For Jacksonville Ed White, the Commanders found success on the field in the 2021 season reaching the regional quarterfinals before bowing out to Glen St. Mary Baker County. Now in 2022 with reclassification completed the bar has been raised for the Commanders under third-year head coach Lawrence Johnson.
ED WHITE COMMANDERS
District 2M-3
2022 SCHEDULE
Kickoff times 6:30 p.m. ET unless noted
* – District Contest
Fri. 8/19 – Hawthorne (KOC)
Fri. 8/26 – Jacksonville Trinity Christian
Fri. 9/2 – @ Jacksonville Sandalwood
Fri. 9/9 – Jacksonville Englewood
Fri. 9/16 – @ Jacksonville Terry Parker
Fri. 9/23 – Jacksonville Riverside*
Fri. 9/30 – @ Madison County, 7:30
Fri. 10/7 – Neptune Beach Fletcher
Fri. 10/14 – BYE WEEK
Fri. 10/21 – @ Jacksonville Ribault
Thu. 10/27 – @ Jacksonville Westside*
Fri. 11/4 – Baldwin
MILEAGE BREAKDOWN
When it comes to traveling in the 2022 season, the Commanders won’t have to do a whole lot of traveling for four of their five contests with the shortest road trip registering in at just three miles when they make the trip over to Westside on October 27 in a key district matchup. However, they will see one long road trip of over 100 miles when they make the 110-mile trip to Madison County in Week 6.
To Sandalwood: 19 miles
To Terry Parker: 15 miles
To Madison County: 110 miles
To Ribault: 10 miles
To Westside: 3 miles
One-Way: 157 miles
Round-Trip: 314 miles
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
Ed White’s Strength of Schedule will be highlighted this year with seven playoff teams including two defending State Champions with Jacksonville Trinity Christian and Madison County on the schedule. The schedule will by far test the strength the Commanders have through the midway point of the season which should give Coach Johnson an idea of where to tweak things before finishing of the schedule that could include a possible district championship.
Jacksonville Trinity Christian, 10-4 playoffs, state champion
Jacksonville Sandalwood, 4-6
Jacksonville Englewood, 5-5
Jacksonville Terry Parker, 7-4 playoffs
Jacksonville Riverside, 10-2 playoffs
Madison County, 11-3 playoffs, state champion
Neptune Beach Fletcher, 5-6 playoffs
Jacksonville Ribault, 1-9 playoffs
Jacksonville Westside, 2-8
Baldwin, 7-4 playoffs
2021 Overall: 62-51 (.549)
KEY DISTRICT GAME
9/23 – Jacksonville Riverside: This is going to be the toughest of the two district games that the Commander will have to play, but things are on the Commanders’ side given that the Generals will have a new head coach for the first time in over a decade. By this point Coach Johnson should have an idea of what his Commanders can do along with what the Generals have done so far at that point to develop a game plan on how to win this critical game that will be needed for a playoff berth.
KEY NON-DISTRICT GAME
8/26 – Jacksonville Trinity Christian: This is the ultimate test to start the season against the defending state champions located just up the road on the westside of Jacksonville. This game will test the core of the Commanders starting 11 on each side of the ball and will tell us a lot about the potential that Ed White could have throughout the season. This will also give them a look-see for the game against Madison County in Week 6 which will give us another glimpse to see the Commanders have improved since this game.
OVERALL THOUGHTS
This is a good schedule for Ed White, but the question remains if they can translate their 5-5 season in 2021 to a much more winnable season. Given the talent that has arrived for the Commanders during the offseason, there is a chance that they can at least get to seven wins, but it will not be easy with Trinity Christian and Madison County on the schedule with Terry Parker looking to carry on its newfound winning ways from the last couple of years coupled with likely improvements by Fletcher. Again the schedule is winnable for the Commanders, but how many games they win remains to be seen.
