Jefferson Davis Hosts Defensing 8-Man State Champion WW King In Early Season Showdown Game At Home



By Billy G. Baker

Publisher

Blackville—The Jefferson Davis Academy Raiders (3-0) will be facing the stiffest test of their entire regular season this week (Sept. 4) against the defending SCISA 8-man champions from W.W. King (2-0) who defeated the Raiders 74-28 in the playoffs.

“We know this is going to be our toughest game of the season and we are trying to think outside the box this week and we are moving several players around hopefully to put our best team on the field,” said JDA head coach Anthony Reitenour.” They are aggressive and come right at you. Our challenge is to get to them before they get to us.

“We will have to play assignment football, cut down on penalties, and quit making stupid mistakes that lead to turn overs,” said Coach Reitenour. “We have to be aggressive and attack from start to finish in this game.”

W.W King has is head coached by Brian Kneece and his team went undefeated a year ago and they have many starters back this season.

After three games this season, senior Reece Still (6-1, 190) has made a good adjustment being switched over to QB from being a stand-out receiver the past two seasons. He has also recovered from a wrist injury he suffered last season.

“Reece has finally become a good team leader, and a lot of our younger players look up to him,” said Coach Reitenour. “He is a natural wide receiver, but we needed him to step up and play quarterback, and he has done a really good job. He is also a good defensive back, and he led the state in interceptions last year before his wrist injury. He has three picks so far this season.”

After three games of the ’26 season, Still has thrown for 230 yards with two TD passes. He rushed for 206 yards and five rushing TD’s. On defense he has 11 tackles and three picks. Still, it also leads the team in scoring with 36 points.

One late summer transfer from Barnwell High is soph RB Marquel Williams (5-9, 165), who rushed for 310 yards and one TD coming into the game W.W. King. “Marquel arrived late in the summer, so he is still learning our system, but he gives us a lot of depth at running back we were looking for,” said Coach Reitenour. “He has also helped us at linebacker on defense with 16 tackles and three sacks this season.”

Williams has also caught one 79-yard pass for a touchdown.

When a team is 3-0, they have a lot of step-up players for sure. Senior Harrison Ray is tied for the most tackles on defense with 22 coming into the King game. He is a talented TE on offense where he has four catches for 113 yards and one TD.

Another playmaker has been junior linebacker Jake Harrington who is tied with Ray with 22 tackles on defense. “On offense Jake is four yards and a cloud of dust when he runs the football,” said Coach Reitenour.

The OL line consists of two Tight ends as the Raiders try to come right at you with a running attack. Coach Reitenour has mixed the starting line-up quite a bit this season and some changes are anticipated for the game with King.

The left tackle has been Davidson Owens, while Stance Youngblood has started at RT the past three games. Fisher Robinson has been at RG while the center is Bryson Livingston. William Williams also plays guard. The TE’s are Ray and Harrington.

“Our defense has been outrageous this and very aggressive this season,” said Coach Reitenour.

While Ray and Harrington lead the team at 22 tackles, Youngblood has 16 tackles with three TFL and three sacks from his DE position. Still is next on the hit index with 11 tackles.

DL Frank Robinson has 9 tackles followed by Williams and Owens with five tackles each.

This Friday night you are likely to see all 11 Raiders stacked up close to the line on defense trying to stop all-state running back Joseph Morse of King who has rushed for 480 yards and 9 TD’s in two games! King has only completed six passes in their first two games of the season.