2023 marked a new beginning for Plant City’s football program as Terrence Hicks, a former Wharton High School defensive back and Southeastern University football alum, took charge of the Raiders’ coaching staff.
After what Hicks viewed as a successful season last year, the Raiders are ready to show every opponent what they are made of this season.
“Last year, we did exactly what we wanted to,” Hicks says. “We wanted to come in and get better. Everybody that’s in this industry knows that you don’t build a kingdom overnight – it’s going to take some time, some effort, some long days, and maybe some years.”
Hicks was especially proud that the team increased their total number of wins last season and finished the season ranked No. 145 in the state – an improvement from No. 272.
More than that, though, Hicks says that a highlight of last season was beating every team in eastern Hillsborough County. After losing to all of these teams the year before, this accomplishment showed Hicks that Plant City’s strategy is working.
In the 2023 season, the Raiders scraped out two notable close wins – 20-18 vs. Newsome and 17-14 vs. Durant. For them, the key to competing with teams like these will be to deepen their offense. Having retained several offensive stars from last season, this depth will come somewhat naturally for the players who now have more football under their belts.
Last season, Plant City ended their season in a close matchup against Plant High School 31-27. Although the loss prevented the Raiders from moving on in the postseason, it was a step in the right direction for the program, and their sights are set even higher this year as they return some of last season’s stars to the field.
Plant City’s offensive effort will be fronted by Coastal Carolina University commit Chris Denson (class of 2025), a powerhouse quarterback that Hicks has a great deal of faith in. Last season, Denson averaged 62.5 rushing yards per game and threw for 26 touchdown passes with a .646 completion percentage. Starting as the Raiders’ quarterback once again, Denson will have another chance this season to cement himself as a Plant City High School great.
Also returning for the Raiders will be running back Tony Marshall, a senior who already has several offers to play collegiately – including Princeton and Air Force. Marshall, Denson, Joshua Tyson-Gueh, and other Raiders are already set up for success collegiately and have great potential beyond the high school level.
The remaining Raiders will be stepping up to fill the shoes of 2024 seniors such as three-star defensive back Chase Dexter, who took his talents to the Air Force Academy; former FACA All-District Defensive Lineman of the Year, First Team All-Conference member and First Team All-Big County Preps member Davin Stone; multi-athlete and Second Team All-Conference member Michael Bell and more.
Although Denson and Marshall have played a lot of football at Plant City and know the ropes of the program, it may be a season in which some younger components of the Raiders’ roster cement their usefulness and find their niches on the team.
Hicks points out Simeon Hogan as a player who has exhibited a great deal of growth after finding his fit within the program as a defensive end.
“We’re expecting [Hogan] to be a terror,” Hicks says. “He went to two college camps this summer and won MVP at both camps.”
Hicks also says that he sees a lot of the same potential in Hogan that he saw in Stone, who took Hogan under his wing during his time at Plant City. Now, Hicks hopes to see Hogan do the same for another younger player.
“That’s the thing about having kids who are bought into us, bought into being a Raider, and bought into their coaches,” Hicks says. “The proof is in the pudding – if you just listen, I’m going to do my best to make you a better person and football player, and to get you into college.”
Under Hicks, Plant City’s football players have excelled collegiately and will continue to do so this year with a class that is already highly sought after by college recruiters.
It isn’t only going to be an exciting season for the players, though – Hicks has added one of his former coaches and mentors to his coaching staff, and being on the sidelines with Jonathan Buckel, or “Coach Bucky,” as Hicks refers to him, has made Hicks feel right at home again.
“I honestly want to say [Buckel] has been the best thing for the both of us,” Hicks says. “It’s like we never left each other. He’s helping with the offensive side and the running game, and that has improved so much – tremendously – since he’s been here.”
With Buckel – and other new coaches – on staff, Plant City has expanded its arsenal of football strategy with the goal of becoming more competitive in all aspects of the game. Hicks says he’s never seen the team look more put-together than they do heading into this season.
Hicks’ goals for the Raiders extend beyond the 2024 schedule. By putting together a diverse coaching staff and surrounding himself with people who have even more experience than he does, Hicks can be assured that his team will know all the tricks of the trade as they embark on whatever journey the season has to offer them.
