Jackets improve to 4-0 with 31-0 win

By Editor | September 24, 2025 |

Last September in Nahunta, Jeff Davis High lost to Brantley County in an upset 28-21. The Herons’ first three scores came on a kickoff return, a punt return and a return of a blocked punt. The loss was a huge disappointment for the Jackets.
But in last Friday night’s rematch, there would be no upset. Coach Lance Helton’s Jackets cruised to a 31-0 win behind a strong showing by Defensive Coordinator Tyler Williams’ defense.
And the cherry on top of the win was a school record 42-yd. field goal by senior Fabian Valdelamar as the first half came to an end.
The Jackets’ first score was set up by the defense after both teams had 3-and-out possessions to start the game. Mark Durden intercepted a Heron 3rd-and-7 pass to give the Jackets the ball at the Brantley 47 yard line.
After Brantley was penalized 5 yards to the 42, senior Ian Griffin took a pitch from Durden around the right side, sidestepped a would-be tackler at the 30 and raced into the end zone. Valdelamar kicked the P.A.T. and the Jackets had a quick 7-0 lead.
After another Heron 3-and-out, punctuated by R.J. Sims’ quarterback sack, Brantley punted on 4th-and-13 and the Jackets started at their own 15.
After a 20-yd. Griffin run moved the ball to the 39, senior fullback Kobe Hill took a handoff, ran through a gaping hole on the right side, stiff-armed a Heron defender at the 50 and raced into the end zone for a 61-yd. touchdown run. Valdelamar’s P.A.T. kick made it 14-0 still in the 1st quarter.
Following the kickoff, a run up the middle got the Herons initial 1st down of the game but, 3 plays later, they punted on 4th-and-8. The kick rolled dead at the Jeff Davis 9 as the 1st quarter came to an end.
A J.J. Benjamin 18-yd. run moved the ball out to the 26. Six plays later, Durden picked up a fumbled handoff and raced around the left side for 19 yards. But the 13-play drive stalled and Valdelamar lined up to try a 44-yd. field goal. The kick was long enough but sailed off to the side.
After La’Trell Sellers broke up a pass, the Herons picked up 25 yards on a swing pass to get into Jacket territory at the 49. The visitors moved the ball to the JD 26 where the defense stiffened.
Durden raced in on a pass in the flats to nail the receiver for a 6-yd. loss. After two incomplete passes, J.T. Bryant knocked down a 4th down pass at the goal line and the Jackets took over at their own 32 yard line.
On 3rd-and-4, Jacob Laney took a pitch from Durden around the left side for a 16-yd. pickup to the Brantley 46, running out of bounds to stop the clock which was ticking down toward zero. Durden then scrambled out of the pocked for 11 to the 35, also stepping out to stop the clock. Two plays later, Valdelamar kicked his 52-yd. field goal, which hit the crossbar before bounding past the uprights, and the Jackets led 17-0 at halftime.
Durden returned the 2nd half kicknofffrom the one but tripped and fell at the 15 as he ran into the back of his blocker. A penalty moved the ball back to the 10 from where Laney raced 26 yards around the left side.
The Jackets had to punt the ball away and on their next possession they marched 80 yards in 9 plays to their next score. Griffin had a 13-yd. run in the drive and Hill ran for 23.
From the 13, Durden ran for 7 and Sims picked up 5 for a 1st-and-goal at the 1. Durden then scored on a quarterback sneak. Valdelamar kicked the extra point to make it 24-0.
On their next possession, which started late in the 3rd quarter and extended into the 4th, the Jackets marched 52 yards for the touchdown. Durden covered the final 30 yards in runs of 10 and 20 yards. On the scoring run, Durden dropped back to pass, was flushed out of the pocket and ran to the left sideline, cut back inside to the goal line, evading 10 tackle attempts along the way.
Valdelamar kicked the P.A.T. making it 31-0.
The Jacket coaching staff got their backups onto the field for the remainder of the 4th quarter.