HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL

Recaps & Previews By Mike Ridaught

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Information was gathered from The Gainesville Sun, The Star Banner (Ocala) and The Florida Times-Union for these reports

“KINGDOM OF THE SUN BASKETBALL TOURNEY”

@ VANGUARD HIGH SCHOOL...OCALA, FL (Dec. 26-29)

TEAM PREVIEWS

Powder Springs, Georgia ….. McEachern HS

The Indians make their first visit to the Kingdom coming in as a pre-tourney out-of-state favorite loaded with D-1 prospects. Led by USA “top 10” Sophomore Trae Golden (15.5ppg – 5 assists) who committed to Ohio State and 6’8” senior team mate Darrius Garrett (8ppg – 8 rebounds) who signed with the University of Richmond plus have additional front line size in 6’6” Sr. Lazbri Akpuchukwu and 6’5” Jr. Alioune Diouf. Throw in another D1 forward off the bench in 6’8” Jr. transfer Kadeem Batts from Boston and you can see why this Peach State prep power will be a contender for the Georgia 5A state title. The Indians were 23-4 last year and return 4 starters. Coach Nick Chaykowsky enters his 2nd year guiding this power laden lineup.

Rome, Georgia ………. Rome HS>

The Wolves enter the Kingdom with the highest ranked senior (USA #18) in the tourney as 6’11” Tony Woods (15ppg- 11 rebounds) signed with Wake Forest University in the ACC. Woods honored his previous commitment to the Deamons who lost their head coach Skip Prosser to a heart attack over the summer. Scoring balance will be a big plus for this 4A state power as 3 year starter 6’1” junior Jaradkolm Griffin (13ppg) and 6’3” Sr. Terrell Burley (10 ppg – 5 rebounds) form a nice trio of double-figure performances. A pair of 2 year starters in 6’2” Sr. T.J. Helton (8 ppg) and 5’9” Jr. Taurean Dallas (6 ppg) gives the Wolves a ton of experience off a 22-7 club that returns all 5 starters. 6’8” Sr. Deven Carter gives the Wolves another inside force. Coach Keeth Jones returns the Sunshine state being a former head coach at Lake Wales and enters his 3 season at the helm at RHS.

Monroe, Louisiana ……. Richwoods HS

The Rams return 4 starters off a talented 35-9 team that made a state playoff “final 4” appearance in the Louisiana 3A tourney. 6’8” Sr. Storm Warren (24ppg – 12 rebounds) is a scoring machine inside and signed early with the LSU “Tigers”. Add a pair of high scoring forwards in 6’7” Sr. Leslie Davis (16ppg-12 rebounds) and 6’5” Jr. Rydell Harris (19ppg-7 rebounds) to the front line and you can see why they are in the hunt for another state tourney appearance. 6’3” Jr. Keldria Martin (10ppg – 5 rebounds) is the 4th returnee at the shooting guard. The Rams thrive in the up tempo pressing game and have a load of underclassmen coming off the bench for quality depth off a 14-0 JV team. Coach Terry Martin has a 14 year career record of 234-84 with a 6 year mark guiding the Rams to a 150-34 record.

Washington, DC …….. Coolidge HS

The “Colts” hail from the prep basketball mecca of Washington, DC under coach Vaughn Jones. They have a balanced offensive scoring attack led by 1st team all-DCIAA 6’1” Jr. Derrick Washington (16ppg – 5 assists), 5’10” Sr. DaQuante Thompson (9.4ppg – 8 assists), fast rising insider 6’7” Jr. Andre Mattison (11ppg-10 rebounds) and 6’8” Jr. Louis Stevens (10 ppg – 11 rebounds) will add power in the paint. The DCIAA is a basketball-rich tradition league and will bring a “true” city team look to the South.

