The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Area trio preseason All-Ohio selections
Mentor’s Kipp, Perry’s Anderson, Euclild’s Scott make MaxPreps list
As we all wait to find out if area high school teams will compete this fall — or perhaps later — because of the novel coronavirus pandemic, Maxpreps.com has unveiled its preseason AllOhio team for the 2020 season, and three area skill players made the list.
Headliners are Mentor quarterback Ian Kipp and Perry running back Jaylen Anderson as firstteam selections. Euclid wide receiver Armond Scott is a secondteam pick.
Kipp is a 6-foot-2, 195-pound senior who’s a dangerous passer and runner. He was named Ohio’s Division I co-Offensive Player of the Year in 2019 after he threw for 2,503 yards and 26 touchdowns, and rushed for 1,035 yards and 16 scores.
Among the three players on the list, Kipp is the only one yet to commit to a college. He told The News-Herald in April five teams have offered a scholarship — Akron, Kent State, Bowling Green, Toledo and UMass.
Duke is in the mix, but has yet to offer a scholarship.
The COVID-19 pandemic has clouded the recruitment of Kipp, as scholarship offers for high schools QBs are usually much more scarce than other positions.
“I don’t have any option but (to wait),” Kipp said in April. “I can’t go look
at schools or have faceto-face meetings. It’s going to take a toll on how I make my decision.”
Anderson (5-11, 212) is also a senior and multidimensional. MaxPreps ranks him as the country’s No. 5 all-purpose back. In 2019 for the Pirates, he ran 1,086 yards and 16 TDs, and caught 51 passes for 883 and 11 TD. He was first-team AllOhio in Division IV a year ago. Anderson enters his senior season with 4,284 career yards rushing and
receiving and 65 career TDs.
He recently committed to West Virginia over Florida, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Pitt, Louisville and Georgia Tech.
“Jaylen is one of the best running backs in the country,” said Perry coach Mat Rosati. “If you take a look at the schools that recruited him, that’s an impressive list.”
Scott has ideal size for a college wide receiver at 6-3, and held notable offers from the likes of Cincinnati,
Michigan State and others, but has committed to the University of Kentucky and the Southeastern Conference.
“That’s what I dreamed of all my life, to play in the SEC,” Scott recently told The News-Herald. “Now I’m playing in it. It’s a dream come true.”
Scott is a Top 20 prospect overall in Ohio, according to Maxpreps. A season ago, Scott caught 23 passes for 580 yards and 10 touchdowns during Euclid’s 9-3 season.
Maxpreps also released its Top 100 preseason national rankings, and Mentor is ranked No. 41. The Cardinals were 13-1 a year ago, and advanced to a D-I state semifinal game, where it lost, 28-21, to eventual state champion Pickerington Central, 2821.
Other Ohio teams ranked include Pickerington Central (No. 36), St. Edward (No. 47), Cincinnati LaSalle (No. 66) and Massillon (No. 73).