Jeff Moeller, sports correspondent
RICHMOND HILL -- Richmond Hill senior safety Jeremiah Jones likes the change he has seen in his team’s recent defensive play after their 42-7 victory over Liberty last week. A week earlier, the Wildcats fought their way through a 22-21 victory over Effingham County in their opener.
“I feel our defense is playing relentlessly and more confidently,” said Jones, who has a team-high 12 tackles, an interception, and a blocked kick. “We’ve definitely cleaned up our mistakes from the first week.
“We are not perfect, there will be mistakes, but we will be alright as long as we play fast and confident. That’s the key.”
Richmond Hill held Liberty to 41 total yards in the opening half, as they built a 35-0 lead. With second-and third-teamers playing the second half, Liberty kept their starters in the game and recorded 100 total yards and a score.
Fellow senior linemen Jaylon Deal, who has six tackles, sees a similar picture. Deal also has strengthened his game.
“I feel the defense is playing well,sound, and disciplined,” said Deal. “Our toughness add is something I’m highly proud of
“I corrected a bunch of critical mistakes that will support my team the most when it matters.”
Senior lineman ‘Tre Brown, who has 11 tackles (three for loss) and a sack, knows the early results are a result of their dedicated effort.
“It was a great feeling to get that win, and we put a lot of work in to get to this moment,” said Brown. “Things went really smoothly for us. We just have to keep working. Our coaches put in a lot of preparation and it shows.”
Head coach Matt LeZotte has liked what he has seen from his unit.
‘I feel really good about the direction our defense is heading,” said LeZotte. “We’ve continued to improve each week, and I thought we took a nice step forward in cleaning up some of the things that showed up early in the season.”
One major factor has been their understanding of each other on the field.
“The biggest thing has been our communication, tackling and overall understanding of what we’re trying to accomplish defensively. I’ve been encouraged by our pass defense. We’re getting more comfortable with our assignments and playing with better confidence on the back end.
“There are always things to improve, but I like the progress we’re making. We’re challenging throws, getting more people around the football and doing a better job of limiting explosive plays.”
LeZotte cited the play of Brown, Deal, and fellow seniors lineman Jaleal Barnard and cornerback Eli Grant. He also sees more development that can be crucial late in the season.
“Tre’ Brown and Jaleal Barnard have been really solid up front and give us a good presence inside,” stressed LeZotte. “Jaylon Deal continues to do a great job at linebacker, and Eli Grant has been making plays for us in the secondary.
“What I really like, though, is that we’re starting to see more guys contribute. We’re developing some depth and playing better as an entire unit rather than relying on one or two guys.”
LeZotte will be looking for his defense to raise another notch when his team will look to go 3-0 on the season when they host Jenkins (0-2) Friday night for a 7 p.m. kickoff.
Jenkins is coming off a 31-16 loss to Calvary Day, and they suffered a 31-13 loss to Lowndes County in their opener.
The Warriors, coached by longtime Savannah fixture Tony Welch, have been led by sophomore quarterback Berari Melis-Williams, who also is a dual threat as a runner, and senior wideout Torean Wilson. Senior linebacker Brandon Brown is their leaving tackler.
Despite Jenkins’ slow start, LeZotte is taking anything for granted.
“We’ve watched Jenkins, and they’re a talented football team,” said LeZotte. “Coach Welch has done a great job building that program and preparing those kids by playing really good competition over the years. You can see that paying off with this group. They play with confidence and have multiple guys who can make plays.
“Offensively, they present some challenges because they have enough playmakers that you can’t just focus on taking away one guy. They have athleticism and the ability to create explosive plays, so we’ll have to tackle well, communicate and be disciplined with our assignments. It’s going to be a really good challenge for our defense, and we’re excited about the opportunity.”
His players are also looking forward to Friday’s matchup.
“I see Jenkins as a team to productively prepare for just like the first two teams,” said Deal. “This mindset is something that has allowed us to play to our fullest potential.”
Jones echoed his teammates’ sentiments.
“I see them as an opponent we need to take seriously, no matter their record,” said Jones. “They’re a good team with good players, but it’s going to take a team effort. I believe in our guys, and I’m confident we can come together and get the win to move to 3-0.”