In partnership with the Newsplex, we’re bringing you the second annual edition of the Scrimmage Play Six, a series that highlights six of the area’s top prep quarterbacks. We continue with Western Albemarle quarterback Kent Henry.
For the Newsplex’s segment on Kent Henry, click here.
It’s such an incredible challenge, no matter what the program and no matter what school to find a three-year varsity starter at quarterback.
It’s among the rarest commodities in sports. Last season, in a year flush with great locally quarterbacks, there were just two seniors who’d been the starters for three years. Jhalil Mosley and Christian Hackenberg. The position demands so much — both physical and mental maturity — that it’s a lot to ask any sophomore to step in.
This year, there’s just one local quarterback who is entering his third season as the varsity starter — Western Albemarle’s Kent Henry. He proved he was up for the task as a sophomore and Western is reaping the rewards of taking a chance on the promising young signal-caller.
See, things went pretty well for Henry as a sophomore as he led the Warriors into the playoffs and nearly upset Monticello in a 42-40 barnburner. But as a junior? He absolutely exploded.
The Warriors’ dual threat quarterback put together one of the finest seasons in state history — seventh best ever — and led Western Albemarle to a final Jefferson District title under the old district alignment. He piled up 4,223 yards while leading the area in passing (2,832 yards) and finishing fourth in rushing with another 1,391 yards.
Those numbers led to a pile of wins too, as Western posted a 10-2 record while averaging more than 35 points per game.
Henry spent the offseason locked in on football for the first time in his career, bypassing lacrosse, where he excelled as a longstick midfielder on faceoffs.He’s made the full tour of camps, junior days and the recruiting circuit, and while has hasn’t settled on a college home yet, he’s certainly opened the eyes of a slew of recruiters.
All that has the potential to make him an even more potent threat this year, and he returns one of his favorite targets from a year ago, fellow senior Nic Drapanas. With Steven Hearn also in the mix, the Warriors’ dynamic offense could find a rhythm early. If they do, Henry could be the catalyst for bigger and better things in 2013, even if topping 2012 is no easy task.
