10 • December 2015 • Health
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sports Atlantic High School Eagles Fly Toward State Championship By David DiPino The Pineapple Staff Writer Atlantic Community High School Eagles football coach TJ Jackson has been high-fiving his team’s offensive lineman as they come off the field all year long, as the unit and their teammates have exceeded expectations by going undefeated in their first year in Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Class 8-A Football. Atlantic won the District 10-8A league, beating Boca Raton, Park Vista, Spanish River, John I. Leonard, Lake Worth and Santaluces high schools. At press time, in their second state playoff game on Nov. 20, Atlantic defeated Boca Raton Community High School, 29-14. Atlantic plays Pembroke Pines-Flanagan in the state regional playoffs, and if they win, they travel to Orlando for the FHSAA semifinal and then state championship games. In the end, after going undefeated in the regular season (10-0), Coach Jackson said the team has one goal. “As a team, we had one goal and that was to go to states,” Coach Jackson said. “We get better as the game goes on. The kids get more focused. They start the game off with a lot of emotion … a lot of excitement. It goes back to what our offensive line is doing (working on getting better) during the off-season. They’re a great offensive line. We have a great defense as well,” said Jackson. Coach Jackson is nominated for the Sam Budnyk Coach of the Year Award at the Lou Groza Awards on Dec. 7, in West Palm Beach. Eagles’ running back Shawndarius Phillips is nominated for the Palm Beach County Player of the Year Award at the same banquet. Phillips is the team leader on offense. “We know where we need to go and where we’re going. We work hard for it,” Phillips said. Phillips’ veteran leadership skills have positively influenced players like junior quarterback, Zavion Thompson, who is growing into the position as team leader in his own right for Atlantic next year after Phillips graduates. In the first round of the 2015 FHSAA playoffs against the Wellington Wolverines, Atlantic shut out the Wolverines 34-0. Thompson converted a quarterback sneak Tom Brady-style to put Atlantic up 13-0 in the first quarter. On his team’s next possession, he connected with wide receiver Lamar Brewster on a cross-the-body throw after scrambling from defenders.
Atlantic High School Eagles take the field (Photo by Abigayle Chambers)
Just like that, Atlantic was up 20-0, in a playoff game no less. Atlantic senior linebacker Chanler Ferguson led the Eagles’ defense all season long, including a goal-line stand early in the second quarter of the Wellington game. “The D-Line and everyone else on the defense succeeded in their responsibilities during the goal line stand,” Ferguson said. “My teammates did what they had to do. It just so happened it bounced out to me and I had to make a play,” he said about making a touchdown-saving tackle on fourth down and goal to go. “We had an awesome defensive game.” Word around town is that Ferguson is being recruited for a football scholarship by the University of Akron Zips of the Mid-American Conference, among others, to play Division I NCAA football. “Coach TJ and all the coaches are big on discipline. Throughout the week, you wouldn’t think we’re this kind of team. On Fridays, it just comes together. I think that’s what practice is for. Practice makes perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect,” Ferguson said. Of course, having an experienced coach who knows football and has been in “the show” helps. After starring on the football team at Olympic Heights Community High School, Coach Jackson went on to success at Virginia Tech and made it to the NFL in 2003 with the Dallas Cowboys. (op edit) NFL player Preston Parker, a 2006 Atlantic graduate, called his alma mater’s football team “powerful,” while attending the Wellington playoff game in Delray Beach. Parker has played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New Orleans Saints and New York Giants, and caught 85 passes in his NFL career for 1,057 yards and five touchdowns. “I see they have a lot of powerful weapons. All I want
them to know is that they can use it on any team. They can dominate. Every team I see them play, you can just tell they’re more powerful than their opponent and they can control each play,” said Parker. “They have a good coaching staff – some of the same that coached me when I was young. These coaches give them the word they need to hear and it shows. These kids deserve it,” Parker said. Asked about his future, Parker didn’t hesitate to speak about playing and watching the game he loves. “Playing football … I’m just waiting on a team right now. This is what I love (Atlantic High football) on a Friday night.” Ferguson and his teammates were honored to have Parker at their game. “It’s a great feeling, an honor, coming from an alumni, an outstanding player … for him to say that about our team, that’s an honor,” said Ferguson. Thompson agreed with his teammate. “That makes me feel good. He’s alumni; he played for Atlantic; he made it to the NFL. So for him to say that about us, now that’s a pleasure,” Thompson said. (end edit) “Great players make great plays. It was hard at the beginning to keep my feet but I made the play happen. We always make big plays and have a lot of players that make big plays. We’ve got a lot of playmakers,” said Thompson. Coach Jackson said he knows his players don’t give up when facing any type of adversity. “That just goes back to what we do in practice. Our quarterback is used to getting knocked down and getting back up. We have to continue to get better on offense, defense and special teams,” Coach Jackson said.
Eagles defeat Boca Raton on Nov. 20, and head to the regional finals. (Photo by Abigayle Chambers)