Richmond Hill’s fast start in this year’s football season was a surprise to many people, as this season was seen to be a rebuilding year after losing nearly every starter to graduation in May. 

However, the Wildcats have not allowed that to set them back and junior linebacker Jaylon Deal has been a huge part of their turnaround and success.

“The key was our team having trust in one another for them to perform,” Deal said. “This trust has helped us become a really good football team.”

Being able to perform is something that Deal is no stranger to. He currently has the team lead in tackles on the year with 69 so far, which is good for 8.6 tackles per game. He has a twenty tackle lead on the athlete in second place for the Wildcats. He has also added six tackles for loss, five sacks, which is also the team lead, six hurries, another stat lead, two forced fumbles and an interception. 

“I see my stats as a way to produce a big impact for the team,” Deal said. “When I'm training, I see my stats as an example to the positive outcome of the hard work I put in during training.”

While Deal has the team lead in most of the stat categories on the defensive side, he knows that in order to have other players follow his lead, he has to keep a positive outlook, no matter what happens. 

“It’s important to have that mindset to always push through,” Deal said. “Even if the score is not in our favor, no matter what the score is we have to push through.”

With a big test against No. 2-ranked Buford coming up next week, Deal believes in the team and their ability to make a deep run this year. 

“I believe this team could go far into the playoffs,” Deal said. if we work with discipline and teamwork, we could have a great year.”

Although Deal is leading his team in multiple stat lines, he still finds the time during the season to continue to work on things that he needs to improve on. 

“One thing that I’ve worked on is the ability to move more fluidly with my hips for being able to get in and out of positions I need to be in to succeed,” Deal said. 

While he is only a junior and has the rest of this school year and season to play, as well as his entire year to go through, Deal has already been thinking about the future, and what he hopes to accomplish once he graduates from Richmond Hill. 

“My plans after high school is to play at the collegiate level,” Deal said. “I don’t mind the level I play at, but I do want to study Kinesiology when I get to college.”