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2018 Final Season for Fantastic Frederica Duo

IN THE

GAME SOUTHEAST GEORGIA

August 2018

Jaylin Simpson & Jashawn Sheffield

In The Game | 1

Southeast Georgia’s ONLY Three-Time President’s Award Winner

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In This Issue Season 2 for Strickland Pierce County Bears

Cats Want Playoff Return

Camden County Wildcats

Panthers Want 3-peat

Liberty County Panthers

Blue Tide Working to Turn It Around Long County Blue Tide

Bradwell Institute Tigers

Terrors Want Another Deep Run Glynn Academy Terrors

Wildcats Reload for 2018 Richmond Hill Wildcats

Raiders Hope for Rebound

Bacon County Red Raiders

Jackets Working for Playoff Return Jeff Davis Yellow Jackets

Bulldogs Strong Again

Toombs County Bulldogs

Indians Senior-Heavy in 2018 Vidalia Indians

Gators Face Tough Road

Jackets Strong Again

Glazer Looking to Smooth the Ship

McIntosh County Buccaneers

Indians Continue Tradition Charlton County Indians

Quest for Excellence

Logan Braucht, Ware County High School

Growing Up at the Ballfield

Kellon Middleton, Brantley County Middle School

Football Extras

In the Game Top 10 Players 17 Football With a View

Appling County Pirates

Games of the Week

Tomberlin Comes to Baxley

Brantley County Herons

Tony Glazer, McIntosh County Academy

Herons Have New Coach, New Hope

His Year to Shine

Jalen Trimmings, Brunswick High School

In the Game Preseason Football Rankings

Ware County Gators

Wayne County Yellow Jackets

Patience Pays Off for Glazer

Brunswick Pirates

Final Season for Fantastic Frederica Duo

Jaylin Simpson and Jashawn Sheffield, Frederica Academy

Tigers Seek Playoff Spot

Penderâ€™s Pirates Part 2

Be Inspired

Knights Look for Big Year

Frederica Academy Knights

In The Game | 5

Final Season for

Fantastic Frederica Duo Written by: Phil Jones Photography by: Michael Brinson

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Who would’ve though that a girls basketball game back in 2014 between Jane Macon Middle School and Frederica Academy Middle School could’ve made such a difference in the lives of two impressionable young student-athletes? That’s exactly what happened in that basketball season of 2014. The location was Frederica Academy, a college preparatory private school on St. Simons, at the time known mostly for its academia and not so much for its football. The game featured head football coach Brandon Derrick’s daughter, Riley, who Derrick was there rooting on. At some point during the contest, an assistant coach that Derrick knew from Jane Macon middle school came walking up with two young men. The coach introduced the two eighth-graders to Derrick, who invited them to sit with him and watch the game. But the basketball game was not the only thing on Jaylin Simpson and

Jashawn Sheffield’s minds, The two middle schoolaccording to Derrick. ers from Jane Macon liked “They started asking me what they saw and stayed in a lot of questions about touch with Derrick and his Frederica,” the coach said. staff over the remainder of “They wanted to know more the school year. about our football program, According to Simpson, but they they knew “We were ready also wantabout Fredto go in a different ed to know erica, but about our wanted to direction, and we academics, were just ready to take know more. too. During “ W e a different path than ( S i m p s o n the course of our conand Shefeveryone else." versations, field) had a — Jaylin Simpson few friends I discovered that they had led their that went to Frederica, so middle school football we knew a little bit about team to a championship the the school,” Simpson said. previous season. “We talked about going "So, I quickly found out over there to talk to somejust from talking to them one. That’s when one of and their coach that Jay- our coaches at the middle lin and Jashawn were two school introduced us to pretty special athletes. They Coach Derrick at the basasked if I would show them ketball game. We asked around the campus after Coach a lot of questions, the game. Jashawn asked and we liked what he had about the new weight room to say. Coach showed us and locker room that they around the campus, and had heard we were build- we liked it.” ing, so we showed them According to Simpson, how far along we were on he and Sheffield talked that project." about maybe making the

