2024 Preview: West Florence Knights

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Accountability, not on the field play was the overarching theme when we spoke to three players for the West Florence Knights, and that will be key for them heading into 2024, as they look to improve on a 5-6 record in 2023, led by head coach Jody Jenerette, who is heading into Year 7 at the helm.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“It's just leading and stepping up and telling people when they're wrong and things of that nature. We never had that last year and that's what we really needed to add to our team this year,” wide receiver/quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1013062' first='Keshawn' last='Johnson'] said.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Some of the returners for the Knights include <strong>Kairahn Curry</strong>, who will line up on the offensive line and at tight end. <strong>Shannon Johnson </strong>is back at running back after running for 78 yards and one touchdown. On defense,<strong> [player_tooltip player_id='617662' first='Jamie' last='Williamson'] </strong>is back on the defensive line and <strong>Lavern Evans</strong> will round out the front seven at linebacker, while <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1165145' first='Clayton' last='Folse']</strong> will anchor things in the secondary.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As the Knights kick off the 2024 season next Friday, August 23 against cross-town rival South Florence, wide receiver [player_tooltip player_id='1159496' first='Terry' last='Lowery'] told us the expectation for the team is to compete all the time.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“I'd say we've just got to execute every chance we get. We can't take any steps back, no false steps. We've just got to come out and compete,” Lowery said.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>STARS SET TO SHINE</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1159496' first='Terry' last='Lowery']</strong> WR, 2025 – Lowery (pictured above) was third on the team in catches with nine for a whopping 335 yards and five touchdowns. That's not a misprint. The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga has offered him. He told us he finished with a 4.51 40 time recently.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Improvements heading into 2024: “We're holding each other accountable more. We're putting more work in. We're lifting more weights. We're just getting better.”</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1013062' first='Keshawn' last='Johnson'] </strong>WR/QB, 2025 – Johnson led the team in catches with 24 for 295 yards and 4 touchdowns in 2023. He got involved in the run game a good bit with 20 carries for 78 yards, averaging 3.9 yards per carry. He visited SC State, Fayetteville State and Mercer to camp this summer.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>2024 outlook/expectations: “Really just staying fast and physical, making sure the defense is flying to the ball at all times. (On) offense, (it's about) just staying under control and executing the plan before the game and just making sure we're practicing hard throughout the week and executing on Fridays.”</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1360071' first='Bobby' last='Patterson']</strong> DB/RB, 2026 – Patterson was fourth on the team in rushing with 53 carries for 238 yards and two touchdowns. He averaged 4.49 yards per carry. He had 27 total tackles on defense with two tackles for a loss. He visited Mercer and South Carolina this summer to camp.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>2024 outlook/expectations: “The defense being in one sync and being fast, tough and physical and just expecting to win. That's really the biggest thing.”</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>FILM REVIEW</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1025773' first='Romello' last='Patterson'] </strong>LB, 2026 – Patterson fits what the Knights want to do defensively. He can stand up from his edge position at linebacker and works hard to fight off blocks and get to the ball carrier. He takes good angles to the ball and can affect plays when he gets involved. He registered 36 total tackles in 2023, with six of them for a loss.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/19618976/654bdeac02b1f412b8c86b1c' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66baa4910313b"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>UP AND COMING POTENTIAL</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1639826' first='JayAun' last='Perkins']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2411","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"West Florence","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66baa49104626"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The thing that stands out about Perkins on film is his versatility. He can flex out at wide receiver and make plays in the quick game and knows how to get up field quickly after the grab. He can also line up on defense and play center field and make plays from the safety position. He was second on the team in catches with 18 for 123 yards in 2023.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/18437175/654bdf28d21b95135c7a2e33' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003ern","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66baa49104657"} /--> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Keep an eye on <strong>Clinton Free </strong>and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1664594' first='Avery' last='Weaver'] </strong>as well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->