STATE CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW: Class 1A – Trenton vs. Port St. Joe

Class 1A State Championship

Who: Trenton Tigers vs. Port St. Joe Tiger Sharks
When: Fri. Dec. 4, 7:07 PM ET
Where: Orlando Citrus Bowl
Radio: WZCC 1240 AM, Cross City, WLQH 93.3 FM/940 AM, Chiefland/Trenton (suncoastradio.com); WOYS 100.5 FM, Apalachicola/Port St. Joe (oysterradio.com)
TV: Bright House Sports Network (Channel 47/1047 HD Tampa Bay/Central Florida); Cox Sports Television (Gainesville-Ocala 259/1259 HD; Panhandle: 319/1319 HD) For areas outside of Bright House Networks or Cox coverage areas, call your cable or satellite operator.
Online: BHSN Live (Fee required to watch)

Records

Trenton: 13-0; Port St. Joe: 11-1

Rankings

FloridaHSFootball.com: Trenton No. 1; Port St. Joe No. 3
Associated Press: Trenton No. 1; Port St. Joe No. 3

The Road To Orlando

Trenton: Defeated Fort Meade 51-20 (Regional Semifinals), Dixie County 42-6 (Regional Finals), Madison County 27-18 (State Semifinals)

Port St. Joe: Defeated Chipley 49-0 (Regional Semifinals), Blountstown 17-14, 2OT (Regional Finals), Baker 42-13 (State Semifinals)

The Coaches

Andrew Thomas, Trenton: Thomas is in his fifth season as the head coach at Trenton and lead Trenton to its first state final appearance in 2012, while guiding the Tigers once again to the 2013 Class 1A State Championship. Thomas’ record overall through the state semifinals is 59-5. Trenton is Coach Thomas’ first and only head coaching position to date.

John Palmer, Port St. Joe: Palmer is in his second his season of his second stint as head coach at Port St. Joe, while having now served eight total seasons as a head coach for the Tiger Sharks. Palmer has lead Port St. Joe to state championship titles in 2005 and last year in Class 1A. Palmer has also had coaching stops at Bronson, Eustis and Hernando.

Notes

This will be a rematch of a Week 3 regular season contest between the two programs. Trenton won in dominating fashion, 48-13. … Trenton is on a 13 game win streak, the longest current win streak in Class 1A. … Port St. Joe has played one less game this season than Trenton having had to cancel a game after a viral meningitis scare at the start of the season. … Both teams have used dominant rushing games this season while having a limited passing game. … Trenton’s three state final appearances are the most for any team in the five year history of the Class 1A rural classification. … Trenton and Port St. Joe have no common opponents on their schedule this season outside of their regular season contest against each other.

About Trenton

This will be Trenton’s third state final appearance in the last four years having won the Class 1A state championship in 2013. … Some of have said this might be the most dominating Tigers team in school history, having placed running clocks on opponents through 12 straight games including the first two round of the playoffs before having a complete full four-quarter game come against Madison County in the state semifinals last week. … The last loss for Trenton came back on November 21, 2014 against 2014 Class 1A State Finalist Hamilton County at home where the Tigers lost 45-20 at home to the Trojans. … Trenton has outscored opponents 630-122 so far through the state semifinals. … Trenton is 59-5 over the last five seasons as a program. … Four players (Hamp Cheevers, Kade Rogers, Brooks Martin and Josh Smith) hold offers from either a Division I FBS or FCS program. … Six current players also played on the 2013 state championship team (Wesley Mansfield, Dakota Harding, Brooks Martin, Kade Rogers, Michael Smith and Hamp Cheevers) … Assistant Coach Lyle Wilkerson is the brother of Dixie County head coach Brent Wilkerson.

About Port St. Joe

This is Port St. Joe’s seventh overall appearance in a state final. … This is Port St. Joe’s first back-to-back appearance in the state finals since 1970-71. It is also marks the first time that Port St. Joe has been able to defend its state championship it won in the previous season. … Tiger Sharks have placed running clocks on six different opponents this season. … Team has outscored opponents 397-161 through the state semifinals. … Last loss, which is the only loss for Port St. Joe, came Week 3 against Trenton when the Tiger Sharks fell on the road 48-13. … Umstead Sanders has interested from UNC Central, a Division I FCS program. … Will Ramsey is a two-way starter for Port St. Joe who’s father was the QB on the 1989 Port St. Joe that was defeated by Pahokee for the Class 2A state championship. … Assistant Coach Kesley Colbert has been a part of all of Port St. Joe’s four winning state championship teams.

Inside The Numbers

A look at the leaders in eight different categories for each team coming into the game.

Trenton
Scoring: Hamp Cheevers – 170 on 26 touchdowns and one two-point conversion
Rushing: Hamp Cheevers – 868 yards, 18 touchdowns on 82 attempts
Passing: Michael Smith – 26-59-1 for 536 yards, 10 touchdowns
Receiving: Brooks Martin – 17 receptions for 343 yards, 6 touchdowns
Punting: Michael Smith – 18 punts for 759 yards; Longest punt 60 yards; 8 punts have fallen inside the 20-yard line.
Kicking: Marcus Mannersted – 70 of 73 on PATs; 3 of 4 on FGs; Longest FG from 39 yards
Returns: Hamp Cheevers (Kickoffs) – 242 yards on 8 returns; Brooks Martin (Punts) – 128 yards on 10 returns; Hamp Cheevers (Interceptions) – 128 yards on 5 interceptions
Tackles: Randy Fuller – 86 total tackles (48 unassisted, 38 assisted); Kade Rogers – 22 tackles for loss and 9 sacks

