When teams have lined up against Princeton this season, whether it be offense or defense, the goal pre-snap has been clear – find No. 5, Dominick Collins.
An electric playmaker at receiver and cornerback, the junior has made teams pay when they fail to properly match him.
Friday was no different.
Riding a two-game losing streak, Collins did his part in helping the Tigers snap that skid with four catches for 110 yards and two touchdowns to go along with two interceptions, one returned for a third score, in a 56-7 win over Beckley.
For his efforts Collins has been named the Week 8 Lootpress Player of the Week.
The award is sponsored by Bodyworks, The Law Offices of Brandon Steele and Mid-State Ford.
A vertical threat, Collins did his damage in a variety of ways including housing a wide receiver screen for a 64-yard score to draw first blood.
“I just really knew they were going to come out and try to press,” Collins said. “We thought they were going to run a safety over top of me but I saw they didn’t have that and I just went off from there. Speed is in my favor and it helped me a lot.”
Though not a running back, Collins demonstrates elite vision with the ball in his hands. He had a special teams return touchdown nullified in the win as well but the play is one of many that showcase how capable Collins is sorting through traffic though he doesn’t take all the credit for his success.
“Really the blocking helps me a lot and once I see my cuts I just speed through the rest,” Collins said.
Just as dangerous on the other side of the ball, Collins made the most of his opportunities against a team that rarely throws. Still his familiarity helped him in snagging the two picks he had Friday.
Last season he housed an interception against the Flying Eagles in what turned out to be the decisive score in a 21-14 win. His experience and prep from that game carried over to this season.
“They really ran the same offense as last year when they came out in the spread set,” Collins said. “It was something I was familiar with from last year and the film we watched. Most of it just came back like a memory and I knew what routes they were running.”
Collins will be honored at the Lootpress Player of the Year Banquet on Dec. 10 at the Beckley-Raleigh County Convention Center.
**
Oak Hill’s Malachi Lewis won the fan vote with over 36 percent of the vote. In an effort to reward communities for their diligence in voting for their respective players, Lootpress will take the top vote getter each week that hasn’t already won the Community Choice poll and advance them to the pool of candidates for the newly created Community Choice Player of the Year. When the regular season concludes, the 11 players that led in total votes their respective weeks will be grouped into a poll where everyone can vote on one player to win the award as well as the $500 scholarship that comes with it.
2022 Player of the Week Winners
Week 1: Kaiden Vance, Westside
Week 2: Darmonte Mitchell, Beckley
Week 3: Ian Cline, Greenbrier East
Week 4: Judah Price, Independence
Week 5: Ethan Holliday, Greenbrier West
Week 6: Ty Nickell, Greenbrier West
Week 7: Duke Dodson, Summers County
Week 8: Dominick Collins, Princeton
2022 Community Choice Winners
Week 1: Cooper Ridgeway, James Monroe
Week 2: Layton Dowdy, James Monroe
Week 3: Khamrin Proffitt, Princeton
Week 4: Drake Cole, Summers County
Week 5: Jalon Bailey, Shady Spring
Week 6: Jackson Danielson, Wyoming East
Week 7: Duke Dodson, Summers County
Week 8: Malachi Lewis, Oak Hill
Email: tylerjackson@lootpress.com and follow on Twitter @tjack94
