Powder Springs, GA – In the penultimate game of the Football Hotbed National High School Showcase Monday at McEachern High School, the junior class of 2021 took the field.
This game was more one-sided on the scoreboard than the first two contests with Team Black earning a solid 21-0 win over Team White. However, the numbers didn’t tell the whole story, this contest was just as competitive as the first two showcase games thanks to big plays on both sides of the ball.
Team Black’s offense looked sharp on their opening drive and capped it thanks to a pair of standouts from Miami. QB Jaden Williams, Miami (FL) Central High School connected with WR Romello Brinson of Miami (FL) Northwestern High School on a screen and Brinson darted into the endzone for a 7-yard touchdown pass. Brinson’s teammate Leo Zuarzo converted the extra point to give the black team a 7-0 lead.
Coaches raved about the skill position players ability to make impact plays and they certainly didn’t disappoint.
The Miami connection continued when Williams found Miami (FL) Norland WR Omari Stewart wide open in the slot allowing him to motor 70 yards before he was hustled down by Delray Beach (FL) Atlantic High DB Jahbari Hill at the one-yard line. However, Hill’s hustle play made all the difference when two plays later, his teammate Palm Beach Gardens (FL) Dwyer linebacker Ike Collins recovered a fumble at the three-yard line.
However, Team White’s offense gave the ball right back a few plays later when a high snap went over the quarterback’s head and out of the back of the end zone to give Team Black a 9-0 lead after the safety.
On the ensuing return Joel Felder, Fort Lauderdale (FL) Boyd Anderson High School returned the kickoff 30 yards and drew some “Oohs” from the crowd at the end of the run when he ran over a would be tackler as he ran out of bounds.
Four plays into the drive, Williams connected with WR Nick Evans, Jefferson (GA) High School on a 17-yard touchdown pass to the corner of the endzone. The extra point by Zuarzo gave Team Black at 16-0 lead entering halftime.
Entering the third quarter, Team Black didn’t let its foot off of the gas .
Team White got the ball to start, but their drive was ended on an interception by LB Harrison Duncan, Roswell (GA) High School.
On the next drive Team Black extended its lead when Zuarzo drilled a 45-yard field goal to make the score 19-0 with 7:07 in the third quarter.
The Miami specialist had a huge role in the field position game as well. Team White was pinned deep in its own territory after a booming punt by Zuarzo was downed at the two-yard line. On the very next play defensive lineman Brandon Maina, Hiram (GA) High School, blasted through the offensive line to tackle the running back in the endzone for a safety to give Team Black a 21-0 toward the end of the third quarter.
Team Black’s defense stiffened up in the fourth quarter to preserve the shutout.
Williams finished 14-for-25 with 155 yards passing and two touchdowns to earn Showcase offensive MVP honors.
“It was great to experience something different and the cold weather, so when I go off to college it won’t be a problem,” Williams said. “It was just good to be around some new people.”
His running back Glenwood’s (GA) Kye Robicheaux who won the MVP award in his previous two Hotbed Showcase appearances finished with four carries for 33 yards.
In the receiving core, Brinson finished with five catches for 24 yards and a score, Stewart grabbed three catches for 91 yards and Monroe Area (GA) High receiver Danarious “Dee” Hendricks finished with four catches for 70 yards.
Powder Springs (GA) Hiram linebacker Collin Goodloe led Team Black’s defense with two tackles and a sack.
Dutchtown (GA) High’s Justin Walton finished with three tackles and two and a half sacks. Miami (FL) Northwestern’s Ja’Corey Hammett also registered a sack.
In the secondary, Athens (GA) Clarke Central DB Scotty Randolph III had an interception.
For Team White, Grayson (GA) High school linebacker Fernando Sanchez won defensive MVP honors. Sanchez relished the chance to develop new friendships from the weekend experience.
“It was a good game, good to get the experience,” Sanchez said. “We’re not even really friends we’re more like a family. You get to play people from other states, so you’ll see them around and get to build relationships.”
Other Junior Showcase standouts:
OL/DL Laurence Seymour, Miami (FL) Central
RB Jymon Coleman, Wekiva (FL) High School
QB Kody Morell, Orlando (FL) Lake Nona
WR Tanner Koziol, Bloomindale (IL) Nazareth Academy
WR Jayden Higgins, Miami (FL) Westminster Christian
Grayson (GA) High LB Fernando Sanchez. 
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