Flagler Palm Coast sophomore quarterback thrust into starting role for Potato Bowl

Reid Pritt, who completed 10 of 13 passes for 125 yards in the preseason jamboree, will make his first regular-season start Friday against Matanzas.

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Flagler Palm Coast sophomore quarterback Reid Pritt was scheduled to be a six-quarter swing player for the JV and varsity teams this season.

But after Bobby Starr suffered a stress fracture in his elbow, Reid has been thrust into the Bulldogs’ starting role.

With two scrimmages under his belt, Pritt will start for FPC in the season-opening Potato Bowl against Matanzas on Friday, Aug. 21, at the Bulldogs’ Sal Campanella Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Pritt looked a little nervous in the referee scrimmage against DeLand, FPC coach Patrick Turner said, but he  had a solid showing in the preseason jamboree against Bartram Trail and Fleming Island on Aug. 14.

Pritt completed 10 of 13 passes for 125 yards in the first-half segment against jamboree host Bartram Trail and then played two series against Fleming Island.


Reid [Pritt] is intelligent and very coachable and he’s a tough kid. We just have to be judicious in how we use him.
— PATRICK TURNER, FPC football coach 

“He gave me a lot of confidence that he’ll be able to play,” Turner said. “Reid is intelligent and very coachable and he’s a tough kid. We just have to be judicious in how we use him. We’ll do some (run-pass option) type of stuff and he’ll be fine as long as he makes consistent reads.”

The Bulldogs have three other sophomore quarterbacks who now will be vying for the backup role, Turner said.

“They’re all working hard, they're extremely coachable and they all have their own traits that they bring to the table,” he said.

Pritt will have a couple of talented seniors to lean on this season in wide receiver Logan Jacobelli and running back Ehimen “He-man” Ajede.

Jacobelli, one of the Bulldogs’ all-time great sprinters, returned a kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown against Bartram Trail and also caught a touchdown pass. 

Jacobelli caught 21 passes for 310 yards and four touchdowns last season. At the Class 4A state track and field championships last spring, Jacobelli reached the podium three times. He ran the first leg on the state- championship winning 4x400 relay. He also placed fifth in the 200-meter dash and broke the school record in the 100 meters with a time of 10.53 seconds to finish seventh. His 200-meter time is second-best in school history.

Ajede rushed for 101 yards on four carries against Bartram, including a 77-yard touchdown scamper. Last season, he ran for 430 yards and seven touchdowns after missing almost his entire sophomore season with an injury.

FPC tied Bartram Trail 20-20 in the first half of the jamboree. The Bulldogs made a lot substitutions in a 24-14 loss in the second half against Fleming Island, Turner said.

Nei’cco Murphy and Yamon Jordan each intercepted a pass against Bartram Trail. Khaidyn Steward recovered a fumble and returned it for a touchdown against Fleming Island.

“The defense did some really good things,” Turner said. “We played the run well. There are still some things we can tighten up.”

The key heading into the county championship game is eliminating as many distractions as possible this week, Turner said.

“Honestly, we’ll have more important games than this one,” Turner said, noting that the Bulldogs’ district games will have more of an impact on their chances to make the playoffs.

“You want to win [the Potato Bowl] because it’s important for the county. But the main goal is to win the district and make the playoffs,” Turner said. “You can do one by doing the other. So in that regard, this game is not more important than the others. But it is important, so we’ve got to stay focused, eliminate the distractions and focus on the process.”

 

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