jump from the Glynn County school to the St. Simons private school after the visit with Derrick. “We were ready to go in a different direction, and we were just ready to take a different path than everyone else,” Simpson said. The two friends decided to attend an open house at Frederica with their parents along for the visit. Then in February of 2015, Simpson and Sheffield officially enrolled at Frederica as freshmen. Once at Frederica, Simpson and Sheffield made an impression right away on the football field. Simpson became the team quarterback and safety, while Sheffield was running back, receiver, and cornerback. In their first year, the 2015 season, the two freshmen led Frederica to a seven-win season. (The year before, the Knights won just three games). Suddenly the word was out about two exceptional athletes at Frederica Academy. It did not take long for college programs to discover Simpson and Sheffield. A look at their career numbers at Frederica (with their senior season still to go), gives a glimpse into why colleges are so interested in these two four-star athletes. Sheffield, as a three-year starter, played several posi- and kickoffs for anothtions on offense, including er 383 yards. That gives wildcat quarSheffield terback, run- "I told Jaylin that over 3,000 ning back, he would be my all-purpose and receivso far. quarterback, and yards er. He has MeanI would be his rushed for while, Simp1,778 yards receiver, and we son, also a so far on 223 t h re e - y e a r decided then carriers in his starter, has that we would career with played quar22 rushing terback and always stay touchdowns. and together…and receiver As a receivhas been a we have.” er, he has 57 major part of catches for the Knights — Jashawn Sheffield 784 yards offense over with eight touchdowns. the last few seasons. He also returned punts As a quarterback he has

62 completions in 140 attempts for 916 yards and 12 touchdowns. As a running quarterback, Simpson has 845 rushing yards on 131 carries for 10 touchdowns. As a receiver, Simpson has 39 catches for 526 yards and seven touchdowns. His all-purpose yards total almost 2,300 so far. Simpson said his first offer came early in his second season at Frederica, when he was a sophomore. “Ohio State was the first college to offer me a scholarship,” Simpson said. “But the very next day, I received an offer

from Tennessee. Then that same day, I received an offer from (the University of) Florida. It was crazy.” Things continued to get crazier for Simpson, with a total of 19 offers rolling in. Armed with a lot of offers from great programs, Simpson and Sheffield made their second visit to Auburn in April of this year. Right after that visit, Simpson made his decision. “It just felt like home,” he said of Auburn. “Being around their staff, their people, just felt different than everyone else.”

For Sheffield, the offers began amazingly early with two offers coming right after his freshman season began. A dozen or so more offers came in before his first season of high school football was complete, and they continued throughout the next two years. After that last visit to Auburn with Simpson, Sheffield visited The Plains once more, when he and his mother made an official visit two months later. It was then that Sheffield made his commitment to Auburn University. According to Sheffield, Auburn felt like THE place, but Mama had to have a look. “My mom has been a big part of my success, and I didn’t want to make a decision without her looking at the school, too.," he said. "But when she and I visited Auburn, she looked at me and asked if I liked it, and I told her that this was where I wanted to go.” If you think it’s no coincidence that these longtime friends made the decision to attend the same school, then you would be right. “We always talked about wanting to stay together in college,” Simpson said. “I think most of them (college recruiters) kind of got the idea that we were going to be a package deal.” Sheffield talked about the moment when the two friends decided they would do what good friends should always do: stick together. “It was in the eighth grade, and me and Jaylin just finished playing in a game where Jaylin scored five touchdowns," he said. "The coach told us that if the two of us kept at it, we would have a good shot of playing D1 one day. So, I told Jaylin that he would be my quarterback and I In The Game | 9

REGION 1-7A

Camden co.

Wildcats

Cats Want Playoff Return

SCHEDULE

Photography by: Michael Brinson

Chris Gillman Stadium Capacity: 10,000 8/17

West Forsyth

8/24

Wren, SC

8/31

Locust Grove

9/7

Richmond Hill

9/14

Brunswick

9/28

Glynn Academy

10/5

Colleton, SC

10/12

Colquitt County

10/19

Lowndes

11/2

Tift County

Head Coach: Bob Sphire Years at School: 1 Record at School: 3

2017 Overall Record

Players To Watch

Micah Morris

Detarius Glover

Roninn Wright

Logan Berryhill

Derrick Senegal

3-7

Despite a new coach and a new offense, it was still a tough season for the Wildcats. Camden managed only three wins in 2017 and lost all of their region games, causing them to miss the playoffs once again. Now in his second season at the helm in Kingsland, coach Bob Sphire has brought his wide open offense from North Gwinnett High School, a major change as Camden had always used the Wing-T offense. Originally from Kentucky, Sphire took over at North Gwinnett in 2006. The Bulldogs made the quarterfinals in six seasons and were state runners-up in 2007 and 2013. In addition, the Bulldogs made the state quarterfinals in 2006, 2008, 2009, and 2011 and were region champions five times. The Wildcats will have just seven starters returning, but they hope to build around the nucleus of team leaders that includes seniors Ronnin Wright at safety and Logan Berryhill at wide receiver. Camden will open the 2018 football campaign at home against the West Forsyth Wolverines. The following week they will travel to Macon to play the Wren Hurricanes at Mercer University. A home game against Locust Grove is next then a trip to Richmond Hill. A trip to Brunswick is followed by a visit from Glynn Academy and then the Colleton County Cougars from Walterboro, South Carolina. The regular season closes with Region play at Colquitt, then at Lowndes, and ends with a visit from Tift. Win one of the last three games, and a playoff berth awaits.

