Blue Jay football practice begins Monday

By Dewey Terrill

JC Post

Junction City Blue Jay football practice for the 2019 season begins Monday.

Head Coach Randall Zimmerman assessed the offensive line prospects, often considered a key area for a football team. “We have to replace four of the five guys up there. We’ve got some great competition going on.”

Zimmerman noted that Caleb Miller is returning this season. The other candidates for varsity time will be juniors. “We’re leaning on him to really lead that group, but there’s some really good competition. We’ve got some quality kids. The experience is not there, we’re very inexperienced but attitude and heart I think will make up for that because I really like what those kids are doing. Coach Chase Jones is coaching those guys and did an unbelievable job with them this summer. He’ll continue to do that through the fall.

Zimmerman said there’s a lot of competition but Andrew Khoury is ready to take the reins at quarterback, while at running back Russell Wilkey and Chris Randolph are returning and D.J. Giddens will play this season.

Blue Jay players ran an obstacle course at the Junction City Athletic Training Center last week as they conditioned for the upcoming season

At receiver Ethan Alcorn, Marcello Bussey and Jo Jo Nieves are among a handful of candidates in the mix, while on the defensive line Terrance Crumpton and Antonio Cooper return. At linebacker returning players include Albert Caba, Sadiki Smith and Kazerick Smith, along with Zane Thornton and Jordan Irby in the defensive secondary.

Mindy Lechuga returns to help with the kicking duties and Andrew Khoury could be in the mix at punter.

The coach noted that all positions are wide open. Some new players and some others who are already in the program will also achieve playing time.

For Randall Zimmerman this is his 26th season guiding Blue Jay football and 34th year in coaching. He said he’s extremely excited about the year. “I love what I see from our kids and that is completely outside of when there’s a football out there. I like their attitude.” The coach said he likes how they’re communicating with each other, associating with each other, associating within the school, leading in the school, just picking people up. “They know it’s bigger than themselves so I’m really, really, really looking forward to the year.”

Conditioning workout for the Blue Jays at the Junction City Athletic Training Center.

The Blue Jays play at Hays on Sept. 6 and host Washburn Rural in the home opener on Sept. 13. The rest of the home schedule includes Topeka West Sept. 20, Highland Park Oct. 4 and Seaman Oct. 18. Other road games include Topeka High on Thursday, Sept. 26, Manhattan Oct. 11, and Emporia Oct. 25. The postseason playoffs, with all teams guaranteed a first-round berth, begin Friday Nov. 1.

All fall sports teams can begin practice in Kansas on Monday. At Junction City High School that includes the boys soccer, girls tennis, boys and girls cross country, girls golf and girls volleyball.] teams.