High School Football
Knights Crusade Ends
By: Jeff Doke
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
As I sit down to write this, it has been about twelve hours since the 2016 season came to an end. Twelve hours since Deerfield-Windsor came to St Simons and left Frederica with a heartbreaking 28-14 defeat. Twelve hours since the drive for a state championship ended two weeks short of the goal. Twelve hours that I have spent wondering what I wanted to say to all of you, because I knew that this was how I wanted to handle this column.
I could have written the standard game summary article, focusing on game highlights such as Jashawn Sheffield’s 85-yard touchdown run or Tyler Pierce’s fumble recovery, but I felt that I needed to do something a bit more personal because that’s what this season needed; something personal.
I can only imagine what you are feeling. Literally so, because I never played the game. My athletic “career” consisted of one tee-ball practice; coach yelled at me and he wouldn’t let me get Gatorade when I wanted it, so my mom didn’t make me go back. I was way more brainy than I was brawny, so I was okay with that. I didn’t have the dedication that any of you have when it came to playing the game we love, so I am resigned to watch from the booth.
And watch I have. As the radio play-by-play voice of the Knights since the 2012 season, I’ve watched every moment of Frederica Knights Football over these past five years. The victories, the losses, the injuries, the highlights, the legendary comebacks, and the comebacks that fell just short. There has been glory, and there has been agony, and this season had a little bit of both.
The glory is what I want you to focus on. There is plenty of glory to focus on because this truly was an amazing season. Look at the things you accomplished; first ever school victories over Valwood and Pinewood. Back to back victories over defending state champions. A victory over the defending region champion. The 2016 Knights season was one to be proud of.
To the Frederica seniors, I know this day is toughest for you. Some of you may go on to play college ball, and some of you may never put on pads again. The thought of “what could have been” will always sting, but that will abate with time.
What you will always hold most cherished will be the sense of team spirit that you built this year. That much was evident to everyone who watched this team. You all have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of.
To the juniors, I say to grasp this moment. Use it as motivation for your 2017 campaign. Remember the feeling of being this close and use it to take it even further next year. You’ve got one more chance, so make the best of it.
To the sophomores, it’s gut check time. You are now at the midway point of your high school careers. Things look very promising, that much is evident. The talent in this class alone makes me extraordinarily confident that there will be a trophy hoisted before you trade your pads & cleats for a cap & gown. I challenge you to prove me right.
To the freshmen, please take notice of your school history. You have just started your football career, and there is still time to make an impact. For every highly-touted player like Eli Yarborough, Max Bourne, and Shaun Tatum, there have been players that seemingly came out of nowhere and stepped up. Some for years like Luckett McKeown, others for a game like Pierce Gunderson. You can make a difference in this program, and I have every faith that you will do just that.
I feel confident that I speak for your families, your coaches, your teachers, your classmates, and your community when I say hold your heads high, Knights. This season may not have ended the way you wanted it to, but you left your mark on this school, and we are all absolutely proud of you. This season will not be forgotten. The Knights teams to come will make sure of that.
Now then…is it August yet?
Here Come the Terrors
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Glynn Academy Red Terrors took the field Friday night against the Bradwell Institute Tigers with the region championship already wrapped up in a little bow.
Bradwell was able to stay in the game through the first quarter; at the end of the first it was only 7-0 Glynn.
However, the flood gates opened in the second quarter and the Terrors had given themselves a 34-0 halftime lead. When all was said and done Glynn had defeated Bradwell by a score of 41-0
Coach Rocky Hidalgo elected to sit out RB/WR Randon Jernigan due to a sore hamstring and RB Jeremiah Anderson made his return to the team from an injury that kept him out since the first week of the season.
Jernigan’s return in the first round of the playoffs is questionable.
The final region standings saw the Red Terrors finish first, The Effingham Rebels finish with the two seed, the Richmond Hill Wildcats with the three seed, the Bradwell Tigers as the fourth seed, finishing last in the region with no playoff berth are the Brunswick High Pirates.
The Red Terrors will now turn their attention to the Jonesboro Cardinals, who upset Drew on Thursday night 38-26 to secure the number four seed in their region.
Jonesboro is loaded with athletes but is not nearly as physical as the Red Terrors.
Another great thing is that with Glynn securing the number one seed means they will be guaranteed for the first two games to be at home at Glynn County Stadium. A much different dynamic than last year’s run.
This Red Terror team is a very different team than last year’s. This team can score at will and can run the ball on anyone. Glynn Academy has rushed for more yards through 10 games than all of last year through 15 games. The Red Terrors are very dynamic on offense.
In other words, this team is better; still among the state’s elite on defense and now an explosive offense.
