We have reached the point in the high-school football season where it is time as the all-state football chairman to get ballots out to all the coaches and writers.

 

It’s also time to start seriously thinking about other postseason honors, including the Kennedy Award, which is given annually to the state’s top football player by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.

 

Bridgeport senior standout Cam Cole deserves to be in the discussion for the Kennedy.

 

His numbers speak for themselves. In eight games, Cole has 1,108 rushing yards on 93 attempts (an average of 11.9 per carry) and 18 touchdowns. He’s also thrown for 307 yards and three TDs.

 

Although the Kennedy is not a legacy award, Cole’s career numbers are worth noting because he continues to climb some of the school’s most impressive all-time statistical lists despite the loss of at least six games the past two years to COVID protocol. On top of that, the most rushing attempts in a game he has had the past two seasons is 25.

 

This year, he has six or fewer carries in three of eight games. In those three games (against Liberty, East Fairmont and Preston) he has a combined 15 carries for 397 yards and eight touchdowns, proving he makes the most out his touches as well as any player in recent memory.

 

Cole is currently No. 7 on Bridgeport’s all-time rushing yardage list in the modern era (since 1997) with 2,757 yards.

 

This year alone, he has passes BHS legends Jeremy Hinzman, Chris Heater, Shawn Adkins, AC Caldera, Wes Tonkery, Jeremy Gum, CR Rohrbough, Alex Sutton and Mark Gray.

 

The only players above his are Jake Bowen (4,406), Corey Wagner (3,583), Dylan Tonkery (3,401), Brett Hathaway (3,183), Anthony Bonamico (3,006) and Dante Bonamico (2,818). Although he won’t catch Bowen, it would be a shock if he doesn’t surpass 3,000 and possibly move as high as No. 3.

 

Cole is also No. 6 on the school’s all-time scoring list with 256 points and No. 8 on the all-time passing yardage list with 584.

 

There are a few things going against Cole’s Kennedy campaign though, and not one of them is of his doing.

 

Bridgeport has never had a player win this award. It’s not a lack of respect from statewide voters. I believe the primary reason is actually a good problem for a program to have. Schools like Martinsburg and Wheeling Central have the same issue — when you look at the team, it’s difficult to figure out who the actual best player on the team is.

 

As dynamic as Cole is, he isn’t the only explosive back in the Indians’ single wing. Just last Friday, Landyn Reppert ran for 260 yards and four touchdowns.

 

I think you can make a case that two-way lineman Tate Jordan is as good at what he does for the Indians as any other player on the team.

Or how about someone like Phil Reed? There isn’t another player in the state that does what he does.

 

During the three-year run of Class AA titles for the Indians from 2013 to 2016, BHS players received Kennedy votes. Anthony Bonamico even finished in the top four voting in 2013, earning a Kennedy Scholarship (given to two players annually that didn’t win the Kennedy but received votes and are off to play in college).

 

In 2016, Dante Bonamico and Dylan Tonkery both received Kennedy votes, as people throughout the state had different views on which was better.

 

Alex Sutton won the Huff Award in 2009, Garrett Stanley won the Stydahar Award (then the Hunt Award) in 2011 and every year since 2009 the Indians have had multiple first-team all-staters, so again it’s not a lack of statewide support when it comes to the Kennedy.

 

Year in, year out, it’s difficult to clearly say who the best player on the Bridgeport football team is and voters might have the same dilemma this season even if Cole does have the best Kennedy-ready resume.

 

Another factor that could hurt Cole’s Kennedy chances is that there is another candidate right here in Harrison County with Robert C. Byrd’s Jeremiah King.

 

I don’t subscribe to the notion that if an area has two candidates then the area has none, however King and Cole are likely going to take votes from each other.

 

In addition to those two standouts in our backyard, Independence running back Atticus Goodson, South Charleston quarterback Trey Dunn and Martinsburg quarterback Murphy Clement make up my personal Top 5 heading into the final week of the regular season.

 

Editor's Note: Photos of Cole by Joe LaRocca