Glades Central has an abundance of talent in 2011.
Photo by Stuart Browning
Speed has been the hallmark of the Glades Central program for years and that will be no different in 2011.
Fourteen starters, many of them lightning-quick, return for the Raiders following a 12-2 season that ended with a one-point loss to Cocoa in the Class 2A playoffs.
The team's defense, particularly against the pass, should be its strength. The secondary is loaded, with
Jamie Wilson,
Crevon Leblanc, junior
William Likely and Pahokee transfer
Leon King all possessing Division I-type talent.
The linebacking unit will be equally fierce.
Jatavis Brown,
Dominique Gibson and
Don'kevious Johnson all return and should be adept at plugging the run game as well as dropping back into coverage.
Aaron Baker should see most of the carries, but watch for sophomore
Jerry Jones, an accomplished track runner. There's no shortage of other athletes able to take handoffs as well. Likely and Wilson should double as receivers giving new quarterback
Tanner Redish plenty of targets.
Redish will likely be the determining factor in how far this Glades Central team can go. It returns two starters on the offensive line, a nice foundation to make sure Redish has time in the pocket. However, Glades Central's schedule is brutal early on, so Redish needs to acclimate extremely quickly for his team, which is ranked No. 7 on
MaxPreps' Top 10 Florida Football Dynasties list.
Glades Central's defensive line will be inexperienced and undersized, but very fast. The team's linebackers and defensive backs will be able to pick up the slack early on as the unit develops. There's plenty of talent to go around on offense. If Redish can get in sync with his receivers and the Raiders can fine-tune their running game, this Glades Central squad will be bound for the state title game in Orlando.
Local look: "It's a mixture of old and new at Glades Central. After losing his second consecutive state-title game, former coach Jessie Hester was fired and replaced with Roosevelt Blackmon, another Glades Central legend. Blackmon brings a defensive mind to a defensively stacked team. The Raiders will line up at least six BCS-level players on defense. On offense, Redish, who transferred to Glades Central in the spring, has a lot riding on his arm. The Raiders are again favorites to make a run to the state championship, but the questions about Redish and Blackmon persist. How quickly the new faces jell with the old stars will be the main factor in Glades Central's success or failure."
- Jeff Greer, Palm Beach Post
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