Port St. Joe
Scoring: Trey Sanders – 90 points on 15 touchdowns
Rushing: Trey Sanders – 1,003 yards rushing, 12 touchdowns on 87 attempts
Passing: Ethan Sander – 44-89-1 for 981 yards, 17 touchdowns
Receiving: Troy Williams – 16 receptions for 387 yards, 8 touchdowns
Punting: Troy Williams – 22 punts for 793 yards; Longest punt 45 yards; 6 punts have fallen inside the 20.
Kicking: Charlie Guido – 37 of 41 on PATs; 3 of 3 on FGs; Longest FG from 38 yards.
Returns: Troy Williams – Punts: 207 yards on 14 returns; Kickoffs: 3 returns for 55 yards; Interceptions: 6 interceptions for 72 yards
Tackles: Alvin Dempsey – 108 total tackles (18 unassisted, 90 assisted); Will Ramsey – 20 tackles for loss; Umstead Sanders – 10 sacks

Projected Starters

Trenton
Offense
TE No. 45 Brian Worley, 6-1, 210, Sr.
LT No. 75 Seth Lane, 6-3, 225, Jr.
LG No. 56 Sephan Griggs, 5-8, 220, Sr.
C No. 77 Christian Dana, 6-0, 275, Sr.
RG No. 52 Dakota Hardin, 5-9, 210, Sr.
RT No. 81 Rocky Bray, 6-2, 240, Sr.
WR No. 21 Kade Rogers, 6-2, 210, Sr.
QB No. 3 Michael Smith, 5-11, 170, Jr.
HB No. 5 Hamp Cheevers, 5-11, 165, Sr.
FB No. 34, Tre McCleese, 6-1, 215, Sr.
WR No. 13, Matthew Ketcherside, 5-10, 150, Sr.

Defense
LE No. 21 Kade Rogers, 6-2, 210, Sr.
LT No. 66 Derri Danzy, 6-3, 280, So.
RT No. 9 Josh Smith, 6-0, 280, Sr.
RE No. 44 Alex Kincaid, 5-8, 280, Sr.
LB No. 10 Randy Fuller, 6-0, 175, So.
LB No. 54 Billy McKeefrey, 5-10, 200, Jr.
LB No. 22 Levi Murray, 5-8, 190, Sr.
DB No. 5 Hamp Cheevers, 5-11, 165, Sr.
DB No. 2 Brooks Martin, 5-11, 165, Sr.
DB No. 6 Montrez Jackson, 5-9, 165, Jr.
S No. 3 Michael Smith, 5-11, 175, Jr.

Specialist
Kicker (Kickoffs, PATs, FGs): No. 8 Marcus Mannerstedt, 6-0, 170, Sr.
Punters: No. 3 Michael Smith, 5-11, 170, Jr.; No. 10. Randy Fuller, 6-0, 175, So.
Holder: No. 3 Michael Smith, 5-11, 170, Jr.
Long Snapper: No. 21 Kade Rogers, 6-2, 210, Sr.

Port St. Joe
Offense
LE No. 44 Will Ramsey, 6-2, 235, Sr.
LT No. 51 River Banks, 5-11, 230, Sr.
LG No. 62 Clay Raffield, 5-8, 190, Sr.
C No. 52 Marcell Johnson, 6-0, 215, Sr.
RG No. 63 Jimmy Cummings, 5-7, 170, Jr.
RT No. 54 Umstead Sanders, 6-2, 218, Sr.
RE No. 2 Troy Williams Jr., 6-0, 190, Sr.
QB No. 12 Ethan Sanders, 6-5, 200, Jr.
HB No. 34 Aaron Paul, 6-2, 180, Jr.
FB No. 8 Marshal Sweet, 5-8, 180, Jr.
FL No. 6 Trey Sanders, 6-2, 180, Fr.

Defense
LE No. 65 Alvin Dempsey, 6-0, 219, So.
LT No. 44 Will Ramsey, 6-2, 235, Sr.
RT No. 72 Tyler Monroe, 6-0, 210, Jr.
RE No. 54 Umstead Sanders, 6-2, 218, Sr.
LB No. 52 Marcell Johnson, 6-0, 215, Sr.
LB No. 55 Milek Bailer, 6-1, 210, Sr.
LB No. 4 Jasmin Thomas, 5-8, 180, So.
DB No. 34 Aaron Paul, 6-2, 180, Jr.
DB No. 3 Chad Quinn Jr., 5-10, 180, So.
DB No. 6 Trey Sanders, 6-2, 180, Fr.
S No. 2 Troy Williams Jr., 6-0, 190, Sr.

Specialist
Kicker (Kickoffs, PATs, FGs): No. 32 Carlos Guido, 5-7, 135, Fr.
Punter/Holder: No. 2 Troy Williams Jr., 6-0, 190, Sr.
Long Snapper: No. 44 Will Ramsey, 6-2, 235, Sr.

How Each Team Can Win

Trenton: Dominate early in the run game and give Port St. Joe fits in figuring how to stop the run. If Hamp Cheevers gets going early as he is known to do, this game could possibly be over by half time considering that Cheevers is Trenton’s Mr. Do Everything!

Port St. Joe: Get players like Umstead Sanders and Will Ramsey in position to make some key plays early in the game and get the first score up on the boards to put momentum in their column. If they do this, then it could put Trenton up against the wall, a position they have only been in once this season which came last week.

Predicting the Champion

Three predictions from three different people. Predictions are from FloridaHSFootball.com Publisher Joshua Wilson, Senior Writer Corey Davis and expert forecaster Joe Pinkos who has correctly predicted over 80% of all the games in Florida once again this season.

Joshua Wilson: Trenton 38, Port St. Joe 14
Corey Davis: Trenton 35, Port St. Joe 14
Joe Pinkos: Trenton 20 over Port St. Joe