The Benedictine Cadets made Class 4A the only classification to have a successful title defense in 2022 and will have an opportunity to three-peat this season and achieve a feat that has only occurred seven times since 2000. Buford has won three or more consecutive championships three times since the 2000 season [2001-03, 2007-10 and 2019-21] and the only other programs that have achieved that mark are Parkview [2000-02], ELCA [2015-19], Blessed Trinity [2017-19] and Charlton County, who won titles in 2004 and 2005 before a tie with Dublin in 2006.
Benedictine has achieved 13-2 records in each of the last two seasons and has not dropped a game within Class 4A over the same span. The Cadets have fallen to Miami-based Christopher Columbus (FL) in each of the past two seasons and the only other defeats came to Beaufort (SC) in 2021 and Class 5A state champion Ware County (14-10) this past season. The 13-2 records are identical over each of the last two seasons and the Cadets have closed out titles successfully in both, but none of this would have happened if not for the program’s exceptional ability to replace its top playmakers—and the perfect example is Class of 2024 quarterback Luke Kromenhoek.
During Benedictine’s 2021 season, Kromenhoek was a sophomore athlete that backed up Auburn-signee Holden Geriner and took on offense, special teams and safety, where he registered 61 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, one interception and five pass defenses. Offensively, he attempted just 14 passes, completing 9 for 123 yards and zero touchdowns. Geriner led the Cadets with a phenomenal 3,377-yard season with 36 touchdowns and just three interceptions. Kromenhoek showed his natural ability and athleticism during the 2021 season, but entering his first year as a full-time starting quarterback was a new challenge that he conquered. The result of Kromenhoek’s junior season and subsequent performances this offseason, he has experienced a meteoric rise in the recruiting rankings and is now one of the highest-rated quarterbacks in the country, in addition to a central focus point of Florida State’s talented Class of 2024 commits. Kromenhoek finished last year with 2,576 passing yards, 24 touchdowns and just three interceptions, while adding another 453 rushing yards and a team-high seven rushing touchdowns.
He went from being ranked the No. 544 ranked Class of 2024 prospect in the country in November of 2022 to a top 10 quarterback prospect in the nation. In terms of his Future Seminoles---Kromenhoek, Buford’s KJ Bolden and Colquitt County’s Landen Thomas are the three highest-rated prospects in FSU’s 22-commit Class that is currently the No. 4 highest rated Class of 2024 class in all of college football.
Leading the Cadets to a third-straight title would solidify his legacy and also validate the high standard that Benedictine brings to the gridiron. As Sports Illustrated reported this past July, “Florida State invested in Luke Kromenhoek before he was one of the highest-rated recruits in the country. That has paid off over the last two years as Kromenhoek has gone from an unranked prospect to one of the most notable quarterbacks in his class.”
Kromenhoek has drawn comparisons to Ryan Tannehill and is a projected Power 5 starter. Unlike last August, he is entering this fall as the highest-rated Class 4A quarterback since Trevor Lawrence—the last time the classification had a passer ranked in the top 10 nationally. This will also be a big season for junior Thomas Blackshear, who led Benedictine last year with 10 touchdown receptions off 41 catches and 641 yards. Defensively, Wilkes Albert is back for his senior season after posting 161 tackles and having a heroic performance in Benedictine’s 14-13 championship win over Cedartown.
In 13 seasons (2011-23) Benedictine head coach has compiled a 133-28 record with eight region titles and four state championships.
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