Ascension Episcopal Blue Gators
2024 Record: 7-5
District: 6-1A
Head Coach: Stephen Hearen
Note: The Gators will play two quarterbacks in Brandon Mitchell and DJ Kelly.
Ascension Episcopal put together a solid 2023 season.
A 7-5 record and making it to the second round of the playoffs but a big bulk of that load was from their youth, where many of their starters were sophomores.
Those little boys have turned into grown men as the Blue Gators are hungry for more.
“To see over the last two years really, guys step up to the challenge and really play well at a young age”, says head coach Stephen Hearen. It’s refreshing, it’s rewarding, it’s fun to see to see those guys to get experience and have some fun with it.”
“I think it’s great. I think it’s going to help them so much this year and especially their senior years”, says senior linebacker, Beau Domengeaux. “So much experience between them and they know what it takes to win on Fridays and how it feels to lose and you know you don’t want that.”
Youth is a thing of the past as AES returns 12 starters. For head coach, Stephen Hearen, he considered last year "trial by fire" for most and that includes the leaders of their offense.
AES going "quarterback by committee" style as they boast two guys in junior Brandon Mitchell and sophomore DJ Kelly.
The caveat is both guys will also line up at receiver. The Blue Gators are bound to confuse defenses coming up in the near future.
“Being last year that he played [Mitchell], he got to get in at quarterback sometimes and that’s going to help a lot, just having that experience and playing receiver, he knows what varsity is like”, says senior left tackle Joseph Rizzoto. “I think DJ is going to bring a lot to the table also because DJ has fight in him. He’s going to take the ball, tuck it and he’s going to go.”
“Cater things to guys strengths a little more and I think it can be hard to game plan for two different guys for defenses week to week.”
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