Jason Bishop
SSE Minute February 17
The Game February 11
SSE Minute February 10
Glynn Academy Sends 16 To Next Level
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
National Signing Day has come and gone and the Glynn Academy Red Terrors had 16 kids sign to play at the next level…yes, 16.
Rocky Hidalgo has built a juggernaut in the short three years he has been at Glynn. When you have 16 kids sign to play college football there is no denying.
DeeJay Dallas-Dallas was a Georgia commit until the firing of Mark Richt. Kirby Smart and his coaching staff had other priorities than Dallas, thus driving the Glynn QB to follow Mark Richt to Miami. Georgia will regret not getting this ‘do-everything’ gifted athlete. Dallas has already enrolled at Mia
Zalon’tae Hillery-Hillery ended up being one of the most sought after offensive lineman in the country. Hillery was thought to be going to Miami all along, until some last-minute indecision. Hillery was strongly considering Kentucky until a phone conversation with Mark Richt eased his indecision and Hillery was back in the Canes fold.
Preston Joseph-Joseph was a Stallworth on the Glynn defense and despite being slightly undersized the Red Terror standout played his way to a Georgia Military College.
Devon Peacock-As the season went on for Glynn, Peacock got better and better. So much so that Georgia State decided to offer him a preferred walk on spot. With Peacock’s abilities he will garner a scholarship in Atlanta sooner rather than later.
Xavier McClinton-The one Terror that did not commit on signing day was Xavier McClinton. McClinton got offers from Georgia Tech, Stetson and FAMU.
Quintavius Walker-Good offensive linemen are hard to find. Walker did a great job run blocking all year and protecting DeeJay Dallas at QB. Eastern Arizona took notice and got Walker to commit. This is a steal for Eastern Arizona.
Quandry Mosely-Speaking of steals for Eastern Arizona, here is another. Quandry Mosely is a ball hawking safety that can also play receiver. Mosely is 6’2 and 170 pounds and I think will become one of the better safeties to ever play at Eastern Arizona.
Amari Cross-It is a long-standing tradition at Glynn Academy; if your last name is Cross you are going to play football at Glynn. Amari Cross was no exception and was a pillar for the Terror running attack this season on the offensive line. Kennesaw State took notice and offered Amari Cross a preferred walk on spot. With Cross’s size and footwork he will have every opportunity to garner a scholarship for the Owls.
Devin Roberson-Roberson was one of the better pass rushers in the region. Ridgewater College got a huge commitment from Roberson, who has a motor that doesn’t stop.
Travis Harris-Harris came on strong as the season progressed and showed his abilities in the secondary. He committed to Ridgewater College.
Shakour Thomas-Thomas was one of DeeJay Dallas’s favorite targets at receiver and showed a lot of big play potential. He is one of seven Terrors to commit to Ridgewater College.
Vance Rowe-Rowe was a vastly underrated player for the Terrors. Ridgewater College will certainly look to develop Rowe in the secondary.
Tre Sailem-Sailem was one of the better corners for the Terrors. He has everything you could want in a DB. Another Ridgewater College steal.
Trashawn Bacon-Ridgewater College gets an underrated OL in Trashawn Bacon. Bacon did an amazing job for the Terrors all year.
Jeremiah Anderson-Anderson came back from a serious knee injury this season and was a key contributor running the ball for Glynn. He may be the most talented player that Ridgewater College signed.
The Game Feb 4
SSE Minute Feb 3
Brunswick High Pirates Hire New Coach
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Three years ago the Glynn County administration made the decision they wanted both Glynn Academy and Brunswick High to contend every year for state titles. Glynn Academy hired Rocky Hidalgo and that is what Glynn has become, a perennial state title contender.
Two years ago the Brunswick High Pirates made the playoffs and lost in the first round to the Stockbridge Tigers. The administration then made the decision to fire Victor Floyd, who was the BHS coach at the time. One of the reasons given for the decision to let Floyd go was his lack of success in the playoffs.
The Pirates then hired a young and upcoming coach from AA Macon County, Larry Harold. Harold had turned around the Macon County program and was coming off winning a region championship with the Bulldogs.
However, Harold never did duplicate the success he had at Macon County with the Pirates and had a losing record after two years. Larry Harold resigned at the end of this past season.
A search committee was formed to find the next Pirate coach, but not just any coach would do. Remember, the administration wanted both the Glynn and BHS programs to contend for state titles, so hiring the right coach would be paramount this time around.
