Brunswick High Pirates
A Pirates’ Farewell
By: Teddy Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Former Brunswick High School standout Darius “Big Play” Slay has announced his retirement from the National Football League after 13 seasons.
Slay was a 2nd round draft pick by the Detroit Lions in 2013—the 36th player chosen overall. He played for the Lions for seven seasons before being traded to the Philadelphia Eagles, where he played for five seasons and was instrumental in the Eagles victory in Super Bowl LIX, beating the Kansas City Chiefs, 40-22.
Slay was released by Philadelphia in March of 2025 and signed a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers but was released by the Steelers after 10 games of the 2025 season. He was claimed off waivers by the Buffalo Bills, but Slay elected not to join the Bills, hinting that retirement was eminent.
In 187 career games in the NFL, “Big Play” recorded 655 tackles, 163 pass breakups, 28 interceptions, and 5 defensive touchdowns, earning him six Pro Bowl selections.
At the height of Slay’s career, quarterbacks often opted not to challenge his prowess as a cornerback, instead throwing to receivers who were covered by other defensive players.
In his senior year of high school, Slay led the Brunswick High Pirates to a region championship (6-0, region record; 9-3, overall). In addition to playing cornerback for BHS, Slay also played running back, rushing for over 1300 yards and 15 touchdowns his senior season.
Even as a sophomore, Slay was ticketed for big plays, as he ran for 1100+ yards and scored 13 touchdowns.
After a playoff loss on the road during Slay’s sophomore season, I was descending the steps from the press box when an opposing fan stopped me. Even though BHS had lost, Slay had had a big game.
“That Slay kid,” the opposing fan said, “is only a sophomore?
“Yes, sir,” I confirmed, “only a sophomore.”
The opposing fan shook his head as he commented, “I hope we don’t play y’all the next two years!”
Slay was on pace his junior year for another 1000 yards rushing, but, unfortunately, his season was cut short after five games due to an injury.
Slay was also a multi-sport athlete at BHS, running track and lettering in basketball.
Following his stellar senior year in high school, Slay played two seasons as a defensive back at Itawamba Community College in Fulton, Mississippi, earning All-MACJC (Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges) honors both years.
After Itawamba, Slay went to Mississippi State for his final two years of college, where he recorded 64 tackles, six interceptions and two touchdowns. His defensive coordinator, Geoff Colllins, nicknamed him “Big Play Slay.” Slay was also chosen 2nd– team All-SEC following his senior season at MSU.
Slay has been married to the former Jennifer Williams since 2018. Jennifer is also an athlete, having played collegiate basketball at Southwestern Oklahoma State.
Slay announced his retirement on Instagram, saying, “Dear football, I wanna thank you for all you’ve done for me. I’ve been blessed to play the game I love since I was 5 yrs old. Football was my peace, my joy, everything.”
“It’s hard to say goodbye, but God has a new chapter for me and I’m ready to turn the page and start my new journey.
“To all my BigPlay fans, I will always appreciate the love and support y’all have given me. I couldn’t have done it without you.”
Slay signed off by saying, “Just a kid from Brunswick, GA with BIG dreams.”
Thanks for all the memories, Big Play!
New Captain Talks Pirate Football
By: Teddy Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Glynn County Board of Education has hired Dr. Byron Slack to lead the Brunswick High School football program.
Dr. Slack succeeds Garrett Grady, who resigned as BHS head coach in December, after four years at the helm.
Dr. Slack recently sat down with me for an exclusive interview for the Southern Sports Edition.
“This is a program where there are already good players,” he said when asked what attracted him to Brunswick High.
“Not too many positions with a 9-3 record come open. I watched film on these guys and knew I would like to coach them.”
Slack comes to BHS after four years as head coach at Cook County, where he led the Hornets to four straight playoff appearances, including a semi-final appearance 2023.
The semis certainly sound good to Pirate Nation. Brunswick High has not made it past the second round of the playoffs since 1999 when Head Coach John Willis marched his Pirates—unbeaten—to the state championship game, only to lose to the Lowndes Vikings, 18-0.
