Bethesda Academy “can create the moment” with a win over Pee Dee for SCISA AA title

Savannah, Ga. —Antwain Turner has been the only head football coach at Bethesda Academy,

since he helped start the varsity program in 2004, and the undefeated Blazers (11-0) hope to win

their second SCISA football championship in three years as they compete against tradition rich

Pee Dee Academy in the AA finals at South Carolina State University on November, 22.

The Blazer’s advanced to the finals with a 34-13 win over Greenwood Christian last week.

"“In all honesty, this year's undefeated team is the best overall team, top to bottom, we have

had in school history,” said Turner. “Having said this, I just hope that our team does not

come into this game overconfident, because we were able to beat Pee Dee 49-0 back in October

to win the region title.

“At that time, Pee Dee was missing their top running back (Tristan Heckman) who was out

with an injury, and he is back playing very well,” said Turner. “We know that we are in

for a battle and it can be a challenge to beat the same team twice in a season.”

Last season, Bethesda lost in the finals to Pee Dee. In 2023, the Blazers won

the school’'s only football title in a win over Williamsburg Academy  for the AA

tite. Back in August after going 9-4 the season before, Turner challenged the 2025

team by having the slogan “Create The Moment” printed on the back of their practice

T-shirts.

Coming into the championship game against the Golden Eagles, the Blazers have created

hundreds of winning moments in outscoring opponents 502-107 over the season. Their thrilling

28-26 win over Williamsburg (10-1) at Hammond back in October was certainly a confidence booster

that prepared them for the rest of the season.

“I just hope we calm our nerves and play the kind of football we have played all season,” said

Turner. “We need to take advantage of any opportunities that come our way; we need to

stay in front of the chains, re=establish and control both lines of scrimmage and win the turnover

battle.”

Bethesda has been very balanced on offense this season. Through the air, they have completed

136 passes for 2,017 yards and 33 touchdowns. On the ground, they tallied 2,2269 yards on 250

carries and 29 touchdowns. With these kinds of numbers, they are a team loaded with

playmakers.

Turner said the strength of the offense is with the veteran group of offensive linemen

who come into the state finals with 52 pancake blocks among them. “Our offensive line has been

the main key in making our offense work,” he said.

The captain of the offensive line has been senior 3-year starter Arlando Chaney (6-

0, 350 pounds) who has 16 pancake blocks from his left guard position. Junior Ian Platts  (6-1, 295) is a

3-year starter at left tackle with 10 pancakes, and junior Steven Mitchell (6-1, 270) is a 3-year starter at

right guard with 12 pancakes. Senior Jadyn Grant  (5-11, 340) is a 3-year starter at center with nine

pancakes and senior Keni James (5-10,245) is a first-year starter at right tackle.

The quarterback is sophomore Jordan Turner (5-11, 155) who has completed 83-of-126 passes for

1,992 yards and 33 TD’s. His favorite receiver has been senior prospect Ralo Wesley (5-11, 160)

who has an offer from Georgia State, and he has 33 catches for 987 yards and 21 TD’s to date.

Senior WR Malachi Morris (5-8, `150) has 22 catches for 467 yards and seven TD’s. The other

two starting receivers are junior Braylon Martin and senior Luke Larson  (6-0,155) who has

overcome injuries to get back in the line-up.

The top RB has been senior Jordan Cheever (5-10, 195), who leads the team with 1,139 yards

on 120 carries and 13 TDs. Soph RB Jeffrey Armstrong contributed 444 yards on 35 carries and

three TDs. The starting TE is soph Ka’mond Young who has eight catches for 170 yards and a TD.

The defense has limited teams to 107 points all season. Soph MLB Nicholas Jackson (5-

7,220) has 90 tackles and 14 TFL, followed closely by junior OLB Isaiah Jones (6-0,190) and

Young, a LB who flips from TE, who also has 86 tackles. Soph LB Jeffrey Armstrong has 56

tackles and 8 TFL.

Senior nose guard Troy Williams (5-8,250) anchors the defensive front, and the ends are

senior Isaiah Redmond (5-11, 225) and 4-year starter Keshaun Wright (5-10, 240).

The four-deep secondary is led by Morris who flips from offense to start at FS along with

Martin who flips from WR, and he has 31 tackles as a CB. Junior Sammy Childs has 23 tackles

at a CB slot while freshman Adrian Cook is a first-year starter at FS. Junior Anthony Cook has

41 tackles, and he is a spot starter in the secondary. Junior CB James Buchanan is also seeing

playing time in the secondary after recovering from an injury.

The PK is freshman Hociel Garcia, who has made 19-of-26 PATs. The team has only punted

three times all season and Turner has two boots for a 49-yard average.

Offensive Starters

QB-2-Jordan Turner-Soph

RB-6-Jordan Cheever-Sr.

WR-3-Ralo Wesley-Sr.

WR-0-Malachi Morris-Sr.

WR-1-Braylin Martin-Jr.

WR-17-Luke Larson-Sr.

TE-12-Ka’mond Young-Soph

LT-52-Ian Platts-Jr.

LG-73-Arlando Chaney-Sr.

C-74-Jadyn Grant-Sr.

RG-63-Streven Mitchell-Jr

RT-54-Keni James-Sr.

PK-23-Hociel Garcia-Fr.

Defensive Starters

DE-51-Keshaun Wright-Sr.

NG-58-Troy Williams-Sr.

DE-55-Isaiah Redmond-Sr.

OLB-8-Jeffrey Armstrong-Soph

OLB-9-Isaiah Jones-Jr.

ILB-12-Ka’mond Young-Soph

ILB-11-Nicholas Jackson--Soph

CB-1-Braylen Martin-Jr.

CB-4-James Buchanan-Jr.

CB-27-Mell Flowers-Jr.

FS-15-Adrian Cook-Fr.

FS-0-Malachi Morris-Sr.

P-6-Jordan Turner-Soph.

SCISA Championships

AA

Saturday

at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium

in Orangeburg

Pee Dee (8-3) vs. Bethesda (11-0), noon

Class A

Saturday

at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium

in Orangeburg

Williamsburg (10-1) vs. Colleton Prep (9-2), 3:30 p.m.

AAA

Saturday

at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium

in Orangeburg

Wilson Hall (11-1) vs. Pinewood Prep (9-3), 7:30 p.m.