Vote: Florida Panhandle high school football offensive player of the year (12/18/2024)

We have eight nominees for the Florida panhandle high school football offensive player of the year
Niceville QB Johnny Lewis Jr breaks a tackle down the sideline for a big gain during the Choctaw Niceville football game at Choctaw.
Niceville QB Johnny Lewis Jr breaks a tackle down the sideline for a big gain during the Choctaw Niceville football game at Choctaw. / Michael Snyder / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After another exciting season of football here in the Florida panhandle, it is time to see who was the best offensive football player this season in northwest Florida. These phenomenal players led their teams to great seasons, and many will look to continue their career at the collegiate ranks. With that being said, we have nominated eight players to be voted on for the offensive player of the year. We ask you, the fans, to vote on who you think had the best season on offense.

SBLive voting polls are intended to be a fun way to create fan engagement and express support for your favorite high school athletes and teams. Unless expressly noted, there are no awards for winning the voting. Our primary focus is to highlight the abilities and accomplishments of all the athletes and teams included in our poll. You can vote as often as you wish and are encouraged to share our polls with others. - SBLive Sports

Here are the nominations:

Voting will end on December 31st, 2024.

Amari Clemons, Marianna

The composite four-star running back had a monster season. The junior rushed for 1,880 yards and 34 touchdowns on 153 carries. Clemons averaged 12.3 yards per rush, and he rushed for over 100 yards in nine games. He also caught 14 passes for 247 yards and three touchdowns.

CJ Nettles, Pensacola Catholic

The senior running back had a fantastic year helping lead the Crusaders to an 8-2 record. He rushed for 1,319 yards and 20 touchdowns. He rushed the ball 162 times and averaged 8.1 yards per carry. Nettles also caught 19 passes for 178 yards and one touchdown.

Von'tavius Keller, Choctawhatchee

The sophomore exploded on the scene week 1 when he rushed for 243 yards and two touchdowns versus Gulf Shores (AL). His spectacular play did not stop there. On the season, he rushed for 1,774 yards and 21 touchdowns on 271 carries. He averaged 6.5 yards per rush, and he rushed for over 100 yards in 10 games. He also caught nine passes for 79 yards and one touchdown.

Johnny Lewis Jr, Niceville

Lewis was a part of the one-two punch Niceville had at quarterback this season. He was 26/48 for 383 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. The real threat was when he ran the ball and got out into the open field. He rushed for 1,117 yards and 13 touchdowns on 161 carries. His play running the football is one of the many reasons why Niceville was able to make a deep playoff run.

Wells Bettenhausen, Walton

The senior had one of the best seasons from the quarterback position in the panhandle this season. He was 148/224 for 2,674 yards and 29 touchdowns this season. He completed 66 percent of his passes while throwing only eight interceptions this season. He also showed some elusiveness by rushing for 186 yards and six touchdowns on 40 carries this year.

Ben Tyner, Pace

The senior quarterback completed 58 passes on 92 attempts for 1,214 yards and 16 touchdowns this season. He completed 63 percent of his passes while throwing just five interceptions. His running ability this season separated him from other quarterbacks. He rushed for 906 yards and 21 touchdowns on 164 carries. He averaged 5.5 yards per carry and rushed for over 100 yards in four different games.

Brayden Sampson, Walton

A pair of Braves' receivers made this list after outstanding seasons. Sampson caught 42 passes for 1,064 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also had big play ability by averaging 25 yards per reception. He was also valuable in the return game as he gained 274 yards and two touchdowns from kick returns.

Dominic Goodwin, Walton

Goodwin was the other piece at receiver that had great senior season as part of a prolific passing attack. He caught 30 passes for 618 yards and 10 touchdowns this season. He averaged 20.6 yards per reception, and his longest reception on the season was 77 yards.


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