WARRICK DUNN FINALIST: Amani Gilmore - Amite QB

BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB) - Kentucky Wildcats quarterback signee Amani Gilmore from Amite has been named a Warrick Dunn award Finalist after leading the Warriors to the LHSAA Class 2A State Championship, the school’s first title in 14 years.

Gilmore, a 6-2, 180-pound left-hander led Amite to 14 straight wins after a one-point loss in the season opener and spearheaded an offensive attack that scored 44 points a game in 2018. Gilmore accounted for more than 2,500 yards and 50 touchdowns which included 366 yards of total offense, accounting for six TDs in the Superdome to earn MVP for a 47-20 win over defending champion Welsh.

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“Right after the national anthem I always go up to him and hug him and whisper a little something to his ear and then I turn him loose on the football field,” said Amite head coach Zephaniah Powell, who had two finalists for the award in 2016, quarterback Elijah Walker and wide receiver Devonta Smith, who went on to catch the winning touchdown pass for Alabama in last year’s CFB Playoff Championship game.

“At that position you’ve got to be a leader first,” said Gilmore. “You can’t be selfish. You’ve got to be able to teach like a coach would do and know where everybody is on the field.”

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