2027: Lynch and Smith Lead Team Red Over Team White

Duluth, GA— Spartanburg, South Carolina’s 2027 running back Trenton Lynch ran for two touchdowns and Miami Gardens, Florida native, Angelo Smith of Chaminade Madonna High School added a pick-six touchdown and a late pass deflection to give Team Red a narrow victory in the 9th Annual National High School Showcase Sophomore game. The final score was 22-18.

Team White, led by defensive MVP, Ayden Montgomery and running back Kareem Shaw, teammates at Gaffney High in Easley, South Carolina, came within a late touchdown of winning the game.

With under a minute left on second and goal, Team White quarterback Julian Ayala, escaped the pocket looking for wideout James Klaiss who was open in the endzone, but the pass was batted down by McEachern High School’s Freedom Jones an athlete that made plays at four different positions during the game.

One third down, Ayala tried to find Gerald Hunter of Atlanta’s Mays High School but the pass was broken up by Angelo Smith. On the final play of the game, 4th and goal, Ayala was sacked by Miami Edison’s Edge Rusher Derrick Miller as the clock expired.  Miller took home lineman MVP honors on the afternoon.

Game standouts include the following:

–Freedom Jones (QB) the McEachern High School athlete played amazingly all game. Before he entered the game at QB in the fourth quarter, Jones did a ton of damage at EDGE with sacks and batted down passes. He was violent defender.  His 65- yard rushing TD at QB was called back due to a holding call behind the play and he also caught a pass at wide receiver. Overall, he has one of the most impressive games in Football Hotbed All-star history after film review. 

–Trenton Lynch (RB) is perhaps the biggest prospect coming out of this game. He was offered by Georgia State University on our Sunday college visit to their campus and has great sophomore film. Linked here. Overall, he was impressive all game as he was a load to bring down and displayed home run hitting speed. 

-Brookwood High School’s Kaiden McKenzie (OL/DL) had the most impressive game overall as a lineman on both sides of the ball. 

–Angelo Smith (DB) of South Florida powerhouse Chaminade Madonna had a very complete game. He had two catches on offense, three PBUs on defense and a interception for a touchdown. 

–Ayden Montgomery (WR) made an in-game switch to H-back and punished the Team Red defense in the air and added a TD reception.

–Kareem Shaw (RB) ran the ball well and caught a touchdown pass. He played excellent on defense also. Helped Team White amass five turnovers, helping to keep the game close.

–Keyon’Dre Wright (DB) had his second consecutive Football Hotbed Showcase game with an INT.  He secured one of Team White’s five turnovers this year and last year he caught a pick in the Freshman All-American Game.

–Ethan Albertson (LB) the suburban Chicago defender had a sack-fumble than he eventually ran down the field 10 yards to recover for a Team White touchdown. 

–Gerald Hunter (DB) added an interception for Team White.

–Immanuel Simmons (DB) added an interception for Team Red along with two PBUs.