Coach Slack compiled a 28-21 record at Cook County, and is 32-25 overall as a head coach.
Slack is originally from Anchorage, Alaska, but moved to Georgia going into high school. He is one of eight children, including a twin brother.
He and his wife Frances have one son, Zion, a senior at Middle Georgia.
Slack graduated from the University of West Georgia, where he played football and was a first-team All-American. He earned his Doctorate from Nova Southeastern University.
Slack has some 25 years of experience coaching at the high school level, starting as assistant coach at Dunwoody High School in 1996.
He also has experience in the college ranks, coaching two years at Minnesota State University, and three years at his alma mater, West Georgia.
In 2005, Slack accepted a coaching position at Camden County under Jeff Herron. He spent 13 years at Camden, first as the offensive line coach, then the defensive line coach, and ultimately, as defensive coordinator. He was on the staff of the Wildcats state championship teams of 2008 and 2009.
Slack also spent three years at Lowndes as Defensive Coordinator, which included a trip to the 7-A semi-finals in 2018, and a trip to the finals in 2019.
In 2020 (the Covid year), Slack accepted his first head coaching job, at Hillgrove where the Hawks finished with four wins and five losses.
In 2021, he became the Assistant Head Coach at Colquitt.
In 2022, Cook County tabbed him as its Head Coach.
When asked about his coaching staff, Slack said he hasn’t finalized it yet. “I have three or four guys I’m going to bring in,” he said. “The bulk of the staff will remain intact, but I may move some guys around.
“Coach Belker will return as offensive coordinator.” Belker, of course, has been instrumental in the Pirates putting up big numbers on offense.
“We will continue to run the spread,” Slack acknowledged. “We’ll run power and counter and take advantage of our two, one-thousand-yard rushers.”
“On defense,” Slack said, “we’ll be a 3-4 team, but we’ll be moving and slanting and bringing pressure from different spots.”
The Pirates have had trouble stopping the run between the tackles from time to time, but with Slack’s experience as a defensive coordinator, that may be a thing of the past.
When I asked Slack about the brawl with Gainesville, he didn’t shirk away from the question. “I’ve addressed it with the players,” he said, “and we’re going to own it. We’re going to own it, learn from it, and move on.”
“Everybody’s going to be watching this program,” he continued. “What a great opportunity it is to show that it was an isolated incident, and that’s not who we are. We’re going to prove to everybody we will win football games the right way.”
I believe the Pirates have the right man for the job.
Wayne County Yellow Jackets Hire New King Bee
By: Colin Lacy
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Wayne County has found a new leader in Jesup. The Wayne County Board of Education unanimously approved Superintendent Toni Williams’ nomination of Scott Roberts as the new head football coach for the Yellow Jackets.
Roberts comes to Jesup after a 1-9 season that saw the departure of former head coach John Mohring after a 0-5 start.
Athletic Director and Head Baseball Coach Justin McDonald took over as interim head coach. In his first game as interim head coach, McDonald led the Yellow Jackets to their first win since 2023 on the field.
John Mohring, who just accepted the defensive coordinator position at Parkview High School earlier this week, technically resigned mid-September after a 0-5 start.
In the 15 games under Mohring between 2024 and the beginning of 2025, Wayne County was winless on the field.
One caveat to that was the 2024 matchup with Appling County. Appling defeated Wayne on the field, but Appling County was forced to vacate wins for the 2024 season due to GHSA violations in regard to recruiting and an ineligible transfer player.
Scott Roberts comes to Jesup after 11 seasons in two stints (including the last 9 years) leading the Swainsboro Tigers program.
Roberts amassed an overall record of 92-43 in his 11 seasons in Swainsboro including a 75-36 record since taking over the Tigers most recently in 2017.
Roberts had made the Tigers and the GHSA State playoffs synonymous with a playoff appearance in every season since he took over Swainsboro in 2017.
