Appo football ready for tough challenge at Concord

Concord’s Grahm Roberts (6), shown here against Caravel’s Mandela Montgomery, has rushed for more than 500 yards in the Raiders’ first three games.

The Appoquinimink football team has taken some major strides under Brian Timpson in the last 2½ seasons.

The Jaguars can take a giant leap forward on Saturday.

Appo, ranked seventh statewide in Division I, will visit No. 3 Concord for a 2 p.m. kickoff. A victory could make a major statement in the Blue Hen Flight A race.

“The challenge, when we first took over, was trying to win a game,” Timpson said. “And then last year, it was can we win more than we lose? I think we’ve gotten to the point where we’ve gotten to the middle of the pack in Flight A, and in the past we haven’t been able to compete with the top three [William Penn, Middletown, Concord]. … Our goal is to prove we belong in the conversation.”

The Jaguars went 2-8 in 2014, improved to 5-5 last year and are 2-1 overall, 1-0 in Flight A this season. They dominated Polytech 54-14, ran into a buzzsaw in a 64-16 loss to top-ranked Smyrna, then bounced back with a 40-7 win over Newark last week.

“We feel confident when we take the field, unlike in the past,” Timpson said. “The expectation is there, and the kids are ready to live up to it.”

Appo’s defense continues to improve behind middle linebacker Brennen Wright, linemen Chris Saunders and Jackson Truitt, safeties Jayson Jeffers and Philip Spellman and outside linebacker Robert Jadick.

“The kids have bought in to studying their opponents and understanding what their opponents are doing,” Timpson said. “Now, without us telling them, they’re lining up correctly for the first time since I’ve been here. Kids are taking ownership in the game.”

Of course, the Raiders (3-0, 2-0) will present a stiff challenge with junior running back Grahm “Bam” Roberts, who has rushed for more than 500 yards already. Concord has wins over Caravel (30-19), A.I. du Pont (48-12) and Mount Pleasant (43-6).

“I’m excited about our defense,” Raiders coach Greg Mitchell said. “They’re going to keep us in games, I don’t care who we’re playing.”

Concord’s fearsome front seven is led by senior linebacker Avery Roberts — Bam’s older brother — who has committed to play at Nebraska next season. The Raiders will be out to stop Appo QB Kenyon Yellowdy, a three-year starter who has already thrown for seven touchdowns this year.

“They’re balanced, and I like their quarterback,” Mitchell said. “They throw the ball pretty well. They’ve got some nice skill kids, and they look pretty good on both sides of the ball.”

Appo led Concord 21-14 at halftime last season before falling 32-21. The Jaguars play host to William Penn next week, so these next two games could show exactly how far they have come.

“We’ve put ourselves in a position to see where we stand, and that’s what we’re excited for,” Timpson said. “To go against the top competition and see where we stack up.”

Contact Brad Myers at bmyers@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter: @BradMyersTNJ.