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Smenda’s heroics thrust Eagles back in playoffs

By Randy Lefko
Posted 12/20/17

FLEMING ISLAND – Fleming Island High senior linebacker Ryan Smenda logged the most game minutes of most of his teammates not because the Golden Eagle defense was always on the field, but because …

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Smenda’s heroics thrust Eagles back in playoffs


Posted

FLEMING ISLAND – Fleming Island High senior linebacker Ryan Smenda logged the most game minutes of most of his teammates not because the Golden Eagle defense was always on the field, but because Smenda was the supreme multi-talent in Clay County while being one of the more accomplished linebackers in recent history in Clay County where linebackers of note include Oakleaf High’s Shaquille Quarterman, now at University of Miami, Fleming Island High’s Jalen Kindle, a standout at the University of Delaware and Ridgeview High’s Jennings Jackson.

“Our team of guys have been together since freshman year and that made this senior year special,” said Smenda. “We wanted to end our careers with a special season.

For his superlative defensive skills, Smenda is selected as the Clay Today Defensive Player of the Year by a combination of statistics, coach input and conversations with teammates and opposing players and coaches. Smenda, heading to Wake Forest University next fall, joins Kindle as a Fleming Island linebacker chosen as Clay Today defensive player of year.

Smenda, with an astounding 175 tackles for the year, also pitched in with a 40 yard punt average while also lining up as a stand-in Wildcat quarterback, a power “Big” formation running back on short yardage situations and, even, an occasional passing quarterback who showed off a cannon of an arm in one throw.

As a linebacker, Smenda’s tackle total; with 105 solo stops, came with 21 tackles for loss in the high-impact Golden Eagle defense that featured two more top-drawer linebackers in teammates Jackson Bull and Jack Surgeoner; both first team selections on the Clay Today Defense All County team.

Smenda added to his prowess on the field with three fumbles caused by his vicious hits; one a bellringer against Ed White on the opening kickoff that led to a Golden Eagle touchdown; another smash on the ensuing Ed White possession that annihilated the punter after a bad snap and left a lone football in the end zone for a Fleming Island touchdown and one, his most memorable, was a tackle on Ridgeview quarterback Jiaran Turner that ended with an interception to Bull that sealed the closely matched game for Fleming Island.

Add to those eye-popping moments and you get a blocked punt that Smenda snagged and scored with against 9A-Sandalwood that was topped in the same game with a fourth and one 50 yard run, a rugged 50 yard off tackle touchdown run against Edgewater in the region semifinal and a blocked point after kick against rival Clay that fueled a decisive win in the annual season opening bash. Smenda also had a 70 yard fake punt for a critical score against a Creekside team that nearly thwarted the Golden Eagles playoff hopes and a 60 yard pick six in the same game that was negated by a penalty flag.

“No matter where coach Springs put me; offense or defense, I was 110 percent on the field,” said Smenda, who has an older brother, Austin, who just ended his college season with the South Dakota State Jackrabbits with a loss in the FCS Division I semifinals on Saturday with a loss to defending champion James Madison.

As a punter, which could add as a defensive statistic, Smenda had 30 kicks downed inside opposing team’s 20 yard line.

Joining Smenda on the Clay Today Defense All County First Team, as mentioned earlier, are his linebacker teammates Jackson Bull and Jack Surgeoner, both seniors and outside linebackers who are joined by Clay High’s Raequan Williams in the middle as the linebacker crew for the first team defense.

Surgeoner, who had the knack of fumble recoveries for scores; one a 99 yarder, one a 70 yard, punched in with 113 tackles on one corner with 6.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss while Bull was credited with 106 tackles with 7.5 sacks and an area-high 22 tackles for loss from a linebacker. Bull’s bone-jarring contacts produced four fumbles and nine pass breakups while he also snagged two interceptions; one a game-ender in the end zone against Ridgeview.

Williams moved up from safety for his senior year and was eight yards closer to the action for coach Joshua Hoekstra and answered with 106 Tackles, 70 solo, 8TFL, 8.2 per game and two fumbles caused.

“Raequan Williams is a four-year varsity starter for the team and works hard to improve on a daily basis,” said Hoekstra. “His 98 tackles and 2 forced fumbles stand out for the strong CHS program. Simply stated - he can do it all and will be missed.”

W?illiams also became a dangerous kick returner with a 25.7 yard average on kickoffs and 10 yards per punt return. Williams was lead Clay tackler in big games against Baker County and Hernando with 11 stops.

Up front, on the defensive line, Clay County had a bevy of talent led by Oakleaf High sophomore ChantzWilliams, who led area defensive ends with nine sacks off 50 tackles and 17 tackles for loss. Williams, off the corner, created numerous block field goals, punts and PAT kicks. On the opposite side, Fleming Island’s Jake Libretto created enough inside-outside havoc with teammate Jalyn Robinson with his 15 sacks and 21 tackles for loss added on to 50 tackles.

In the middle, Fleming Island had Jalyn Robinson as a small-sized nosetackle, relative to others in the county, but noetheless one of the more disruptive tacklers in the county with his 26 tackles for losses off 75 tackles. Robinson also had 12 sacks and a fumble recovery in his mayhem.

Another smaller than usual defensive standout on the Clay Today Defense First Team is Orange Park’s rugged Kendy Charles, just a sophomore, who emerged as a power player very early in his high school career with 60 tackles for coach Tom Macpherson.

