Stephenson is playoff tested

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November 17, 2009

Wayne Grandy The Moultrie Observer Tue Nov 17, 2009, 10:56 PM EST

MOULTRIE — While Colquitt County is making it first trip to the playoffs since 2005 and just its sixth since 1999, Stephenson is no stranger to the postseason.

The Jaguars, who will play host to the Packers on Friday at Hallford Stadium in Clarkston in a Class AAAAA second-round playoff game, have made the playoffs every year since 2000.

And while Stephenson does not have a state championship to its credit, the Jaguars reached the quarterfinals in 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2006, and in 2005 made it as far as the semfinals, where they were eliminated by Lowndes 14-0.

Stephenson has claimed seven region championships — three in Region 7-AAAAA and three in Region 2-AAAAA, including this year — since the Packers last claimed a region title in 1999.

And the guiding force behind the success of the Stone Mountain school is coach Ron Gartrell, who has been Stephenson’s only coach since the school began playing football in 1996.

Gartrell coached at Shamrock from 1988-1995 and made just one playoff appearance.

But he quickly made the Stephenson program successful and since 2000, the Jaguars have posted a 99-23 record.

His overall record at Stephenson is 117-45.

Gartrell’s teams have finished ranked in the top 9 five times over the last eight years, with the 2005 ending up ranked No. 3 in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll and No. 4 in The Associated Press poll.

The Jaguars will be seeking a 12th victory for the third time since 2005 when they play host to the 9-2 Packers.

And Stephenson has climbed to its No. 5 ranking in both The Associated Press and Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll on the strength of an outstanding defense.

The Jaguars are allowing just 5.4 points per game and have shut out four opponents.

Only Greenbrier and Ware County have scored more than seven points on the the Jaguars this season and both of them managed 13 in one-sided losses.

And while Stephenson has consistently shut its 11 opponents down defensive, its wing-T offense has led the team to an average of 39 points per game.

Senior Raymond Sanders is the focus of the Stephenson offense, having run for 1,429 yards on 132 carries and scoring 23 touchdowns this season.

Sanders has rushed for more than 100 yards in a game seven times this season and had 232 against Union Grove and 202 against Ware County.

Last week in the 44-0 first-round playoff victory over Bradwell Institute, Sanders gained 172 yards and scored two touchdowns on just 11 first-half carries.

Stephenson averages 253.1 yards a game on the ground and 349.5 yards in total offense per game.

The Jaguars also have a dependable quarterback in Jordan Tarver.

A junior, Tarver has completed 46-of-90 passes for 885 yards and 12 touchdowns while being intercepted just one time.

Against Greenbrier, Tarver was 5-for-10 for 120 yards and four touchdowns. He also threw for two scores against Luella.

Sanders and Nathan Benford are among Tarver’s top targets.

Sanders had three catchesfor 102 yards and touchdown against Redan na Benford had three catches and a touchdown against boht Luella and Ware County.

Benford also has returned kickoffs for touchdowns against Redan and Bradwell Institute and returned a punt for a score against Luella.

Sanders had a 78-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against Greenbrier.

But while the Jaguars have played — and defeated — 10-1 Martin Luther King Jr. and 9-2 Union Grove, the combined record of their 10 regular-season opponents is 47-57.

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