JHS will face Bedford-North Lawrence this Friday
All photos by Magdalene Conrad.
Red Devils defeat Seymour 20-6 on Friday
Category: Football
Red Devils look for season’s first win against Seymour tonight
by Austin Bainbridge
Seymour and Jeff are hunting for their first wins of the season, and everyone’s ready for the Friday Night Lights tonight.
“I’m super excited man counting the days down until Friday and just mentally preparing myself for Friday,” said head football coach Joe Washington.
Seymour showed some Week 1 slopiness last Friday in a 38-8 loss against Greenwood, throwing two interceptions.
“I’m hoping that we’ll be able to get a lot of turnovers this week. If they throw the ball up I think we have the guys in the secondary to make plays and hopefully turn some of those picks into touchdowns,” said Washington.
Jeff is also out to a slow start after a 37-0 loss to Cincinnati Taft, and lost their starting quarterback Cordell Thomas. Sophomore Brayden Bachman will fill in.
“It’s Bachman’s first start, so you kind of expect there to be some jitters. We’re going to help him out with short passes and running the ball effectively,” said Washington.
Jeff has confidence in this game even after the loss to Taft.
“I expect a good game from Seymour, but we are the better team,” said sophomore tackle Jaxx Long.
Jeff is trying to find a silver lining in the loss from Taft.
“I would like the loss to influence us in a positive way. Even though there’s a lot of negativity around it, if they put it into perspective Taft is probably going to be the best team we’ll play until sectionals,” said Washington.
Seymour has several impact players that could turn the tide in their favor.
“Their running back number three (Traysean Hawkins) is a real shifty guy; he runs the ball hard, and they have an offensive linemen that has worked really hard. He’s lost 50 pounds this offseason, he’s a really big kid,” said Washington.
The team has been putting in work at practice all week and feel prepared for tonight.
“We have prepared a good defense and ran scout team all week so I’m confident for this game,” said Long.
Washington had been suspended for both the Madison scrimmage and Week one against Taft. Tonight is his first opportunity to be back on the field and he’s ready.
“I’m excited. It’s like having my boys around. I’m sick of not having my guys around, and it’s my happy place, you know,” said Washington.
Jeff travels to Cincinnati tonight to face Taft
Scrimmage helps Red Devils prepare for their season
All photos by Isaiah Stewart.
Red Devils bring ‘red out’ to Friday night scrimmage
All photos by Magdalene Conrad.
Update: Red Devils scrimmage tonight at 8 p.m.
Update: Tonight’s scrimmage has been moved back to 8 p.m.
Football team builds up for a year of redemption, prepares to face rival New Albany Saturday morning
by Ifrah Daber
Recent JHS football teams haven’t been known for their wins, especially with their 0-10 record in 2023. Since the beginning of the school year, however, many JHS football fans have noticed the team’s growth. As of Sept. 28, the varsity Red Devils are 4-2, with wins against Seymour, Bedford North Lawrence, Louisville Fern Creek, and Silver Creek.
This new school year is a chance for redemption for the Red Devils, and they have taken this challenge with pride.
First-year head coach Joe Washington leads these players and has shaped them for the season. He spoke about discipline and the importance of focus, along with prioritizing the fundamentals, when discussing the team’s success this year.
“Our biggest strength is our defense, and our biggest weakness is likely that we are new on offense,” Washington stated. He elaborated that the team was newer to some offensive plays and going by the book.
“It’s a rival and all records go out the window. It’s us versus us this week.” Washington stated about how he and the team viewed the upcoming game against New Albany.
Despite the challenge of learning and perfecting an offense with his team, Washington still shows confidence. He stated that the players are excited and have been playing well. The positive sentiment is not just believed by the coach, but also by many of the teammates.
One example is senior running back Dayzir Hughes, who has just begun his third year on the team. Hughes attributed the coaching staff’s dedication to the sport to the team’s improvement.
“They put heart into it; the coaches take the time,” Hughes stated.
Senior Glorie Tshimanga, a main tackle on the team for the last three years, described the biggest team weakness as their running game but also said the Red Devils have greatly improved in areas of defense.
He, too, credited the team’s improvement to the coaching of Washington and their other coaches, along with the team’s strong improvement in defense.
“All about a winning mindset, and showing that the team is capable,” stated sophomore Bryce Treat, an offensive guard who recently joined the team.
Despite Treat being newer to the team, he has great trust in his teammates.
Even some student managers chose to speak up about their faith in the team, including freshman Kendall Washington. Coach Washington’s daughter and football team manager stated that the team’s biggest strength is their camaraderie and brotherhood.
She stated that team discipline and a professional approach are the keys to the team’s success. She said that the Red Devils will do well if they keep it together and do not fall back into bad habits.