Clearwater, Florida …….. Clearwater HS

The “Tornadoes” are making their 9th appearance in the Kingdom and come in as one of the in-state favorite to battle for the coveted title. Boasting one of the tallest frontlines in the state led by 6’10” Sr. Palm Harbor transfer Adam Pegg (17ppg – 13 rebounds) who signed early with Delaware. 6’8” sophomore Okaro White is making a name for himself as one of the top forwards in the nation after a tremendous summer performance on the national AAU circuit. 6’8” Jr. Julien Sargent and 6’6” Sr. John Burke will battle for the other forward slot. Floor leadership will come from 6’5” Sr. guard Luke Loucks (14ppg – 6 assists) who signed early with Florida State University. 6’1” Jr. guard Reyan O’Rourke (5.5 ppg) rounds out the starting 5. Legendary 22 year coaching veteran Jack Coit has a career 504-141 mark with a 130-20 record in 6 years at the CHS helm.

Hawthorne, Florida …… Hawthorne HS

The “Hornets” are one of the “Little Davids” amongst the Goliaths known for their quickness and the 2007-08 version is no different as HHS welcomes first year head coach Greg Bowie who had a 5 year record of 56-24 as the JV coach. a balanced scoring attack led by a pair of senior forwards in 6’2” Rodrick Goggins (12 ppg – 7 rebounds) and 6’1” Mauric Cook (8 ppg – 8 rebounds). A trio of guards in 6’ Soph Ed Ray (10ppg), 6’ Jr. Jimmy Johnson (10ppg), 5’7” Jr. Anthony James (7 ppg-5 assists) give a strong perimeter presence. The Hornets were district champs last season and are always a 2A contender each year come playoff time.

Jasper, Florida ………. Hamilton County HS

The “Fighting Trojans” were 22-8 last season and had a winning record on the JV team with a 17-5 record. Last year’s club were 3A district champs and regional runner-ups losing to state power Jacksonville Ribault under third year coach Patrick Murphy. HCHS will be led by 6’2” Jr. Josh Jones (19.5 ppg – 8.6 rebounds) who garnered 2nd team all-state honors last season. Additional help will come from 5’11” Jr. Ti’Wan Cooks (11.5ppg), and a vastly improved Sr. Malcolm Pollock who can score and rebound. The outlook shows a lack of size inside but speed, hustle, and experience are assets they possess.

Tampa, Florida … Berkeley Prep

The class 3A “Buccaneers” were 22-7 last season capturing the district title before losing in the regional semifinals. Coach Bobby Reinhart has compiled a 213-110 record in 11 years of coaching that includes a 7 year mark of 120-98 with the Bucs. A balanced scoring attack led by 6’2” Sr. Zak Kazanski (16ppg), 6’6” Austin Suarez (12 ppg – 6 rebounds), 6’5” Sr. forward Archie Barnes (12 ppg – 7 rebounds, and 6’3” Jr. Johnathan Gray (12 ppg) should produce another banner season.

Gainesville, Florida …… The Rock

The Rock is another sunshine state small school power under coach Svend Wilbekin. Last year’s team captured the hearts of their church members as they rolled into the state 1A tourney in Lakeland. The “Lions” piled up a 24-8 record and will return 2 starters off that team. 6’ Frosh Scottie Wilbekin ( 8ppg) is listed as one of the top players in the class of 2011 and will team up with 6’2” Sr. Borgia M’bala (8ppg) to form a nifty guard tandem. 6’10” Anton Tuz (8ppg – 5 rebounds) will be a strong physical inside threat with help from a pair of 6’5” forwards in Sr. Trae Mayberry and Soph Patrick Konan. 6’8” Jr. Vlad Kondratyev and 6’5” Soph Rey Velez adds depth to the front line.

Gainesville, Florida …. Eastside

The Rams under coach Herman “Pop” Williams are coming off a nifty 21-5 campaign. A contigent of youth return off the Varsity this season led by a dynamic sophomore guard duo in 6’1” Dennis Mavin (10ppg-6 rebounds – 6 assists) and 5’11” Jerrod Owens (12ppg – 4 assists) who can put some points up in the blink of an eye. Another soph will be a vastly improved 6’8” post Ty Armstong (6 ppg – 6 rebounds). Rounding out this all-underclassmen starting five will be 6’3” Jr. Ceasar Wright (10ppg – 5 rebounds) and 6’ soph Jarrett Gillium (10ppg.). This group is exciting to watch and are ahead of schedule but were deeply hurt by the death of 6’4” senior all-state team mate Dante Anderson who passed away this past summer.

