Caines sure can lead Future to a win

ONE THING Jahreeson Caines promised his School of the Future football teammates was that he'd never leave their side.

He'd hang tough through the suspensions, and dismissals, and academic see-you-laters, which ultimately reduced his team's numbers from upper 30s to low 20s, and never waver in his commitment.

Then came last Thursday. The Firebirds were a half-hour from boarding their bus, with a game against Martin Luther King on the doorstep, when Caines received word that his aunt, Sabrina Walton, had unexpectedly passed in a local hospital.

Caines thought of maybe not playing. For a half-second, at most.

"I had to stick with what I'd always told my teammates," he said. "I knew my aunt would want it that way."

As the Firebirds' team bus traveled to the South Philly Super Site, it passed the hospital. Caines' emotions bubbled, and did not stop there.

"As we passed the hospital, I put a towel over my face and started crying," Caines said. "Because that's where she was. Right in there. Lifeless.

"When we got to the field, I went off by myself in the locker room and just thought about all the good times we shared. That was so emotional. Heartbreaking. When we came out on the field for warmups, you could hear the pain in my voice [while he barked out instructions]. Then the rain started coming down a little. I took that to mean she was crying, but telling me she was in a better place and not to worry."

Future dropped that game, 20-14, falling to 1-7 on the season. But yesterday brought a nonleague contest against another fellow lesser light, host Thomas Edison, and Caines and his buddies got to experience unabashed football joy.

With the 6-3, 250-pound Caines, a senior two-way tackle, starring on both sides of the ball, the Firebirds triumphed, 14-12.

Though Future led at halftime, 14-0, Edison roared back and, ultimately, drew within 14-12 on a 7-yard pass from Marcos Mercado to Wilfredo Santiago with 4:26 remaining.

Offensive coordinator Don Stockton, Future's former coach, opted for a sneak. Mercado gained a half-yard, at most. Caines was first among the tacklers.

"The sneak didn't surprise me," Caines said. "When [Mercado] came up to the line, he was smiling. It was like he was thinking, 'I'm gonna take this into the end zone.' My thought? He was not going to do it. No way. We were winning this game."

With 1:51 left, Jorge Quinones made a leaping, end-zone interception and Edison had one more chance.

Dovon Smith and George Sephes combined for a 15-yard sack. Caines and Marquell Bell dumped Mercado for another 3 yards. A left-side screen to David Bennett picked up 12 yards. Mercado then hit Daviel Otero for 51 yards to Future's 35 and, oh baby, the final 10 seconds were going to be very interesting!

One problem: That play was nullified. A lineman had been detected downfield. Karriem Henderson caught a multitipped ball to end it, but that play netted just 23 yards, not 91.

The Firebirds exploded. In time, some even razzed Stockton, who'd supposedly called them "bums" earlier this season. Stockton, smiling throughout, stood there and took it.

"I don't know who he said it to, but word gets around, that's all I know," Caines said, laughing.

Future had been outscored, 292-48, and its only win had come against Mariana Bracetti Charter, which shut down its program after Week 5 due to outrageously low numbers. Later, Bracetti was permitted to form a cooperative sponsorship with Edison and some of those guys are now Owl headliners.

Caines' drive blocking helped Shahiyd Wilson rush 15 times for 130 yards. His pass protection enabled frosh Ronald Wade to whip TD passes of 18 yards to Donique Moore and 11 yards to David Smiley. Trystan Walker caught a conversion toss after TD No. 1.

On defense, Caines made 11 tackles.

"Every play, I'm trying to do my best for my team," he said. "I didn't want them to get no yards. I was telling the guys before the game, 'I'm tired of losing. We can't have this anymore.' I wanted no more bad feelings.

"This is a rough season. I went into it thinking we'd be right up there with Bok [in Public AA]. We had some good moments, but it never showed on the scoreboard due to turnovers at exactly the wrong times."

Edison's first touchdown went to Daquan Ashton, who recovered a blocked punt (Qahir Moore did the swatting) in the end zone. Moore, a frosh by way of Bracetti, also posted an interception and two sacks. Xavier Cornish, Moore's Bracetti classmate, uncorked a hit that could he heard in Logan or Juniata or Nicetown or Kensington. Maybe in all four.

Personally, Jahreeson Caines, who now lives on Reno near 50th (and was formerly based at 17th and Lehigh), has been on a pretty good roll. Delaware State sent a scout to watch him play last week and he recently earned a spot in the National Honor Society.

"With a 2.5, I didn't give my best effort in ninth grade," he said. "But what I've done ever since, that means a lot. My mom [Johanna Williams] always emphasizes that I should strive to get good grades. She wants me to go to college, so I can have a good life."

Ditto for Aunt Sabrina.

"I know she's proud of me, too," he said.