Tag: austin Bainbridge

Red Devils prepare for Silver Creek tonight

by Austin Bainbridge

The Jeff boys’ basketball team faces one of the top-ranked schools in Indiana, Silver Creek, for their home opener in a big benchmark game tonight in Johnson Arena.

“This is an important game; even though it’s not a rivalry like Floyd or New Albany there is a very good team and a win would be huge,” said sophomore guard Cornelius Weobong.

Silver Creek is looking like one of the best teams in Indiana and is searching for a statement win against Jeff.

“They’re really good at sharing the basketball. They’ve got six guys that could score 20 on any given night. So they do a really good job of moving the ball,” said head coach Sherron Wilkerson.

Graphic by Magdalene Conrad.

Jeff isn’t looking as potent as last year’s state championship team but still sees this as a competitive game.

“Our biggest keys are — Number one, we’ve got to guard for basketball. Number two, we’ve got to rebound. Number three, we have to take care of it, we cannot turn the ball over,” said Wilkerson.

The fans are also looking forward to a competitive game like this early in the season.

“I’m excited to see our guys play at home. I hope that we can come away with a win against a team as good as Silver Creek — that would be a big momentum boost,” said English teacher David Kummer.

To come away with a victory Jeff is going to have to capitalize on opportunities and not give Silver Creek very many.

“We have a lot of time where you get a good cut, get the ball, and then we miss, we give them free possession again… and then on defense we have got to know where we were at and we’ve got to sprint to our spot. We can’t give them easy points,” said Weobong.

Silver Creek is good as a team, but they also have players who shine above the rest.

“Brandon Hunter — he just recently had a game where he had 13 rebounds at the point guard position. When you have a point guard putting up 13 rebounds, that means that he is worthy of being able to get you a triple double, which probably makes him the most dangerous player on the floor,” said Wilkerson.

The Red Devils are looking to overcome some of early year struggles.

“Our mental toughness and our physical toughness is probably our biggest hurdle right now. And I think that once we’re able to correct those two issues, I think then you will start to see us jell into a unit,” said Wilkerson.

This game has been on Jeffs’ calendar for some time and they’ve been preparing.

“We’ve been preparing for Silver Creek since the buzzer went off at Seymour; we’ve been gameplanning and preparing pretty intensely,” said Weobong.

This young Jeff team could put itself on the map with a Silver Creek win, and they’re ready for tonight’s challenge.

“A win would be huge for us because this particular group as a unit has not been through the fire yet. So it would be nice to be able to go through the fire and come out successful. These guys are ready to be recognized,” said Wilkerson.

In addition to tonight’s battle with the Dragons, Jeff players and coaches will be honored with the presentation of their state championship rings from last season.

by jhshyphen

JHS prepares to face off with New Albany tonight

by Austin Bainbridge

Both Jeff and New Albany come into tonight’s game looking to get their seasons on track.

New Albany is in the search for their first win, and Jeff has lost two straight in brutal fashion. However, a win could set their campaigns straight.

“We have to win these next three; if we do that we’ll be 5-4 and going into the playoffs, that would be a success for this young team,” said head coach Joe Washington.

This is a big rivalry for both communities, and the players are ready to perform.

Sophomore Austin Bainbridge and sophomore Jaxx Long do a pre-game handshake during the Homecoming game against Bloomington North. Photo by Malachi Conrad.

“We can beat them for sure; I mean, their 0-6. We are a way better team than them,” said sophomore fullback Jaxx Long.

Jeff comes into tonight’s match-up 2-4, trying to get back on the path to prepare for a playoff push.

“I think we have a couple games down the stretch that we’re favored in, and we can win. Columbus East will be a tough matchup, but if we do what we’re supposed to we can win that game as well,” said Washington. 

The coaches believe that the team can succeed, but it’s on the players if they want to win.

“It’s only the little things that we aren’t doing right. If the players come together and see the bigger picture and dig a little deeper, then I think the next three games can go in our favor,” said Washington.

Even though the Bulldogs come into the game winless this season, Jeff players know this isn’t a free win.

“We have to play determined and as a team. Even though they’re 0-6, a win is never free. If we all stick together I know we can walk out of there with a win,” said junior linemen Liam Jackson.

The team only has a handful of seniors starting on the roster, so there is some experience left to be desired.

Sophomore Andre Walker during the JHS-Bloomington North game last Friday. Photo by Isaiah Stewart.

“We have a very young roster, and this is the first adversity they have seen. When we went 6-4 last year a lot of these guys didn’t play. I think they just need some ‘want-to’ so we can go out and  win,” said Washington

Everybody on the team has been preparing for this game for a long time, and they’re ready to settle the rivalry for this year.

“The mentality for us is a no-brainer at this point. We know they don’t like us and we don’t like them, so there’s some bad blood, so we have to ride the wave and step up to the plate,” said Washington.

by jhshyphen

Red Devils travel to Kokomo to compete tonight

The offensive line snaps the ball to junior Benji Rice for an attempt at a touchdown against the Seymour Owls. The Red Devils won 20-6, picking up the first win of the season. They lost to Bedford-North Lawrence last week, and head to Kokomo to compete tonight. Photo by Magdalene Conrad.

by Austin Bainbridge

Jeff came out of Bedford North Lawrence with a loss but is still looking forward to tonight against Kokomo to redeem themselves and get back to .500.

“I’m excited to see what their defense has to offer against us, and I’m ready to get another win,” said fullback Jaxx Long.

Kokomo had five turnovers last week, resulting in a 22-15 loss to Monrovia, and Jeff is going try to find a way to exploit that.

“Fine-tuning our defensive scheme, make sure everybody’s in the same place they need to be and knowing who exactly their supposed to cover in zone coverage and just trying to get some of those picks is crucial,” said head coach Joe Washington.