If you are a Terrors fan look for another deep run in the playoffs and maybe a State Title when the smoke clears.
Glynn Academy Wins Region
By: Garrison Ryfun
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
This October was all about region play and the Glynn Academy Red Terrors are now 8-1 with a game left in the regular season.
This month the Terrors have took on Wayne County, Brunswick High, Richmond Hill, and Effingham. They won all those games and are now Region Champs.
The first game of the month took place on September 30th against Wayne County.
The Yellow Jackets came into this game winless and with an offense that was occasionally productive.
Deejay Dallas and Kendall Cross again put on a show in the matchup against Wayne. The squad for Jesup was never able to get in the End zone against the Terrors stout defense and Glynn won in a Shutout 34-0.
Up next was the Effingham game but due to Hurricane Matthew and the mandatory evacuation, the game was postponed until October 25th.
That start of region pay became the City Championship and it had to be moved a day because of the hurricane. So, we got to witness Saturday Night Lights in Glynn County Stadium against the Brunswick High Pirates.
Brunswick High and Glynn Academy has always been a great rivalry. This night was no different as Shawn Smith took the opening kickoff back for a touchdown.
Glynn was without their starting kicker but the depth behind him shined in a lot of places.
John Henry Butler became the PAT kicker and didn’t miss a kick. Andrew Delaney, the starting Tight End, also had a 45-yard punt that pinned BHS inside the 5.
The defense gave up a lot of points to a talented BHS squad but this high-powered Glynn Academy offense has been hard to stop. Glynn won in a close one 35-28.
Up next Glynn had to face an Undefeated Richmond Hill squad at Richmond Hill. Now I must say this game worried me a little bit. Before this game, 17 points was the most anyone had scored on Richmond hill.
Glynn ended up winning the game 57-27. The most points scored under Rocky Hidalgo and almost the first time that we have had three 100 yard rushers.
Glynn, as a team, rushed for 517 yards and passed for 166 yards. That’s 683 total yards, believed to be a school record.
The final game of the month was against Effingham. The hurricane-rescheduled football game took place on a Tuesday night.
It almost felt weird doing a game on Tuesday night at Glynn County Stadium. This Glynn team didn’t seem to mind though. The Terrors picked up where they had left off!
After a 4-day turnaround, the Terrors still looked fresh and dominated this game from the first snap. Glynn again almost had 3 100-yard rushers. We even got to see Randon Jernigan at quarterback.
The Terrors shut out another team this month with the 48-0 win over Effingham.
This Glynn Academy Red Terrors team somehow keeps improving every week and looks to be a state title contender in 6A football.
The option offense has become so deadly and consistent for Glynn Academy and the defense has played their hearts out all season long.
They have one regular season game left against Bradwell. After that game starts the playoffs and what looks to be a deep playoff run for the Terrors.
The Terrors have wrapped up their second region title in a row.
Frederica Banishes Bethlehem Christian
By: Jeff Doke
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Last year, the Frederica Knights found themselves somewhere unexpected; at home for the first round of the GISA Playoffs.
After a tough rebuilding 2014 campaign, the surprising 3-1 region/7-3 overall record in 2015 was good enough to land the Knights with home field advantage throughout the playoffs.
The run for the State Championship ended early, losing to Gatewood 14-3 in the first round.
2016, however, is a VERY different year. This year’s Knights more than made up for the previous year’s loss, opening up the playoffs with a decimating 52-14 victory over Bethlehem Christian.
Head Coach Brandon Derrick has spoken numerous times throughout the year as to when he hoped this team would hit their stride. He was worried about hitting the peak too early, that he would prefer his squad to start firing on all cylinders by week 8, fully hitting their stride for the playoff run.
And fire on all cylinders they did this week. The Knights defense opened the game with a three & out. Once the offense took the field, it looked like they were going to pick right back up where they left off two weeks prior (a 34-7 victory over Edmund Burke Academy). The drive ended, unfortunately, with an Isaiah Jackson fumble just inside the red zone.
This would be Jackson’s only “lowlight” of the game. Following the fumble, the sophomore running back put together one of the finest two quarters of high school football I have ever witnessed, scoring three times on runs of 1, 54, and 55 yards.
Twenty four minutes of play, over a hundred yards rushing, and three touchdowns. Not a bad night’s work, to put it mildly.
It wasn’t all Jackson in the first half, however. Fellow sophomores Patrick Brunson and Jaylin Simpson also found the endzone; Brunson on an iconic crossfield 65-yard punt return and Simpson on a 9-yard pass from Sophomore QB Gaven Williams.
Senior CB Chris Myrick also got in on the action, adding a 54 yard interception return for a touchdown. at halftime, the score was already 45-0, and the Knights were fairly confident of the victory.
