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Speed, quickness and quality athletes give Jefferson high hopes

By Bob Madison - For the Chronicle | Aug 26, 2022

SHENANDOAH JUNCTION — In 2022, Jefferson High School has a first-rate kicker in Oren Humphreys.

And then comes a laundry list of athletes who are experienced and run like the wind, feature quickness and can be hickory tough.

They didn’t always win in 2021 — drowning in a 74-49 playoff loss to ground-happy Bridgeport — but finishing with a 10-2 overall record that brought a playoff berth.

Offensive all-everything candidates include Keyshawn Robinson, Spencer Powell, Isaiah Fritts and Evan Tewell.

Powell and Robinson also are defensive playmakers, using their speed on that side of the ball.

On defense, Nolan Meehleib could be the team leader in tackles this year.

Jefferson was one of the highest scoring teams in the state in 2021. But that was with prolific thrower Sammy Roberts as quarterback. Roberts and his 610 passing yards against Bridgeport are now at Shepherd University, and not playing against Millbrook High School, Sherando High School and James Wood High School.

As dangerous as the Cougars appear to be on offense and defense with their long list of run-away-from-you players, it is special teams where any open-field situation could lead to long returns on punt returns, kickoff returns or fumble/interception returns.

On its schedule, only defending state champion Martinsburg might match Jefferson’s special teams potency.

Jefferson actually romped to wins over Millbrook, Sherando, Musselman, North Hagerstown, South Hagerstown, Spring Mills, Hedgesville, Washington and James Wood. Only a loss to Martinsburg spoiled its regular season. A playoff win came at home, against Hurricane, and then the loss to Bridgeport ended the season in the state quarterfinals.

The regular season schedule shows the same 10 teams that the Cougars mostly handled last year.

The widely anticipated season begins tonight in Frederick County, Va., where the 2022 unchained speed of the Cougars faces Millbrook, a team that limped to a 1-9 record last season.

Sherando visits Shenandoah Junction for Jefferson’s home opener on Sept. 2 and then Musselman goes on the road to Jefferson on Sept. 9.

If close games are encountered, Humphreys is one of the state’s best place kickers and could decide a winner or loser with his accurate foot, even from 40 yards out.

This will be the 51st year of Jefferson High football. And it will probably be populated with more overall team speed and quickness than any other team in the getting longer school history.