Congratulations to Coach Jamie Rogers, the Florida Dairy Farmers Class 5A Coach of the Year! Rogers led the Baker County Wildcats to a 13-2 record in 2017, leading Baker County to the Class 5A State title game. Baker County would lose to American Heritage 44-15 in the game. A season opening loss to St. Augustine 31-14, was quickly erased with 13 consecutive wins including victories over playoff teams, Clay 21-14 and Dunnellon 50-26. Baker County also ended an 0-6 losing streak in the second round of the playoffs with a 37-28 win over Menendez.
Led by play makers Seth Paige, Lee Graham, Josh Haygood, and Wesley Belford, Coach Rogers implemented one of the best rushing attacks in the state of Florida. Jamie Rodgers came back to Baker County for one thing and one thing only, to turn around a struggling program that had never been past the second round since opening in 1945.
To the players: I love y’all. So proud to be you coach. Unbelievable season. To the fans: words can’t describe how proud I am of our community. We are blessed. To Ashley: you can have little man now!
— Jamie Rodgers (@Jrod2245) December 8, 2017
Rodgers, who graduated from Baker County in 1997, spent several years later as the defensive coordinator. Rogers left Suwannee after guiding the Bulldogs to three straight playoff berths, including the Final Four and the third round his final two years before leaving for Baker County. In fifty one years, the Wildcats had never been past the second round, 0-6 all-time including a 42-14 loss at home to Clay last year. The Class 5A Coach of the year changed that, and put Baker County on the map as a state runner-up in 2017.
