By Kyle Coppola
Ja’Kyrian Turner Earns Defensive Player of the Week Honors
On the offensive front, Ja’Kyrian Turner had an impressive night, amassing 75 yards on 5 rushes, and scoring 1 touchdown. However, it was on the defensive side of the ball where he truly excelled. Turner’s exceptional performance was instrumental in South Sumter’s resounding 40-20 victory over Vanguard. Vanguard found themselves at a loss in dealing with Turner’s prowess. He recorded 2 solo tackles, 2 assisted tackles, blocked 1 kick, and executed a crucial pass breakup in the endzone at the close of the half. Turner’s crowning moment arrived when he intercepted a pass and returned it for an 80-yard touchdown.
Turner, a 5’10”, 160lb junior, has been enjoying an exceptional season. He has accumulated 24 tackles and has proven to be a formidable obstacle for opponents attempting to throw the ball. Turner is undoubtedly one of the most accomplished cornerbacks in Lake County, boasting 2 interceptions and 2 blocked field goals for the season.
(#9 Ja’Kyrian Turner intercepts the ball and returns it for an 80-yard touchdown.)
Impressively, Turner has showcased his versatility on both sides of the field. Offensively, he has been a force to reckon with. While the Raiders employ a running back by committee strategy due to their wealth of talent, Turner has managed to secure 8 offensive touchdowns this season. Six of these touchdowns have been ground scores, with the remaining two coming through the air.
In total, Turner has accumulated 560 yards of total offense this season, establishing himself as one of the most versatile players in the game. Nevertheless, it’s worth noting that South Sumter’s roster is brimming with versatile players who consistently make a significant impact. As the playoffs loom on the horizon, Turner is poised to play a pivotal role. The question now is, how far can South Sumter go this season? Can they secure a spot in the state semi-finals, following last year’s near miss? Could this be the year?
Under the guidance of Coach Ty Lawrence, the team is fired up and primed for a deep run into November. Go Raiders!
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
