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I can imagine Douglass High School football coach J.C. Pinkney walking up to an underclassman with the No. 8 jersey in his hand, but what I can't imagine are the thoughts going through that poor 15-, or 16-year-old kid's head as Pinkney hands it to him.
Immense pride, no doubt, followed by overwhelming pressure to live up to it.
“As Coach P tells the guys, if he gives you the No. 8, that's the highest compliment you can get,” said longtime defensive coordinator Bill Johnson, who was the head coach at the Upper Marlboro school before Pinkney took over. “If you put on the No. 8 at Douglass, that means you're a very serious football player.”
No lie. Look at the players who have worn No. 8 at Douglass since 2000.
Eric Wedge, quarterback who led Douglass to 16 straight wins in Johnson's final seasons as head coach.
Quinton Brown, 2003 All-Gazette player who went to Syracuse.
Jesse Robertson, made second-team All-Gazette in 2008.
Emani Benjamin, 2009 All-Gazette first team.
Matthew Paul, second-team All Gazette in 2012.
The No. 8 is one of three numbers that hangs under the scoreboard at every Douglass home football game, but it's not there because of any of those great players. About 13 months ago Jerrell Wedge died in a single-car collision in Upper Marlboro. When he left Douglass in 2007, he was the school's second all-time leading tackler, only behind NFL great Shawne Merriman. Wedge wore No. 8, just like his brother Eric.
“When Jerrell passed last year, obviously at that point, the jersey took on a whole new level of meaning for toughness, tenacity and dedication,” Pinkney said.
Two of Jerrell Wedge's cousins play on this year's Douglass team, running back Akiva Wedge and quarterback Devin Butler.
They combined to score the four touchdowns in Douglass' 38-0 victory Saturday in the Class 2A state championship game, securing the Eagles first football title.
“My mother called me early, and told me that my cousin had just died in a car accident,” Butler said before the game. “I called [Pinkney], he didn't believe me at first. He hung up on me, called around, he found out it was true. Next thing you know, my mother's crying, my aunt's crying, and we're planning my cousin's funeral.”
After Douglass, Jerrell Wedge played for Miami University (Ohio). He was a cadet in the Prince George's County Police Academy when he died on Nov. 10, 2013.
“Jerrell was a great man, not really outgoing,” Akiva Wedge said. “How can I say it, he was a man of few words, but you knew you could go to him any time.”
The player currently wearing No. 8 is Thomas Myers, a junior running back and linebacker. He scored the final touchdown in the Eagles victory against Dunbar Saturday.
“He's the perfect selection for it,” Pinkney said. “He's a headstrong kid. He was like, 'Man, I can wear that number. I'll represent it well.'”
Myers said he understand the expectations that go with wearing No. 8 at Douglass.
“I know the history of it, the people who have worn No. 8, they were actually good people who played for Doug,” Myers said.
Douglass led Ballou (Washington, D.C.) 14-0 at halftime in the first home game this year. Pinkney and Butler both said they weren't playing well, having not scored in the second quarter.
At halftime, the school held a ceremony to honor Jerrell Wedge and put his number up next to Merriman's No. 44 and Dion Johnson's No. 46. Johnson was paralyzed playing football in 1993 and died in 1999.
When Douglass took the field in the second half, the team came together, outscoring Ballou 22-0 in the third quarter and winning 44-0, coach and players said.
“Ever since we put that up, we've basically been on it,” Akiva Wedge said.
“We really feel like he had something to do with our success,” Butler said.
“It was incredible,” Pinkney said. “It was almost like everything wouldn't be right until we paid homage to Jerrell.”
