By RICK HEAD
Publisher
Ware County will get its biggest test of the year Friday night in a Top 10 matchup against visiting Benedictine.
The Gators (2-0) enter the game ranked third in the latest Atlanta Journal-Constitution Class 5A Top 10 poll moving up two spots after then third-ranked Jones County and fourth-ranked Creekside lost last week.
The defending state champion Cadets (2-1) are the top-ranked team in Class 4A with their only loss (41-15) at Class 8A Christopher Columbus School in Miami, Fla. BC has sandwiched home shutout wins over Jenkins (45-0 called in second quarter) and Westminster (28-0; called with :12 left in the third quarter because of lightning) around the setback to the Explorers.
Friday’s meeting is the third in the series with each team posting road wins. Then second-ranked Ware County notched a 43-21 victory in Savannah over the fourth-ranked Cadets in 2020 with Benedictine outlasting the Gators 49-42 last season in Memorial Stadium with both teams ranked third in their respective classes.
“This is probably their (Cadets) best overall group of skill players in the three years we have played them,” said Ware County head coach Jason Strickland, who is 2-3 against Benedictine in his career. “The offensive line (five new starters) is pretty good, too. They (offensive coaches) will utilize the screen game trying to get the skill players the ball as quickly as possible.
“On the defensive side of the ball they do so much changing their defensive front on every play.”
Junior Florida State commit Luke Kromenhoek (6-foot-4, 185), who played wide receiver and on the defensive side of the ball, has more than filled the spot of Auburn quarterback signee Holden Geriner directing the gun-spread attack.
“That kid is electric,” said Strickland of Kromenhoek. “He’s not as seasoned as Geriner, but he is bigger and more athletic with a dynamic arm. When he gets into the flow of the game he just takes over.”
Senior Za’Quan Bryan, who committed to the University of Minnesota in June and has been clocked with a sub-11.0 in the 100-meter run, will line up in the backfield and out wide as a receiver. Bryan led the state with 95 receptions a year ago while accumulating 1,376 yards and 15 touchdowns. He rushed for 249 yards on 25 carries with two touchdowns.
Sophomore Thomas Blackshear and junior Ladon Bryant (6-4), along with Juniors Rasean Matthews (5-10, 165), Debarry Green and Houston Jackson (5-8, 150) give Kromenhoek a talented group of receivers to throw to.
“Bryan is a special player that will line up all over the field,” Strickland said. “We’re going to have to match their (Cadets) intensity, though. They like to play uptempo and give defenses a lot of formations to try and get missed alignments.
“We’re going to try and imitate their tempo in practice this week to get our defense to play fast and quickly get aligned. That is going to be a big key.”
Benedictine head coach Danny Britt believed in the pre-season the Cadets’ front seven would be good with the linebacking corps the strength of the unit.
Junior linebacker Bryce Baker (6-1, 210) led the team in tackles last season. Classmate Wilkes Albert (5-10, 200) flanks Baker. Senior defensive linemen Cole Semien (6-3, 265) anchors the defensive front. Bryan solidifies the secondary.
“To try and simplify what they (Cadets) do defensively,” said Strickland, “we’ve got to play with tempo so what they are trying to disguise becomes vanilla. They don’t blitz a lot, but will mix up their coverages in the secondary.
“They key for us is we have to run the ball better, block better and control the clock. We have to show patience and take what they give us and be satisfied. I think last year we got impatient and tried to force the big play.”
