Football

Top returning NCHSAA football stat leaders in 2024: 1A Pass Catchers

HighSchoolOT is back with more football preview coverage in the spring. Today, a look at the best statistically returning pass catchers in the 1A classification.
Posted 2024-04-20T19:46:35+00:00 - Updated 2024-04-20T19:29:00+00:00
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By 
Joel Bryant

Throughout the month of April, we'll have some kind of football preview coverage released to HSOT Insiders each day.

Today is a look at the top statistically returning pass catchers in the 1A classification. These players could be wide receivers, tight ends, running backs, or any other kind of offensive weapon. The only requirement is that they had 25 receptions last year.

We have four sections: Yards/Game, Yards/Reception, Touchdowns/Game, and Touchdown Rate (touchdowns/reception). We are using these efficiency stats because the bulk numbers like total yards and total touchdowns can be deceiving and don't always correlate year-to-year.

Note: If your player's stats have not been published to MaxPreps or have not been sent to me, they are not going to be included below.

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Top Returning 1A Receiving Leaders: Yards per Game

Players are listed with their rising class year and school. Minimum 2023 receptions to qualify: 25. Ties broken by total receiving yards, then yards/reception.

  1. Justice Washington, senior WR, Mountain Island Charter — 108.6 YPG
  2. Andrew Finnerty, senior WR, Lejeune — 107.7 YPG
  3. Trevor Highsmith, senior WR, Lejeune — 104.9 YPG
  4. Malachi Moore, senior WR, Lejeune — 72.3 YPG
  5. Miller Aho, senior WR, Bishop McGuinness — 64.4 YPG
  6. Mere Dempsey, senior ATH, Bertie — 63.7 YPG
  7. Gregory Cuthbertson, senior WR, Winston-Salem Prep — 63.5 YPG
  8. Jasiah Holt, junior WR, South Stanly — 62.6 YPG
  9. Ja'Zyion Geiger, senior WR, Albemarle — 61.7 YPG
  10. Reginald Thompson, junior WR, Hobbton — 56.6 YPG
  11. Oak Markland, junior WR, Avery County — 54.6 YPG
  12. Malaki Moore, senior WR, East Bladen — 54.1 YPG
  13. Esias Caves, senior ATH, Corvian Community — 53.3 YPG
  14. Elijah Lineberry, senior WR, Cherokee — 41.9 YPG
  15. Darion Ledbetter, senior WR, Robbinsville — 39.1 YPG

Finalized schedules for the 2024 North Carolina high school football season

Top Returning 1A Receiving Leaders: Yards per Reception

Players are listed with their rising class year and school. Minimum 2023 receptions to qualify: 25. Ties broken by most receptions.

  1. Malaki Moore, senior WR, East Bladen — 23.4 Yds/Rec
  2. Justice Washington, senior WR, Mountain Island Charter — 21.0 Yds/Rec
  3. Mere Dempsey, senior ATH, Bertie — 20.6 Yds/Rec
  4. Esias Caves, senior ATH, Corvian Community — 19.7 Yds/Rec
  5. Oak Markland, junior WR, Avery County — 18.9 Yds/Rec
  6. Trevor Highsmith, senior WR, Lejeune — 18.6 Yds/Rec
  7. Jasiah Holt, junior WR, South Stanly — 18.4 Yds/Rec
  8. Andrew Finnerty, senior WR, Lejeune — 17.9 Yds/Rec
  9. Gregory Cuthbertson, senior WR, Winston-Salem Prep — 17.2 Yds/Rec
  10. Darion Ledbetter, senior WR, Robbinsville — 16.7 Yds/Rec
  11. Ja'Zyion Geiger, senior WR, Albemarle — 16.1 Yds/Rec
  12. Reginald Thompson, junior WR, Hobbton — 15.6 Yds/Rec
  13. Malachi Moore, senior WR, Lejeune — 15.1 Yds/Rec
  14. Elijah Lineberry, senior WR, Cherokee — 14.9 Yds/Rec
  15. Jacob Mull, senior WR, Draughn — 14.8 Yds/Rec

    Top Returning 1A Receiving Leaders: Touchdowns per Game

    Players are listed with their rising class year and school. Minimum 2023 receptions to qualify: 25. Ties broken by most touchdowns, then fewest receptions).

    1. Andrew Finnerty, senior WR, Lejeune — 1.7 TD/Gm (15 TDs)
    2. Trevor Highsmith, senior WR, Lejeune — 1.4 TD/Gm (11 TDs)
    3. Malachi Moore, senior WR, Lejeune — 1.2 TD/Gm (11 TDs)
    4. Mere Dempsey, senior ATH, Bertie — 1.1 TD/Gm (12 TDs)
    5. Miller Aho, senior WR, Bishop McGuinness — 0.8 TD/Gm (9 TDs)
    6. Oak Markland, junior WR, Avery County — 0.8 TD/Gm (7 TDs)
    7. Malaki Moore, senior WR, East Bladen — 0.7 TD/Gm (9 TDs)
    8. Justice Washington, senior WR, Mountain Island Charter — 0.7 TD/Gm (8 TDs, 62 receptions)
    9. Ja'Zyion Geiger, senior WR, Albemarle — 0.7 TD/Gm (8 TDs, 46 receptions)
    10. Esias Caves, senior ATH, Corvian Community — 0.7 TD/Gm (7 TDs, 27 receptions)
    11. Jasiah Holt, junior WR, South Stanly — 0.7 TD/Gm (7 TDs, 34 receptions)
    12. Reginald Thompson, junior WR, Hobbton — 0.5 TD/Gm (6 TDs)
    13. Achilles Littlejohn, junior WR, Bessemer City — 0.5 TD/Gm (5 TDs)
    14. Elijah Lineberry, senior WR, Cherokee — 0.4 TD/Gm (4 TDs)
    15. Gregory Cuthbertson, senior WR, Winston-Salem Prep — 0.3 TD/Gm (3 TDs)

    2023-2024 North Carolina high school football coaching changes

    Top Returning 1A Receiving Leaders: Touchdown Rate

    This is the rate of total receiving touchdowns scored to number of receptions, it is designed to highlight the players with the biggest knack for key plays. Players are listed with their rising class year and school. Minimum 2023 receptions to qualify: 25. Ties broken by most receptions, then yards per reception.

    1. Mere Dempsey, senior ATH, Bertie — 0.353 TD/Rec
    2. Malaki Moore, senior WR, East Bladen — 0.3 TD/Rec
    3. Andrew Finnerty, senior WR, Lejeune — 0.278 TD/Rec
    4. Oak Markland, junior WR, Avery County — 0.269 TD/Rec
    5. Esias Caves, senior ATH, Corvian Community — 0.259 TD/Rec
    6. Malachi Moore, senior WR, Lejeune — 0.256 TD/Rec
    7. Trevor Highsmith, senior WR, Lejeune — 0.244 TD/Rec
    8. Jasiah Holt, junior WR, South Stanly — 0.206 TD/Rec
    9. Achilles Littlejohn, junior WR, Bessemer City — 0.200 TD/Rec
    10. Ja'Zyion Geiger, senior WR, Albemarle — 0.174 TD/Rec
    11. Reginald Thompson, junior WR, Hobbton — 0.150 TD/Rec
    12. Elijah Lineberry, senior WR, Cherokee — 0.143 TD/Rec
    13. Miller Aho, senior WR, Bishop McGuinness — 0.129 TD/Rec (70 receptions)
    14. Justice Washington, senior WR, Mountain Island Charter — 0.129 TD/Rec (62 receptions)
    15. Darion Ledbetter, senior WR, Robbinsville — 0.086 TD/Rec

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