Jordan was dealt perhaps the team’s toughest loss of the season before the season even started. The team’s top player coming into the year, senior Anthony Scott, was expected to line up at quarterback, receiver, running back, safety, and likely special teams spots as well over the course of the schedule. Instead, a recent knee injury to Scott was diagnosed to be an ACL tear, putting him on the sidelines for the season.
“It’s a big, big blow, for him, for us, and for me,” said Jordan coach Tim Wedlow. “We built the whole thing around him this year, he’s our captain–he will be missed in a big way.”
Wedlow and an impressive coaching staff that includes Long Beach Poly legend Ken-Yon Rambo didn’t spend much time moping about the loss, however–the season is right around the corner. Wedlow is optimistic, despite losing Scott–his team was 3-7 last year after a disastrous 0-10 2017 season that saw a mid-year coaching change.
“The numbers are coming up, the community sees the direction things are going in and they’ve been supportive,” said Wedlow. “Last year we had 18 freshman, this year we have more than double that.”
The straw that will stir the drink for the Panthers this year is senior Jaylon Morgan, a speedster who will see time at receiver, safety, punter, and maybe other spots.
“He can do a lot of things for us,” said Wedlow of Morgan.
“It was stressful (losing Scott), he was a big factor for us,” said Morgan. “But we have to work with what we have, we have to all work harder this year.”
Nehemiah Condon is back as a playmaking receiver and defensive back, with quarterback Isaac Ochoa serving as a coach on the field both under center and as a linebacker. Wedlow is excited about his team’s running backs, with a talented trio of Rickey Harvey, Jordan Wofford, and Jacob Smith set to keep teams guessing. The lines will feature a lot of players going both ways, but they’re big and talented. Chris Carillo, Xavier Heard, King and Kayne Manukailea, Joaquin Felix, and Ray Howard will all be in the mix.
Jordan will have nonleague road games against Kennedy and Rancho Dominguez Prep before returning home to face Norwalk before Moore League play starts.
“We’re going to keep working hard and try to take a run at it,” said Wedlow. “Parts of the schedule will be a challenge for us, but we’re going to take it one game at a time.”
