By: Jeff Doke

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

This past Friday night, the Frederica Knights exorcised some playoff demons.

Goddard Field on the campus of Valwood School is a place that holds equal amounts of joy and heartbreak for the Frederica faithful.

In a rivalry that dates back to the 2014 season, this is the place where Jordan Triplett broke the all-time rushing record in the state of Georgia – albeit in a 56-30 semi-final round loss.

The fact that the Knights have had playoff hopes dashed more than once at the hands of the Valiants is one that is not lost on quarterback Stanton Beverly.

“I just want to beat them,’ the Junior signal caller said during the bye week. The Valiants had a five-game win streak in football against Frederica, and the four-sport player Beverly had never won against the team in orange and blue on any field, court, or diamond.

That changed this past Friday.

The crowd that made the trip to Hahira from St Simons was sizeable – quite possibly the largest since the 2018 state championship game. In addition to being large, they were also loud.

The Knights fans provided an early game atmosphere that led to the first two plays from scrimmage result in Valwood false start penalties.

After the Valiants went 3 and out in their opening drive, Frederica embarked on a 9 play 69-yard drive that was topped off with a 2-yard Stanton Beverly touchdown run.

While it looked like the game would be lopsided from the onset, the remainder of the first half wound up being a war of attrition, going to the halftime locker room with a 7-7 tie.

The Knights would get the ball first to start the second half but unfortunately would go 3 and out when a potential touchdown reception fell through WR Jayden Gibson’s fingers.

Gibson would make up for it in the next drive, taking an interception back 46 yards for a score. It would be the second most important of the four interceptions the Knights would have in the game.

With less than four minutes left in the 4th, Stanton Beverly would connect with Jaylen Baldwin on an 18-yard TD to put the Knights up 28-14. Valwood would take the ensuing kickoff back for a score and then followed that with a successful onside kick.

Valwood was able to move the ball another 30 yards before Gibson had his second interception on the night, this time in the red zone and securing the Frederica win.

Frederica now moves to the semi-final round of the GIAA Class AAA playoffs to face a foe with another lopsided rivalry in the form of the John Milledge Academy Trojans.

Apart from the 2018 State Championship game win, the Knights are winless against the squad coached by JT Wall, including the last four in a row.

After an aberrant 2-9 season in 2024, the Trojans were back to form in 2025, posting a 9-1 record in the regular season and opening the playoffs with a 56-0 walloping of Piedmont Academy.

JMA is led on offense by QB Lewis Cheney. The 6’4” 187 lbs. Senior is 95 for 150 on the year with 1773 yds/21 TDs/4 INTs.

The main beneficiary of those stats is Sophomore TE Asa Wall, who has 40 receptions for 830 yards and 9 TDs. Wall has also carried the ball 54 times for 494 yards and a gaudy 13 TDs.

Elsewhere on the ground, Sophomore Javaris Hurt and Junior Jamel Cooper have combined for over 1400 yards and 14 TDs.

Asa Wall is also a force on defense, leading the Trojans in tackles with 76 and sacks with 5.

The winner of Frederica vs. JMA will face the winner of the Deerfield-Windsor vs. Westfield game in the State Championship at Mercer University on November 21st.