Rickards Shines at Football Jamboree
By Andrew J. Mitchell, Jr.
Outlook Writer
It was just a spring jamboree, but it previewed a lot of the football drama that should be on full display in the fall.
Three teams – Rickards, Godby and Wakulla high schools – participated in the six-quarter jamboree last Thursday night. Each team played two, two-quarter games.
During the 90 minutes, there was a display of star talent and high completive play that captivated spectators at Gene Cox Stadium.
It started with a stunner as Rickards escaped with a victory over Wakulla High School.
The Raiders also beat cross-town rival Godby. The Cougars also lost to Wakulla.
The star players performed as expected throughout the night.
Jeff Martin of XOS Digital was there to witness it all. His organization provides services that help colleges to better scout and recruit.
Among the talent that Martin identified were Godby defensive end Cedric Wood and Wakulla receiver Keith Gavin, who have both committed to Florida State.
The jamboree also featured LSU quarterback commitment Feleipe Franks from Wakulla, future South Florida Bull Kalen Riles from Rickards and undecided 2016 quarterback prospect Darius Bradwell from Godby.
The stars shined throughout the jamboree, scoring touchdowns and making big plays for their respective teams.
The matchup between Riles and Gavin was one of the highlights of the first game between the Raiders and the War Eagles. Riles switched sides throughout the game, but saw plenty of Gavin – including coverage responsibilities on one of Gavin’s two touchdowns in the game.
Quintin Lewis, head coach of the Raiders, challenged his team before the jamboree and it paid off.
“We tried to play four quarters and we did that tonight,” Lewis said. “I challenged them to be better than last year. Be a year older team and more mature. And that’s what they did tonight.”
