If you thought high school football was finished until the fall, think again. Blitz Border Bowl V is this Saturday in Savannah, and it’s your last chance to see the area’s brightest stars go head-to-head against one another in a showcase game set for a noon kickoff at Memorial Stadium.
The top seniors from South Carolina’s Lowcountry are playing Georgia’s Coastal Empire team in the fifth edition of the event, which can be seen live on WSAV-TV. Proceeds from the game benefit the Ronald McDonald House Charities.
Tickets are $15 and can be purchased ahead of time, online by clicking HERE.
Each squad has two wins in four prior editions of the Blitz Border Bowl. Neither team has ever won two straight. The Lowcountry’s two wins have come by one point each. In last year’s Blitz Border Bowl IV, they edged the Coastal Empire, 14-13. In 2019, they won 35-34. Coast Empire won the first Blitz Border Bowl (15-3) and again in 2020 (38-17).
Team Coastal Empire is coached by Johnson’s Kenderrick Bonner and Team Lowcountry by Battery Creek’s Terrance Ashe.
The Coastal Empire’s roster is made up of Savannah area players and includes seniors from Savannah Chatham County Public School System (SCCPSS) programs as well as Savannah private schools like Calvary Day, Savannah Christian and Savannah Country Day. It also has players from Richmond Hill, Effingham County, Long County, Liberty County, South Effingham, Statesboro and McIntosh County Academy.
Team Lowcountry has South Carolina players from schools including: Hilton Head, Beaufort, Bluffton, Battery Creek, John Paul II, May River, Wade Hampton, Whale Branch, Woodland and Ridgeland.
Bonner was hired at Johnson in 2018 at the age of 28, and when he arrived, the Atom Smashers were coming off a three-season run where they compiled a dismal 1-28 record. In five seasons, Johnson is 17-31 (.354) with Bonner as the head man, but the record doesn’t quite tell the whole story. SCJ hasn’t had a winning season since 2000. Last year, Bonner’s squad finished at 5-5, the most wins for a Johnson team since 2012.
The Coastal Empire coaching staff is made up of head coaches from around the Savannah area. They include: John Ford (Effingham), Tony Welch (Jenkins), Kyle Hockman (New Hampstead), Mike Pfiester (Long), Nate Clark (Liberty), Michael Moore (Savannah High) and Calvin Wells (Groves).
Ashe was hired in 2020 to lead an also-struggling Battery Creek program, which hasn’t finished a season with a .500 record since 2012. The Dolphins are 7-18 (.280) in his three seasons at the helm after finishing 3-8 in 2022.
One of them will be coaching his side to its third win in the Blitz Border Bowl series. Those winning players – and that winning coaching staff – will have bragging rights in the area for the next 365 days.
You can find complete rosters for the 2023 Blitz Border Bowl as well as scores from previous Blitz Border Bowls below.
HISTORY
Blitz Border Bowl I (2018): Coastal Empire 15, Lowcountry 03
Blitz Border Bowl II (2019): Lowcountry 35, Coastal Empire 34
Blitz Border Bowl III (2020): Coastal Empire 38, Lowcountry 17
Blitz Border Bowl IV (2022): Lowcountry 14, Coastal Empire 13
Aggregate Score (4 games): Coastal Empire 100, Lowcountry 69
ROSTERS
LOWCOUNTRY (SC)
HEAD COACH: Terrance Ashe (Battery Creek)
Beaufort
Jack Sumner DL
Hart Cushman OL
Jack Troutman K
Colton Phares Ath
Kacey Fields RB
Adrian Lamb OL
Jamar Knight DB
Lamar Knight LB
Carter Bowersox DB
May River
Darrion Perry ATH
Jadien Jones RB
Elthon Reyes DL
Trevor Murdaugh OL
Baxter Anderson OL
Hilton Head
Carter Saleeby – LB
Riley McCracken – WR
Alex Rckno – LB
Chris Marable – DL
Chase Collins – OL
Woodland
Chandler Lewis QB
Michael Barnett OL
Jailyn Ingram RB
Whale Branch
Jakhi Pusha ATH
Jadaris Garrett WR
Jaylen McVay DL
John Paul II
Jackson Ogden ATH
Bluffton
KJ Holland WR
Jaylin Linder WR
Max Vonhohenstraten QB
Tysen James DB
Jaquinn Williams LB
Battery Creek
Tanner McCracken OL/LS
Anthony Phelan DL
Devin Broaddus OL
Jakaree Evans TE
Ridgeland
Orgurian Simmons DL
Wade Hampton
Grayson Ferguson LB
Alijah Gordon TE
Austin McQuire DL
Nigel Solomon WR
COASTAL EMPIRE (GA)
HEAD COACH: Kenderrick Bonner (Johnson)
ASSISTANTS: John Ford (Effingham); Tony Welch (Jenkins); Kyle Hockman (New Hampstead); Nate Clark (Liberty); Michael Moore (Savannah High); Mike Pfiester (Long); Calvin Wells (Groves)
Ty Goldrick, QB, Richmond Hill
Troy Smith, QB/WR, Jenkins
Amarion Scott, RB, Johnson
Jareese Campbell, RB, McIntosh County Academy
Jordan Lovett, RB, Statesboro
Ravon Grant, WR, Richmond Hill
Ryan Lovett, WR, Beach
Javon Boast, WR/TE, Groves
Ja’quawn Singleton, WR, Groves
Samari Dowdy, RB/WR, Johnson
Elijah Walker, WR/TE, New Hampstead
Kahleel Polite, WR, Savannah High
Justin Martell, WR, South Effingham
Timothy Randolph, OL, Jenkins
Jalin Scott, OL/DL, Calvary Day
Joshua Gadson, OL/LS, Jenkins
David Petty, OL, Johnson
Danny Thomas, OL, McIntosh County Academy
Ryland Bartley, OL, Savannah High
Jep Hudspeth, OL, Savannah Christian
Phil Ajayi, OL, Savannah Country Day
Sam Whitley, OL, Windsor Forest
Keysean McCarr, DT, Effingham County
Tavion Gadson, DE, Jenkins
ShaRon McGert, DT, Islands
Jaden Boone, DE, Johnson
Demari Booker, DE, Liberty County
Noah Range, DT, Long County
Jondre Kinsey, DE, New Hampstead
Akeem Lane, DT, Savannah Christian
Terry Simmons, DT, Calvary Day
Troy Ford, MLB/DE, Calvary Day
Mi’Karee Stafford, OLB, Johnson
Lake Linton, MLB, McIntosh County Academy
Alijah Lacey, OLB, New Hampstead
Austin Saylor, MLB, Savannah Christian
Jah’tavion Weickerson, OLB, South Effingham
Keshon Leggett, FS, Jenkins
Michael Ellison III, CB, Johnson
James Summersett, SS, Liberty County
Jamar Joseph, CB, Liberty County
Kaleb Smith, CB, New Hampstead
Jayden Hester, CB/FS, Savannah Christian
John Seidensticker, PK/P, Jenkins
