Jefferson Davis Dominates The Cross Schools In 70-12 Win, Focused On Key Game With Cathedral In Two Weeks
By Billy G. Baker
Publisher
Blackville — It’s too early to predict if Jefferson Davis Academy (6-1) will defend their SCISA 8-man football championship they earned a year ago, but their 70-12 defeat of the Cross Schools at home on September, 25th revealed a team focused on that mission.
After the win, head JDA coach Anthony Reitenour told the HSSR, “We had a few big moments in this game early, but in all honesty, I felt like we got a little complacent, and we didn’t play as physical as we usually do,” said Coach Reitenour. “Playing physical for all four quarters is our brand of football.
“Our goal was not to score 100 points on them tonight, but I do expect us to play physical for the entire game,” said Coach Reitenour. “We got the early lead, got a little complacent, and started taking plays off, and you know as well as I do that you can’t be a championship team taking plays off.
“We need to be the best version of ourselves for four quarters,” said Coach Reitenour. “I am proud of the fact we won the game in dominating fashion but we have to keep working and improving if we hope to reach all of our goals this season.
Coach Reitenour said the team will be in full pads on Monday focused on being a physical hard-nosed football team. “If we play our brand of football, and we if play hard for all four quarters, to be honest, I think it will be hard for anyone to beat us,” said Coach Reitenour. “We know that Richard Winn is undefeated but I will put my money on our guys.”
After a bye week, the Raiders will next host Cathedral on October, 4th in a homecoming game that could determine the winner of Region 2 8-man. Cathedral (6-0,3-0) played Holly Hill Academy (5-1) on September, 27 and they will need to win that game to stay in contention. JDA has already defeated Holly Hill Academy.
In the big win over the Cross Schools, running back Nassir Void (5-11, 200) got the Raiders on the board first with an 18-yard TD run with 8:56 left in the first period to give his team a 6-0 lead. At the 6:09 mark of the opening period Void scored on an 8-yard run and Colson Loadholt’s two-point run made the score 14-0.
After recovering the onside kick, Void scored on first down on a 44-yard run and Loadholt’s two-point conversion run made it 22-0 with 5:36 left in the first period.
The Cross Schools scored the first of their two touchdowns on a 21-yard run by Griffin Campuzano. The PAT failed and the score was 22-6 with 39.6 seconds left in the first period.
In the second period JDA scored five TD’s to lead 58-12 at the half. With 11:03 left in the second period, RB James Grubbs scored on a 60-yard run to make the score 28-6 after the conversion failed. Sophomore DB Reece Still then literally stole the ball out of a Cross School’s receiver’s hands and returned it 26 yards for a touchdown four plays later to make it 36-6 after Peyton Payne’s two-point conversion run with 8:59 left in the second period.
At the 7:09 mark of the second period JDA made it 44-6 when Void scored on a two-yard run and Loadholt passed to Payne to complete the two-point conversion.
The Cross Schools scored their final touchdown of the game on an 81-yard pass play from QB Trent Lutchfield to Luke Fulda with 4:40 left in the first half. The conversion failed.
JDA answered quickly on their next possession when Loadholt hit Payne on a 54-scoring pass with 3:52 left in the half. Loadholt also passed to Payne for a two- point conversion to make the score 52-12. JDA scored their final time of the first half on a 60-yard run by junior Dalton Nix with 11.9 seconds left to make the score 58-12 at the half.
A running clock was kept for the entire second half. Loadholt scored on a 60-yard pick-six with 8:33 left in the game to make it 64-12 and then a 63-yard TD run with 1:19 left in the game closed out the scoring for a 70-12 JDA win.
The Cross School is head coached by Jared Shaw.
Coming into the game with the Cross School's Loadholt was the top passer having completed 8-0f-23 passes for 167 yards and three TD’s.
The bread and butter of JDA is running the ball. Their top three rushers before the game with the Cross School were Loadholt with 49 carries for 538 yards and 11 TD’s while Void had 502 yards on 57 carries and seven TD”s. Grubbs was next with 358 yards on 64 carries and four TD’s.
Still was the top receiver with four catches for 83 yards and a TD. Void had four catches for 58 yards.
The top JDA tacklers on defense included: DB Loadholt (45), MLB Payne (30) DL Nolan Craig (28), LB Landon Williams (25), LB Tanner Williams (27), DL Void (27), and DB Still (16). Still and Loadholt lead the team in interceptions with six and five respectively. Void has two sacks. Senior Keaton Crouch has contributed 8 tackles also.
The Raiders OL consist of senior leader Landon Williams, a solid baseball prospect, who can play guard or center, along with Cole Creech and Fischer Robinson seeing time at the guard slots. Bryson Livingston got a starting spot in the OL against the Cross School.
Payne is the starting TE and a next level prospect along with Reece Still at the other end. Riley Todd also sees time as a receiver along with Loadholt when he is not the starting QB.
Void, Nix, and Grubbs share most of the time at running back. Loadholt, Still and Nix have all shared time at QB this season.
Coach Reitenour is assisted by Matt Lightsey, Marc Loadholt, Johnny Calloway and Mitchell Webster.