The team wants to take this year as a new start for JHS football. The words of the team and the coach show that they are focused and ready for more wins down the road.
“Jeff is back and better,” Treat stated, letting students know to look forward to the coming season.
JHS faces local rival New Albany (3-3) in a rare morning home game this Saturday at 11 a.m.
JV team contributes to varsity football team’s 2024 success
by Austin Bainbridge
Freshman former JV football player Jaxx Long trots onto the field feeling confident after his pregame rituals and a week of practice ready to help his team win the game.
“I always put the team first. I love it when we win because not just me but the whole team wins,” said Long.
Practice is four days a week and three hours long every day. Head football coach Joe Washington likes to see it go well because he puts a lot of effort into every practice and places a lot of importance on it.
“I’d say about 80% of winning games is practice because if we have a lot of talent but don’t know how to execute it we will probably fail,” said Washington.
Players also take practice very seriously, as they know of its importance. The practices throughout the week greatly impact games.
“I put in 100% effort into every play during practice because it helps me during games,” said sophomore JV player Landon Dauby.
Practice has many different activities. After all, athletes can do a lot in three hours. JV may not have the number one priority, but they get to do activities that varsity does not.
“We like to use a scout team with JV to get our varsity guys used to the other teams’ plays. Since they’re going against varsity players it can sharpen their skills. We also like to let them run our plays at the end of practice,” said Washington.
JV is often treated as a different part of the team entirely; it doesn’t usually get influenced by how the other teams play. They do get the benefit of playing against the same players they will play with on varsity in the future.
“The coaching staff doesn’t use JV as an example of how varsity will play and vice versa. We like to run more true read option plays with Little Cam. We also want to throw the ball more since our JV receivers are pretty good,” said Washington
Practice plays a large role in preparing for the week, but pregame rituals and traditions are also important. Without them, players may not be able to perform to the best of their abilities.
“Before the game, I listen to music to stay focused on what I need to do. I think it greatly helps me play to the best of my ability,” said Long.
Some people think JV has little if any purpose, but to the players it means a lot. They have a large portion of their lives centered around it and it makes them feel ready for life.
“Playing football makes me feel good; my body feels better overall, and I feel that I’m ready to do almost anything,” said Dauby.
People often don’t realize that a great amount of work goes into JV games. From Monday practice to kickoff on Saturday, players put their whole body and mind into it. They do not play football for the glitz and glamor, but for the love of the game.
“I play football because I feel better during and afterward. I love the camaraderie and brotherhood I get from the team, and I really enjoy just playing football to the best of my ability,” said Long.
Coaches share backgrounds, goals for their teams
by Ifrah Daber
With a new school year starting and seasons kicking off, many teams and coaches prepare for a year filled with hopeful achievements and golden medals. Through intense practice and hours of dedication that are put into these sports, student-athletes bring pride to JHS.
However, one must remember the coaches who built these players into the athletes they are today. A spotlight on several fall sport coaches reveals their backgrounds, interests, and goals for their Red Devil teams.
Girls’ Soccer Coach Julie Deuser
Coach Deuser is a new addition to the JHS athletic team, taking over for former soccer coach Kallee Thornton. With big shoes to fill, Deuser has come in with a strong sense of determination. She has a long history of coaching at many different schools and playing for several more herself. For example, she coached at New Albany and led her team to the IHSAA Sectional Championship in 2012.
But now, she has big goals for the JHS girls’ soccer team.
“My biggest goal for this team is to see the girls grow and learn the game. I want this team to be competitive and respected in the area. We want girls to want to come to Jeffersonville to play soccer. The program is going to be transforming over the next few years. Long term, we want to win games and championships.”
“I think she’s going to take the soccer program in a positive direction,” senior and varsity player Jovie Golko. She has been playing soccer for all four years of high school and has vocalized her faith in her new coach’s ability to lead her and the rest of the team.
Head Co-ed Swim Coach Michael Pepa
Pepa is a face many students recognize from his teaching College and Careers for many freshman classes, but he is also the head coach for the JHS award-winning swim team.
Pepa had been a swimmer for many years before he was known for his coaching abilities. He started swimming in high school and he, like many, wasn’t the best when he first started. But after swimming through high school to college, he eventually became a record-holder in his sport.
With his 30 years of experience, Pepa passes wisdom onto his students. He pushes an idea of personal best, wanting each student to reach their potential.
“I love Pepa; He’s an amazing coach who built me into the swimmer I am today,” stated Romier Hunter-Lawrence, a senior swim team member.
But even after 30 years Pepa has more plans and hopes for the new year, from strong talent new and old, and the addition of a new pool in the coming months. There is much to look forward to for the swim team in the coming years.