The playoff streak includes 3 region titles along with 2 state championship game appearances in back-to-back years of 2022 and 2023 as well as a semi-final game showing in 2021.
Prior to taking over for the Tigers, Roberts spent the 2013-2016 seasons at Bainbridge High School as the offensive coordinator for the Bearcats.
While in Southwest Georgia, Roberts helped the Bearcats to three consecutive playoff appearances including a semifinal match-up in 2015.
He has spent virtually his entire coaching career in South Georgia with stops on staff at Fitzgerald, Cairo, Colquitt, Tift County and Washington County.
After many years of success for Wayne County that came to a rather abrupt end when Jaybo Shaw left after the 2023 season, Justin McDonald did an admiral job getting the first win in almost 2 years, as well as trying to keep the team together and reset the program for the future.
There is plenty of optimism on the field entering the “Roberts Era” and feels like a critical time for the Yellow Jacket program.
While there are many more wins expected, the crucial part of this hire seems to be off the field with the relationships around the program.
Wayne County is an exceptionally invested community that rallies around the Yellow Jackets, and while there were some questions around that piece of the equation with Roberts in Swainsboro, it will be arguably the most important piece to embrace the community to be able to find success again in Jesup.
Wayne County is a program that has the support to be successful on the field, and quite frankly, the Yellow Jackets are a program that makes the South Georgia area better when they are at their best.
Scott Roberts has won everywhere he’s been and looks to continue that in Jesup!
New Captain For Brunswick Pirates
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Brunswick High Pirates have reportedly found a new Head Football Coach.
The Pirates have reportedly hired former Cook County Head Football Coach Byron Slack.
Slack led the Hornets to a 5-6 record last season and playoff appearance. Cook County went down in the first round of the 2A GHSA playoffs to North Murray 22-14 last season.
Slack went 4-7 with Cook in 2024, bowing out in the first round Burke County in the first round of the playoffs 27-21.
However, Cook made a deep playoff run and lost to Rockmart 34-24. The Hornets went 11-4 in the 2023 campaign.
In fairness to Slack, his football teams have been devasted by injuries the last two seasons.
Slack will be charged with taking over a Brunswick High Pirates program that made national news in the 2025 playoffs due to a sideline clearing brawl during the second round of the GHSA playoffs against the Gainesville Red Elephants.
He will also step into a program that has enjoyed a lot of success over the last decade under former coaches Sean Pender and Garrett Grady.
One of the things Slack will be tasked with as the new Pirates Head Coach is getting the Pirates out of the 2nd round of the playoffs and potentially make some deeper playoff runs.
The Pirates have not advanced out of the second round in the GHSA playoffs since 1999 when the Pirates lost in the state title game to the Lowndes County Vikings.
The Pirates former coach, Garrett Grady, resigned before the Christmas break and took a job on staff with the Coffee County Trojans.
Slack was 28-21 over his four seasons with Cook High School.
Slack has spent time on coaching staffs at Colquitt, Lowndes and Camden. He also spent one season as the head coach at Hillgrove High School before coming to Cook. Slack spent 13 seasons as an assistant on the Camden County Wildcats staff.
The Glynn County School Board will officially vote on a hire on Thursday evening according to Glynn County Athletic Director, Steve Waters.
Garrett Grady Leaving The Ship
By: Teddy Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Brunswick High School Head Football Coach Garrett Grady recently announced his resignation from that position, after four years at the Pirate helm.
“After much thought and reflection,” he said in a press release, “I am announcing my resignation as head football coach at Brunswick High School.”
Grady also thanked his wife for “sharing the journey every step of the way;” his players for their “hard work and pride they brought to the field every day;” and Pirate Nation “for all its’ support.”
Grady came to BHS in 2017 as offensive coordinator under Head Coach Sean Pender. When Pender departed following the 2021 season, Grady was elevated to Head Coach.
