AHSAA PLAYOFF PREVIEW: Streeton leads St. James on both fronts
St. James senior lineman Jake Streeton has played every position on both lines for the Trojans. (Tim Gayle)
By TIM GAYLE
St. James coach Jimmy Perry tries to rest his linemen when he can during a game, but he can never seem to get senior Jake Streeton to take a break.
“The tougher the game, the more he likes it,” Perry observed. “He does not like to come out of the game. He plays on both sides of the ball, 100-plus snaps a game. When I take him out (to rest him), he says, ‘What did I do wrong?’ He doesn’t want to come out.”
Streeton and the Trojans (9-2) will travel to East Brewton this week to face W.S. Neal (7-4) in the second round of the 3A state playoffs. The Trojans will face a physical test in their first-ever meeting with the Eagles as former W.S. Neal coach Hugh Fountain returned to his alma mater this season and quickly transformed the Eagles into a playoff team after six consecutive losing seasons.
“He’s a downhill running team, big, physical offensive line, big physical backs,” Perry said. “His backs used to be linebackers, so they’re bruisers. Their quarterback is a real good athlete.”
That will be the kind of challenge Streeton loves, a team that loves to line up and play physical run-oriented football.
“I think the better the team, the better I play,” the St. James senior said. “I’d rather play a better team.”
Streeton has played every position on both sides of the ball, a starter at offensive guard and later as a nose guard on defense his sophomore year, filling in at tackle when necessary and finally finding a home at center and defensive end.
As a sophomore, he lined up next to center Cole Bender and picked up a few pointers, then took over the position as a junior after Bender graduated.
“I think I learned a little bit from him, but also playing everywhere kind of helped me know everyone’s role so it made it easier playing the position,” Streeton said. “I think that’s what Coach Perry tried to do, play me everywhere so I knew everyone’s role.”
As a center, Streeton sets the alignment for the offensive line, making sure his unit can open holes for tailback Cosner Harrison or provide the protection for quarterback KJ Jackson.
“Jake makes every call,” Perry said. “He makes all the pass protection calls, makes the point so everybody knows who to work off of and who to block on each play. He’s the quarterback of the offensive line. He does a great job. Best center I’ve ever coached. At any level.”
The St. James offensive line is unbeaten at the 3A level this season and powered its offense to 35 points in a 48-35 loss against Handley, stumbling only once in a 26-14 loss to Charles Henderson when Streeton was the only lineman at practice every day as the flu bug ran through the team.
The line’s consistent play is a tribute to Streeton, who takes game film of his opponent home and studies up on their tendencies to help the line in practice and in the game on Friday night.
“I see what technique they play with, where their defenses line up,” Streeton said. “They usually do what they do on film. They don’t really change it up, so you know where they’re going to be. The plays you’re going to run, you know how they’re going to line up against them, so it makes it easier.”
While the players may not talk about it, Friday’s game with W.S. Neal has special meaning to the Trojan seniors. As freshmen and juniors, they’ve gotten to this point in the playoffs, only to end the season with a loss. St. James, in fact, has only reached the quarterfinals twice in school history (1985 and 2003), leaving the second round with a loss on eight occasions, most recently in last year’s loss to Jackson.
“I think we’ll take this like a regular game,” Streeton said, before noting, “We want to go down in the history books of this school, so we’re going to work as hard as we ever have.”