The Calvary Day Cavaliers are heading into a new era following the retirement of longtime head coach Mark Stroud at the end of the 2024 season. While the Cavs may be under new leadership, they shouldn’t miss a beat.
After 16 seasons at the helm of Calvary Day, Stroud announced his retirement, closing the book on a 33-year head coaching career that included 273 wins. The announcement came just before the playoffs, and the program promptly named assistant coach Jason Cameron as his successor. Cameron is no stranger to leading a program, he spent six seasons as a head coach, split evenly between Jenkins and Vidalia from 2017-22. His most successful stretch came from 2017-19, when he led Jenkins to two quarterfinals appearances and a trip to the semifinals.
The Cavaliers will also return several key players from last year’s squad. Most notably, All-State honorable mention quarterback James Mobley, who is back under center. While he may not carry the same college recruiting buzz as his predecessor, Jake Merklinger, Mobley had a strong 2024 season, throwing for over 2,500 yards and 36 touchdowns. In the backfield, the dynamic duo of Caden Jones and Brexton Bell returns. Together, they rushed for over 800 yards and 13 touchdowns, averaging an impressive seven yards per carry.
Defensively, the Cavs will again lean on standout defensive back Brexton Bell, who recorded 72 tackles as a sophomore. Also returning is a rising star at linebacker from the Class of 2027 in Kenneth Baker III, who notched 55 tackles last season and earned an offer from App State.
Not everyone is returning, however. The wide receiver position is a question mark after the loss of leading pass-catchers Thomas Blackshear (now at UGA) and Edward Coleman (now at App State). Still, the team features high-upside talent, including Class of 2028 wide receiver Ty Pinckney, who already holds an FBS offer from Georgia State.
The Cavaliers should once again be among the top contenders in the Private school classification, but the road won’t be easy. Elite programs like Savannah Christian, Prince Avenue, and Hebron Christian are also in the title hunt. That said, Calvary Day has the pieces to compete and should be expected to make another deep playoff run.
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