“From serving as offensive coordinator . . . to leading this program as head coach,” the press release continued, “. . . we have built something to be proud of and created opportunities for many of our student-athletes to continue their football careers at the next level.”
Indeed, during the nine years that Grady served as OC and then Head Coach, 65 Brunswick High Pirates have gone on to play college football.
Grady took Pirate Pride in helping to shape his student-athletes “into strong, resilient, and dedicated young adults.”
During his four seasons as Head Pirate, Grady compiled a won-loss record of 36-10, including three region titles (2022; 2024; 2025) and three City Championships over Glynn Academy. Grady was also selected Region Coach of the Year three times, including the recently completed 2025 campaign.
Grady’s winning percentage of.782 is the highest in school history.
BHS also made the playoffs four consecutive times under Grady, including three second-round appearances.
Grady’s 2025 squad set a school record for scoring, averaging 43.7 points per game.
Glynn County Schools Assistant Superintendent Steve Waters had high praise for the departing Grady.
“Our football program is undeniably better because of Garrett Grady,” Waters said. “I want to personally thank him and his wife Erica. You will not find two better people, and we wish them all the best as they transition into the next chapter of their lives.”
Waters lauded Grady as a coach, teacher, mentor, role model, and leader in the community.
Waters also announced the search for Grady’s successor will begin immediately, but a comprehensive search will be conducted to make sure the “tradition of excellence” continues for the Pirate Program.
“Serving as the Head Football Coach at Brunswick High School has truly been one of the greatest honors of my life,” Grady’s press release concluded. “Brunswick High School and Pirate Nation will forever hold a special place in my heart.”
Brunswick’s Season Ends
By: Teddy Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Unfortunately, when you start talking about the 2025 Brunswick High football season, you have to talk about the last game of the season.
With 1:57 left in the third quarter, and the Pirates trailing Gainesville 42-0, the biggest fight I’ve ever seen in high school football broke out.
Players from both sidelines ran onto the field at Glynn County Stadium. Players shoved players from the other team, helmets were ripped off, and punches were thrown before officials, coaches and police were able to restore order.
To their credit, not all players participated in the melee.
When a shaky calm returned to the field, the officials conferenced for several minutes before calling the game—and rightfully so. The 42-0 score with 1:57 left in the third period became the final score.
This article is not the place to assess blame—the Georgia High School Association is, of course, dealing with that, and I suspect the consequences will be severe for both schools—and rightfully so.
Unfortunately, the fight distracts from the stellar season that Brunswick High had.
Head Coach Garrett Grady’s Pirates went 9-3 for the season, winning the Region 1-5A championship; the City Championship (beating Glynn Academy); and a first-round playoff game (beating Winder-Barrow 78-30) before losing the second-round game to the Gainesville Red Elephants.
(All of the following stats are unofficial.)
Senior quarterback Grant Moore claimed every passing record in BHS history except for total yards in a season. He needed 99 yards going into the Gainesville game to claim that record but couldn’t quite get there against the rugged Red Elephants defense.
The records for career touchdown passes, career passing yards, and single-game passing yards do, however, now belong to Grant Moore.
Moore also had over 300 yards rushing for the season.
Senior tight end Heze Kent also had an outstanding year, catching 40 passes for nearly 700 yards and 10 touchdowns. Kent has committed to take his talents to a different Gainesville city—the Florida Gators.
Brunswick High’s running backs duo of Josiah Gibbons and Nigel Gardner, both juniors, also had very good seasons. Gibbons ran for over 1300 yards and 12 touchdowns, while Gardner rushed for over 1200 yards as he scored 17 TDs.
Waseem Murray, a junior, had well over 700 all-purpose yards and scored five touchdowns.
Dontre’ Butler, only a sophomore, had over 500 all-purpose yards as he scored six touchdowns.
Defensively, BHS was paced by Braylen Johnson, Adrian Volland and Zi’yan Rankin. Johnson and Volland were the leading tacklers, while Rankin led the Pirates in interceptions with five.
