No one can ever claim that the Wayne County High School Yellow Jackets do not have a stacked non-conference schedule. Yellow Jackets head coach Jody Grooms has just completed his sweep through both Glynn County programs, and neither gave his team anticipated results.
On Friday, August 14th, Wayne met Brunswick High School for a scrimmage. All coaches wonder how their teams will do, especially when it’s their first time to hit a team in another jersey. The Brunswick Pirates have been reignited under new head coach Larry Harold. Brunswick outscored Wayne, 36-14, giving the Yellow Jackets time to clear up some mistakes before opening the season against another Glynn County school (and Brunswick’s rival) the Glynn Academy Red Terrors.
The two teams opened against each other last season, where the shift from the ground game to the up-tempo style of Rocky Hildago’s spread attack debuted and handed the Jackets a fast loss.
This season, Grooms knew what Hildago’s strategy would be (and, possibly, it helped that the Red Terrors were coming to Jaycee Stadium in Jesup). The Friday night lights weren’t the only thing that lit up Wayne County sky. With game knotted at zero, lightning sent both teams to the locker room and the South Georgia weather spoiled the home debut.
Both schools called it a night and, less than 12 hours later, met in the sweltering Saturday morning heat to finish what they started the night before. It could have been déjà vu for Grooms, because the Red Terrors came fast out of the box when University of Georgia commit, Red Terror back Deejay Dallas, scored on a 54-yard pass play. Although the Red Terrors started fast, just like in the 2014 game, Wayne was able to get back in it, and the Yellow Jackets drove the length of the field in the final four minutes of the second quarter to hit pay dirt for a touchdown. Wayne trailed Glynn 14-7 at the half.
In the third quarter, Glynn had ball control problems, and around the six-minute mark, Seth Clary tossed a touchdown pass for the Yellow Jackets to tie the game at 14. Defensively, Wayne picked off two passes.
Glynn regained the lead off another big play from Dallas. Going up 21-14, the Red Terrors never looked back. Wayne travels to Appling for its next game before the schedule tightens back up with a trip AAAAAA powerhouse Camden County. The Wildcats routed Tallahassee Lincoln in the Frank Smith Classic, 48-13.
SE-9.15-Wayne-Football
Tough beginning to Wayne season
By John Wood
