Key West sent the Coyotes of Cypress Creek home howling last Friday night, beating them 45-21 on Aug. 16 in front of a huge home crowd.
The preseason game, rebranded just in time for the reopening of their home stadium, is now called the Ran Carthon Kickoff Classic. Carthon, a 1999 graduate of Key West High School, played at Florida and for a host of NFL teams, moving his way through managerial roles to his current spot as the general manager for the Tennessee Titans. The community came out to see not just their favorite gridiron gang, but to reacclimate themselves with the refurbished Tommy Roberts Memorial Stadium, which has been closed so long that no player on the Conchs’ active roster had ever played a down in it.
“It was a great atmosphere,” head coach Johnny Hughes said. “These kids had never played there, so it was an exciting moment for them. Jaden Fox was really excited about it. He is a true leader for us and he set the tempo as far as excitement.”
Fox, a senior to whom the rest of the team looks for leadership and inspiration, tore it up last week, earning more than 250 total yards with 1 touchdown to his credit.
“He had a monumental night,” Hughes said, saying most of Fox’s runs came from small clips, with one carry breaking for a longer run. Fox runs the ball hard, often running through defenders foolish enough to try blocking him.
Where Fox relies on the tough run, others use speed to evade the opposition, and this year’s Conchs have speed to spare. Returning for Key West is Walson Morin, a junior who managed to turn on the jets and run for 4 touchdowns.
Perhaps the fastest player on the field this season is Shane Lavallee, a senior track star with the ability to shift gears in incredible time. Lavallee has the speed to get to the outside, a complement to the inside run the Conchs have leaned on in the past few seasons. “We need to get him the ball,” Hughes said of Lavallee.
Junior Leandro Batista and seniors Cole Jackson and Jaden Gist are also tearing it up this season, pushing one another in the speed department. Batista had 1 touchdown against the Coyotes. Junior Jeff DeJean is a talented athlete with explosive speed as well. DeJean sat out the kickoff classic due to a minor injury but is expected to be back for week one.
Taking the snaps for Key West this season is senior Teak Guyet. Guyet last completed a season his freshman year before trying his hand at baseball as a sophomore, then suffering a season-ending collarbone injury as a junior.
“He throws the ball pretty well,” Hughes said of his senior play-caller. “He brings a lot to the table.”
Overall, Hughes was pleased with the way the Conchs played in their preseason outing. He credited his seniors with much of his success. “When you have that sort of leadership, it makes your job easier,” he said.
Hughes’ offensive unit has enjoyed a great deal of success the past several seasons. Even when the team has lost, they racked up plenty of yardage and touchdowns. Hughes was willing to share the recipe to his success: “Having the right personnel and the buy-in,” he said. “I like what I have right now. They get to that second level pretty quick and the defense doesn’t know what to do.” Hughes’ confidence is infectious, and his players are ready, willing and able to deliver this season, which is enough to give Conch fans a lot to hope for in 2024.
Also going well for Key West was their defense. The Conchs were stingy last week, giving up just 1 defensive touchdown while younger players were getting some reps. The other Coyote score came from a kick return.
“The front seven did a fantastic job early on,” explained Hughes, “and we got good coverage on the quarterback and made great open-field tackles.”
The defense is going to have to be strong if the Conchs hope to avenge their heartbreaking loss to Clewiston last year. The Conchs looked good against the Tigers, but a total of 7 turnovers cost the Conchs the game in 2023, and Key West hopes to lose the bitter taste left behind on Aug. 23 when they get their chance at redemption. Hughes anticipates that the Tigers will run a spread offense. “They’re athletic and might try to throw it 30-40 times a game,” he said.
If Key West puts up the same fight as they did in their preseason matchup, the Tigers should be no match for the Conchs in week one. Beyond that, Hughes faces the same concern as his Monroe County neighbors Marathon and Coral Shores: depth.
“We should be successful if we can stay healthy,” he explained.
