There are quite a few changes coming for a Jefferson High School football team that made the postseason in 2023.
One being the fact that the school will begin building a new structure where the football field currently stands after this season, giving the Democrats one last ride for this field (even if it is only for three home games, which the Demos haven’t received an answer as to why).
Not only that, but head coach Anthony Stoudamire brought in some fresh assistant coaches to instill some energy into the program.
On the field, there will be some big changes as well after a strong senior class in 2023.
Do all those changes worry Stoudamire?
Not a chance.
“Just to get better, we got to work to get better,” Stoudamire said. “We’re gonna compete and we have to just do what we do. We’re gonna win our share of games, we just need to compete and get better each week.”
One consistent, and an important one, will be at quarterback where First Team All-PIL selection Brave Johnson is back for his senior year after another stellar summer playing baseball.
However, he lost some of his best weapons with do-it-all star Montral Brazille graduating and lanky wide receiver London Walker transferring up north to Evergreen High School in Vancouver, Washington.
There’s where a youth movement is coming in to play a big part for the Demos.
Junior EJ Cozart had a solid 2023 season and is expected to play a big role on the offensive side of the ball in 2024.
A couple sophomores standing out to Stoudamire so far are Carlos Brown and Jayden Robinson, giving Johnson multiple targets once again this season.
“We still have tons of weapons,” Stoudamire said. “EJ Cozart is going to surprise a lot of people … Looking for huge things from EJ this year, he got bigger and faster and he’s catching the ball real well right now.”
Defense is where the Demos might be a little older, even despite losing Brazille who was the 2023 Co-Defensive Player of the Year in the PIL.
First Team linebacker in senior Isaiah Matthews is back to hold down the middle of the field, meanwhile another first-teamer in Cannon Sternberger is back on the defensive line ready to tear it up in the trenches.
And another senior with some high expectations from Stoudamire is Synceir Sevier, a player who Stoudamire said was hurt often last fall but has been in the work to be healthy this season.
“Cannon got bigger and stronger this summer, Isiah Matthews at linebacker is returning, so they’re gonna be the anchors of our defense,” Stoudamire said. “(Sevier) was injured a lot last year, but he’s putting in a lot of work in getting healthy over the winter, got bigger and stronger and had a great fall camp.”
That fall camp has been important in the eyes of Stoudamire after having such a heavy-senior roster in 2023.
The youngsters looking to make their mark in the program have come with good energy, along with the younger assistant coaches brought in like former Oregon Duck La’Mar Winston.
“I like the enthusiasm, got a lot of young talent coming up, a lot of energy,” Stoudamire said. “New coaches bringing some different type of energy into the program. Younger players are bringing a lot of energy, so that’s real exciting. It’s kind of like a breath of fresh air.”
That new air blows in at 7 p.m. Sept. 6 when the Demos travel to take on Lakeridge in week one. After that, Jefferson plays at 7 p.m. Sept. 13 at Liberty. The nonleague slate also features Cleveland at home as the Warriors will be playing an independent schedule in 2024.
As for the PIL slate, Jefferson will play Franklin, McDaniel, Roosevelt and Ida B. Wells on the road. At home, the Demos will take on Grant and Lincoln.
Expectations remain high for the always-competitive Demos, and the youth movement is about to discover what that takes.
“We’re young, but very talented,” Stoudamire said. “We’re gonna surprise a lot of people.”
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