Weston, Florida ……. Sagemont

The “Lions” are making their 1st trip to the Kingdom returning 2 starters off a 27-3 district championship club and received instant help in 3 top starters to boast one of the tallest frontlines in the field. The 2 senior starters are 6’10” Garvin Hunt (8 ppg-8 rebounds) who signed with Pennsylvania and 6’ Mike Delucia (7ppg-10 assists). The trio of senior transfers include 6’9” Drazen Zlovaric (15ppg-10 rebounds) who signed with Georgia, 6’2” Marlon Rivera (17ppg), and 6’7” Paolo Luis (10ppg – 7 rebounds) which adds a tremendous amount of offensive firepower to this potential 2A state titlists. Experience will be a huge plus in their quest to win the Kingdom title.

Lakeland, Florida ……. Kathleen HS

The “Red Devils” under Coach Drew Taylor make their 8th appearance to the Kingdom. Billed as one of the top 4A teams in the Sunshine State, the devils will be led by the 1-2 scoring punch of a pair of seniors in 6’1” Miguel Paul who signed with Missouri and 6’7” Kevin Foster who signed with George Mason. 6’6” Soph transfer Dominique Gilberry adds firepower to this explosive quintet.

Citra, Florida …….. North Marion HS

The 4A Colts of North Marion are a yearly fixture in the Kingdom coming off a 13-14 season last year. A trio of returning senior starters in 6’5” Darius Morgan (9ppg – 8 rebounds), 6’2” Demontrell Smith (12ppg), and 6’ Albert Gary (10ppg) will pace the offensive attack. Newcomers will be 5’10” Eddie Rocker and 6’3” Sr. Tim Dandy will round out the starting 5. The Colts went deep into the football playoffs with several basketball players getting a late start in the hoops season making the Colts overall record misleading coming into Kingdom play.

Live Oak …………. Melody Christian

The young “Wildcats” are the new kid on the block in class 1A and are making their first splash in the big-time tourney circuit. Led by 6’9” sophomore sleeper Shawn Jackson (25ppg – 15 rebounds) who is a huge inside force that was named the outstanding player in the adidas Rookie Sensations camp this past Fall. Senior leadership will come from 6’2” T.J. Westberry (13ppg - 11 rebounds) who will be guiding a starting lineup featuring 4 sophomores.

Ocala, Florida ……… Vanguard HS

The 5A Knights are always highly competitive on their home court and return 4 starters off a 11-14 quintet. Leading the way is all-state guard/forward 6’5” Sr. Freddie Riley (20ppg – 7 rebounds) who stock went up over the summer being listed in the nation’s top 150 by scout.com. 6’5” Lebrenti Bracey (8 ppg – 8 rebounds will team up with 6’4” Jr. Terrant Hamilton on the inside while 5’9” Fr. Brandon Farmer, is one of the top players in the class of 2011, will direct the offense. 6’1” Sr. Marquee Williams and 6’4” Jr. Justin Gunsby will play the wings with Riley. Haley has compiled a 630-374 record as he enters his 35th year at the helm.

St. Petersburg, Florida … Lakewood

The Spartans are always loaded with talent and return 3 solid starters off a 30-2 state 5A runnerup team. 6’9” Sr. Mike Morrison (12ppg – 7 rebounds) signed with George Mason University and is a manchild In the paint. 5’9” Sr. Reginal Reed (7 ppg – 7 assists) will direct the offense while 6’5” Sr. Irez Gray (3ppg-4 rebounds) has improved and will be a heavy contributor. The Spartans will benefit from 2 transfers that move into starting roles in 6’3” Jr. Shamon Cox (17.3ppg) from St. Pete High who will add more scoring, rebounding, and defense. 6’3” Sr. James Pope from Gainesville Eastside gives Coach Danny Wright another force in the lineup. 6’ Soph Dominic Lane, 6’2” Sr. Clifford Barren, and 6’3” Sr. Sean Johnson and a 17-1 JV team adds more fire power to the depth chart. Wright has been at the helm of the Spartans for 32 years posting a phenomenal 599-263 record.

