The Long County Blue Tide football team made the playoffs for the third consecutive year in the 2023 season, falling to top seeded Mary Persons in the first round in their closest playoff matchup yet. After a successful 6-5 campaign, the team was honored with 12 players being named to the 2023 All-Region 3-AAA teams.
The team placed five on the all-region first team. Senior running back Ahmari Douglas made the first team offense as a running back for the third straight season while offensive linemen Jacob Hewitt and Jerome Brown both were named to the first team offense.
Douglas rushed for 1,081 yards on 126 carries and scored 17 touchdowns. He pushed his career numbers to over 4,000 rushing yards and 50 touchdowns in three seasons.
Hewitt and Brown both led an offensive attack that rushed for 2,500 yards and 32 touchdowns on the year. Altogether, he Blue Tide set a team record for points with 347 and 31.54 per game.
On the defensive side, linebacker Kenny Pickens made the first team for the second straight year while Chris Hatfield made the first team for the first time.
Pickens led the Tide with 124 total tackles, 11 for loss, while adding three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. Hatfield had 30 tackles and led the team with three interceptions, returning one for a touchdown.
At one point, the Blue Tide was ranked as the number three scoring defense in AAA. The team shut out multiple opponents for the first time in school history and allowed a school record low 249 points.
Making the second team were senior wide receiver Keshawn Smith and senior linebacker Steven Wyatt.
Smith caught 23 passes for 424 yards and two scores and rushed for a touchdown. Wyatt had 65 tackles, four for loss, and an interception.
Five Blue Tide players were named honorable mention. Quarterback Jashaun Manghane and running back Cortney Charles made it for the offensive side while freshman defensive tackle Isaiah Miller and linebackers Alex Cason and Mareon Montgomery made it for the defense.
Manghane led the offense for the Tide and added a much-needed passing threat. He threw for 889 yards and 11 touchdowns, while rushing for 283 yards and four scores.
Charles came on strong for the Tide as a sophomore running back, going for 513 yards and four touchdowns and catching five passes for 65 yards and a score.
Miller had a big year, recording 42 tackles, four for loss. Montgomery was second on the team with 68 tackles, eight for loss. Cason played a hybrid linebacker and safety role, recording 23 tackles and returning an interception for a touchdown in the final regular season game against Johnson.
The will return five of the 12 plays chosen to the 2023 all region-team for the 2024 season.