Rankin and Johnson are juniors, while Volland is a senior.
Senior Aviyon Addison also contributed heavily to the defensive success of the Pirates,.
Senior kicker Landon Ethridge capped off a very good career at BHS, even though he missed some time with a leg injury.
And, thus, the 2025 football season for the Brunswick High Pirates is at an end.
With a lot of talented underclassmen returning next year, BHS figures to be very good again.
The consequences for the fight BHS were severe. The GHSA find Brunswick High $5,000, suspended 41 players from their next GHSA sanctioned event and banned the Pirates football team from the 2026 playoffs.
Piracy
By: Teddy Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Brunswick High Pirates sailed into the 2nd round of the Georgia High School Association playoffs with a 78-30 thumping of the Winder-Barrow Bulldoggs. (You read it correctly, 78-30, and it wasn’t a basketball game.)
The 78 points is a single-game record at BHS. The previous high was 70 points in 1998 and again in1999, against Windsor Forest and Liberty County, respectively.
As region champions from 1-5A, Head Coach Garrett Grady’s Pirates earned a #1 seed and hosted the #4 seed—Winder-Barrow—from Region 8-5A.
Taking advantage of failed onside kicks by the Bulldoggs, the Pirates used the short field to score on their first four possessions, building a 30-15 advantage after one period.
Winder-Barrow pulled within eight points at 38-30 midway through quarter two, but didn’t score again, as the Pirates posted 40 unanswered points.
Brunswick High led 54-30 at the half and 70-30 after three quarters, sending the game to a running clock for the fourth quarter.
A Pirate TD with 2:40 to go in the game put the final 78-30 tally on the scoreboard.
Senior quarterback Grant Moore entered the game needing 443 yards passing and 3 touchdown tosses to surpass 2017 BHS quarterback Jamarius Stevens in those categories for best all-time.
Already holding the Pirate records for career passing yards and career touchdown passes, Grant Moore rose to the task against Winder-Barrow. He completed 12 of 14 passes, shredding the Bulldogg defense for 344 yards passing and 5 touchdowns, with no interceptions.
He now needs 99 yards passing to complete a sweep of individual passing records for quarterbacks at Brunswick High, and he will get that opportunity Friday night when BHS hosts the Gainesville Red Elephants at Glynn County Stadium in a second-round matchup.
With 78 points showing on the scoreboard against Winder-Barrow, you would expect that many Pirates had big nights, and they did.
Dontre Butler, Nigel Gardner, Josiah Gibbons, Heze Kent, and Waseem Murray all scored touchdowns for the Pirates.
Kent and Gibbons each scored three TDs, while Gardner had two.
Brunswick High also converted 9 of 10 two-point conversions following touchdowns.
Defensively, Zi’yan Rankin had two official interceptions, but he also had a pick-six nullified by a penalty.
Samir Dobbins also had an interception.
The Pirate defense was tasked with limiting the success of Winder-Barrow running back Demetrius Dowdy. Dowdy was the leading rusher in all of 5-A, averaging 185 yards per game, while scoring 20 touchdowns.
He ran for 98 yards against the Pirates in the first half, but the Pirate D held Dowdy to only 14 yards rushing in the second half, for 112 on the night.
The Pirates defeated South Effingham in the regular-season finale on October 31. That victory, coupled with Effingham’s upset of Statesboro the same night, put Brunswick High at the top of the region standings.
The Pirates will undoubtedly find a much tougher opponent in Gainesville this Friday night at Glynn County Stadium.
The Red Elephants will come in with a 9-2 record. They are the #2 seed from Region 7, and defeated Dunwoody 48-3, the #3 seed from Region 4, in the first round.
Unbelievable
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The City Championship Game between the Brunswick High Pirates and Glynn Academy Red Terrors makes for great Friday Night Football most years.
The 2025 edition was more than a great game; it may go down as the greatest City Championship game ever and with that launched Brunswick QB Grant Moore into legend Stratosphere.