“MOVING ON”

For the latest high school sports news, polls and information in the heart of Florida, please visit our newest high school sports site which is nearing completion in mid-December 2007. Our new site - www.theprepzoneonline.com - is a replica of this site which will enable us to udpate the site more frequently. More information about "The Prep Zone" can be found at our new location during the holidays. We will conclude the process of phasing out this site in the spring. We appreciate your patience during this transition. We wish you all a Merry Christmas & happy and safe new year!

“2nd Round Recap”

FEELS LIKE THE FIRST TIME: Unranked First Coast (Jacksonville) pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the playoffs so far with a 42-15 victory over #7 Lincoln (Tallahassee) in a Class 4A regional semifinal. The Bucs, who had won their first playoff game in school history the week before, forced five turnovers, got six sacks, and used a 28-point second quarter to cruise to the victory. First Coast (10-2) will play in its first region final this Friday when it plays host to Pace (10-2).

"We're making history with each one of these," First Coast coach Marty Lee told Garry Smits of the Florida Times-Union. "It's fun to be a part of it."

Meanwhile, unranked Fleming Island (Orange Park), making its first appearance in the state playoffs, rallied from a fourth quarter deficit to upset #6 Mainland (Daytona Beach), 24-17, in a Class 5A regional semifinal. According to the Florida Times-Union, Fleming Island fullback Montory Bellamy rushed 17 times for 90 yards, including a 26-yard run off left tackle for the game-winning touchdown with 16 seconds left in the game. The Golden Eagles (8-4) will continue in St. Johns County next Friday night against Bartram Trail (8-4).

THE STREAK IS OVER: According to the Florida Times-Union, top-ranked Bolles (Jacksonville), defending Class 2A state champions, saw its 26-game winning streak come to an end following a 19-10 Class 2A regional semifinal loss at #3 South Sumter. Bolles (11-1) lost its top running threat in Jawan Jamison on its second series of plays, and then lost quarterback Chandler Carr to a possible broken collarbone in the midway through the second quarter. It marked the second time in three years that South Sumter ended Bolles' season with a playoff victory over the Bulldogs in a regional final. They did it in 2005 with a 38-35 win, which until Friday's game was the last time that Bolles had lost.

RECORD FALLS IN MARION COUNTY: According to the Ocala Star-Banner, The North Marion Colts (11-1) got 345 all-purpose yards and five touchdowns from Albert Gary and recorded six sacks against Crystal River, on their way to a 45-6 win in the Class 3A-Region 2 semifinals on Friday night at Stan Toole Memorial Stadium. Gary recorded his third consecutive 200-yard rushing game and needed only nine carries to gain 235 on the ground. Gary scored four times on the ground and also added an 84-yard punt return for a touchdown. His punt return for a score enabled him to break the Marion County single season touchdown record of 29 set by Robert Hunter of Dunnellon back in 1985. With the win, North Marion advances to the regional finals for the third consecutive season.

The news was not as good for Trinity Catholic (Ocala), which was trying to advance to its third consecutive state semifinal. The Celtics (7-5) lost for the second time this year at #3 Newberry (12-0), falling to the Panthers, 14-7, in a Class 2B Regional Final. Antwan Ivey, who burned Trinity for 238 yards in Newberry's 23-20 double-overtime win (Oct. 26) added another 141 yards on 26 carries on Friday. Ivey's 41-yard burst in the second quarter set up his own five-yard touchdown run that tied the game 7-7 going into halftime. Later, in the fourth quarter, Ivey broke free for 42 yards to set up teammate Benny Hadley for a 19-yard scoring rush that gave the Panthers the lead for good.

"I give them credit - they hung in there and won the football game - but I still think the better team lost," first-year Celtic Head Coach Ricky Nattiel told the Star-Banner.

"You win twice, you've got to be the better team," said Newberry coach Tommy Keeler. "We didn't play well the first time we played them and we didn't play well again tonight. But we still end up beating them when we didn't play well so we're happy about that."

