WEST PALM BEACH – He earned it.
To become ranked as the No. 1 overall player on any kind of list, we need to see clear proof that it is justified.
Cardinal Newman senior quarterback Jyron Hughley is currently in the midst of a special surge that was last seen this past season with former Atlantic wide receiver Teddy Hoffmann, who is now a true freshman at NC State.
Just like Hoffmann, the West Virginia verbal commit began the year as a consensus Top 10 player and not seen by anyone in the media as a No. 1 contender.
And then Week 9 against West Boca Raton happened, which turned out to be the Palm Beach County Game of the Year.
Take a look at Hughley’s first signature moment of his high school football career, which for the first time placed him firmly in the conversation for No. 1.
With a dynamic athlete like Hughley – the nephew of Glades Central alum, Palm Beach County Hall of Famer, and Notre Dame associate head coach/running backs coach Ja’Juan Seider – you cannot look at statistics as a barometer of how great he is as a player.
You have to trust your eyes.
What do you see?
With Hughley, you see a true No. 1 player who has grown up right before our collective eyes.
If you thought Week 9 was a high point, Weeks 10 and 11 took us all into a deeper dimension of Hughley’s immense level of talent.
We will make Week 10 brief and go into detail about Week 11.
Here is what you need to know about Hughley’s performance in Week 10 against Bishop Verot.
PASSING
•5-for-6, 159 yards, 2 touchdowns, no interceptions; 163.2 passer rating (season best)
RUSHING
•6 carries, 103 yards, 1 touchdown; 17.2 yards per carry
TOTALS
•262 total yards, 3 total touchdowns
We have a video to show you from Hughley’s Week 10 performance.
Moving on to Week 11, we would be treated to a performance for the ages. In what was likely the best outing for a quarterback this decade in Palm Beach County, Hughley shined in the brightest of stages against Buchholz, which was rated then as the No. 6-ranked team in the state – per FHSAA.
Here are Hughley’s numbers against Buchholz:
PASSING
•8-for-11, 252 yards, 1 touchdown, no interceptions; 145.1 passer rating
RUSHING
•18 carries, 175 yards, 2 touchdowns; 9.7 yards per carry
TOTALS
•427 total yards, 3 touchdowns, no turnovers
We consider this performance legendary. And so does everyone else who saw it for themselves at Cardinal Newman.
We will show you a few clips of how Hughley – our Muckstepper of Week 11 honoree – morphed from a dynamic athlete and quarterback to a legendary one.
To end the regular season, our new No. 1 player in the Palm Beach County – who moved up from his previous overall ranking at No. 4 – complied these statistics in 10 games played:
PASSING
•77-for-117, 1,332 yards, 11 touchdowns, 5 interceptions; 117.9 passer rating
RUSHING
•81 carries, 898 yards, 9 touchdowns
TOTALS
•2,230 total yards, 20 total touchdowns
Now it is time for others to celebrate Hughley for what he has meant to Cardinal Newman and Palm Beach County as a whole.
TEAMMATES AND COACHES SHOW LOVE TO SNOWMAN
Cardinal Newman senior center Iggy Zulaica marveled about Hughley’s level of impact on everyone throughout the program.
“Snowman is one of the greatest competitors I’ve ever shared the field with,” the Florida A&M verbal commit said. “He will do anything to win. Anything in his power that he can do he will do it, and it stops at nothing for the team. He gives the greatest amount of effort for anyone I’ve ever seen with that amount of talent. He’s a great person. I’ve come to know him very well since he came to Newman his sophomore year. He’s a great guy who just loves the game more than anything else.”
Cardinal Newman senior running back Phoenix Donghia chimed in.
“Jyron is a strong and dependable leader who always keeps the team organized and motivated,” the James Madison verbal commit said. “He leads by example, stays calm under pressure and encourages everyone. As a teammate, he’s supportive, positive, and always ready to help others improve. Off the field, he’s friendly and humble, the kind of person who makes everyone feel included. His leadership and character make him someone people look up to and enjoy being around.”
Cardinal Newman junior running back and linebacker Janarro Sumpter placed a sheer emphasis on Hughley’s level of leadership.
“Snow is a team player,” Sumper said. “It’s like he runs everything. When he walks in to a lift or a practice, everything goes quiet because the QB is there. He goofs off like everybody else, but when it comes down to getting paid, everybody tunes in and listens to him.”
Sumpter did not stop there.
“It’s like he got the power of all power,” Sumpter said. “He’s just a great person who is not gonna let anyone slack off or put out poor effort. He’s hard on everyone. He gives tough love. He is our back bone. Everything goes through Snow.”
Cardinal Newman sophomore linebacker Cooper Clark noted Hughley’s love for everyone on the team.
“Snow as a leader is a guy who leads the team through all things and guides the squad,” Clark said. “Snow as a teammate is an encouraging guy who is happy for everyone’s success the same way everybody’s happy for his. And Snow as a person is a funny dude and a guy everybody loves being around. All in all, Snow is undoubtedly the best player in this county and has shown it constantly.”
Cardinal Newman junior wide receiver Will Daniels, the son of head coach and Palm Beach County legend Jack Daniels, shared his own
thoughts on Hughley.
“Snow is a great leader on and off the field,” Daniels said. “He always lifts his teammates up when they’re down. He’s always bringing the energy up in practice and games.”
Cardinal Newman assistant coach and athlete director Ryan Partridge noted Hughley’s overall character.
“Snowman is the heart and soul of our team,” Partridge said “We go as he goes. He leads with purpose, plays with passion, and cares deeply for everyone around him. He’s not just a great teammate. He’s a great young man with a huge heart. I love Snow.”
CHAMPIONSHIP MINDSET
Hughley is fully locked in right now. After leading Cardinal Newman to a 7-3 regular season and berth in the Class 1A playoffs, he wants nothing more than for his team to be No. 1 overall in Palm Beach County and to be the first football state champion in Cardinal Newman history.
In his mind, Cardinal Newman has five games to go for the state title trophy and ring. Nothing else is acceptable to him.
“We run this,” Hughley said.
PHOTO CREDITS: Theo Smail / Theo Shot It
VIDEO CREDITS: Shane Robinson / East Coast Exposure; First Man Sports / Future Draft Style
Muck City Media Enterprises 
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