadership, tenacity is what EARNED the kid the honor! Clearly this kid is respected by many. All of you poor sports with the negative comments should take a lesson out of the Gage Batten handbook. Kid was injured over the summer and continued to work - did not give up! Sign of a true winner! When no one is looking Batten is working - he puts the time and effort in all the time! This is why he is a winner & this is why he beat out other fine players to earn this honor.
Proud of you man commented on December 24, 2011 at 8:12 a.m.: report abuse
Congrats bro -pround of you man!
Don't Worry Be Happy commented on December 24, 2011 at 9:08 a.m.: report abuse
Batten was all over the field. Great job! Don't worry, the offers will come,
Bigdawg61 commented on December 24, 2011 at 10:04 a.m.: report abuse
Wow I can't believe all the jealous folks on this board. Pretty pathetic if you ask me. Oh by the way the 2 large school players of the year both transfered from so called pee wee football programs. Lol
wow commented on December 24, 2011 at 10:36 a.m.: report abuse
@ be serious, u should perform at the comedy club. avery young would walk right through malik brown with his hands tied behind his back. a man vs a boy. did you watch manatee game? brown got destroyed all nite, felt bad for him, plz dont compare him to an elite stud like avery u r embarassing yourself
@ WOW commented on December 24, 2011 at 11:12 a.m.: report abuse
You're right a 20 year of man vs. a 16 year old boy. If Malik stay back two more years he'll will be a monster too.
LW Fan commented on December 24, 2011 at 3:52 p.m.: report abuse
Last I check, Lake Worth number 88 made that UConn commit look like a fool out there when they went head to head so Matt and Jeff please change your statement about jhavon cause Lake Worth DID try him all night.
bigdawg61 commented on December 25, 2011 at 11 p.m.: report abuse
Please try not.to talk about LW football players ,in the last 10 yrs the program has produced 1 good D1 player and that wAs Joe Looney.
JUST MORE POLITICAL B.S.!!! commented on December 25, 2011 at 11:03 p.m.: report abuse
BATTEN IS NOT THE D PLAYER OF THE YEAR! SORRY ! I LIKE GAGE AND HIS FAMILY NOTHING AGAINST ANY OF THEM PERSONALLY! BUT THIS IS JUST WRONG! THE TRUTH IS IT STINKS!!! THE GUY FROM W BOCA IS WAY BETTER! # 2 THINK HIS NAME IS BLUE? WE PLAYED AGAINST THE LAKE WORTH LB # 44 HE HAD OVER 20 TACKLES AGAINST US ALONE! WAY BETTER!!! AND BETTER STATS... HECK I WATCHED THE LB FROM ROYAL PALM HAVE A BETTER GAME THAN BATTEN! YOUPEOPLE OWE THESE OTHER PLAYERS A BIG APOLOGY!!!
Football Ref commented on December 26, 2011 at 4:14 p.m.: report abuse
Meant to say "Frankly I don't agree with someone..."
Get Over it TKA commented on December 28, 2011 at 8:46 p.m.: report abuse
^^^^ Football Ref.....what is so wrong with a kid going to another school? He did not leave his school/team/teammates in the middle of a season. Gage & parents had every right to make a move if they wanted and for whatever reasons they chose. It is no ones business to make comments or pass judgement nor should Gage or the Batten's care if someone such as you, 'Football Ref", agree!
Congratulations to Gage for having all his hard work and determination awarded with this honor!
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