Sometimes there are just too many good things to discuss to zero in on one topic, and the past week provided plenty.
Logan Cooke drafted
Specialists don’t often get drafted in the NFL. Every year there’s maybe one punter here and two kickers there, but most end up signing as undrafted free agents and battling with a veteran through training camp and the preseason.
That’s what makes Columbia Academy graduate and Mississippi State punter Logan Cooke’s story so interesting. Cooke was drafted in the seventh round Saturday by the Jacksonville Jaguars and prompted his new employer to release veteran punter Brad Nortman.
Not only is Cooke one of the lucky few specialists in the nation to be selected, but barring something unforeseen he has already secured a spot on Jacksonville’s game day roster. Of the other punters who were selected in the NFL Draft, Cooke is the only one who doesn’t have a veteran to compete with.
Michael Dickson will be competing with Jon Ryan in Seattle, JK Scott will be competing with Justin Vogel in Green Bay and Johnny Townsend will be competing with Colby Wadman in Oakland. Cooke will be competing with, well, himself.
That has to say a lot about how the Jaguars coaching staff and front office think of the Marion County native.
Best of luck, Logan.
Jerkins inspires team
When you’re a sports reporter, seeing coaches rip into their team is commonplace. Often times I just laugh it off. I remember from my playing days how, more often than not, I saw right through what my coach was trying to accomplish. It rarely has the desired effect.
But what West Marion head baseball coach Derrick Jerkins did Saturday night resonated with me, and I was just a bystander.
With the Trojans down 5-1 to Franklin County heading into the bottom of the sixth, he likely saw what I saw: a team that got punched in the mouth early and was having a hard time battling back. So Jerkins had his entire team meet him down the left field line and delivered a goosebump-inducing rallying speech.
I won’t get into the details of what he said, but he was trying to get the Trojans to play with emotion. To do so he had to show plenty of it, and he did. The Trojans may not have come back to win Saturday night, falling 5-3, but they had the air of a different team after that. I’m sure that carried over into Monday when the Trojans knocked off Franklin County to advance to the South State semifinals.
Coaches are often berated for strategic decisions and rarely praised for when those decisions pay off. But it’s not often they get credit for the tough task of inspiring their team. This is one of those instances when Jerkins should.
Wildcats had great season
While the Columbia Wildcats had their season come to a close Saturday afternoon at John Sapen Field, there’s no doubting they had an incredible run.
They improved their win total from nine to 18, beat several prominent out-of-state programs, swept every district opponent not named Seminary and delivered thrilling wins over rival West Marion on back-to-back nights.
Regardless of the final outcome, the Wildcats had a season to be proud of.
Unusual signings
Attending signing days is always a pretty cool experience for me. You get to see kids who you’ve seen play on the field or hardwood realize their collegiate dreams with their family, coaches, friends and teammates there to support them.
It seems like every two months or so I’m going to one here in Marion County, and they are usually for one of the major sports. But last week I got to witness a pair of signings that are far less common.
Columbia High School seniors Madison Robertson and Amber Wascomb both signed with schools last Thursday to continue their education and athletic endeavors. But both signed infrequent letters of intent.
Robertson signed with Pearl River Community College as a cheerleader, and Wascomb signed to play tennis at Meridian Community College. I didn’t have the same opportunity to see them compete as I have with the other signings I’ve attended, but theirs were just as rewarding and deserved.
