Four Area Sophomore Quarterbacks Imprint their Names on the 2022 High School Football Season
By Perry Swack
Four sophomores. Four quarterbacks. Four ranked teams looking to make noise this postseason. Bowling Green, Greenwood, South Warren, and Warren East have utilized sophomores under center in 2022 and have compiled a 23-5 combined record in the process. Each quarterback has a different story, but the same results thus far – lots of yards, touchdowns, and wins. Regardless of which QB1 is your favorite, remember the names of this quartet. They will be making a lot of noise on the gridiron for years to come.
Deuce Bailey, Bowling Green
The most established of the four sophomores, Deuce Bailey of Bowling Green has the Purples back in the state title hunt after the storied program went an uncharacteristic 6-6 in 2021. Although BG was unable to successfully defend its state title from 2020, Bailey assumed the starting quarterback role midway through the season and never looked back. As a freshman, he threw for 1100 yards and eight touchdowns. In 2022, the sophomore has already helped the Purples match their win total of a season ago and at 6-1 sit near the top of the AP Class 5A state rankings Bailey has thrown for nearly 1500 yards in seven games, with 15 touchdowns and only two interceptions. He is among the top four in Class 5A in both passing yards, passing yards per game, and passing touchdowns. In an exciting 46-45 win over Father Ryan High School in Nashville, Bailey threw for 217 yards and three touchdowns, while rushing for 70 more yards and a score.
Ryan Huff, Greenwood
While Deuce Bailey held some time under center in 2021, Greenwood’s Ryan Huff entered 2022 as first-time starter. It has taken him little time to get comfortable under center, throwing 13 touchdowns without an interception through seven games. Huff is around the top ten in virtually every passing category among Class 5A quarterbacks. Although the Gators throw the ball only about 33% of the time on offense, the talented sophomore has shown he can be counted on to deliver when called upon. In Greenwood’s first victory of the season over Franklin-Simpson, Huff completed 8-of-9 passes for 196 yards and three touchdowns. Major district showdowns with Bowling Green and South Warren in consecutive weeks will give the Gator QB the opportunity to showcase his skills against two vaunted defenses.
Bryce Button, South Warren
As a freshman on the state champion Spartans, Bryce Button featured in eight games as then-senior Caden Veltkamp led South to its third state title since 2015. He threw for nearly 200 yards in those appearances, connecting on two touchdown passes in the process. Coach Brandon Smith and his club will look to do something the other two Spartan clubs have failed to do – repeat. Despite what would seem like an uncharacteristic record of 4-3, Button and South have competed against some of the state’s best, while also taking their show out of state to play teams in both Indiana and Tennessee. The sophomore has fared well, throwing for more than 1000 yards, ten touchdowns, and only three interceptions. Button’s 64% completion percentage ranks him third among quarterbacks in Class 5A (with more than 30 pass attempts). In a 36-3 win over Paducah Tilghman, Button completed 26-of-35 passes for 268 yards and three touchdowns.
Dane Parsley, Warren East
After taking over the starting quarterback role midway through his freshman season, Dane Parsley has left no doubt as a sophomore in leading the Raiders to their first 7-0 start since 2012. Warren East fans will remember that season fondly as their squad ran off 13 wins in a row en route to a berth in the state semifinals. Parsley has given WE a reason to believe that more magic may be on the way a decade later. The signal-caller ranks first among Class 4A quarterbacks in touchdown passes, third in passing yards and completion percentage, and fourth in passing yards per game. But Parsley has also been a menace on the ground, ranking among the state leaders with 709 yards on the ground (101 yards per game), 14 touchdowns, and an incredible 12.2 yards per rush. In fact, he has yet to play a game in 2022 where he did not score at least three touchdowns. He has thrown for at least five touchdowns twice and rushed for at least three TD twice. Parsley’s dual-threat capabilities will make Warren East a tough out in the Class 4A playoffs this season and beyond.
