Bartram’s Quarterback Situtation: Conundrum Or Asset?

Bartram’s Quarterback Situation: Conundrum or Asset?

In any other scenario, having three capable quarterbacks compete for the starting job would be a curse.

For Bartram Trail and Coach Darrell Sutherland, it’s a blessing.

He’s got three potential starters on his roster- Jordan Smith, Riley Smith, and highly recruited Joey Gatewood- who will all likely share some time on the field as they did last season.

And they did it quite successfully, might I add.

Bartram Trail made it farther in the playoffs than any other St. Johns County team, only losing to Columbia in the Regional Final. For a county that’s stacked with wins and talented players, that’s quite an accomplishment.

The Bears are also bringing back senior RB/WR Isaiah Bolden, who recently committed to Florida State. WR Chandler Harvin is also poised to make a significant impact catching throws from any one of the three quarterbacks.

For 2016, Bartram needs to tighten up their defense. Opposing teams scored an average of 28.3 points, with 3 teams scoring at least that, and Ponte Vedra scoring 51 points. They’ll be facing several offensively gifted teams this year, like Ponte Vedra, Nease, and St. Augustine, so they’ll need to be sure their defense doesn’t overload their offensive responsibilities in order to win.

Their schedule is also in their favor. Facing teams like Bishop Kenny, Ridgeview, Creekside and Fleming Island should be relatively easy for them, however, most of those games are early in the schedule, so they must ensure everyone stays healthy and fresh for the second half of the schedule.

Overall, this team is a serious state title contender, and will certainly have several Division I athletes signed by this time next year. Be careful, Jacksonville, and watch out for the Bears.