Micah Stallworth, Will McMaster, Carson Powell, Matthew Mehrle, Major Quin, Blount Blackledge, Matthew Laseter, Ford Futvoye, Lake Womack, Tre Bryant, Parker Puckett, Hayden Frazure, Turner Reeves, Luke Essary, Mason McElveen, Harrison Fulcher, Peyton Puckett, Bodie Akins, Thomas Hewitt Oswalt, Harper Herring, John Ed Maddux, Carter Eaton, Gardner Young, Luke Smith, Chadwick Mask, Charlie Norris, Andy Brown, Peter Primos, Laird Johnson, Benj Branning, Sean Michael Odom, Cole Gideon, Will Gideon, Holden Heigle, Ken Core, Thomas Gough, Thomas Cross, Jesse Johnston, Matthew Myers, Asa Gatlin, Rand Woodson, Eli Adams, Jake Bailey, Gray Clayton, Blair Hurst, Robert Watson, Laquarrious Finley, Stewart Grubbs, Allen Rebich, Ridge Gamblin, Kyle Douglas, Barrett Brown, Parker Ingram, Brantley Denson, Cole Allen, Murry Brasell, Aidan Hall, Jay Allen, Bennett Ezell, Matthew Parker, Reid Vineyard, Jack Carter, Thomas Coco, Alex Guidry, Caleb Gutierrez, Robert Fletcher, Barton Lampton, Aiden Rowe, Gage Gibbs, Owen McCraney, Hutch McClain, Coach Matt Butts, Head Coach Doug Goodwin, Coach Brent Heavener, Coach Keith Giordano, Coach Rusty Burke
Sequels are always judged in comparison to the original. It’s unavoidable and just human nature. On Friday night, Head Coach Doug Goodwin will open his second year at Jackson Prep against the Copiah Academy Colonels at home on Lakeland Drive. Kickoff will come a little later in the opener, at 7:30 p.m., to hopefully offset some of this brutal summer heat.
Goodwin’s first season was definitely an Oscar winner. Goodwin led the Patriots to a 12-1 record and the MAIS 6A State Championship. It was the first football title for the school since 2018, they stopped Madison-Ridgeland Academy from winning a fourth consecutive title and Goodwin introduced a system that his new team adopted very quickly.
“I can’t say enough good things about our kids. They picked up our new schemes and terminology so quickly,” said Coach Goodwin. “We were very fortunate in many ways. We had players that worked hard to understand and execute, and we lucked out with very few injuries which allowed us to be consistent. They got better and better each week and I’ve seen that same kind of fire here in the preseason.”
Offensively, the Patriots are looking to fill huge shoes left behind by the graduation of quarterback Paxton Thompson, school record holding receiver Will Upton and fellow receiver Will Laird. The new quarterback in this sequel is junior Parker Puckett, who is getting rave reviews from his coach.
“He was a 10th grader and could have played last year. Puckett is super smart and really understands the offense,” said Coach Goodwin. “He has a very strong arm; he throws a good deep ball and can make all the underneath throws. While not extremely fast, he has mobility to get out of the pocket and run, which will be enough to keep the defense honest.”
Puckett will have a plethora of targets to look for down the field in junior Major Quin, and seniors Hayden Frazure, Matthew Merhle, Owen McCraney and Matthew Laseter. They are all upper classmen and it will be interesting to watch who becomes the go-to guy on Friday night.
On the ground, the Patriots will look to senior Lake Womack to lead the backfield committee. Womack was injured about halfway through last season and still finished as the team’s second leading rusher with nearly 400 yards and scoring five touchdowns. We will also hear the names of junior Cole Gideon and senior Micah Stallworth called quite a bit in this rotation of backs.
The offensive line is perhaps the biggest question mark going into the first game. Senior Allen Rebich is the only returning starter will anchor the line at center. Goodwin says the big guys up front have great ability which should lead to execution. It’s a daunting task to give the quarterback time to throw and then turn around to open holes. Copiah should be a good gauge on where they stand after game one.
