Jacksonville Fl- When the Tigers welcomed the Fernandina Beach Fighting Pirates to Jacksonville on October 2, they took the field with an opportunity to defend their home turf, protect their winning momentum and stand behind their fellow student-athletes for a cause bigger than the sport.
The game came just weeks after an incident involving Jackson’s volleyball team at Fernandina Beach High School which sparked widespread condemnation and renewed conversations about racism, accountability and the treatment of Black student-athletes.
Jackson’s volleyball players had been confronted with a disturbing scene during a September 10 match when students in the Fernandina Beach bleachers held up a Black baby doll and shouted toward the visiting team. The incident prompted public outrage, calls for accountability from civil rights leaders and elected officials, and community meetings addressing racial harassment in school athletics.
For the Tigers football team, the circumstances provided a powerful backdrop to a game that demanded resilience of its own.
The Tigers fell behind in the game, yet quarterback Hans Price delivered the standout performance of the night, accounting for five touchdowns in the Tigers’ comeback victory. He threw for 160 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 52 yards and two more scores.
Jaysahn Patton gave the Tigers another major weapon in the backfield. He rushed for 133 yards against Fernandina Beach, helping to power the second half offensive explosion.
Wide receivers CJ Pauling went up high for the first touchdown catch. Then Trenton Thomas caught a 42-yard bomb from Price to seal the victory.
Price’s performance was part of a strong season for the senior quarterback. Through the game against Fernandina Beach, he had thrown for 671 passing yards and accounted for 822 total yards on the season.
Other key players to Jackson’s success include Malkiel Pierce, who entered the matchup averaging 62.6 receiving yards per game and ranked among the Tigers’ leading receiving threats. He also plays both ways as a shut down defensive back.
Joining Pierce is Tecarie Hall, Tyrone Sutton, Irvin Williams, Dionte Campbell Jr, and Tremaine Williams in the secondary who have made interceptions and several pass defenses to help the defense.
Jorden West is averaging 7.8 tackles per game before the matchup, making him an important contributor to the defense leading the team in tackles (39). Charles Ward, a defensive end/offensive lineman, leads the team in sacks, and is one of the leaders on the offensive line as well.
The football team’s victory offered a powerful image of determination, rebounding from an early season loss in week 2 to Ribault. That determination was exhibited not only on the season in which they have won 4 in a row, but also in the season of the volleyball team, and the young ladies who play for the love of the game.
Skyler Mitchell — Junior (Jr.) | Outside Hitter (OH), Setter (S)
Brayla Hill — Senior (Sr.) | Defensive Specialist (DS), Outside Hitter (OH)
Jazmine Kelly — Senior (Sr.) | Libero (L)
Za’Niyah Taylor — Junior (Jr.) | Middle Hitter (MH), Middle Blocker (MB) | 5’9″
Davita Kelly — Senior (Sr.) | Setter (S), Right Side (RS)
Khloe Nogueira — Junior (Jr.) | Middle Hitter (MH), Middle Blocker (MB)
Natalia Hamilton — Senior (Sr.) | Outside Hitter (OH), Right Side (RS)
Nevaeh Jusino — Sophomore (So.) | Defensive Specialist (DS), Libero (L)
They simply want an opportunity to go-to school, play sports, and live their lives free of a despicable past that has plagued this country, and has been passed down senselessly through generations.
Determination, is demanding that racism stops with every individual.
Determination, is the actions of Fernandina Beach head coach Blake Willis, and Jackson’s head coach Bobby Ramsay, bringing their teams together pre-game to stand in solidarity against racism.
Determination, is the Fernandina Beach African American community, players and students who feel the same pain that the Jackson students feel from racist actions and in-actions, yet still smile and love thy neighbors and fellow students.
It is that reason that Jackson’s message needed to be heard loud and clear. To encourage those who see friends, family and associates who engage in racism to stop and change for the better.
Jackson, a predominantly African American high school embodies the faces, and the fights that African Americans as a whole have had to face from generations of discrimination, segregation, and gentrification. They’ve done so, while continuing to push forward to achieve successes in life, and open doors for those who follow.
Friday night on the gridiron, the Tigers did not need to make a speech to demonstrate their resolve. They went out, competed and earned a victory. All of Jackson’s athletes, from football, to volleyball, and across all other sports and activities, are writing their own chapter in that larger story—not by pretending the challenges of racism do not exist, but by refusing to let those challenges have the final word.
On this night, while the spotlight was on the school, the Tigers won the game, but more importantly it is everyone’s hope that their unfortunate experiences, have won the hearts of the entire Northeast Florida community.
