Seven years ago, they were Friday night rivals in Savannah, Georgia. Now, they’re playing professional football.
Former Islands High School standout Kalen DeLoach and former Jenkins High School star Ty Scott lined up against each other again on May 2, 2026, in a United Football League (UFL) matchup between the Dallas Renegades and the DC Defenders.
This time, the lights were bigger. The stage was professional football. And the Savannah connection was impossible to miss.
Washington, D.C. defeated Dallas 24-6, but for football fans back home in the 912, the score was only part of the story. The last time these two faced each other came on Oct. 6, 2017, when Jenkins defeated Islands during their high school days in Savannah.
Back in the old days, they were teenagers trying to make plays on Friday nights. Today, they’re both wearing No. 19 and continuing their football careers at the professional level. That says a lot about how Savannah High School has grown.
DeLoach, a former standout linebacker at Islands High School and later at Florida State Seminoles football, finished Saturday’s game with three tackles, including one solo stop for the Renegades.
Scott, who starred at HV Jenkins High School before college, played for the Central Michigan Chippewas football and the Missouri State Bears football, and led the DC Defenders in receiving with 4 catches for 38 yards.
They met on the field on Scott’s first catch with Deloach in on the tackle. Watch the play at the 14:40 mark here: UFL Game Highlights Video.
For Savannah-area football fans, this wasn’t just another UFL game. This acted as a reminder. A reminder that local athletes can reach the next level. A reminder that Friday night football in the Coastal Empire has produced real talent for years. And a reminder that those longstanding rivalries never really disappear.
DeLoach’s football journey continues to be built on toughness and consistency. After a stellar career at Islands High School, where he recorded 156 tackles as a senior, he signed with Florida State and became one of the Seminoles’ top defensive leaders. He earned First-Team All-ACC honors in 2023 before NFL opportunities with Tampa Bay and Jacksonville eventually led him to the UFL.
Scott’s path looked different, but the results have been just as impressive. At 
Jenkins, he became one of the school’s top receivers, recording 106 catches, 2,165 yards, and 22 touchdowns. After college success at Missouri State, Scott found his way to the DC Defenders, where he has become one of the UFL’s most reliable big-play receivers.
Both players took different roads. Both kept working. And now both are still playing the game professionally. That matters in Savannah.
Because younger players coming up through local youth leagues and high school programs can now look at guys like DeLoach and Scott and see what’s possible.
One game. One city. Two Savannah football players are still chasing the dream.
Photo credit: Courtesy of the Dallas Renegades and the Washington Defenders
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Optim Orthopedics supports local athletes’ health and safe return to play.
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Team physicians include Dr. Don Aaron (Bryan County), Dr. David Sedory (Benedictine, Bradwell Institute, Liberty County), Dr. David Palmer (Calvary Day, Richmond Hill, South Effingham), and Dr. Thomas Alexander (Savannah Country Day, St. Vincent’s Academy).
