Week 10 Sports601 Smith County Player of the Week

By Brad Crowe

The Raleigh Lions’ 2017 season has been a tale of two halves, to say the least.

After a 1-6 start to the year, the Lions have stormed back to a 3-1 division record and put themselves in position to possibly win their region.

Last week’s victory over St. Andrews Episcopal cemented their spot in the postseason, and Braxton Burkett’s electrifying performance earned him the honor of being Sports601’s Smith County Player of the Week.

The do-it-all junior athlete did most of his damage in the rushing game this week, accumulating 12 carries for 148 yards and three Lions touchdowns. He was also a contributor on the defensive side of the ball, recording five tackles and four assists.

Burkett’s efforts helped lead Raleigh to a hard-earned 34-32 road victory, extending their winning streak to three games.

The Lions will host Velma Jackson on Friday night in a game that will determine the No.1 seed in Region 6-3A.

As the Lions continue to surge and the stakes of each game get higher and higher, expect to see more incredible performances by some of Smith County’s most tremendous athletes, such as one Braxton Burkett.