By: Rich Bontrager

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

In 2015 the Frederica Knights began the season with average expectations and to many people’s surprise they had a very solid season posting a 7-3 record; making it to the first round of the playoffs.

As the 2016 season gets underway, the Knights have great expectations and are favored by many to make it to the State Championship game. Head Coach Brandon Derrick and his coaching staff are seeing their young team meet and even surpass those lofty expectations early on.

With three games completed, the Frederica Knights have only given up a total of 7 points, and produced two shut out victories to start the 2016 campaign at 3-0.

While many fans and football experts have become very aware of young Ja’Shawn Sheffield (Sophomore receiver / running back), Coach Derrick has made it clear, “The Knights are not a one-trick pony show”. Rather this young team is emerging to have many high impact players on both offense and defense. It is the depth and skill level that has made the difference so far in having a perfect record.

The Knights began the season by hosting a team that they knew virtually nothing about. Georgia Christian came to Saint Simons and suffered a 47-7 thumping. The Knights showed the fans the strength of their no-huddle offense and speed, while dominating almost all aspects of the game.

The following week, Frederica took to the road to play another new and unknown team in Atlanta (Holy Spirit Cougars).

Sophomore Gaven Williams would start the game at quarterback, but be pulled from the game early in the second quarter with a slight injury to his right leg. Jaylin Simpson would step up and lead the Knights to a 56-0 shutout. This second outing was highlighted by a half-dozen different Knights scoring in the game.

The Frederica Knights returned home for their third non-region game on 2016 and defeated Bethesda Academy 49-0.

The Knights went into the game out scoring their opponents 103 -7 and added 49 more points to show everyone just how strong this young team is already.

Coach Derrick had prepared his team for a much larger, faster, and fluid team in the Blazers. Throughout the game both teams made many adjustments, but it was once again the depth of the Knights talent pool that helped secure the shut out.

Harry Veal was a big impact player on defense including a QB sack that cost the Blazers a safety as their senior QB was spun around like a twister and then released the ball into the air and into the parking lot.

Overall Coach Brandon Derrick has been pleased with how his team has used their off season conditioning, and energy to their advantage.

Coach Derrick believes that while his, “team is young, they are growing and maturing each week as players, and young men”. One area that Coach Derrick sees as an area of concern and improvement, is in “unnecessary penalties”.

Some of the calls this season have justly called against the Knights, while others may be called out a bit of caution by the officials because of how dynamic and swift the Frederica Knights play the game.

While the season is young, fans can look to the next three games as important tests and bench marks on where the Knights are really heading in 2016.

Those games include battles with, Southwest Georgia Academy, Valwood, and Memorial Day School.