MEMPHIS, Tenn — Only two rounds remain in the TSSAA high school football playoffs for 2023 and only three Memphis area teams are still in the fight for a championship.
One of those is Southwind High School (13-0), which has already exceeded expectations this season. They’ve never been to the semifinals before in their school’s history, but they know there's more history to be made.
While most teams are at home thinking of their Thanksgiving dinner, Southwind football is still working. The Jaguars are one of the select teams in Tennessee still with hopes of a state championship.
"That's the goal man. I've been in this thing a long time and this is my first time practicing during this (Thanksgiving) week," said Jerome Griffin, Southwind football head coach.
Griffin is only in his second year leading the Southwind program. By all accounts, his team is ahead of schedule.
"Usually I set a three year process. First year kind of figuring out what you got. Second year kind of building on that and in that third year taking off. I think we're a year head," Griffin said.=
It helps when there's a stud at quarterback. Kelvin Perkins is just a sophomore, but he leads the state with 45 passing touchdowns and is sixth in yards with 2667, according to Maxpreps. Known as Lil P, he just wants to send his seniors out the right way.
"I've got to put my seniors out right. I told them I always have to finish them out right. I got to make sure they leave with a state championship," Perkins said.
The senior group includes Kavion Benton, who will play for the Memphis Tigers next year. He's seen the Jags go from 2-8 in 2021, to 8-3 and a first round exit in 2022, to their first ever state semifinal and potentially undefeated season in 2023.
"When the city's teams go out to try and win state and stuff, people say we're undisciplined. We can't be coached and stuff. We're just trying to prove the doubters wrong this year," Benton said of the team's motivations.
"I'd mean a lot to me knowing where we came from and knowing what we're working for. I'll be finally satisfied."
History already made, the Jags are one round away from potentially leaving a legacy. The game Friday 7:00 at Page High School.
