Aynor’s Jenerette finds new role, redemption as football season nears end

Never did Caleb Jenerette believe he was made to play quarterback, rather finding himself at the position based on necessity.

“It was often a joke that I was the best tight end playing quarterback in the area,” he said.

A returning starter under center for Aynor, he was looked to as a leader for the team in its first season in Class 3A. Unfortunately, the senior signal caller’s season has largely been limited, the result of a nagging labrum injury suffered during last basketball season.

But where some would find only negatives, Jenerette found a redeeming quality in the midst of such frustration.

“I figured I would have been right, given the amount of time I was away … but it just never got right,” he said. “But sometimes you have to suck it up and deal with it. And thankfully, it has allowed me to enjoy these final few weeks of the football season.”

Having found their quarterback for the future in sophomore Spencer Sarvis, Blue Jackets head coach Jody Jenerette – more importantly, Caleb’s uncle – found a perfect way to reintroduce his nephew back to the team’s offensive game plan.

Allowing him to line up at a variety of positions on the field, it has provided the Aynor senior standout many different avenues to contribute.

Since adopting his new role, Jenerette has 341 total yards and five touchdowns over the past two games. Much of that effort came in last week’s contest against Waccamaw, where he had 22 carries for 124 yards and two touchdowns and four receptions for 91 yards and two more, helping the Blue Jackets earn a hard-fought win.

“You always pray for big nights like that. That’s what the long hours in the gym are for,” he said. “Opportunities to make a couple plays to help these seniors not go out with such a bad taste in their mouth. But I can’t do anything if my offensive line isn’t blocking like they were, or if my quarterback Spencer Sarvis wasn’t placing balls in perfect spots.”

A dream of his to play for the hometown Blue Jackets, he will don the blue and white for the last time this Friday night against perennial powerhouse Dillon. Jenerette expects a range of emotions as the clock draws closer to all zeroes, but most of all he will be chock full of pride for even having the opportunity in the first place.

“There will be tears, for sure,” he said. “It will be fun, interesting for sure. … Being able to play for my uncle, who means everything to me, has been an honor and a privilege. He stepped in in a difficult situation, and I’m proud to have him be such a big part of my life. The conversations we have on and off the field are things I’ll always remember.

“They are things you don’t want to let go of, but have to. But you can take the memories, and it has been a great four years.”

This story was originally published November 8, 2016 at 5:53 PM with the headline "Aynor’s Jenerette finds new role, redemption as football season nears end."