Going into the game the Brunswick High Pirates were huge favorites. The Pirates came in with a 4-1 record and were undefeated in Region 1-5A.
Meanwhile, the Glynn Academy Red Terrors came in 3-2 and already lost a region game in an upset to Bradwell Institute.
The game was back and forth in the 1st half and the Red Terrors took a 14-13 lead into the locker room at the half.
The 3rd quarter and early 4th quarter belonged to the Red Terrors as they extended their lead to 37-21 with about 7 minutes left in the football game.
Red Terrors Coach Rocky Hidalgo had pressed all the right buttons, 2-pont conversions, trick plays, a fake punt and more importantly had limited the Pirates’ offense playing a ball control type of game.
Glynn was driving late in the 4th and had the ball inside the Brunswick 20-yard line and were about to score the back breaking touchdown that would have created chaos in the region and given the Terrors an inside track to a region title.
Then things got crazy. Glynn fumbled the ball when they were about to score the knockout blow and the Grant Moore Show took centerstage at Glynn County Stadium.
Moore marched the Pirates down the field making big throw after big throw. The Pirates scored again on a TD pass from Moore and cut the lead to 37-34.
The Pirates attempted an onside kick and recovered with just under 2 minutes to play. Once again Moore made clutch pass after clutch pass before Nigel Gardener scampered into the end zone with 31 seconds to play giving the Pirates a miracle 41-37 lead.
Moore finished the football game 14/18 passing for 336 yards and 4 TDs.
The Pirates would intercept a desperation throw from Glynn QB Max Noonan to seal an improbable come from behind 41-37 win to remain unbeaten in the region and more importantly win their second consecutive City Championship.
Both Rocky Hidalgo and BHS coach Garrett Grady coached their tails off in this game and proved once again they are elite coaches in the state of Georgia.
If Grant Moore does not receive more Division 1 offers after his performance against Glynn I am not sure what scouts are looking for.
Pirate To Gator
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Florida has landed a commitment from four-star tight end Heze Kent.
Kent is a 6-foot-6, 310-pound tight end from Brunswick High School in Brunswick, Georgia.
He chose the Gators over Florida State Miami and Texas, and ranks as the No. 11 athlete in the country, the No. 18 recruit in Georgia and the No. 167 overall recruit in the 2026 class.
What Kent looked for most in a school throughout his recruitment is a place where he can feel comfortable, but he also wanted a place where he’s seen as a true, pass-catching tight end at the next level.
Because of his size at 310 pounds, not all schools that recruited him looked for him to line up at tight end.
Kent’s top four schools in Florida, Florida State, Miami and Texas all saw him as a tight end, which brought each school into his final cut.
What helped separate Florida, however, was Kent’s relationship with offensive coordinator and tight ends’ coach, Russ Callaway.
“That’s like a father or a brother to me,” Kent said. “My coach had told me how he was as a person, like the same person he is on the field is the same person he is off.”
Kent was able to have some familiarity with Callaway before Florida began recruiting him heavily. Callaway played football at Valdosta State with Kent’s high school coach, so that gave Kent a unique perspective on what to expect from Callaway.
The relationship grew on its own, however, and that combined with how Florida sees him in the offense gave Kent a lot to like about the Gators.
Kent kept his recruitment relatively private and even keeled, especially down the stretch. Florida State made a push close to his decision, especially after his official visit with the Seminoles.
“Everything has been good over there,” Kent said ahead of his decision. “I talk to Coach [Chris] Thomsen and Coach [Mike] Norvell.”
What helped give Florida the nod, however, was the fact that the staff not only treated him as a priority, but as a priority tight end throughout much of his recruitment
“They say no other tight end that they’re recruiting has the same skillset as me,” Kent said.
Here is what National High School Scouting Analyst Hudson Standish had to say in late June on Kent’s game.
