Franklin QB Caldwell is Player of Week

FIFTY-EIGHT career touchdown passes, 4,174 passing yards, a Public League record for single-season touchdown tosses and school records in almost every major passing category.

Ben Franklin High senior quarterback Kevin Caldwell has been a very busy young man.

However, the number that most aptly expresses the key to Caldwell's success is two - the number of interceptions he has thrown this season. That's the digit that motivates him.

"They bother me because the one I threw in the [first] Washington game, I'd say it was bad mechanics," Caldwell said. "I threw a bad ball right into the guy's hands, and it made him look good when it was my fault. I beat myself up every day about that."

Our first repeat Player of the Week had no such worries last weekend. Caldwell and the undefeated Electrons wrangled Washington, 36-19, and will face Simon Gratz for the AAAA Pub title.

Caldwell, a 5-9, 190-pounder, threw for 293 yards and four touchdowns on 16-for-22 passing. His 32 scoring throws this season are an all-time Pub best, beating out Tim DiGiorgio's 30 at Frankford in 2011. Caldwell is also one behind former La Salle QB Brett Gordon's city record of 33.

Caldwell also took tops in Week 3 against Northeast High with five touchdowns and 382 yards, second most in Pub history and fifth best in city history, according to TedSilary.com. Also, he needed just five games to reach 20 TDs this season, fastest in city history.

But Caldwell says it's the misfires that drive him.

"I've always wanted to be great," he said. "My dad [Kevin Sr.] always told me, 'If you do something, make sure you're great at it.' "

When asked about finding a balance between perfectionism and unhealthy self-criticism, Caldwell didn't budge.

"I don't think it's about balance because my coach tells us every day about being great," he said. "And on top of that, my offensive coordinator, Terrell Johnson, and my QB coach [Brian Bonner] are perfectionists.

"My coaches only want the best for me and they got me to where I need to be. On top of that, colleges think I can't do certain things because of my size, so my coaches said I needed to be perfect so they want have anything else to question."

Answers were aplenty last week as Caldwell launched sixes from 32, 43, 45 and 16 yards. He said the Electrons ran just six plays against Washington, varied only by how he read the field. He also expertly maneuvered inside the pocket, a sticking point with coaches when the season began.

Caldwell said that his talented wide receiving corps having another year to fully grasp the system hasn't hurt. He came to Franklin after two seasons (191 yards, four TDs) at now-closed Communications Tech.

When the season began, Caldwell sought respect, but don't be fooled now that he has it.

"Nothing's changed," he said. "It just feels good because I see the work has paid off. So, since I'm at the top, I need to stay at the top.

"Just trying to be great and go out with a bang," he added. "That's all I've wanted. My freshman and sophomore years I wasn't even thinking about stuff like this. I wanted to get to the top, but it seemed like it was never going to happen."

Prep Charter junior Karamo Dioubate had six sacks in the Huskies' 14-12 AA Pub title win over Del-Val. In defeat, Springside Chestnut Hill senior Paul Dooley launched 422 yards and five touchdowns in a 41-33 loss to Malvern Prep. Friars sophomore Zac Fernandez rushed 37 times for 189 yards and three TDs in the victory. Ss. Neumann-Goretti junior Khalil Roane rushed 31 times for 209 yards in the Saints' 32-14 upset over West Catholic. Archbishop Ryan senior Samir Bullock had 252 yards and two scores via 28 totes in the Raiders' 27-14 semifinal win over Bonner-Prendie. Franklin senior Rapheal "Macho" Rodriguez caught four balls for 107 yards and two scores and ran for another in the Electrons' win over Washington. Germantown Academy freshman Isaiah Jones rushed 20 times for 121 yards and three scores in the Patriots' 40-29 win over rival Penn Charter. In defeat, Penn Charter junior Jake McCain rushed for 177 yards and two scores on 27 carries and added 84 yards on five catches. Imhotep's DJ Moore caught four balls for 105 yards and three TDs in the Panthers' 52-6 semfinal rout of Overbrook. Archbishop Wood senior Jarrett McClenton rushed for 115 yards and four scores on only four totes (28.8 per) in the Vikings' 56-12 semifinal win over Cardinal O'Hara. La Salle junior Nick Rinella had 145 yards on eight rushes and four TDs in a 49-0 semifinal landslide against Roman Catholic.

The AA city title game between Prep Charter and Ss. Neumann-Goretti has been changed to Saturday at 1 p.m. at the South Philadelphia Supersite.

St. Joseph's Prep head coach Gabe Infante was tabbed to lead the East squad in the upcoming 2015 U.S. Army All-American game, which will be televised live on NBC Jan. 3 from the Alamodome in San Antonio.

1. St. Joseph's Prep 6-3

2. Imhotep 10-1

3. Haverford School 9-1

4. La Salle 8-2

5. Archbishop Wood 9-1

6. Ben Franklin 9-0

7. Simon Gratz 10-1

8. Prep Charter 9-0-1

9. West Catholic 7-4

10. Malvern Prep 6-4

Also considered: Archbishop Ryan, Bonner-Prendie, Del-Val, Ss. Neumann-Goretti, Springside Chestnut Hill,