Gray, Green-Beckham and Mauk Finalists for High School Football America Player of the Year Award

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

It would be an understatement to say 2011 was a record-breaking year for high school football.

Thanks to the arms and legs of quarterback Maty Mauk of Kenton High School (Ohio), Aledo High School (Texas) running back Jonathan Gray and Hillcrest High School (Missouri) wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham, several major national offensive records fell by the wayside.

As a result of their incredible senior seasons, those three are finalists for the first annual High School Football America National Player of the Year Award.

Mauk, who’s given his verbal commitment to play at Missouri next year, set four national passing records 2011, plus he also became the nation’s all-time total offense leader with 22,681 yards during his four-year career as a starter for the Wildcats.

The 6-2, 195-pound Mauk holds the national career record for passing yards (18,932), touchdowns (219), passing attempts (2,110) and completions (1,353). Interestingly, his brother Ben, who served as his younger brother’s quarterback coach the past two seasons, previously held three of Maty’s new records.

In 2011, Mauk passed for 5,413 yards and 68 touchdowns, plus ran for 1,768 and 24 scores.

So where do the Mauks rank against the famous Manning family?

Ben and Maty combined to throw for 36,296 yards, while Peyton and Eli are nearly 22,000 yards behind with 14,596. The Mauks also are head-and-shoulder above the Mannings in touchdown passes with 397 to 181.

In Texas, Gray of capped his incredible four-year career leading his school to its third straight Texas state title. In his final game, Gray scored his 205th touchdown to become the country’s all-time leading touchdown-maker.

Gray, who has given his verbal to the University of Texas, also challenged the nation’s all-time rushing mark set by Ken Hall of Sugar Land High School (Texas). Gray finished with 10,908 yards, 330 yards shy of Hall’s record of 11,232 yards.

Round out the record breakers is Green-Beckham, who many recruiting services rank as the nation’s top recruit.  Green-Beckham set the national record for receiving yards with 6,356 yards.

This year the 6-6, 225-pound wide receiver caught 119 passes for 2,233 yards and 24 touchdowns.

Tune-in to Thursday night's High School Football America radio show to find-out who wins our National Player of the Year Award.  The show airs LIVE starting at 7 PM Eastern Time.

Click here to listen.