Region Semis preview: After explosive return, Jayvion Showers aims to help Catholic knock off Walton

The 2023 season hasn’t exactly been the senior year Jayvion Showers might have imagined it would be.

Hampered by a nagging injury from the spring, the Pensacola Catholic wide receiver was on the mend for a month as he saw his production from a breakout junior campaign essentially sliced in half.

However, things are looking up for the Arkansas State commit as aids the Crusaders during their playoff push. Coming off an 100-yard effort last week and set to face the team in which he had his best performance of the season against, Showers could be a major factor when Catholic plays its Region 1-2S semifinal at 7 p.m. Friday at undefeated Walton.

“We’re just thinking about playing together, playing as a team and minimizing the mistakes and penalties,” Showers said of the pending matchup. “We have to be focused.”

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The senior was unstoppable during a regular-season matchup with the Braves on Oct. 13, as he was responsible for all of the Crusaders’ trips into the end zone. He reeled in nine catches for 126 yards and three scores in the team’s 23-21 defeat. His three touchdowns tied a single-game career high.

Showers had bumps in the road leading up to that monster game and has since looked to get up to speed.

Disappointment was showered all over Showers’ face on a wet and rainy first evening of September.

He stood on the sideline in full uniform at Emmitt Smith Field, itching to display his gifts in a much-hyped game against an in-city opponent. Instead, with teammates walking over to offer words of encouragement, Showers could only watch as a hamstring injury held him out of Catholic’s Week 2 victory at Escambia.

The injury was initially suffered during the track season and reaggravated in practice prior to the game with the Raiders. He would miss all four of the Crusaders’ games in September.

Showers recalled wanting to play and return to the field, but as one of 12 seniors on the Catholic roster, he filled that temporary void by becoming a mentor to a young wide receiver group. Sophomores Cayden Jasso, Justin Weatherall along with freshman Geno Cunningham were all taken under his wing.

“I was kind of sad at first, but me being a leader, I got to help out the team, like just coaching on the receivers, letting them know what they need to do,” Showers said. “I was just always being on them about just being in the right place, knowing what they're doing and what can they do to win. I was trying to keep them on track, telling them to keep making plays.”

The senior finally returned to the field on Oct. 6, although he did so with some doubt.

“I was more worried about my speed. It felt like I got slower after the injury from not running for a while,” he said.

Showers debuted with three catches for 30 yards in limited action during Pensacola Catholic’s Week 6 win at Gulf Breeze.

Then came Walton the following week. And against the best team in the region, it was as if Showers hadn’t missed a beat.

“I was just making plays. It got to a point where I started getting double-teamed,” he recalled.

“It was a great boost for us,” Catholic head coach Matt Adams added. “And I think he's come back and really helped us on the offensive side of the ball just because he’s such a weapon and people have to know where he is. They know that they’ve got to defend him because he can make a play at any point in time.”

Showers enters the regional semifinal with 26 catches for 427 yards and five touchdowns this season. That includes catching two passes for 118 yards and one score in the Crusaders’ quarterfinal triumph last week against Suwannee.

While Showers won the battle, the Braves won the war in a game that propelled them to the District 1-2S title.

“I think our guys are a long way away from being satisfied,” Adams said. “It does help playing a familiar foe just because you know a little bit more about them and that loss that they gave us did hurt quite a bit. I think our guys will play with a little more of a chip on their shoulder just remembering the sting that they had five weeks ago.”

Unlike most teams at this stage who have seen their future opponent only on film, Catholic has the advantage of having lined up against who it will face before. The players and the coaching staff understand how good the players are on the other sideline.

Adams does anticipate different looks and schemes from the Braves, but the Week 7 contest

“You’ve got a good understanding of what their principles are and what they're trying to do,” Adams said. “So you're able to fine-tune gameplans a little bit more on both sides and hope that you're guessing right for the next move. It kind of does simplify things to a certain extent and take some of the wonder out. You feel like it helps game-planning, but I’m sure they feel the same way.”

In their regular-season game, Pensacola Catholic held Walton to its lowest scoring effort of the season. The Braves have put up at least 35 points in every other game.

Walton has played tight battles en route to its 11-0 record. Five of the team’s first eight contests were decided by three points or less. Yet, in their last three wins, the Braves have won by an average of 38 points.

