Gillis is the WKYT Athlete of the Week after Boyle’s 10th title run

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - Jagger Gillis joined the likes of Jeff Duggins and Brandon Smith as Boyle County signal callers who won multiple state crowns for the Rebels. Like his predecessors, Gillis did it through the air and with his legs which are stronger than they look.

“I don’t let nobody take me down one on one,” said Gillis after Boyle County’s 30-13 win in the KHSAA Class 4A state title game. “It ain’t gonna happen. I don’t want to look weak. These skinny legs can do a little bit, you know?”

Gillis was awesome rushing the football 23 times for 131 yards and two touchdowns and he was kind enough to say hello to the good folks at home (as he ran by the camera) later giving credit to the big fellas up front.

“Our offensive line played them absolutely amazing so hats off to them. I don’t know how many rushing yards we had, but we had a lot.”

Two hundred eighty-five yards rushing to be exact. When Gillis wasn’t doing yard work on the Kroger Field turf, he was whistling the rock through the air. Gillis was 6-of-9 passing for 131 yards and two touchdowns. Both scoring strikes, and 116 of those yards, going to the trusted hands of Cole Lanter.

“We kinda drew it up,” said Lanter referring to his 75-yard TD catch in the first quarter. “We knew they were gonna be in man (man-to-man defense) all week so I knew I had to get the ball in space somehow and try to make a play. Jagger put the ball exactly where it needed to go. The guys blocked downfield and I just tried to outrun everybody and do the rest.”

State champion. It never gets old in Title Town especially when you can do it in back-to-back years.

“Last year I thought I was going out as a champion (after Boyle beat Franklin County in OT) then I got that Covid year, “said the game’s MVP. “You know I can say for six (#6 Cole Lanter) and all the seniors, it feels absolutely amazing you know. It’s something every kid dreams of in high school and we are so blessed that we get to feel it twice.”

Boyle County starting quarterbacks in their ten state championship wins:

1999 - Jeff Duggins
2000 - Jeff Duggins
2001 - Jeff Duggins
2002 - Brandon Smith
2003 - Brandon Smith
2009 - Boone Goldsmith
2010 - Devon Hale
2017 - Reed Lanter
2020 - Jagger Gillis
2021 - Jagger Gillis

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