St. John’s Military School Football is not your normal high school football team. Each year, the coaching staff eagerly awaits for the cadets to show up, and then holds a meeting to begin the season.
At that time, the coaching staff starts piecing together the players into positions and goes to work. In a three week period, the team learns the basics of the game, and prepares for play of 9 games. St. John’s had a lot of individual successes and gains this year, and ended the regular season 2-7. The Muleskinners will enter the playoffs on Tuesday at St. Mary’s at 6 p.m.
Leading the way for the Muleskinners is Senior Wide Receiver Jake Whitting. Whitting ended the regular season with 74 receptions for 1,277 yards and 17 touchdowns with an averagee of 17.3 yards per catch. “It was an amazing season, I accomplished my goal of reaching 1,000 yards receiving and exceeded that,” he said.
Whitting did have help along with way with solid help from Junior Quarterback Joshua Smith. Smith completed 71 of 162 passes during the regular season for 1,166 yards and 15 touchdowns with only 8 interceptions.
“These season numbers are a great accomplishment for both St. Johns and this county,” St. John’s Head Coach Mike Reid said. “I have had the honor of coaching these two young men this season who, just over 2 months ago, met for the first time, and have had some amazing accomplishments this season.”
For Whitting, it has been a storied Senior season, that included being double teamed by many opposing defenses as well as battling through injuries. “It hasn’t been any easy ride with many ups and downs,” he said.
The 6’2′, 190 lbs. receiver has big plans for his future. “I plan on playing collegiate football, either Division I or II. My dream is to play D-1 ball and I plan on doing whatever it takes to get there,” he said. Whitting has only been playing organized football since his freshman season, but really did not break out as a leader until this year.
Whitting leads a Muleskinner team that is headed to the playoffs for the second time in the last three years and just the third time in the last decade.