McKinley Panthers

By Lee Brecheen

Head Coach: Ron Allen (2nd year)

2022 Record: 7-4

Class & District: Class 4A (District 6)

2022 Playoffs: Lost to Alexandria High School 42-0 in 1st Round of Division I (Select) Playoffs

McKinley OG Terrell Carney (Photo taken by Destini Bazille)

Second-year McKinley High School head coach Ron Allen and the staff did an incredible job of coaching these kids in 2022. This was a program coming off a 1-8 season in 2021 with a lot of uncertain future goals. This has changed under coach Allen and his staff bringing stability in a tough District to win games in football.

“We will have some new coaches in 2023, but I do feel really good about the coaching staff we have now,” Allen said. “We brought in coach (Eric) Holden from Comeaux High School where he was the head coach, to be our new offensive coordinator. Our defensive coordinator, Kevin Grisby, played for the Philadelphia Eagles under Buddy Ryan. All these coaches do a great job for us and the players are working hard to keep it going after a great 2022 season.

The offense has a chance to be good in 2023 after a very good 2022 season. The skill talent coming back is as good as most schools in baton-rouge for speed and talent. The offense will be led by either will be led by JaDarius Moody (5-10, 155, 4.6 speed) who is a new starter but is a really good athlete or Tyson Camel (5-10, 175) who sat out the 2022 season. If Camel comes back he will be the guy. Camel has a cannon arm and 4.40 speed to run too. The program is in a good spot either way. If the younger Moody is not the starter, he can help in another position until he becomes the guy in 2024. The skill talent around these quarterbacks is WR Grant Hatch (6-1, 180, 4.6 speed), and three-year starter senior WR Chance Griffin (6-2, 190, 4.55) who has great hands and speed. There’s WR Tyler Johnson (6-2, 185) who is a great player with 4.5 speed, second-year RB Jamel Sabree (5-9, 170) and new player RB Vontae Camel new player with power and speed. The offensive line returns senior Donald Johnese (6-1, 230), senior OG Terrell Carney (6-3, 295) who is also the most improved lineman on the team, OG Marquise Peterson (6-2, 300) who is a tough kid and some younger players will see time too.

McKinley OLB Amahri Gradney (Photo taken by Destini Bazille)

The defense will be led by their talented linebacker room starting with senior MLB Malachia Stevenson (5-10, 185), gifted OLB Amahri Gradney (6-3, 215, 4.6 speed), All-District OLB Kaydin Deflanders (5-8, 170) who had a team-high 11 sacks and three-year starter DE/OLB Jesus Alvarado (6-2, 225) who is a leader up front. The rest of the defense I got from Coach Allen to start are senior DT Damarion Robinson (6-2, 270), senior SS Jaylen Tyler (5-11, 195) who is a tough leader, second-year starter CB Todd Washington (5-8, 160), senior SS Demond Moody (5-10, 185) and several young defensive lineman battling for reps and starting spots for 2023.

The special teams unit has a pretty good player in second-year starting kicker Keimer Castillo who was All-District in 2022 and has a strong, consistent leg inside 40 yards.

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