Camp report: Jackson

Published 5:18 pm Monday, August 22, 2011

It’s not often that a team can claim a three-peat as unfinished business. But you could say that about the Jackson football team.

Having won the Wesco South title the past three seasons, the Timberwolves are feeling like they left a lot on the field last year. Injuries derailed a solid season, which ended in a quad-district playoff loss to Eastlake. What may have stung more was the loss the week before against Arlington in the Wesco title game.

“For these kids being Wesco champs and getting to the playoffs isn’t enough,” said Jackson head coach Joel Vincent after practice this past Friday. “They want to get to the playoffs and make some noise.”

The team seems to have all the pieces. Sam Brown returns at quarterback and Trai Patrick will again tote the ball out of the backfield. In all, Jackson returns seven starters on offense and six on defense.

“We return a pretty experienced group,” Vincent said.

Word of camp: Leadership

As juniors last season Brown and Patrick were called upon to be leaders. This year they simply are leaders.

“Sam’s a great leader,” said Vincent. “His teammates really rally around him. They really love him. He’s definitely a central figure fo us.”

Patrick, who said he’s embraced the role of “top dog” on the Timberwolves team, learned his leadership qualities from the players who went before him. “Being a freshman, sophomore, junior and looking up to guys like Andy (Gay), Riley (Carr), all those guys who have graduated from here helped me know what to expect,” Patrick said.

“It’s great to be in that position now.”

Vibe of camp: Teamwork

At the end of Friday’s practice, Vincent talked with his players about the Gold Card, a discount card the players are encouraged to sell to people in the community to raise money for the program. It was a speech as firey as any pre-game pep talk.

“If we’re going to be excellent, excellence isn’t just something you do when you feel like it,” Vincent said of the Gold Card, “so we hope they’d approach (selling them) the same way they’d approach a game.”

Signs of life: Wide receiver

Wide receivers Josh Wilde, Kyle Olson and Austin O’Keefe, who combined to catch 113 passes for Jackson last season, have graduated. Forced to replace them, Vincent has turned to an inexperienced bunch, including senior Andrew Dodd. So far in practice he’s been encouraged by their play.

“We’ve got some good young kids working out at wide receiver,” Vincent said. “They’ve got some big shoes to fill.”

Player spotlight: Trai Patrick

In most leagues, Patrick would be hands-down the best tailback. In the Wesco South he’s a runner-up.

Mariner’s KeiVarae Russell may get all the pub, but don’t sleep on Patrick. The Timberwolves senior rushed for 456 yards and eight touchdowns last year in just eight games, forced to leave their win over Mariner with a hand injury that cut his season short.

Patrick, who said he’s completely healthy going into this season, is friends with Russell and categorized their rivalry as “friendly.”

“He’s a good guy and obviously a great player,” Patrick added. “I think we’ll get them again this year.”

Jackson doesn’t play Mariner until the season finale, but a team that the Timberwolves face in Week 2 also has Patrick’s attention.

“We’ve lost to Arlington the past two years, but this year we’ve got them at our house,” Patrick said with a grin.

For all the personal statistics Patrick could put up this season, Vincent said he doesn’t think the senior running back puts too much stock in any of them.

“The numbers are secondary to him,” Vincent said. “He wants to help the team win. He’s a great team player.”