Pensacola Catholic and Walton is the closest game with regard to FHSAA rankings among the three semifinals involving Pensacola-area teams. It is also the shortest trip for any of the local teams. Check below to see previews of the other two playoff bouts.

Region 1-3S

No. 5 Escambia (8-3) at No. 1 St. Augustine (11-0)

When: 7:30 p.m. EST/6:30 p.m. CST Friday

Where: H.L. Brumley Stadium

Key players: Escambia - LeJon Williams (LB, Sr.), Ladarian Clardy (DB, Jr.), Trevion Killette (DB, Sr.), Ryan McVay (DL, Sr.), Tadarius Wright (DB, Sr.), Anthony Hall (QB, Sr.), DK, Hines (DL, Sr.); Joshua Jackson (WR, Sr.), Diego Dukes (WR, Jr.); St. Augustine - Locklan Hewlett (QB, Jr.), Carl Jenkins (WR, Jr.), Trenton Jones (WR, Jr.), Drake Lusk (LB, Sr.), Devonte Lyons (RB, Sr.), Myles Simmons (WR, Jr.), Ja'Ki Singleton (DB, Sr.), Mike Wright (DL, Jr.), Jacques Johnson (DL, Sr.)

FHSAA RPI rankings: Escambia (5.915) - fifth in Region 1-3S, 21st in Class 3S, 149th overall; St. Augustine (17.438) - first in Region 1-3S, first in Class 3S; 10th overall

Regional Quarterfinal results: Escambia - 15-7 win at No. 4 Pine Forest; St. Augustine - 52-14 win vs. No. 8 Middleburg

Last meeting: Nov. 20, 2020 - St. Augustine 48, Escambia 27

The skinny: Following a victory in a low-scoring affair at Pine Forest, the Gators will be considered an underdog, possibly a heavy one, when they hit the road again to face top-seeded St. Augustine.

But don’t tell that to Escambia head coach Mike Bennett.

“If we beat them, I don’t think it’s an upset because we have a really good football team,” he said.

That really good football team is coming off its best defensive performance of the season. With the exception of one long touchdown run from Miequle Brock, the Eagles were effectively shut down the entire night. Bennett credited his team’s tackling during the victory and says that again will be essential in slowing down a Yellow Jackets team that features a plethora of big-time offensive players.

Chief among those weapons is Carl Jenkins Jr., a junior wide receiver who has 15 Division I offers. He is one of four wideouts who have scored at least five touchdowns. The person throwing the majority of the passes to them is Locklan Hewlett, a junior quarterback who is committed to Wake Forest.

Add in 16 rushing touchdowns from senior running back Devonte Lyons and you get a glimpse as to how St. Augustine is averaging 46.2 points per game.

Defensively, the Yellow Jackets are multiple up front, which would keep most teams guessing. But this is the third time Escambia has traveled to St. Augustine for a playoff game in six years. Bennett and his coaching staff have an idea what to expect.

“They are always going to be where they are supposed to be,” said Bennett, who compared the Yellow Jackets to Niceville. “They’re very sound and just a well-coached team. The good thing about it is that you pretty much know where they’re at.”

The Gators defeated St. Augustine 33-16 in 2018. Two years later, the Yellow Jackets got revenge with a 48-27 victory.

Escambia traveled to the east coast of the state on Thursday.

Patrick’s prediction (sure to be wrong): St. Augustine 35, Escambia 24

Region 1-2S

No. 4 Pensacola Catholic (9-2) at No. 1 Walton (11-0)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: Yates Memorial Stadium

Key players: Pensacola Catholic - Jayvion Showers (WR, Sr.), Demontrae Gaston (LB/WR, Sr.), C.J. Nettles (RB, Jr.), Ryland Bragg (OL, Sr.), Desjon Robertson (DL, Sr.), Nigel Nelson (LB, Jr.), Ryan Huff (QB, Jr.), Courtney Clark (DL, Sr.), Turner McLaughlin (LB, Sr.); Walton - Dalton Kolmetz (WR, Sr.), Wells Bettenhausen (QB, Jr.), Daniel Boatwright (LB, Sr.), Corniulis McKenzie (RB/LB, Sr.), Malcolm Byrd (DB, Jr.), Camden Zodrow (RB/LB, Soph.), Mason Clark (LB, Sr.)