As for the Raiders’ schedule this season, Hicks is looking forward to a lineup of tough opponents and is intentional about the matchups that are set for his team. In fact, Hicks scheduled defending back-to-back 4S state champion Lakeland High School as Plant City’s opponent before even opening the 2024 season.
“If you want to be the best, you’ve got to compete with the best,” Hicks says.
The Raiders will face the Lakeland Dreadnaughts in a preseason matchup at Lakeland’s Thomas Bryant Stadium on Friday, August 16 at 7:30 p.m. Their official season play will start at home against Blake High School on August 23. Kickoff is scheduled at 7:30 p.m.
SCHEDULE
Note:All games are scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. Games are broadcast live online at NFHSNetwork.com
08/16/24: @ Lakeland/Bartow
08/23/24: vs Blake
08/30/24: @ Durant
09/06/24: @ Spoto
09/13/24: vs Riverview
09/20/24: @ Steinbrenner
09/27/24: vs Sumner
10/04/24: vs Lennard
10/10/24: @ Strawberry Crest
10/25/24: @ Alonso
10/25/24: @ Newsome
THE DETAILS
Location: 1 Raider Place, Plant City
Established: 1995
Head Coach: Terrence Hicks
2023 Record: -5 (2-1 district)
ROSTER
0Treon Williams Jr. WR 5’10” 160 lbs
1 Chris Denson Sr. QB 6’3” 195 lbs
2 Josh Gueh Sr. WR 6’0” 177 lbs
3 Tj Knighten Sr. WR 5’10” 175 lbs
4 Tony Marshall Sr. RB 5’9” 185 lbs
5 Oscar Valdez Jr. DE 6’2” 200 lbs
6 Masiyah Limehouse Jr. CB 6’2” 165 lbs
7 Haven Pierce Jr. WR 5’8” 155 lbs
8 Tylor Morton So. OLB, RB 5’11” 205 lbs
10 Marcellus Preston Sr. CB 5’9” 160 lbs
11 Simeon Hogan Jr. DE 6’3” 200 lbs
13 Seth Hogan Sr. OLB 5’11” 180 lbs
14 Terrance Queen Jr. WR 5’9” 145 lbs
15 Nazyrh Freeman Sr. WR, C 6’3” 190 lbs
16 Noah Stanley So. WR 5’11” 150 lbs
17 Taevion Parker So. SS, FS 5’9” –
18 Jamin Andrews Sr. WR 6’4” –
19 Tra’Vont Panier Jr. OLB 5’11” 190 lbs
20 Ta’Zayvion Miller Sr. CB 6’1” 170 lbs
21 Mojumbo Smith-moore So. 5’11” 150 lbs
22 Lord Yasir Allah-sharief So. OLB 6’1” 185 lbs
24 Maurian Hugee Jr. CB, RB 5’7” 165 lbs
25 Jaden Ford So. CB 5’8” 145 lbs
28 Brayden Echols Jr. MLB, SS, OLB 5’7” 145 lbs
30 Da’zariyan Jenkins So. DE 5’11” 175 lbs
34 Addison Ford Fr. CB 5’11” 165 lbs
38 Kamron Kropp Sr. K 6’1” 155 lbs
40 Cristobal De La Cruz Sr. OLB 6’0” 175 lbs
42 Austin Creel Sr. LS 5’7” 135 lbs
44 Ethan Corrbrey Sr. DT 5’10” 215 lbs
45 Austin Pettys Fr. LB 5’9” 180 lbs
50 Stephen Eatman Sr. G, C 6’4” 315 lbs
52 Lomont Owens Jr. DT 5’8” 255 lbs
53 Jawain Slaughter Jr. G, T 6’2” 286 lbs
54 Julien Fontilme So. DT 5’10” 260 lbs
55 Maliki Bynoe Sr. DT 5’8” 255 lbs
56 Tyese Atkins So. G 6’0” 210 lbs
60 Guillermo Aguinaga Fr. T 6’4” 280 lbs
64 Briley Wyatt Jr. G, C 5’9” 250 lbs
66 Naseem Broom Sr. C 6’0” 265 lbs
70 Jalon Andrews Jr. T, G 6’0” 195 lbs
74 Sam Pedraza Jr. G 6’5” 330 lbs
77 Nathan Zipperer Sr. G, T 6’3” 285 lbs