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« Thursday, September 1, 2011 « 5A
JUPITER CHRISTIAN EAGLES
FRIDAY NIGHT MOMENT
2002
FIRST VICTORY
What happened: First-year Jupiter Christian posted a 22-6 win over first-year Fort Lauderdale Christian after six losses. Why it mattered: The Eagles had been pushed around in the first six games. They also won the next week, finishing their inaugural season at 2-6.
Key Players: After falling behind 6-0, running back Daniel Borland scored on a 1-yard run and quarterback Zach Transue threw a two-point conversion pass to Caleb Ruh. Ryan Richardson later rushed for two more touchdowns on runs of 20 and 5 yards.
He said it: “This is really a boost to our confidence,” coach Jason Bond said. “It reassures us that the offense and defense we’re running both work. This is just good for the program.”
SCHEDULE
STRENGTHS
Jupiter Christian is counting on a strong passing game led by senior quarterback Kedric Bostic and a solid crew of receivers. Last season, Bostic (who has already verbally committed to Central Florida) threw for 1,354 yards and 18 touchdowns against just two interceptions. Graduated seniors Josh Talbott and Trey Pendergrass caught a combined 13 TD passes, but Austin Talbot, who had 486 yards and six TDs last year, returns for his senior year. Other receivers include seniors Nate Cannon, Isaiah Nelson and sophomore Ben Yetman. Powers also counts the Eagles’ kicking game as a big strength with senior Jonathan Dinzik returning.
September 2 at Jensen Beach 7 9 at Lib. Christ. Acad. 7:30 16 at Inlet Grove 7 22 Glades Day-x 7:30 30 at Summit Christian 7 October 7 at Zion Lutheran 7 14 Highlands Christian 7 21 at Treasure Coast High 7 28 at Village Academy 7 November 3 Coral Springs Christian 7 x-At Dwyer High’s Blum Stadium
ROSTER Pos QB SL K/P G T C T SL G RB WR WR Pos DL DL OLB ILB OLB DL DL DB ILB DB DB
OFFENSE Name Kedric Bostic Nate Cannon Jonathan Dinzik Jesse Gassner Taylor Heinz Kyle Knopp Ryan Marsh Isaiah Nelson Josh Newell Jesse Stephanos Austin Talbot Ben Yetman
No Cl Ht Wt 15 Sr. 6-3 185 5 So. 5-9 170 19 Sr. 6-3 160 77 So. 6-1 220 57 Sr. 6-7 230 74 Sr. 6-2 250 50 Sr. 6-2 225 4 Sr. 5-11 175 52 Sr. 6-0 175 40 Jr. 6-0 185 3 Sr. 5-10 160 2 Jr. 6-2 175
DEFENSE Name James Berger Taylor Cannon Brandon Collins Brandon Cormier Taylor Heinz Kyle Knopp Ryan Marsh Isaiah Nelson Jesse Stephanos Austin Talbot Ben Yetman
No Cl Ht Wt 55 SR. 5-8 175 58 Sr. 6-0 190 22 Sr. 6-0 190 33 Sr. 6-0 190 57 Sr. 6-7 230 74 Sr. 6-2 250 50 Sr. 6-2 225 4 Sr. 5-11 175 40 Jr. 6-0 185 3 Sr. 5-10 160 2 Jr. 6-2 175
RESERVES Bryan McGlynn (6,Fr.,QB), Jordan Foster (7, Jr., DB), Stephen Sherrard (10, Jr., DB), Jordan Player (12, So., OLB), Clayton Kidwell (14, Fr., QB), Joey Bashwiner (16, Fr., RB), Dillon Wilson (20, So., WR), Riley Otowchitz (23, So., WR), David Narr (28, Sr., RB), Kyle Tuttle (33, So., WR), Kyle Konopasek (34, Fr., WR), Lewis Simpson (51, Fr., OL), George Brisseau (59, Jr., OL), John Scarola (60, Fr., OL), Josh Briggs (61, Fr., OL), Chris Garcia (62, Fr., OL), Garrett Shook (67, So., OL), Austin Bowen (68, So., OL), Jason Dinzik (69, So., OL), Hale Webster (72, Jr., OL), Brandon Knopp (73, So., OL), Rion Hamlin (75, So., OL), Leo Schneid (76, Fr., OL), Josh Van Vels (80, Fr., WR), Cameron Mahan (82, So., WR), Robert Savoie (84, Fr., WR), Travor Jacobsen (88, Jr., WR), Nick Kelly (99, Fr. OL)
COACHING STAFF Coach: Bill Powers (seventh season) Record: 66-10 at Jupiter Christian. 2010: 10-2, 4-0 in District 7-1B, regional finalist Assistant coaches: Jim Davis (offensive coordinator), Tom Morton (line), Tim Derrico, Bob Bashwiner, Brent Hamlin and Larry Barbaree
STADIUM LANCERS STADIUM AT JOHN I. LEONARD HIGH (5,500)
Playing surface: Grass Address: 4071 10th Ave. North, Greenacres. Directions from Jupiter: Go south on I-95 to 10th Ave. North (exit 64). Go west (left) on 10th Ave. North. John I. Leonard High is 3.1 miles on the right. Main office: 561-746-7800 On the Web: jupiterchristian.org
RIVALS
■■ Glades Day ■■ Jensen Beach ■■ Village Academy
THREE PLAYERS TO WATCH
WEAKNESSES MIKE ENGLISH/JUPITER COURIER
Jupiter Christian School line coach Tom Morton (right) gets in the action during a blocking drill at a recent practice.
