Meadow Bridge – Meadow Bridge head coach Dwayne Reichard said two years ago that if he ever had 220-pound running backs, the team would shift from the spread offense to its power-run attack. Kaiden Simms isn’t quite 220 but he’s still a dynamic runner that keyed the offensive shift.
The decision proved to be a wise one Friday as Simms posted a career night, turning 31 carries into 402 yards and six rushing touchdowns.
For his efforts Simms has been named the Week 7 Lootpress Player of the Week by the Lootpress sports writers.
The award is sponsored by Little General, The Northside Automotive Group, Dutch Miller Auto and The Law Offices of Brandon Steele.
Simms was also the winner of the fan poll and will advance to the community choice poll at the end of the season.
For Simms the explosion came in the second half.
He scored on a 45-yard rush in the first quarter but that proved to be the only score of the opening half.
He followed with scoring jaunts of 49, 76, 72,20 and 2 yards, proving his big play ability.
“I never imagined when we started Week 1, we get two big wins but I never imagined we’d have one that big,” Simms said. “But my line, we all got together, we worked together and we held it down and kept pushing. We pushed it for the win and hopefully we carry it over to this week.”
The plan going in was to run the ball against Clay-Battelle. Reichard thought the opportunity would present itself in preparation for the game but it took time and patience for the Wildcats to finally break a few runs. Once they found a groove they kept going back to the well.
“We found a hole and our line was going good,” Simms said. “We picked them up pretty good. We just kept going and coach just kept calling it so we hit her.”
Simms will be honored at the Lootpress Player of the Year banquet in Dec.
2023 Player of the Week Winners
Week 1: Trey Bowers, Independence
Week 2: Brady Green, Shady Spring
Week 3: Marquel Lowe, Princeton
Week 4: Elijah Redfern, Beckley
Week 5: Dominick Collins, Princeton
Week 6: Chaz Boggs, James Monroe
Week 7: Kaiden Simms, Meadow Bridge
2023 Community Choice Winners (Will advance to year end poll for $500 scholarship)
Week 1: Jayden Roop, Midland Trail
Week 2: Logan Carver, Montcalm
Week 3: Jaylen Younger, Montcalm
Week 4: Trey Bowers, Independence
Week 5: Cooper Ridgeway, James Monroe
Week 6: Chaz Boggs, James Monroe
Week 7: Kaiden Simms, Meadow Bridge
