Williamsburg Yellow Jackets

 

After getting knocked off by Hazard for the second straight year in the Class A, Region 3 title game, Jerry Herron’s Williamsburg Yellow Jackets seems poised to make another run at the regional title and beyond with most of its talent returning on both sides of the ball.

The Yellow Jackets posted an impressive 11-2 record in 2012 (third-best in Class A) and look to improve on that as well with nine starters returning on both sides of the ball.

“We have spent all off-season getting ready for this,” Herron said. “The first thing we know that we have to do is concentrate on getting the No. 1 seed in our district so we can get home games in the playoffs. We know that’s the most important thing right now.

“We’ve got a good shot,” he added. “Our schedule has been beefed up and we play some very good teams that will prepare us for postseason play. We look at it like this — the kids have performed really well the past two years that people are starting to respect us and give us attention, but we also know, last year is last year, and we have to prove ourselves all over again. We feel like we have the talent to make another run at the region and hopefully beyond that. We just need to continue to improve each week.”

When you talk about the strengths of Williamsburg’s squad, you’ll go no further than its offensive attack, which averaged 42.2 points per game (549 total in 2012) and most of the offensive talent returns for Herron’s squad.

Quarterback Dalton Sizemore returns for his senior campaign and lit the competition up last season for 3,133 passing yards and 39 touchdowns while completing 202-of-334 pass attempts, which included 16 interceptions. He was also doing damage on the ground, too. He led Williamsburg with 626 rushing yards and also reached paydirt five times.

Sizemore has a lot of weapons returning, including his main two targets from last season, junior Corey Shelton and junior Skyler Griffith and look for Skyler’s younger brother, Andrew, a sophomore, be more of an offensive threat this season after finishing the year with 13 catches for 262 yards and three touchdowns.

Shelton and Skyler Griffith turned out to be one of the state’s top receiving duos.

Shelton finished the 2012 season with a team-best 63 receptions while Skyler Griffith had 61. Skyler Griffith led the team with 1,176 receiving yards while Shelton had 1,084 and Shelton led the Yellow Jackets with 20 touchdowns and Skyler Griffith had 13.

Look for players such as junior Patrick Jefferson (81 carries, 499 rushing yards and seven receptions for 43 receiving yards) and junior Chase Lowrie’s (318 rushing yards and 12 receptions for 121 yards) loads to increase after the graduations of Logan Hamblin and Micah Purdie.

Herron’s offensive line took a hit with Jacob Jeffers, Dakota Loy and Chris Sawyers graduating, but players such as Chris Helton, Ryan Caddell, Tyler Taylor and Dakota Dunn will be expected to step up their play.

Williamsburg’s defense gets overlooked often because of its high-powered offense, but it will remain a solid one after limiting opponents to only nine points per game last season and 118 total.

The Yellow Jacket defense pitched three shut outs in 2012 and limited reigning Class A, Region 3 champion to only seven points during their 7-0 loss on Nov. 16.

Granted Williamsburg lost talent on the defensive line with graduation of Jeffers, Loy and Sawyers, but Helton, Dunn and Collin Lamoree return.

Jefferson will man the defense at the linebacker position after leading the team in total tackles with 111 last season, while Michael Rose-Creekmore and Austin Husky are expected to play as well.

The losses of Lowrie and Purdie will hurt in the secondary, but Husky and some other players will try to fill the voids.

 

Schedule

Williamsburg has buffed up its schedule a bit with games against Class 5A’s North Laurel Jaguars along with Class 3A’s Wayne County Cardinals. They have added home dates against Pike Central and Harrison County along with their district contests against Campbellsville (away), Berea (home) and Lynn Camp (away).

 

Players to watch

Dalton Sizemore (senior quarterback) — Passed for 3,133 and 39 touchdowns while completing 202-of-334 pass attempts, which included 16 interceptions. He was also rushed for 626 rushing yards and reached paydirt five times.

 

Corey Shelton (junior, wide receiver) — Led Williamsburg with 63 pass receptions and 20 touchdowns while finishing the season with 1,084 receiving yards.

 

Skyler Griffith (Junior Wide Receiver) — Led Williamsburg with 1,176 receiving yards while finishing 2012 with 61 receptions and 13 touchdowns.

 

Patrick Jefferson (Junior Fullback/Linebacker) — Led the Yellow Jackets with 111 tackles on defense while finishing with 81 carries, 499 rushing yards and seven receptions for 43 receiving yards on offense last season.

Nice work Les. I'm guessing compliments from Clay Countains are hard for you to come by at times:isurrender:, but I really liked this piece.

Thanks man, I appreciate it. Actually, I have received more compliments from Clay people than most in the 13th Region. It helps that myself, Coach Marcum, Glenn Grey, Coach Burchell, ect. are good friends. I have numerous friends from Clay and three girls from Clay Si coach on my daughter's Fastpitch softball team. I could go on and on with who I'm friends with down in Big Clay Country. Some of the friendliest people you'll ever meet.

Thanks for the preview, it is very good. I made some friends from W-Burg on here a couple of years ago. Raceland fans and Jacket fans had a good time and some good discussions on here. I had some health problems and wasn't on for some time.

Williamsburg fans are some good people and I know how good your team is. I wish the Jackets all good luck and I will be pulling for you ......unless your Jackets should play my Raceland team in the playoffs. So, with that one possible exception....Go Williamsburg. :thumb:

Nice preview, very well done Les

Thanks, I appreciate it.