FHSAA RPI rankings: Pensacola Catholic (11.019) - fourth in Region 1-2S, 10th in Class 2S, 62nd overall; Walton (15.863) -  first in Region 1-2S, third in Class 2S, 19th overall

Regional Quarterfinal results: Pensacola Catholic - 41-6 win vs. No. 5 Suwannee; Walton 63-35 win vs. No. 8 South Walton

Last meeting: Oct. 13, 2023 - Walton 23, Pensacola Catholic 21

Patrick’s prediction (sure to be wrong): Pensacola Catholic, 27, Walton 21

Region 1-1R

No. 5 Northview (4-6) at No. 1 Bozeman (10-0)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: Bozeman Stadium

Key players: Northview - Wyatt Scruggs (CB/WR, Sr.), Devin Kelly (RB/CB, Sr.), Joe Wright V (LB/RB, Sr.), D.J. Lyons (DL/OL, Sr.), Moses De La Rosa (LB/RB, Jr.); Bozeman - Peyton Gay (QB/DB, Sr.), Trevor Oswald (LB/RB, Sr.), Chance Jenkins (ATH, Sr.), Kolton McClelland (WR/DB, So.), Gabe Rana (LB/WR, Sr.), Collin Miller (DB/WR, Sr.)

FHSAA RPI rankings: Northview (-3.499) - fifth in Region 1-1R, 22nd in Class 1R, 329th overall; Bozeman - first in Region 1-1R, fourth in Class 1R, 46th overall

Regional Quarterfinal results: Northview - 31-13 win at No. 4 Jay; Bozeman - Bye

Last meeting: Nov. 12, 2021 - Northview 27, Bozeman 21

The skinny: The roles have flipped for the Chiefs. One year after turning into a juggernaut and rolling to the Class 1R state championship game, Northview now is in a position to shock the state when it travels to Panama City to take on the heavily-favored Bucks.

“I don’t want to say that I want to be in the position that we’re in, it’s interesting being on the different side of it,” Chiefs head coach Wes Summerford said. “Last year, we were that team that was 10-0 and had all the momentum going, and it was everybody's job to knock it off. This year, we're in that kind of spot where it's our job to knock them off. You make them earn it.”

Summerford has guided Northview to at least postseason victory in every season since he took over the reins in 2020. But Bozeman will be one of the Chiefs’ toughest playoff challenges yet.

With impressive road wins over Holmes County, Chipley and Port St. Joe, the Bucks have beaten opponents by an average of 19.9 points per game. That number leaps to 25.2 in games at home, where the team will be through the regional round.

While some of the roster is different, Northview does have playoff experience. So the team understands the keys to winning at this time of the year, such as executing and limiting turnovers and penalties. But Summerford named another important fact.

“I think one of the big things of the night is going to be field position,” he said. “Our defense not only needs to stop them, but we need to stop them quick and get them backed up. That way, our offense can operate on a short field.”

Critical to winning the field position battle will be Joe Wright, who rushed for a career-best 268 yards and two touchdowns during the Chiefs’ regional quarterfinal win at Jay.

The senior has played a variety of positions during his time at Northview, from offensive lineman to defensive man and linebacker. But with a shortage of offensive weapons, Wright has stepped up at the running back position, totaling 1,161 rushing yards and 13 scores. He’s averaging 7.3 yards per carry.

“He's a great kid first and foremost, very unselfish,” Summerford said of Wright. “I think his role was going to be a little bit on offense and then play mainly linebacker. We kind of sent the message of, ‘Hey, we kind of need you in that backfield,’ and he took it on full bore. Something about Joe is that he never stops working. He’s gotten better every single week and I think last week was a testament to that.”

Patrick’s prediction (sure to be wrong): Bozeman 35, Northview 13

Patrick's prediction record after the regional quarterfinals: 63-28

Patrick Bernadeau is a sports reporter for the Pensacola News Journal. He can be reached at (772) 985-9692, on X at @PatBernadeau or via email at pbernadeau@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Region Semis: Can Pensacola Catholic advance behind a healthy Jayvion Showers?