'It's the little things we want to accomplish': George Jenkins football hangs with foe
George Jenkins head football coach Paul Freeman knew his team was 33% stronger heading into a Class 7A scrimmage Friday night at George Jenkins High School.
And that strength was on full display despite falling just a bit short by a final score of 7-0 against Lakewood Ranch High School — a playoff team just a year ago.
Starting running back Tre’von Evans racked up 68 yards on nine carries; starting quarterback Cam Turner ran the ball nine times for 72 yards; Elliot Ortiz posted two sacks and Zephy Rogers racked up two tackles for loss.
“It showed tonight, and that was a playoff team last year. We came out, 7-0, and there was one play that cost us, and against a good ball club, that’s what ends up happening,” Freeman said after the game. “We have stuff to work on, and that’s a good thing. That’s what I told the boys.”
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No matter the outcome of the game, Freeman would have had good film, especially a team that is just 50 miles away with similar demographics, similar positions and similar in record in 2023. It was supposed to be an equally competitive matchup.
And that’s exactly what happened in an exhibition game in which the only noticeable difference between a real game and scrimmage contest was that in punt situations, the return man would catch the ball and harmlessly take the ball up the field 3 yards before the officials blew the whistle. Still, the game’s only score was from a Lakewood Ranch 70-yard touchdown from Everett Russ with 4:25 to go in the first quarter.
The score was 7-0 at the break.
But following the 15-minute break, it was clear Freeman dialed up a game plan that almost worked. The second half drive started with a 39-yard pass play from Turner to receiver Gabe Solomon.
George Jenkins would go on to matriculate the ball all the way down the field to push the ball to the 1-yard line. But Evans was stifled to turn the ball over on downs.
“I think we got a little excited," Freeman said. "We went quarterback sneak on third down. We play it where we run up at the last second where we catch them off guard; he wasn’t set (and) the ball slipped through (and) we had to go down. We had a fourth down chance, just bounced it outside (and) they made a great tackle on us.”
Jenkins on their next offensive possession pushed the ball inside the 15, but Turner threw an interception.
Still, the Eagles played toe to toe with a similarly built playoff team. For a team that is led by a rising junior class, it starts with senior QB Turner and five senior offensive linemen, including Genovian Smith, Brice Hardwick, Robbie Newman, George Dietrick and John Schambach. At tight end was Sam Frederick and Cody Woodard.
The defensive side, which held the game together, was led by Elliot Ortiz, Deacon Warren, Josiah Grant, among many others, as this unit didn’t give up any points in the second half.
“Those guys were just so amazing at just how hard they worked," Freeman said. "I told them … that was a playoff team that they scored seven points on us on one play we lined up wrong. I mean, that’s not bad right there. I’ll take that all day long.”
In the end, Jenkins fell a little bit short because of the subtle difference between the two teams: attention to detail on procedural formations.
“It’s the little things we want to accomplish,” Freeman said.
Other goals the program wants to accomplish are gaining comparable strength to the likes of Winter Haven, Ridge Community and Haines City, win a district championship and have a winning season for the first time since the 2019 season.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: George Jenkins football competes with Lakewood Ranch in spring game
