Football: Five Delco players earn Mini Maxwell Awards

Five players from Delaware County high schools were selected for the Mini Maxwell Award, the Maxwell Football Club announced in a press release last week.

Justin Shepherd (Bonner & Prendergast), TJ Cadden (Episcopal Academy), Matt Mesaros (Garnet Valley), Tommy Wright (Haverford High) and Abu Kamara (Interboro) are among the award’s 55 recipients from eastern Pennsylvania.

Mini Max winners were nominated by coaches during the 2022 season and evaluated based on football performance, academics and community service.

Shepherd was the starting quarterback for an 11-2 Friars team that went undefeated in the Catholic League Blue Division and won the District 12 Class 4A title. He passed for more than 1,200 yards with 20 touchdowns. He was named All-Delco honorable mention.

Cadden was an all-purpose threat who led the Churchmen to a 9-1 record. The All-Delco and Inter-Ac League co-MVP registered 49 catches for 659 yards and six touchdowns. He scored touchdowns via reception, run, interception return, kick return and punt return. He will play football at Bucknell.

Mesaros was the starting quarterback for a 13-1 Jaguars team that won its fifth straight Central League title and second consecutive District 1 Class 6A crown. He threw for 1,289 yards and 19 touchdowns with no interceptions and rushed for 759 yards and four TDs. He was named All-Delco honorable mention.

Wright was the starting quarterback for three years at Haverford. He earned All-Delco this season after completing nearly 65 percent of his passing attempts for 1,525 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also rushed for 536 yards and seven TDs.

Kamara was the starting running back for a 10-4 Bucs team that won the District 12 Class 4A championship. He set Delaware County records for rushing yards (2,832) and total touchdowns (42) in a season. He was named the 2022 Daily Times Player of the Year.

The Maxwell Football Club will select from that group of 55 a Pennsylvania High School Player of the Year at its awards ceremony Feb. 5 at Drexelbrook Catering and Event Center in Drexel Hill.

The club also announced Mini Max Award winners from Delaware and New Jersey. Each state’s Player of the Year award winner will be a candidate for the 37th Jim Henry Award as the Outstanding Player in the region. The winner of the Jim Henry Award will also be announced at the Mini-Max Awards Feb. 5. Dan Connor of Strath Haven is the only Delco player to have won the Henry Award.