“1st Round Recap”

SO FAR SO GOOD: Marion County went 2-for-2 in the first round of the state playoffs. Trinity Catholic (7-4) overcame an early 7-0 deficit with back-to-back big plays. First, Tremayne Scott's near sack of Episcopal quarterback Clark Bledsoe forced an intentional grounding from within the Eagle endzone that was scored a safety. On the ensuing kick-off, Derrick Dempsey added to his Marion County touchdown lead with an 81-yard kick-off return for a score to put the Celtics on top 8-7. Trinity Catholic's 17-7 victory sets up a rematch with Class 2B-District 4 champion Newberry. The Panthers (11-0), who advanced with a home win over Trinity Christian (Jax), defeated the Celtics 23-20 in double-overtime on October 26 for the district championship. The rematch will once again be played at Newberry. Meanwhile, the second-ranked North Marion Colts eliminated Nature Coast, 34-13, in a first-round Class 3A game. According to the Star Banner (Ocala), Albert Gary rushed for a game-high 216 yards and three touchdowns on 22 carries to help lead the Colts (10-1) to their 10th consecutive victory. North Marion, which has been to back-to-back state semifinal games, will host Crystal River in the second round this Friday.

2,000 YARD CLUB: Newberry's Antwan "Kelo" Ivey joins Dixie County's Rodney Scott as the first two area running backs to reach 2,000 yards rushing. Scott had over 100 yards rushing in the regular season finale against district-foe Madison County (Class 2A) to get his (in 10 games), while Ivey eclipsed the mark with 218 yards on 24 carries (three touchdowns) in Friday's Class 2B first-round victory against Trinity Christian (Jax), 46-28. Ivey has helped lead the Panthers (11-0) to an undefeated season so far and their first playoff win since 1998.

“It’s sweet, we come off that tough loss last year and then we come in here and win this football game tonight. It’s just a great win for Newberry,” Panthers coach Tommy Keeler told Cliff Olsen of the Gainesville Sun. “I’m just tickled to death that we go undefeated but then we win a playoff game," added Keeler, who also experienced his first postseason victory in 13 years as a head football coach.

ROUND-UP: Fort White made enough plays to win its first-ever playoff game in school history in a 36-34 Class 2A Region Semifinal win at Pensacola Catholic. The Indians will travel to district-champion Madison County this Friday for the second round. Meanwhile, according to the Florida Times-Union, First Coast won its first-ever playoff game in the school's 17-year history with a 49-25 win at home against Leon (Tallahassee). The Bucs will host Lincoln (Tallahassee) this Friday in the Class 4A Regional Semifinals. Some of the more interesting match-ups in round two include Trinity Catholic (Ocala) at Newberry, which is a rematch of a double overtime 23-20 win by Newberry for the Class 2B District 4 championship back on October 26; Nease (Ponte Vedra Beach), which defeated Eastside (Gainesville) in the Class 4A Regional Quarterfinals, 29-7, will face district runner-up Columbia (Lake City), which it beat a few weeks ago for the District 5 Championship. The Tigers went on the road to Leesburg and shut out the Yellow Jackets, 21-0, to advance to this week's game against the Panthers. Nease, which had a a 16-game regular season win streak stopped in week three with a 15-14 loss at Class 2A power Madison County, is a senior-laden team with 36 seniors on its roster; and, Bolles, ranked #1 in Class 2A, travels to #3 South Sumter (Bushnell) for the second round of the playoffs. The Dogs, who defeated Mount Dora 62-14 in round one, are coached by legendary coach Corky Rogers. Rogers (355-67-1 since 1989) has won seven state championships.

“Week 9 Recap”

DISTRICT CHAMPIONS: In a thrilling Class 2B-District 4 game at Newberry, the Panthers (8-0, 3-0) edged visiting Ocala Trinity Catholic, 23-20 in double-overtime, to win the district. All-State running back Antwan Ivey finished with 225 yards rushing for the Panthers, while intercepting a pass in the end zone in double overtime. The pick set up a game-winning 20-yard field goal by senior Phillip Warner. The Celtics (5-4, 2-2) have concluded their district schedule and must play the waiting game, as four teams are tied with two losses for the district runner-up spot. Chiefland (3-5, 1-2) upset PK Yonge (4-4, 1-2), 18-10, and will host Lake Butler Union County (3-5, 1-2) in an elimination game. If Chiefland wins at home and PK Yonge upsets Newberry this week at home, there would be a three-way tie for second. Trinity Catholic holds the tie-breaker over Chiefland if comes down to those two teams. Meanwhile, Bolles (Jacksonville) is the district champion in Class 2A-District 3. The Bulldogs (8-0, 6-0) will open up at home for the state playoffs, while Fernandina Beach (7-2, 4-2), Keystone Heights (6-2, 4-2) and Bradford (5-3, 4-2) are still alive for the runner-up spot. Bradford hosts Keystone Heights this week, but Fernandina Beach, which plays at Yulee (1-7, 1-5) this Friday, owns the tie-breaker against both teams.

