As published on Recruit757.com --
New Kent (1-4) vs. Jamestown (0-4) at Wanner Stadium, Friday 7:00 PM
Jamestown head coach Donnell Brown (Photo: Mary Ann Magnant/recruit757)
Friday’s gridiron contest in Williamsburg features a pair of teams working through the infancy stages of a rebuilding process.
New Kent appears to have the advantage. After a 2-8 season in 2014, they are now led by new head coach Clark Harrell, who came into the 2015 season having amassed 214 wins in 31 years of high school football coaching. At his previous stop, Smithfield, Harrell took over a 1-9 Packer team and led them to 10 wins and a Bay Rivers title in his third season.
While the same results will be harder to come by in New Kent, there are reasons for Harrell to maintain optimism and focus. The Trojans have been competitive in every game this season, with a 37-27 loss to York being their sole double-digit defeat.
New Kent also has a legitimate star in running back Davion Barnes. The 5’11, 195-pound senior has totaled 1,135 rushing yards through five games and has a great chance to eclipse 2,000 this season. Against an Eagle defense that has given up 51 points per game, Barnes stands a good chance to earn his fourth 200-yard plus game of 2015. In a hard fought 14-12 loss to Grafton last week, Barnes tallied 259 to eclipse the millennium plateau.
Linebacker John Elswick heads a defense that has allowed 20 points per game, a heady improvement, compared to last year’s 42.2 ppg average.
Jamestown’s challenge is much larger. Coming off a 0-10 campaign in 2014, Donnell Brown took over as the new head coach. However, the rebuilding plan has been painful so far, with four losses averaging almost 37 points. Brown’s turnaround plan will focus on achieving long-range goals for his Eagles. For this year, he can rely on running back Mark Lipscomb, lineman Russ Schugeid, and tight end C.J. Delfico as bright spots on his roster.
Nevertheless, Brown’s task is a tall one. His best plan for restoring the Jamestown squad will be to maintain enthusiasm among the players in his program, and find more rough and ready athletes for 2016, as only six seniors will graduate from this year’s team.
Although New Kent is currently ninth in the 3A South (East) rankings, its 3.8 point deficit from the eighth (and final playoff) spot will not be overcome. However, a quality win against a 4A district opponent could provide a morale boost for Harrell’s Trojans, who follow Friday’s game with an October 16th matchup at Bruton.
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