BROOKLET — Tony Raymond has been busy since he entered Southeast Bulloch as a freshman. A baseball and basketball player already, Raymond decided to try his hand at football in 2007.
Under a first-year coaching staff, the junior has excelled in the secondary and at wide receiver for the Yellow Jackets, and he has been a quick learner.
“We got Tony out in the spring,” said coach John Kenny. “It’s been a big learning experience for him, to say the least. … He has been one that we’ve repped on both sides of the ball, and he’s still learning a lot about football.”
It was Raymond who kept SEB in the game against Josey, SEB’s last home game. Trailing 6-0 late in the first half, Raymond picked off a Josey pass and set up the go-ahead score by returning it to the 16-yard line. On the very next play, Raymond hauled in a pass from Jacket quarterback Joe Wilson in the back of the end zone for the touchdown.
“As a coach, we always want more, obviously,” Kenny said. “Tony’s had some games where he’s caught the ball real well, and he’s had some games where he’s played real well on defense. Whenever we can get one guy to do it on both sides of the football, it’s important to the team.”
The Yellow Jackets (1-7, 0-5 region 3-AA) will host Metter today, and both teams are still trying to grab their first region win of 2007. The Jackets last won in a Week 2 visit to Portal, a 34-7 thrashing, and Metter continues to build on its 21-game losing streak that dates back to a 22-0 shutout over Claxton on Oct. 27, 2005.
The Tigers have only scored 39 points in 2007 — compared to SEB’s 96, but Kenny knows both teams are struggling, and that the Jackets need to be focused in order to get that first region victory.
“We’re not good enough right now,” Kenny said. “I don’t ever think any team is good enough just to show up, roll their helmet out and beat somebody. Metter is one game worse than we are. That’s it. It should be a good football game, and I don’t think any of our kids will ever think that we can just show up and beat somebody. It takes a lot of work by the kids and the coaches throughout the week.
“It’s been a long, tough year for us, but we’re going to still do what we do, practice hard, try to get better and try to go play and win a football game in the region.”
Metter will line up in the wishbone to establish a running game, then show spread looks to try and throw the ball around. Southeast Bulloch uses the I-formation in much the same way.
“It’s been a long, tough week on defense to try to prepare for it,” said Kenny. “Just like we try to do with our offense, they try to give you a lot of stuff to prepare for.”
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Fred Shaver field.
Matt Yogus can be reached at (912) 489-9404.
Under a first-year coaching staff, the junior has excelled in the secondary and at wide receiver for the Yellow Jackets, and he has been a quick learner.
“We got Tony out in the spring,” said coach John Kenny. “It’s been a big learning experience for him, to say the least. … He has been one that we’ve repped on both sides of the ball, and he’s still learning a lot about football.”
It was Raymond who kept SEB in the game against Josey, SEB’s last home game. Trailing 6-0 late in the first half, Raymond picked off a Josey pass and set up the go-ahead score by returning it to the 16-yard line. On the very next play, Raymond hauled in a pass from Jacket quarterback Joe Wilson in the back of the end zone for the touchdown.
“As a coach, we always want more, obviously,” Kenny said. “Tony’s had some games where he’s caught the ball real well, and he’s had some games where he’s played real well on defense. Whenever we can get one guy to do it on both sides of the football, it’s important to the team.”
The Yellow Jackets (1-7, 0-5 region 3-AA) will host Metter today, and both teams are still trying to grab their first region win of 2007. The Jackets last won in a Week 2 visit to Portal, a 34-7 thrashing, and Metter continues to build on its 21-game losing streak that dates back to a 22-0 shutout over Claxton on Oct. 27, 2005.
The Tigers have only scored 39 points in 2007 — compared to SEB’s 96, but Kenny knows both teams are struggling, and that the Jackets need to be focused in order to get that first region victory.
“We’re not good enough right now,” Kenny said. “I don’t ever think any team is good enough just to show up, roll their helmet out and beat somebody. Metter is one game worse than we are. That’s it. It should be a good football game, and I don’t think any of our kids will ever think that we can just show up and beat somebody. It takes a lot of work by the kids and the coaches throughout the week.
“It’s been a long, tough year for us, but we’re going to still do what we do, practice hard, try to get better and try to go play and win a football game in the region.”
Metter will line up in the wishbone to establish a running game, then show spread looks to try and throw the ball around. Southeast Bulloch uses the I-formation in much the same way.
“It’s been a long, tough week on defense to try to prepare for it,” said Kenny. “Just like we try to do with our offense, they try to give you a lot of stuff to prepare for.”
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Fred Shaver field.
Matt Yogus can be reached at (912) 489-9404.