Team Leaders Brooks Bryan

2017 Region Record

Jaen Dixon Logan Berryhill

0-3

Logan Berryhill Jeremiah Compton Devin Howard

Returning Offensive Starters:

2017 STATS leading passer Yards: 1,262 leading rusher Yards: 533 leading receiver Yards: 384 leading TD scorer Total Touchdowns: 5 leading tackler Total Tackles: 80 interception leader Total Interceptions: 3 Points Scored: 179

Returning Defensive Starters:

Points Allowed: 285

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GAMES OF THE WEEK Written by: Evan Smoak

Week 0 (Aug. 17) - Charlton County vs. Frederica Academy The In the Game football season kicks off as the Indians travel to St. Simons Island. A lot of Saturday talent will be on the field that Friday night, so expect an exciting beginning to the 2018 season.

Week 1 (Aug. 24) - Liberty County vs. Bradwell Institute The Commissioner’s Cup has been dominated recently by the always strong Liberty County Panthers, but the Bradwell Institute Tigers were able to upset them last year. Will Kevin Harris and David Spaulding be able to defend the cup at their house this year?

Week 2 (Aug. 31) - Brunswick vs. McIntosh County Academy The end of August will feature a coastal clash as coach Pender and his Pirates travel north to Darien. Will new head coach Tony Glazer be able to defeat a huge rival early on in his coaching career at MCA?

Week 3 (Sept. 7) - Camden County vs. Richmond Hill The first weekend of high school football in September will feature the Wildcats taking the ride north to Richmond Hill. With both teams feeling like they underachieved in the 2017 season, expect this battle to be a pivotal game for each team’s return to success.

Week 4 (Sept. 14) - Vidalia vs. Long County Coaches J.T. Pollack and Lee Chomskis face off in this battle of coaching legends. Each team is down on talent over previous years, so expect a coach's chess match to transpire in Ludowici.

Week 5 (Sept. 21) - Glynn Academy vs. Ware County After five straight losses to the Red Terrors, coach Stephens and his Gators are starving for a victory against Glynn. This battle in the Swamp has all the right ingredients for an instant classic.

Week 7 (Oct. 5) - Pierce County vs. Brantley County The always hyped Pierce County versus Brantley County returns to Nahunta Oct. 5. New coach Geoff Cannon takes the helm this fall for the Herons and will look to start his career in this rivalry 1-0.

Week 8 (Oct. 11) - Vidalia vs. Toombs County In a special Thursday-night game, the championship of Toombs County returns to the gridiron. Similar to Hinesville’s city championship, Vidalia has dominated the series as of late, but Toombs County was able to steal a win last year. Can the Bulldogs defend the trophy at their house this year?

Week 9 (Oct. 19) - Toombs County vs. Jeff Davis The week after their county championship, the Bulldogs travel to Hazlehurst to face off against Lance Helton’s Yellow Jackets. This late season clash will have big impacts on the standings of Region 2-2A.

Week 10 (Oct. 26) - Pierce County vs. Appling County In a recent rivalry, coach Jason Strickland’s Bears travel to Baxley to face off against the Pirates. Previously this game would decide the region champion, but as of late, it's only decided seeding for the Pirates and Bears. With coach Rick Tomberlin taking over for the Pirates, don’t be surprised if this game has the some old value to it.

Week 11 (Nov. 2) - Ware County vs. Wayne County In a twist of events last year, Wayne County not only defeated the Gators but won the region championship by doing so. Fast forward to this fall, and the consensus is this game will be a de facto region championship. Expect a wild finish to In the Game regular season football in Jesup this November.

Week 6 (Sept. 28) - Glynn Academy vs. Camden County A week after the heavyweight bout against Ware, the Red Terrors go back on the road to face coach Bob Sphire’s Wildcats. In this long and historic rivalry, expect another exciting chapter this fall. In The Game | 51