The night wasn’t done for the offense, though. After sitting out the first two quarters, Sophomore RB Jashawn Sheffield tacked on a 50-yard touchdown run on the second play of the 2nd half. For those of you scoring at home, that’s five touchdowns of 50+ yards on the night. Electric doesn’t begin to describe this team.
“These kids are very focused, very in to what we’re trying to do,” said Coach Derrick after the game. “We’ve got a bright future.”
The future continues next week under the oaks against Deerfield-Windsor out of Albany, GA.
“They’ve got a lot of skill kids,” speculates Coach Derrick. “They’re gonna match up well with us at times, it’s going to be a pretty even game.”
Final thought; while the playoffs continue, it’s hard not to look ahead for this squad. When you realize that you’ve got five amazing sophomores in Williams, Sheffield, Simpson, Jackson, and Brunson, it’s hard not to feel a giddy sense of anticipation about the next few years.
There is a core of players on this Knights team that would make any coach jealous, regardless of if we’re talking GISA, GHSA, or otherwise. It’s difficult to look at this team and discount them simply because of the league they are in. They’re focused, they’re executing, and they are driven.
And in three more weeks, hopefully we’ll be able to add “they’re champions” to that list. The March to Mercer continues…
Pirate Ship Still Afloat
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
With so much uncertainty surrounding the Brunswick High Pirate football program this week coming off two straight region losses to inferior teams the Pirates kept their playoff hopes alive with a 24-10 win over a favored Richmond Hill.
It was senior night at the stadium and Coach Larry Harold had his team chomping at the bit to play and the Pirates played inspired football.
Terrors Eyeing Playoffs
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Glynn Academy Red Terrors took another huge step in claiming their second region title in two years; knocking off the Effingham Rebels 48-0 last night at Glynn County Stadium.
The game was a make-up due to Hurricane Matthew and is the Terror’s 2nd game in 4 days. The other being a 57-27 win over Richmond Hill on Friday.
The Terrors came out and handled business. They jumped out to an early lead and lead 21-0 at the end of the 1st quarter and 34-0 lead at the half. The Rebels ended up on a running clock in the 4th quarter and could have been on a running clock in the 3rd but Coach Buddy Holder refused the option for Effingham.
Glynn is now 8-1 on the season and 3-0 in the region.
The Terrors will now head into an off week and recoup from the craziness of Hurricane Matthew.
Glynn Academy will wrap up the regular season on the fourth of November against Bradwell Institute. There is a chance that by the time that game is played the region will already be wrapped in a nice bow for the Red Terrors.
If Bradwell Institute falls to Effingham on Friday night Glynn Academy would clinch the region title before they ever took the field against Bradwell.
If the Terrors claim the number 1 seed in region 2-6A they would take on the #4 seed from region from 4-6A. A lot is still to be determined in that region, but the Terrors would draw either Drew, Jonesboro or Mt. Zion in the first round.
Glynn is going to make another deep playoff run. This is a playoff tested team who has been through the gauntlet before and did it last year mostly on the road. This year the Terrors’ run will mostly take place at Glynn County Stadium. That will be a huge advantage.
The version of the 2016 Red Terrors is actually a little different than the 2015 version. The 2015 Terrors hung their hat on defense and that is how they won most of their games. The 2016 version is still armed with a really good defense but also has the ability to score with anyone in the state if necessary.
So, are the Glynn Academy Red Terrors good enough to get back to the State Title game in the Georgia Dome? Not only are they good enough to get back, but they should be considered the favorite to win it.
Buckle in Red Terror fans, it is going to be a fun ride.
Pirates Sinking Ship
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Disbelief. That is what I felt as I watched the time tick down to 0:00 on Monday night at Olvey Field in Hinesville.
I had just watched the Brunswick High Pirates fall to the Bradwell Institute Tigers for the first time since 2004, 21-18.
Frederica Closes Regular Season
By: Jeff Doke
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
It would be a vast understatement to say that it has been a rough couple of weeks in the Golden Isles.
Frederica Academy had two crucial weeks remaining as Matthew started bearing down on the Golden Isles, both against region opponents and both that had serious playoff implications.
Pirates Sunk By Terrors
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
On a beautiful night for football at Glynn County stadium the Brunswick High Pirates dropped a hard fought 35-28 to the arch rival Glynn Academy Red Terrors for the third consecutive year. The loss marks the first time Brunswick High has dropped three in row in the series since 1983.
Frederica Overthrows Pinewood
By: Jeff Doke
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Another First For Frederica On The March To Mercer.
There’s something amazing about watching unbridled joy erupting from a grown man. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, it’s something to behold, and it’s exactly what we saw from Head Coach Brandon Derrick.