In the secondary, Clay and Fleming Island both had to top pass stealers in the county with the Blue Devils’ field of play manned by hard-hitting Zach Alvarado at safety and glue-fingered Jordan Copeland at one defensive back position. For Fleming Island, senior safety Isaiah Walker returned from an season-ending ankle injury with little speed gone from his game at safety while teammate Eugene Oglesby was a one man show with two critical pick-six touchdown interceptions on top of his 57 tackles.

Alvarado punched up 62 tackles from his centerfield slot with 41 solos and totals of 17 and 11 against rival Baker County plus landed some special teams heroic for the Blue Devils.

“Alvarado is one of the toughest players to play for Clay High. Played fast and physical. Really impacted the game on D,” said Hoekstra. “Copeland really improved each week, led team with four interceptions and 11 pass breakups.”

Copeland had four interceptions for the Blue Devils with 11 pass breakups with 34 tackles.

For Walker, the return to the field showed off his athletic prowess with 105 tackles, 12 for loss, three sacks on corner blitzes, two interceptions, plus four rushing touchdowns with a 38 yarder his best offensive effort.

First Team Defense

DE: Chantz Williams, OHS, SOPH, 50 tackles, 11 v Clay; 17 TFLs (4 v CHS, FIHS), 9 Sacks, 1 Block FG, 2 pt conversion

DT: Kendy Charles, OPHS, SOPH 60 tackles, 8TFL, 6 sacks

DT: Jalyn Robinson, FIHS, SR 75 tackles, 26TFLs, 12 Sacks, 1 Fumble, 1 Fumble recover

DE: Jake Libretto, FIHS, JR 50 tackles, 21 TFLs, 15 sacks

MLB: Raequan Williams, CHS, SR 106 Tackles, 70 solo, 8TFL, 8.2 per game, 2 fumble caused. 25.7 KO Ret, 9 punts for 82 yrds) 15 v Menendez, 11 v Baker, Hernando

OLB: Jack Surgeoner, FIHS, SR, 113 tackles, 14TFLs, 6.5 Sacks, 70 solos, 3 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recovery,

OLB: Jackson Bull, FIHS, SR, 106 tackles, 65 solos, 7.5 sacks, 22TFLs, 4 forced fumbles, 3 fumble recovery, 2 INTs, 9 pass breakups,

DB: Jordan Copeland, CHS, SR 34 tackles, 25 solos, 1TFL, 11 pass breakups, 2 fumble recovery, 4INTs, 1 fumble caused

DB: Eugene Oglesby, FIHS, JR 57 tackles, 4 INTs (2TDs), 4 pass breakups

SS: Zach Alvarado, CHS, SR 62 tackles, 41 solos, 17 v baker county, 11 v baker county2, 3TFLs, 1 Sacks, 1 fumble recover, 1 fumble cause

FS: Isaiah Walker, FIHS, SR, 105 tackles, 60 solos, 12TFLs, 3 Sacks, 2INT, 10 Pass breakups

offense-11-55 rush, 4TDs, 38yd long TD

Second Team

DE; Mitch Cuthbertson, OHS, SR 38 tackles, 6TFLS, 2 Sacks, 8 Hurries, 2 forced fumbles

DE: Dominic Stanfield, RHS, JR, 49 tackles (9 v Menendez, 8 v OP), 19 TFL, 6 sacks (3 v FIHS), 18 Hurries (5 v Westside) “very explosive player who made a lot of big plays for us defensively” RHS coach Cameron Porch

DT Javier Bovell, OHS, SR 31 tackles, 10.5 TFL, 4 sacks, 11 Hurries

DT: Colby Butler, CHS, SR 61 tackles, 4.7 TFLs and two sacks

OLB Cody Devore, CHS, JR 72 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 11 sacks

MLB Dexter Moore, OHS, JR 96 tackles, 7.5 TFL, 2 Sacks, 5 QB hurries, 1 pass breakup, 3 fumbles caused

OLB Austin Childers RHS, JR 58 tackles, INT TD, one sack, one QB hurry

DB Bobby Brown, FIHS, SR 50 tackles, 3INT, 25 pass breakups, 35 solo tackles

DB Courtney Rockett, RHS, 31 tackles, 12 pass breakups, 1 Interception

SS Dorian Duchene, RHS, SR 63 tackles, 4 pass breakups, 1 fumble caused

FS Robbie Reynolds, OPHS 65 tackles, 4TFL, 1 fumble recovery

Honorable Mention

CHS: Josh Griffis DE “relentless as a pass rusher, loves the weight room, bright future”; Marcaun Robinson MLB; Kenneth Johnson DE; Connor Davies DE; Marchel Robinson LB; Mason Adams MLB

FIHS: Josh Harris DE; Marquavian Wright DE; Will Hudgins DT

MHS: Kodi Carrington MLB; Andre Jean-Pierre DE;

KHHS: Colton Crane SS; Kaison Harvey DB

OPHS: Shaq Magwood SS; Isiah Blair DB; Carson Jackson OPHS; Deonte Dominich MLB

RHS: Mark Butler DE; Steven Boyd OLB; Troy Harris SS; Anthony Drabek OLB; Dawson Smith DT

OHS: Tayari Otis DT; Jordan Randall OLB; Kenny Davis OLB

Josh Griffis, CHS, SOPH, 38 tackles, 4TFLs, 6 Sacks (3 v MHS), 8 hurries, 1 Fumble recover, 1 Block FG