Defensively, the Patriots are not overly big, but they are aggressive and tenacious. “I love how we run to the ball. Our guys really like to hit and have been going full speed all preseason. We are quick and our guys give great effort. You know it when you’ve been hit by one of our guys,” said Goodwin.
The defense is led by a trio of seniors in linebackers Matthew Laseter and Thomas Cross, along with defensive lineman Andy Brown. Cross is the returning leading tackler after recording 50 tackles with 14 for loss last year. Brown had 40 tackles a year ago with 14 being for loss, including six sacks. Senior Micah Stallworth returns as a defensive back. Stallworth led the team with three interceptions as a junior. While Prep has several players that will play both offense and defense, Coach Goodwin has a philosophy that his defensive starters main priority is defense. They will rotate in on offense when necessary to do what’s best for the team.
“We’ve got to keep our guys fresh. We have a very talented core that can play both ways,” said Goodwin.
Copiah Academy is in a similar situation as Prep this year as they lost their most explosive offensive weapon to graduation in quarterback Wyatt Albright. Albright was Mr. Everything as he passed for 1,730 yards and 23 touchdowns. He also led the team in rushing with 1,227 yards and 19 touchdowns. All that production is gone, so it will be interesting to see who steps up to fill that role of playmaker. Junior wide receiver Jamarius Grayer has that opportunity as a versatile runner who can make dynamic plays. Senior wide receiver Anthony Walden is another scoring threat to keep your eyes on. Colonels Head Coach Billy Hankins says he has plenty of guys on the roster, his top task now is finding where they fit best.
Prep and Copiah last met in week five of the regular season last year, with the Patriots pulling away in the second half in a 42-21 win. With both teams breaking in new quarterbacks this year and playing the first game out of the chute, the coaches know this will be a guessing game to start.
“Every team is different, we’ll have to make an educated guess about what they are going to try and do. You can get a sense of the history of a coach from what he’s done in the past, but with many new players, we are preparing for a lot of looks and will make adjustments as we go,” said Coach Goodwin.
One thing is for sure, the Patriots are very excited to open the season at home in front of Prep Nation. Opening night will always bring out the nerves in even the most stoic athletes and coaches. Coach Doug Goodwin directed a blockbuster hit last year in winning the state title in his first season. Now expectations are soaring on Lakeland Drive as the Pats premiere the sequel.
Keys to Victory for Jackson Prep:
On offense: Look for the coaches to call high percentage plays to give new quarterback Parker Puckett some early confidence. It will also be a nice audition for the receivers who are jockeying for prime position. Look for a solid game from Lake Womack out of the backfield as he returns to shine in his senior season.
On defense: The Patriots are going to do their best to put pressure on Copiah’s offense. It’s a Colonels team that will be doing a lot of sampling for what they can do best. Prep can definitely disrupt that with pressure from all over and force negative plays and turnovers.
The Series: Jackson Prep leads 8-0.
Last Meeting: Jackson Prep won 42-21 at home in 2022.
PREP'S KEYS TO VICTORY
On Offense: Look for the coaches to call high percentage plays to give new quarterback Parker Puckett some early confidence. It will also be a nice audition for the receivers who are jockeying for prime position. Look for a solid game from Lake Womack out of the backfield as he returns to shine in his senior season.
On Defense: The Patriots are going to do their best to put pressure on Copiah’s offense. It’s a Colonels team that will be doing a lot of sampling for what they can do best. Prep can definitely disrupt that with pressure from all over and force negative plays and turnovers.
AT A GLANCE
Jackson Prep:
Class/Division: Class 6A, District 1 (MAIS)
Record: Season Opener
Head Coach: Doug Goodwin (First Season)
Assistant Coaches: Nick Brewer, Graham Eklund, Matt Butts, Brent Heavener, Keith Giordano, Rusty Burke
Copiah Academy:
Class/Division: Class 5A, District 2 (MAIS)
Record: Season Opener
Head Coach: Billy Hankins
Assistant Coach: Dan Napier