FEELS LIKE THE FIRST TIME: Episcopal (Jacksonville) upset Trinity Christian (Jacksonville), 20-10 in a Class 2B-District 3 game, for its first-ever win over the Conquerors in school history. According to the Florida Times-Union, Trinity Christian's running back duo of Jamie Harper and Montel Harris combined for 178 yards in the first half, but Episcopal limited the pair to 96 yards after the break. The Eagles (5-3, 3-0) go for their first district championship in school history this Friday night at home against Hamilton County (2-6, 2-1).

"No question this is the biggest win in school history," Episcopal quarterback Clark Bledsoe told Jeff Elliott of the Florida Times-Union after the game. "Now we've got to stay focused next week to get Hamilton, so this district championship can come true."

DISTRICT SHOWDOWNS: Well, it looks like the district championship and district runner-up spot will come down to a head-to-head match-up in the final district game of the season for some districts. In Class 4A-District 4, Jacksonville Forrest (5-3, 3-0) plays at First Coast (6-2, 3-0) this Friday with the winner earning home field advantage as the district champion and the other team finishing as the district runner-up and travelling for the first round of the state playoffs. Such is the case in Class 4A-District 6 as the Eastside (Gainesville) Rams (7-1, 4-0) travel to Leesburg (7-2, 4-0) for the title. In Class 5A-District 2, Jacksonville Bartram Trail (5-4, 2-0) plays at Neptune Beach Fletcher (7-1, 2-0) for the top two spots, and in District 3, Gainesville Buchholz (4-4, 2-0) travels to Orange Park Fleming Island (4-4, 2-0) in a winner-take-all game, with the loser in as the district runner-up.

SO YOU'RE SAYING THERE'S A CHANCE: The playoff scenario in some districts is getting rather interesting. In Class 6A-District 1, Flagler Palm Coast (6-2, 4-0) has clinched the district title. But, Port Orange Spruce Creek (6-2, 3-1) plays at Jacksonville Sandalwood (4-4, 2-2), while Deltona (6-2, 2-2) plays at Mandarin (1-7, 1-3). If the Sandalwood Saints pull the upset, there could be a three-way tie for second; and, in Class 1B-District 2, Jacksonville Arlington Country Day (5-3, 3-1) is tied with Lake City Christian (5-3, 3-1) and Jacksonville Eagle's View (6-1, 3-1). None of the three schools play each other again, meaning there could be a three-team shoot-out to determine the district champion and runner-up.

RUNNING AWAY: Dixie County (Cross City) running back Rodney Scott is on his way to the state's regular season rushing title, following 192 yards rushing against the Union County (Lake Butler) Tigers. Scott, who is among the leading rushers in the state with 1,899 yards rushing, is on pace to eclipse 2,000 yards for the season with one game remaining. However, it won't be easy for Scott. The Bears host Class 2A #2-ranked Madison County on Friday as the Cowboys (7-1, 2-0) go for the District 2 title. It will be the final game of the season for Dixie County (4-5, 0-2), which was eliminated from post-season consideration following a 28-24 hard-fought loss at Taylor County on Oct. 19.