The job opening received 32 applications from, not only Georgia, but from around the country. The search committee weeded through every application and created an interview list that only consisted of five candidates.
Those five candidates all had a ton of playoff success on their resume and resided over powerhouse programs.
The search committee wrapped up their interviews in a week and have offered the job to the Pierce County coach, Sean Pender; pending approval by the Glynn County Board of Education.
Pender is coming off taking the Bears to the Elite Eight this past season in AAA and has had a ton of success during his time at Pierce. When Pender took the job with the Bears the program was not nearly as respected as it is now under his guidance.
Pender will inherit a much deeper talent pool at Brunswick High than he ever had at Pierce. There is no coach in the state that has done more with less than Sean Pender.
He is an offensive specialist and will make the BHS offense fun to watch, especially with the athletes he will inherit. The Pirates will have 35 seniors return next season and will be positioned to make a deep playoff run with the talent returning.
Sean Pender spent eight seasons at Brantley County going 35-43 for the Blue Herons; one season at Crisp going 4-7 and five seasons at Pierce going 54-18.
The Game w Jason Bishop and Drayton Hogarth – January 14
The Game w Jason Bishop and Drayton Hogarth – January 7
Terrors Are Going No Where
By: Drayton Hogarth
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Unfortunately, the Glynn Academy Red Terrors 2016 season came to a sudden stop against the Northside Warner Robins Eagles.
With the loss of a tremendous senior class, including Miami Hurricanes commits, Dee Jay Dallas and Zalontae Hillery, many expect the Red Terrors to take a major step back in the 2017 season. However, it would be a big time mistake to underestimate the Red Terrors going forward.
Coach Hidalgo has taken the Glynn Academy program to a new level since his arrival three seasons ago. Each season since his initial year of coaching for the Terrors, Hidalgo has heard the doubts that the success of his team will continue after losing players to graduation or assistant coaches moving on to expand their own coaching resumes.
On the Bishop Media Glynn Academy Coach’s Show, Hidalgo was excited about the prospects of the 2017 season and explained why, “I told those kids that anyone who thinks we are just going to go the way of the Dodo is wrong. My first year we lost a great offensive coordinator in Coach Jackson, and they said ‘well, they are done’. Then the next year they said ‘oh they lost Garrison Hurd and Dexter Roberson and they are done’. Now they are saying they are losing a great group of seniors and people around the state will say, ‘oh they are losing Dee Jay Dallas and some great kids, and they are done.’ Well, that’s not the case, we will be back in this position next season. I believe that we have a chance to be a great football team next year because we have kids committed to winning, and have a great group of seniors and some really good young players. We are going to have to develop some kids, but we will be right back in the mix next year.”
One of those great players mentioned above who is moving on to the next stage of his education and playing days, Dee Jay Dallas, also feels that his Glynn Academy teammates will be able to maintain the winning ways established in Dallas’ high school tenure.
The Terrors will struggle some at first but I have faith in my men! They aren’t afraid of any challenge. I think the pride that they carry when they put on the red and white will carry them through the regular season with an undefeated record and into to compete and possibly win a state title.” Dallas told me when asked about the Red Terrors prospects ahead of them in 2017.
Some of those “men” that Dallas is talking about were mentioned by Coach Hidalgo as well. “I think we will be outstanding on defense, both our safeties will return. We return Hunter Hall and David Murray at linebacker, and Tyler Cleghorn, Marlin Taylor, and Isaiah McDonald on the defensive line. We moved Marvin Dallas to cornerback. We’ve got a chance to be really good defensively.”
On offense, Hidalgo feels that the offense will pack a punch with players like Randon Jernigan moving to quarterback, “Randon’s career numbers are likely better than Dee Jay’s given his years at Brunswick.”
Running back looks to be boosted with “getting Tyler Grant back from injury Tyshaun Wallace kid sat out this year with a knee injury who’s a really good running back. Quan Bostic will replace Randon in the slot. We need to develop some offensive linemen. Our 9th grade class has a lot of really good linemen in it. Drez Wilcox will play for us next year, along with 4-5 kids who have chance to be division one football players. Our future is very bright, go back to work, put together a new weight training program, and utilize the new fieldhouse and facilities. The offseason starts tomorrow.”
That is the prevailing reason why the Red Terrors very likely will be back challenging for city, region, and state championships because of the workman like attitude. While the season just ended, the thought is not look at what we did, it is look at what we are going to do.