Against BNL Jeff had some defensive trouble, allowing 48 points, and Kokomo has the players to put up a similar performance.

Graphic by Magdalene Conrad.

“Kokomo has a receiver, number four (Baris Moore) — he’s pretty dynamic. He’s a good go-ball receiver and double move guy. He’s just bigger, faster and stronger than our other opponents,” said Washington.

Despite the defensive struggle, the Red Devils had a solid offensive game that they look to build on.

“As coaches we ran the ball effectively. Our RPO’s looked good, but the main thing was even though the score might have not indicated it we didn’t give up,” said Washington.

Coming out with the loss to BNL, Jeff is trying to to analyze what could have gone differently. 

“I think the offense was very inconsistent. We had big drives, but then couldn’t do anything the next (drive). That then puts the defense in a bad place where they couldn’t do anything either,” said Long.

Despite what both teams’ records suggest, this is still a competitive matchup to measure where both teams can go with the rest of the season.

“If you combine both records it’s 1-5, so that’s not good, but there’s something to be said when a team schedules you as their homecoming, so that’s them saying they think they can beat us, but were ready to show them who we are,” said Washington

by jhshyphen

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.

Seniors Bryce Grant and Tyes McCondichie celebrate after a successful Red Devil play during the opening scrimmage two weeks ago. Tonight the Red Devils go for their first win of the season against Seymour. Photo by Magdalene Conrad.

“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.

Graphic by Audrey Ball.
by jhshyphen

A.J. Moye joins JHS as new athletic director

New JHS athletic director A.J. Moye with junior Xavier Santiago Cortes and junior Alan Solorzano Lopez, both soccer players. Photo by Parker McCloskey.

by Izzy Wemes and Austin Bainbridge

A.J. Moye, a well-known and loved IU basketball player remembered for his block of Duke’s Carlos Boozer in the 2002 NCAA Sweet 16, has joined JHS as the new athletic director.

While Moye is known for his skills in basketball, that wasn’t the only sport he played. 

“I played almost every sport growing up,” said Moye, who sees how important it is to relate to Red Devil student athletes and coaches as part of his new job.

His colleagues have taken notice.

“I think his ability to relate to each student athlete — that’s the first thing,” said boys’ basketball coach Sherron Wilkerson. “The second thing is his experiences put him in a position where he can basically mentor any student athlete no matter the sport, and that’s priceless in this day and age.”

Moye appreciates all sports, even those that may be under-appreciated by others. He wants everyone to feel valued, especially the coaches and players.

“I try and get to every team’s practices once or twice a week. Just Saturday I went to the girls’ golf, first tournament, and saw them play, and the coaches were just like, ‘ You won’t believe how supportive this is’,” said Moye. 

In particular, Moye said he realizes the impact of supporting the boys’ and girls’ teams, saying he’s adamant about supporting all equally.

“You know, I have three daughters and one son, so I understand some of the frustrations,” he said.

I’m just really watching and supporting all the coaches, but more importantly, trying to be a good shepherd for the kids, and being someone who the kids look up to.”

Athletic Director A.J. Moye

Moye said in his new role he wants to give Red Devil athletes a reason to work hard, showing them that he cares.

“I’m just really watching and supporting all the coaches, but more importantly, trying to be a good shepherd for the kids, and being someone who the kids look up to.”

Moye is taking what he has learned from his time working and coaching as an assistant coach at Valparaiso University and from his time working with NBA players like Kobe Bryant, Kyrie Irving, and DeMar Derozan to lead a way for JHS coaches to better athletes, including those who hope to play in college or professionally.

 “Pro ball is going to influence how he does things. Because ultimately, for a lot of these kids, that’s their goal. So if they want to get there, we have to put these kids in a position to be successful. So with him knowing what it is to get to that pro level and the steps that he’s seen at high schools and colleges along the way, he can implement that structure,” said head football coach Joe Washington. 

Moye’s colleagues say he has a contagious personality that everyone can feel and relate to.

“I feel like how I am as a person, it rubs off on everyone I meet, including the kids,” Moye said. 

Moye has plans of grandeur for this athletic department. He knows what he can bring to it and what he wants from it. The main goal that he wants is to see every sport succeed. His coaches believe in his vision.

Washington said Moye has brought a “family atmosphere” to JHS athletics.

“He has a good vision for what he wants the overall athletic department to look like in athletic programs. And he’s backing a lot of us, to give us what we need to be successful as programs,” said Washington. “He’s letting me know some of the steps that I didn’t know about being a head coach and paperwork and making sure that  I’m staying within the guidelines of IHSAA — just helping me out. He understands how it is to be a successful head coach.”

In particular, Moye is trying to be present, to be a part of the community. Coaches have taken notice of this and appreciate him taking the time to be present.

“I only know of one of the previous ADs, but, yeah, he’s just out in public. He comes to a lot of the practices,” said Washington. “During practice, he’ll walk up and he’s asking questions, even both of confidence,  just saying I like what you’re doing. Just being visible. So that’s a real big positive for him.”

“An athletic director is probably the most important position in our department” said Wilkerson. “Athletic directors touch everybody in an organization and I think you need a dynamic person to be successful as an athletic director.”

Moye said he loves his job for many reasons, but one shines brighter than the rest.

 “I love being the AD because there’s a lot of unexpected occurrences and changes,”  he said.

Moye has mentioned that he has big plans for Jeff sports, the athletic department, and making Jeff embraceable.

“There are a lot of plans that I have. I want the fans, parents, and students to embrace Jeff, but in order to have that happen our sports department has to be embraceable.” 

New JHS athletic director A.J. Moye poses with his daughter,Bella Moye. Photo by Parker McCloskey.

by jhshyphen