“Week 8 Recap”

IT’S SHOWTIME: Trinity Catholic (Ocala) running back Derrick Dempsey went over the 1,000-yard mark for the season with 205 yards and three touchdowns on 16 carries, pushing his Marion County-best total to 1,167 yards and 16 touchdowns, as the Celtics (5-3, 2-1) defeated the Chiefland Indians (2-5, 0-2), 37-13, in a Class 2B-District 4 game. The victory sets up a district showdown on Friday night for the Celtics, who will travel to undefeated and #3-ranked Newberry (7-0, 2-0). "I think Newberry might be coming out underestimating us," Dempsey told The Star Banner (Ocala). "We're gonna go in as the underdog, but we're gonna surprise them. We're gonna come out ready to play." You can tune in to the game on the internet at www.floridacast.com. Meanwhile, PK Yonge’s (Gainesville) victory at Union County (Lake Butler) on Friday keeps the Blue Wave (4-3, 1-1) in the playoff mix. PK Yonge, which lost at Trinity Catholic in Week 4, will host Newberry on Friday, November 2.

CLINCHED PLAYOFF BERTH: Buchholz (Gainesville) and Fleming Island (Orange Park) have clinched playoff spots in Class 5A-District 3. The Bobcats (4-4, 2-0) defeated cross-town rival Gainesville, 24-20, in a back-and-forth game at Citizen’s Field. Wide receiver Jameil McLeod caught the game-winning 20-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Kevin Prindle with 4:49 remaining, following the fourth turnover of the game for the Hurricanes (0-6, 0-2). Meanwhile, the Golden Eagles (4-4, 2-0) rallied from 24-0 down to defeat Orange Park (1-7, 0-2), 35-31. According to The Florida Times-Union, Fleming Island sophomore running back Montory Bellamy rushed for a game-high 111 yards on seven carries and scored two second-half touchdowns while quarterback Ryan Alpin scored on a 1-yard keeper with 16 seconds left to rally the Golden Eagles past the visiting Raiders. With Orange Park leading 31-28, Fleming Island attempted a 36-yard field goal with 1:32 left, trying to force overtime. But the Raiders were penalized for roughing the kicker. Four plays later, Alpin ran in the game-winner. The ‘Cats will travel to Fleming Island for the district championship next Friday, November 2. That game can be heard ‘live’ on the internet at www.floridacast.com.

RAM TOUGH: In Class 4A-District 6, the Eastside (Gainesville) Rams defeated the Belleview Rattlers on Thursday, October 18, at Citizen’s Field in Gainesville in a match-up of undefeated district teams. According to The Star Banner (Ocala), Belleview (5-3, 2-1) controlled the ball for 33 minutes and 34 seconds, but came up short on two trips into the red zone and also had a pair of key turnovers in a 28-7 loss to the Rams (6-1, 3-0). Miles Harris led Eastside, which has won 10 consecutive district games, with 127 yards rushing on 11 carries, while quarterback Desmond O'Neal passed for 99 yards and two touchdowns to give him six over the past two weeks. Meanwhile, the Star Banner (Ocala) reported that Lineil Graham (12 carries, 213 yards, two touchdowns), Danny Trevathan (seven carries, 96 yards and three touchdowns) and Rod Cosgrove (nine carries, 55 yards) helped pace a run game that finished with 432 yards in a 34-11 win for Leesburg over Forest (Ocala). With the loss, Forest (3-4, 0-3) is eliminated from playoff contention, while Leesburg (6-2, 3-0) moves into a tie for the top spot with Eastside. Leesburg visits Belleview at the Strike Zone this Friday. Wins by Leesburg over Belleview and Eastside over Vanguard (Thursday night at Citizen’s Field), will make the Nov. 2 match-up between the Yellow Jackets and the Rams a winner-take-all game for the district championship. You can listen to the Eastside-Vanguard at www.floridacast.com.

DUVAL PRIDE: According to the Florida Times-Union in Jacksonville, Bartram Trail’s 28-14 win over visiting Ed White (5-3, 0-2) in a Class 5A-District 2 game earned the Bears their seventh consecutive trip to the playoffs. The Bears (5-3, 2-0) are also one victory away from a third consecutive district championship. The team can reach that goal by defeating Fletcher on the road on Nov. 2. Fletcher wide receiver Lamar Scruggs had 102 yards receiving and a touchdown as the Senators (6-1, 2-0) downed the Terry Parker Braves (4-4, 0-2), 14-7, to set up the showdown next week.

