WEST PALM BEACH – Head coach Doug Socha and his Keiser Seahawks put on a show for fans and local prospects on Wednesday evening (Mar. 21).

As the newly minted college football team prepares for their inaugural fall season, they made sure to host a memorable scrimmage in more ways than one. They did that by holding a pep rally that celebrated Keiser’s men’s swimming team winning a national championship, in addition to a big barbecue on campus for student-athletes, staff, and fans to enjoy prior to kick off.

It can be a challenge to predict what one will get from a new coaching staff and players. But local football fans know Socha as a Palm Beach County coaching legend who has a special knack for creating a winning culture anywhere he coaches.

With that said, Socha has assembled a star-studded coaching staff that has a good mix of veteran coaches, from former NFL players to former Palm Beach County All-Star high school players that played under him at American Heritage in Delray Beach.

Keiser also has a good mix of veteran and young talent on its roster, which has more than 50 players from Palm Beach County alone.

“We’re going to take care of the 561 first,” Socha said.

Wednesday’s scrimmage would be a defensive showcase from beginning to end. Only one touchdown was scored, and it took place during the second half of the scrimmage.

In a red zone competition, quarterback Jalen Brady hooked up with Jaylen Arnold on a back shoulder fade route to complete the scrimmage’s most exciting play.

The Seahawks may have a secret weapon in defensive end Jadan Thompson, who recorded two sacks in the scrimmage.

Thompson, who is a Clewiston alum, truly exhibited the “toughness” culture that Socha has been instilling in his players this spring. He showed a good combination of speed and quickness to get around the offensive line to make plays.

Thompson would attribute his two sack performance to his defensive instincts.

“Pass rushing is my thing,” Thompson said. “When I see it’s third down and long, I know it’s time to get back there and get to the quarterback.”

Former Park Vista standout quarterback Qwad Martin, running back Xander Bernard, and wideout Jonathan Santos would weigh in on their respective experiences at Keiser.

“It’s a great experience,” Martin said. “First year program, we have big things coming. With all of the guys that have come together from all over the county and me being home, it’s a good feeling, and we’ll have some big things coming in 2018.”

Santos and Bernard both shared the same sentiments when asked to reflect on their journey and why they chose Keiser.

“It was definitely a good move,” said Santos, who graduated from Park Vista in 2017. “I know Coach Socha and he’s a good coach. He’ll get the ball to everyone. We’re just ready. August 23rd, we’re coming.”

Bernard on Keiser’s start:

“Coach Socha is the real reason why I’m here,” Bernard said. “It’s a great program and a good starting ground for me to build on. That’s what I’m really focused on right now.”

Socha would give his overall evaluation of the team’s performance in Wednesday’s scrimmage.

“It was a great day for us and it was a great day for Keiser University as we had recruits, high school coaches, and fans out here,” he said.

Socha would elaborate on the team’s future moving forward.

“We had a great 15 days of spring football and we took a step forward,” he said. “But now it’s about taking the next step for us. I know this university is 100 percent committed to what we’re doing. We’ll have a new sports complex and football stadium soon, and the university is committed to making sure kids will graduate and be ready to take the next step in their lives after football.”

Although it wasn’t an offensive show at the scrimmage, the Seahawks seemed to be fundamentally sound by playing within the offensive scheme. Familiarity will be the key to success for Keiser moving forward as they continue to grow the team and coaching staff locally.

Keiser has a few players that are banged up, so it will be interesting to watch this team come together in the fall at full strength.

At the conclusion of the scrimmage, Keiser’s entire football team would race to the sidelines and greet fans, coaches, and prospects that were on hand to watch them perform. This was very refreshing, as it proved to be an unprecedented display of commitment to the community in Keiser’s quest to build a culture of togetherness.

The Seahawks will play their first game against the University of Pikeville on Thursday, August 23rd in Kentucky at 7 p.m.