“One of the more unique evaluations in the 2026 cycle. Jumbo athlete hovering around 6-foot-6, 310 pounds who primarily plays tight end at the prep level but likely projects to offensive tackle or defensive tackle on Saturdays. Shows significant developmental blocking upside when asked to stay attached, possesses nimble movement skills and redirection ability that directly translate from his work as a forward on the basketball court. Uncommon movement skills from a player of his size in the open field and will make acrobatic ladder-climbing snags in the red zone. Dominates South Georgia 5A competition in a variety of ways and has even found success as a ball carrier. Could start his career as a specialty tight end in 12/13 personnel groupings before transitioning to a long-term positional home. Sheer size and athleticism point to obvious long-term NFL upside, especially if he embraces a role along the offensive or defensive line at the next level.”
The Gators landed a unique unicorn with size and athleticism. Kent adds to an impressive group Coach Napier is bringing in for 2026.
Deadly Pirates
By: Cameron Miller
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The high school football season is almost here and the buzz around the Brunswick High Pirates is louder than ever.
The Pirates are coming off a stellar 2024 campaign where they finished 10-2 and had a perfect 8-0 region record, which put them at the top of the region.
The Pirates, led by the reigning Region 1-AAAAA Coach of the Year Garrett Grady, are reloaded with talent and poised for another deep run this fall.
With one of the most explosive offenses in the state last season, averaging 36 points per game, Brunswick returns its core stars, including standout quarterback Grant Moore.
As a junior, Moore dazzled defenses with 2,525 passing yards and 22 touchdowns, adding another 283 yards and 3 scores on the ground.
Now entering his senior season, he’s more experienced, more confident, and surrounded by elite playmakers.
The most dangerous weapon in Moore’s arsenal is none other than Heze Kent. Kent is a 6’5″, 265-pound tight end/wide receiver hybrid who recently committed to the University of Florida.
He is a nightmare matchup for any defense and brings elite athleticism to the field. Last season, he averaged 82 receiving yards per game and scored 16 touchdowns, dominating in the red zone and stretching the field.
As a four-star recruit, Kent enters the 2025 season with high expectations and the tools to exceed them.
But Kent isn’t the only target Moore has. Waseem Murray, a crisp route-runner with speed and hands, averaged 64 receiving yards per game with 6 touchdowns last year.
Many around the program expect Murray to have a breakout season now that defenses will be focused on stopping Kent. With Kent drawing double teams, Murray could be the X-factor in many games this fall.
In the backfield, the Pirates boast a potent 1-2 punch. Nigel Gardner, who averaged 83 yards per game and tallying 8 touchdowns.
His vision and power between the tackles make him the workhorse. Meanwhile, Josiah Gibbons added 48 yards per game and also found the end zone 8 times, giving Brunswick another dependable option on the ground.
On the defensive side, Aviyon Addison is the name to watch. The senior cornerback had 43 tackles and 4 interceptions last season and is the leader of a secondary that looks to be one of the best in the region. His lockdown ability will be vital during Brunswick’s tough stretch of region games in September and October.
The Pirates kick things off with a home scrimmage against Ware County on August 8th, a great early test against one of the most physical teams in the state.
Then the season officially begins on August 15th with a big road game against Camden County in Kingsland, a battle that could set the tone for the season.
After that, the Pirates host Wayne County (August 22) and Effingham County (September 5), with a bye on August 29 and a road trip to Evans (September 12) in between.
The midseason slate also includes a rivalry showdown at Glynn Academy (Sept. 26) and crucial region matchups with Bradwell (October 3), Statesboro (October 10), and Lakeside (October 17).
After another bye week on October 24, Brunswick will close the regular season at home against South Effingham (October 31), a game that could have serious playoff implications.
With a proven coach, a dynamic quarterback, elite skill position players, and a defense ready to take the next step, the Brunswick Pirates are poised to make a serious run in 2025. Expectations are sky-high and rightly so.
If this team stays healthy and plays to its potential, don’t be surprised to see them make noise deep into November. The Pirates aren’t just playing for wins this year. They’re chasing championships.
