Jets hold scrimmage at Blue-White Night

Wideout Miles Whitlow reaches for a pass just outside his fingertips at a Jets scrimmage Aug. 15. (Record Photo/Nick Sellers)

By Nick Sellers | Staff Reporter

MADISON – The Liberty Middle School seventh and eighth grade teams scrimmaged on August 15 before the James Clemens varsity team took the field for a scrimmage.

Head coach Wade Waldrop and the rest of the coaches shuffled in as many players as possible during the un-timed practice. The scrimmage comes less than a week before the Jets’ jamboree at East Limestone on Aug. 21.

The defensive front seven had a strong showing at the scrimmage, routinely hurrying quarterback Heath Burchfield and keeping a decent containment on stud running back Maceo Booker, the team’s leading rusher a year ago.

“I think anytime you’re playing each other, as we have for five weeks now, I think everytime we line up and run something I think the other time knows what’s coming so it kind of offsets,” Waldrop said.

Junior linebacker Jamaal Morris, who is expected to contribute heavily this season on defense, was out with a concussion. The other starter inside for the middle of the Jets’ defense, John Jenkins, was out for the scrimmage as well.

The other veterans at linebacker, Dylan Hampton and Khalil McDonald, were out in full force Friday night. Senior wide receiver Miles Whitlow nabbed several passes from Burchfield as did fellow senior wideout Josh Garth.

Booker did break free for gains of 10 yards or more, including a touchdown scamper towards the end of the scrimmage.

James Clemens plays Athens at home for its season opener before facing Bob Jones on Sep. 5