Volleyball Coach Wesly Briscoe
Originally Briscoe had no plans for becoming the coach we all know him as today. He originally wanted to do more of a journalistic view of sports. He was the news and sports editor when he attended Floyd Central High School. He even did radio and TV. It was when he went off and became a student at UofL, sitting around one day, when his mother gave him an offer to coach volleyball.
During the first few years of this new volleyball coaching career, Briscoe walked with a “chip on his shoulder.” He said he was coaching out of spite, but he learned to change his mentality.
His new values as a coach are that coaches should lead by example. They should strive for personal growth and push the students to be the best they can be.
“You could train like a tiger in the jungle or train like a tiger in the zoo” is one of Briscoe’s mantras about pushing himself and his students to train to be the best version.
This mantra is one any student should remember if they want to join the volleyball team in the near future. As Briscoe also shared, volleyball is not an easy sport to just pick up – it will take time and practice but the results will lead the athlete to find improvement and self-pride.
Assistant Wrestling Coach Evan Myers
Myers has been coaching at JHS his entire coaching career and similar to a past coach on the list, Myers didn’t originally plan on being a coach. He was interested in journalism, which led him to become an English teacher. Since he wrestled while in high school, along with a strong love for teaching, he took an opportunity to be a JHS wrestling coach when he heard that the position was available.
Myers said that personal responsibility is a key part of wrestling.. Unlike many other sports where athletes are surrounded by teammates on a field or court, wrestling has only the athlete and the opponent on the mat. This means each wrestler must carry the win or loss on his or her shoulders.
He added that the sport requires a lot of tough training from the strength that is required to pin another wrestler, which adds physical stress to the body.
However, this training can pay off, for example, for JHS senior Ben Land, who competed at National Tournaments, as well as for other wrestlers on the team.
“Great pain comes with great reward,” Myers said, believing that the best way to succeed is to work for it, as many of his students have done and have received the benefits.
Myers’s love for teaching, his students, and the sport drive him every year to push and grow the team. He has much hope for the upcoming year and for all the talent new and old that are in the team.
Red Devil football team kicks off with stellar scrimmage
by Ifrah Daber
Let’s all give a large hooray and hurrah for a strong, entertaining scrimmage from the Red Devils football team. 
Last Friday, August 9th, our boys’ football team held a scrimmage, and there was zero disappointment in either performance or in turnout. 
“The school is doing a great job supporting the team, even though we didn’t do well last year,” Stated Raijon Laird, a senior football player who attended the Scrimmage. The Red Devils’ plan to hit the ground running this year.
The whole crowd was a sea of red and white as the school showed great pride for its Devils’ football team.
The cheers in the stadium were like waves of sound spreading across the large field.
From students, to teachers, to families coming together to show just how excited Jeffersonville High School is for this new year.
Who Not To Sleep On – Fantasy Football Draft Advice
With the NFL (National Football League) Kickoff less than a month away fans are already preparing to start their fantasy football seasons. Whether you play for money or for bragging rights, everyone’s goal is to come out on top. It’s always exciting drafting your first couple of picks because there is always a superstar available; however, most people’s drafts fall short when it comes to the later rounds. A successful sleeper pick can take your team to the next level, but it’s always a gamble considering no one wants to waste a pick. So here are the sleeper picks that will put you on top.
When it comes to Quarterbacks, you aren’t always going to be able to take a Top 5 QB in the league. However, Jalen Hurts has nothing but a bright future to look forward to with the Eagles. After only starting three games last season, Hurts has a lot to prove this season. Hurts will also have Heisman Trophy winner Devonta Smith as a new passing target, setting him up for a phenomenal season.
My top sleeper pick for running back is Antonio Gibson of the Washington Football Team. Washington played exceptionally well last season, sneaking into the playoffs. Antonio Gibson is the perfect example of getting the job done. He is one of the better receiving backs in the league making him a threat in the running and passing game. Gibson is not considered to be anyone’s first choice as a running back, but he can put up numbers like a first pick.
The top sleeper Wideout Pick has to be Darnell Mooney, ranked 69th in target accuracy in the league. With the Bears trading Anthony Miller to Houston, Mooney has a chance to pick up even more points this season. If Justin Fields lives up to his draft hype, Mooney looks like he will be set up for a solid season.
The Tight End sleeper spot goes to Dawson Knox. Knox being on the most pass-happy team in the NFL will certainly help his stats this season. He was second in the league last year for target separation at the TE spot. One of the things that restricts him is the amount of weapons in Buffalo. If he gets some more targets this year he has the potential to be an excellent sleeper pick.
As draft days near, remember everyone will get their star in the first rounds, but it’s the sleeper picks that make a champion.
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