Jaci Kitchings, a senior up back and cornerback at Southeast Bulloch, is the Georgia High School Football Daily’s Flag Football Player of the Week.
The three-time State Champions are now 64-0 in school history and 2-0 on the 2024-25 season so far with wins against the South Effingham Mustangs and the McDonough Warhawks on opening night. The Yellow Jackets defeated the Mustangs 14-6 and the Warhawks 20-0.
Kitchings scored all five touchdowns in the opening victories. She rushed for four touchdowns, had a 40-yard interception return for her fifth touchdown in both wins. Overall she rushed for 127 yards, passed for 49 yards, threw for three extra points, and had four flag pulls.
Kitchings has been on all three past state championship teams and last season as a starter, she earned all-area and all-star recognition. She used the off-season to go back through the Yellow Jackets championship game from last season, as well as other games, to look for things she could have done differently and learn from.
“I know that if we want to keep stepping our game up as a team, I have to keep getting better at the up back position as well as my new position on defense,” Kitchings said in an interview. “This year I’m working with a new quarterback, so I am really trying to focus on timing and making the right decisions.”
Her main goals this season are to play her positions correctly and get more interceptions, four-peat, and be better than she was last year.
“Our goal as a team is definitely to get the fourth ring, and it would be amazing to win state every year of my high school career,” said Kitchings.
Head coach Marci Cochran is excited to watch Kitchings lead their team and grow this season.
“Jaci has grown so much from her freshman to senior year,” Cochran said. “She is a leader on our team and we are going to depend on her to lead this team back to another state championship.”
According to Coach Cochran, Kitchings started out this season just as she expected her to by putting their young team on her back and doing whatever it takes to win.
“Losing five seniors who made up most of our offense last year, we were looking for someone to step up and not be afraid of the pressure. Jaci did just that and had a great opening night,” Cochran said.
You can see Kitchings, and the Yellow Jackets in action at their next home matchups for the Fred Shaver Invitational on Saturday, October 26. They will be playing against the Oconee County Warriors at 9 am, the Colquitt County Packers at 12:45 pm, and the Lowndes Vikings at 3:15 pm.