Bradford celebrates perfect regular season and Jamie Rodgers’ 100th career win
BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Telegraph Staff Writer
It was a revenge game, but when judged against the previous two weeks, it looked like the same old, same old for the Bradford High School football team.
And the same old, same old looks pretty impressive.
After two 42-0 victories, the Tornadoes defeated visiting Suwannee 35-3 to conclude the regular season on Nov. 3 and become the first Bradford team since 1990 to go undefeated in the regular season.
With the win, Bradford ended the regular season as the number-two overall team in the state in the Florida High School Athletic Association’s Class 2S power rankings and the number-one seed in Region 2. The Tornadoes (10-0) host eighth seed Port Orange Atlantic (5-5) in a Region 2 quarterfinal game on Friday, Nov. 10, at 7:30 p.m.
Suwannee defeated Bradford 10-7 last year – the Tornadoes’ only loss of the regular season. Head Coach Jamie Rodgers said sometimes the revenge factor can work against a team, but come kickoff time, he had no concerns about his team and how it would perform.
“Sometimes you’re overhyped, sometimes you might jump offsides, sometimes you might have a personal foul, but I wasn’t worried about that tonight,” Rodgers said. “I saw the focus in their eyes.”
Rodgers said Bradford was facing a good Suwannee team that was coming off a three-point loss to Wakulla, which is the fifth-ranked team in Class 2S. The Tornadoes, though, built a 28-0 halftime lead and missed recording their third straight shutout when the Bulldogs (6-
3) kicked a field goal on the last play of the game.
“We made it look a lot easier than it probably was,” Rodgers said.
The coach said it was a testament to how hard his players work in preparing for games.
“They practice really well Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. That’s what it takes,” Rodgers said. “We had as crisp of a walkthrough (Nov. 2) as I’ve had since I’ve been here. I knew they were locked in.”
Bradford came up empty on the game’s first series despite driving from its own 40 to the Suwannee 25. The Tornadoes turned the ball over on downs after two consecutive incomplete passes and needing 6 yards for a first down.
The Tornadoes would cash in quickly on the next series, which followed a big special-teams play. Suwannee lost 3 yards on a third-and-8 play when quarterback Koy Frier was chased out of bounds by Malachi Murphy. Bradford’s Torin Brazell then blocked the ensuing punt, setting the Tornadoes up at the Suwannee 13.
Jyquez Cason, following an illegal-procedure penalty, scores on an 18-yard run on which he bulled over a defender standing between him and the goal line. Declan Hense kicked the extra point as Bradford took at 7-0 lead with 5:34 to play in the first quarter.
Cason finished with 29 yards on three carries.
The Tornadoes increased their lead less than two minutes later. On a third-and-6 play, Frier attempted to pass with Bradford’s Jorden Daniels practically on top of him. The ball deflected off of Daniels’ hands and fell into the hands of Duke Lewis, who was also bringing pressure. The result was a 20-yard interception return for a touchdown. After Hense’s PAT, the score stood at 14-0.
Suwannee had good field position on its third series, thanks to an interception that set the Bulldogs up at the Bradford 44. The drive, though, resulted in a punt after three plays, with the Tornadoes’ Jalen Williams coming up with a sack on third-and-9.
Bradford muffed the ensuing punt, but managed to fall on the loose ball, which had the offense starting a drive at its own 7-yard line. An 11-yard run by quarterback Dae’Jon Shanks resulted in one first down, while two consecutive passes of 16 and 22 yards to Chalil
cummings gained two more, moving the Tornadoes to the Suwannee 36. Shanks, who rushed for 48 yards on eight carries, then ripped off 13-yard run before keeping the ball again on a 23-yard touchdown run at the 8:42 mark of the second quarter. Hense added the PAT for a 21-0 lead.
Shanks finished 4 of 8 passing for 42 yards, with Cummings catching all four passes.
The Bulldogs managed to gain 9 yards on the following series, but elected to punt on fourth-and-1 from their own 41. The punter dropped the snap, with the ball eventually rolling out of bounds at the 27-yard line. That gave Bradford’s offense a short field, but the Tornadoes found themselves facing a fourth-and-6 play. They went for it, with Brian Cliffin carrying the ball into the end zone on a 23-yard run with 4:38 remaining until halftime. The score, after Hense’s PAT, was now 28-0.
Suwannee had a third-and-1 play on its next drive, but running back Marquavious Owens was tackled for a 2-yard loss by Daniels, Devon McBride and Jeremiah McKenzie. The Bulldogs, who failed to gain a first down in the half, punted.
Bradford’s defense, which held Suwannee to 18 yards rushing and 82 yards overall, got a sack from Brazell on the first play from scrimmage in the second half. A fumble after a completed pass on the next play was recovered by the Tornadoes at the Suwannee 47-yard line.
The Bradford offense benefitted from a 15-yard facemask penalty and then got an 11-yard run from McKenzie to set up first down at the 18. Two plays later, a 7-yard McKenzie run resulted in first-and-goal at the 8. Cliffin, who rushed for 70 yards on 11 carries, scored from there for his second touchdown of the night. Hense kicked the extra point to make it 35-0 and institute a running clock.
Suwannee picked up all three of its first downs on its third drive of the half. Frier completed a 23-yard pass and had a 26-yard run, while a pass-interference penalty resulted in another first down. The Bulldogs eventually turned the ball over on downs at the Bradford 20, but got the ball right back on a fumble at the Tornadoes’ 10-yard line. Nate Raymond sacked Frier for a 15-yard loss on the first play following the turnover. The Bulldogs moved back inside the 15 on a 13-yard pass play before kicking a 29-yard field goal as time expired to avoid the shutout.
The Bulldogs entered the game averaging 32 points and 300-plus yards per game.
Bradford, which has held six opponents to less than 100 total yards, has won its last three games by a combined score of 119-3 and is defeating opponents by an average score of 32-4.
This year’s team became the seventh in BHS history to go undefeated in the regular season, joining the 1960, 1961, 1965, 1966, 1985 and 1990 teams.
The win over Suwannee provided a lot to celebrate about, including the fact that Rodgers earned his 100th career win. It occurred at the school that gave him his first head-coaching job.
Rodgers, who’s also coached at Baker County and Cook (Adel, Georgia), said the milestone wasn’t about him, but about all the coaches he’s worked with and the players he’s coached.
“Without them, it couldn’t be done,” Rodgers said. “It’s the players first, the coaching staff and then the head coach. That’s the order it goes in for a successful organization. If the head coach has to do it alone, it’s not going to be as good as it can be.”
The coach enjoyed being able to share the moment with his family and all those in Bradford County who’ve supported him.
“It’s been a lot of fun,” Rodgers said of his past two years at BHS. “I want to let the people here know how much I’ve appreciated everything they’ve done for me.”
Now the time has come to focus on the playoffs. As the top seed in Region 2 and the number-two overall seed in Class 2S, the Tornadoes will host every playoff game prior to the state championship if they’re fortunate enough to keep winning.
“It’s really hard to come through here and beat us,” Rodgers said. “The road to the Final Four has to come through here now, but you know what? That doesn’t guarantee us anything. We have to get ready, we have to practice, and we have to prepare like we have for the past 10 games, but I’ll tell you what, I’m glad those guys wearing red are with me — coaches and players.”