We’ve been pretty darn good, and I think we’ll be good again this year.” Bill Powers, head coach
Quick responses Jupiter Christian counting on quarterback, receivers this year By Mike English mike.english@scripps.com 561-745-3315
JUPITER — Jupiter Christian put up some impressive offensive numbers last year, going 10-2 and advancing to the state semifinals. The Eagles averaged 110 rushing yards and 237 more through the air, while averaging 44.8 points a game. That production was no surprise to coach Bill Powers. “Offensively, we’ve been in the top three in Palm Beach County the last five years. We’ve been pretty darn good and I think we’ll be good again this year,” Powers said. Powers’ team will have to do it without two key players from a year ago, running back Trey Pendergrass, who rushed for more than 2,000 yards, and fullback Ryan Powers (274 yards and seven touchdowns). What the Eagles will count on this year is senior quarterback Kedric Bostic and a stable of surehanded, quick receivers. Friday Night Football Florida rates the 6-foot-3, 185-pound Bostic as the No. 10 quarterback in the state and he’s already verbally committed to Central Florida. “(Committing to Central Florida) really takes the pressure off him,” Powers said. Without scores of colleges try-
KEDRIC BOSTIC
ing to attract Bostic, he’s been able to concentrate on improving his game this summer. Not that there were any problems with it — 1,354 passing yards, 18 touchdowns and just two interceptions. A spread offense allowed Bostic to rush for 333 yards and three scores. There are seven returning starters on the offense and four on defense. The team has 15 seniors, the most Powers has had in his seven seasons. “We’ll have seven or eight players going both ways,” Powers said. “Actually, all of them will go both ways at some point but some will be full-time going both ways.” Defensive backs/receivers Austin Talbott, Isaiah Nelson, senior tackle/linebacker Taylor Heinz, senior lineman/linebacker Ryan Marsh and senior guard/defensive end Kyle Knopp will never come off the field. The defense also lost out on the graduation of Pendergrass (36 tackles), and Powers had a teamleading 122 takedowns. “I think we’re going to be better on defense this year than last year,” he said. “It’s just going to be a matter of our linebacker play. We’re going to switch to a 4-2-5 defense and get more aggressive.” A better defense will be a tall order since Jupiter Christian has graduated four solid linebackers
Senior quarterback 2010 stats: 80 of 124, 1,354 yards, 18 touchdowns and two interceptions. 333 yards rushing and three touchdowns. Coach Bill Powers: “He’s been great on his runs and he’s been working on his drop-back passing. He’s throwing better and he’s making better decisions.”
over the last two seasons. “We’ve got young kids, like Jessie Stephanos and Ryan Marsh, who need to step up on defense,” Powers said. Back on defense are senior linemen James Berger. Kyle Knopp and Taylor Cannon, senior linebackers Brandon Cormier and Heinz. Nelson, Talbott and junior Ben Yetman all return to the secondary. Jupiter Christian’s success in recent years has teams taking a more cautious approach. “(Other) teams have you on their radar,” Powers said. “It’s not like a couple of years ago when teams were looking forward to playing us because they thought they were going to beat us. “It’s not like that anymore.” The state reshuffled its classifications, moving the Eagles from Class 1B to 2A, and re-drafted the District 7 lineup, adding Highlands Christian and Coral Springs Christian to an already potent mix that includes Class 1B state champion Glades Day. “Highlands is a playoff team from last year,” Powers said. The rest of the district lineup includes Summit Christian, Village Academy and Zion Lutheran. Berean Christian dropped out of the district and is independent this fall. “I think by far it’s the best district in Class 2A,” Powers said.
ISAIAH NELSON
Senior wide receiver/ defensive back 2010 stats: Two catches, 41 yards. 20 carries, 293 yards and four touchdowns. Coach Bill Powers: “He’ll be our go-to guy this season. He really didn’t have great stats last year, but he had a great spring game. ... He ran for a touchdown (against Benjamin) and he had five catches for 121 yards and two touchdowns.”
A strength in 2010 — led by Trey Pendergrass’ 2,018 yards and 28 touchdowns — the running game is an unknown starting off. Senior Isaiah Nelson — a capable receiver — is the top back. He ran for 292 yards and four touchdowns backing up Pendergrass. Bostic added 333 yards and three touchdowns. “I don’t think (the running game) is necessarily a weakness, but it is an unknown,” coach Bill Powers said. “It’s a question mark what (junior) Jesse Stephanos and (senior) Brandon Cromier can do. .. We are not going to have the speed that we’ve had at running back and we’re going to have more of a power running game.”
KEY GAME SEPT. 24: GLADES DAY (AT JOHN I. LEONARD)
For the past four years, the road to the Class 1B state championship has started out with this game. For the past two seasons, the Eagles won the regular season matchup against the Gators, only to lose to Glades Day in the region finals.
PREDICTION 12-1, 6-0 DISTRICT 7-2A
Denied a trip to state the past two years by Glades Day, the players and coaches have been using it as motivation all spring and summer. JCS has stumbled in the last two regional finals — by a point in overtime in 2009 and a late interception last year. The two teams would appear to be the best in Class 2A. As in past years, the Eagles have scheduled bigger schools — Class 5A Jensen Beach and Class 8A Treasure Coast, which both will be tough tests.
AUSTIN TALBOTT
Senior wide receiver/ defensive back 2010 state: Six catches, 143 yards, one touchdown. Coach Bill Powers: “Austin also had a great spring game. He had six catches for 181 yards and a touchdown and returned an interception 98 yards for another touchdown. He’s going to be an elite receiver this year.”
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