Dominant debut: Mainland's Hill scores points on offense, defense in spring game

In his first performance as a Buccaneer, the linebacker/running back had a tackle for a safety and ran for a touchdown and the 2-point conversion.

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Rodney Hill made an auspicious debut for the Mainland High football team on Thursday, May 25, in a spring football game at Municipal Stadium.

The Flagler Palm Coast transfer was responsible for 10 of the Buccaneers’ 13 varsity points as Mainland defeated West Orange 19-10.

Mainland won the three varsity quarters 13-10 as Hill tackled West Orange quarterback Trever Jackson for a safety in the first quarter, scored on a 6-yard run with 6:21 left in the third quarter and followed that with a 2-point conversion run.

Hill, a rising senior, joins a Mainland defense peppered with Division I prospects that showed how dominant it can be in the spring performance.

“I always played against all these boys in Pop Warner growing up, so it was just like us coming together as one whole unit,” Hill said. “I knew I had a job to do, and we all had a job to do. We all executed.”

The Warriors’ only touchdown was set up by a Bucs’ fumble on a high snap at their own 10-yard line. Jackson hit receiver Jordyn Bridgewater with a 10-yard touchdown pass to give West Orange a short-lived 10-5 lead early in the third quarter.

I just executed at practices the whole spring, and it was really great knowing all the plays, where I was supposed to be.”
— RODNEY HILL

A strip sack by Mainland’s Myron Shafer set up the Bucs’ longest drive of the night, as they marched 68 yards with Hill bulldozing into the end zone for a score and again on the 2-point conversion run.

Mainland scored another touchdown in the fourth quarter with reserves and JV players on the field as Ryan Allen caught a 7-yard pass from Sebastian Johnson. Allen, who will be a junior in August, caught three passes in the quarter.

Hill, who had previously played for Mainland coach Travis Roland when Hill was a freshman at FPC, said Roland was a stickler about learning the playbook back then.

“I really could not forget it,” he said. “I just executed at practices the whole spring, and it was really great knowing all the plays, where I was supposed to be.”

Hill said his job at linebacker is made easier playing behind Mainland’s imposing defensive line of Christian Hudson, Ramon McCullough and top-100 college prospect LJ McCray.

“It feels great. They can hold their gaps,” Hill said. “I don’t have to worry about the offensive linemen coming to me. It’s really easy playing behind them.”

 

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