WILDCATS KEEP PACE IN CLOSE RACE: The Times-Union also reported that senior RB Lucious Lee led a devastating ground game, rushing for 209 of Baker County's 482 rushing yards and a touchdown as the visiting Wildcats (7-1, 2-1) defeated the Bishop Kenny Crusaders (2-5, 1-1), 33-19, in a District 3-3A match-up. Four teams have just one loss in this district - Baker County (2-1), Andrew Jackson (2-1), Bishop Kenny (1-1), and Raines (1-1). This week, Baker County hosts Live Oak Suwannee (0-2), while Jackson has to travel to Raines on November 2. The Crusaders play at Raines this week.

“Week 7 Recap”

TWO BE OR NOT TWO BE: There’s a streak of game-deciding two-point conversions hitting the area lately. On Friday, Sept. 28, Trinity Catholic (Ocala) won at North Florida Christian (Tallahassee), 28-26, when the Celtics denied a two-point pass play with 1:13 remaining. On Friday, October 5, the Celtics were on the other end of a two-point play. Trinty Catholic's huge fourth-quarter rally sent the game in overtime. However, following a Celtic touchdown in the extra period to take the lead, the game turned into a disappointing overtime loss as the Celtics fell, 29-28, to Union County (Lake Butler). After the Tigers scored to move within one, first-year head coach Andrew Zow (former Alabama quarterback) called timeout, changed his mind to go for two, and the Tigers ran it in for the win to keep their district hopes alive (Class 2B-District 4). On October 12, P.K. Yonge (Gainesville) edged Fort White, 38-37, to spoil the Indians' homecoming. Trailing 38-31 with 2:02 to play, Fort White QB Alex Gilmer connected on three straight passes to set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Xavier Blake. Indians coach Demetric Jackson (former Florida defensive back) decided to gamble for the win on a two-point conversion, but the Blue Wave (3-3) stopped Blake on a pitch left to win the game. Meanwhile, bragging rights were on the line just up the road in St. Johns County, where St. Augustine quarterback Kawaun Jakes marched the Yellow Jackets 79 yards in nine plays, getting all the way down to the Nease 1 with 8.4 seconds on the clock down by eight. On the next play, Jakes swung around the right side for the score to bring the Yellow Jackets within two points of the Panthers (6-1). However, Nease (6-1) defensive back Graham Bates swatted away the two-point conversion pass aimed at Rashard Hall to give the Panthers their second consecutive win over the Yellow Jackets (5-1). The back-to-back wins followed a 13-game losing streak for Nease, which was held to under 100 yards of offense but still earned the win. Nease All-State quarterback Ted Stachitas (Wake Forest commitment) didn't start because of a knee injury.

JUST RUN BABY: Fort White’s Xavier Blake and P.K. Yonge’s Dre Maddox put on a show on Friday night, according to The Gainesville Sun. Maddox, a senior, carried 38 times for 337 yards and four touchdowns, including two 65-yard scores in the second half to lead PK Yonge to the one-point win (see story above). Blake carried 37 times for a school-record 389 yards and three touchdowns and had more than 100 yards called back because of penalties.

"I told the guys they could play for 100 years and never, ever have a game like this," said P.K. Yonge coach John Clifford, whose team won 3-0 in overtime last year. "Great performance by the two backs."

Antwan “Kelo” Ivey, a 5-foot-7, 175-pound combination of speed and power for the Newberry Panthers, went over the 1,000-yard rushing mark on Homecoming. According to The Gainesville Sun, Ivey carried the ball 22 times for 248 yards and four touchdowns as Newberry (7-0) cruised to a 42-3 win over Dunnellon (4-3) with Florida football coach Urban Meyer on the sidelines. The majority of the damage (217 yards, three touchdowns) came in the first half, as after being named Homecoming King at intermission, Ivey (1,151 yards) spent most of the final two quarters from the sidelines. The senior is one of six running backs listed in our poll question that asks - 'Which running back will get to 2,000 yards rushing first?' Another candidate in the poll question, Rodney Scott of Dixie County (Cross City), reached the 1,000 yard mark in game six with 276 yards rushing against Fort White last week. The race is on!

OTHER GAMES: According to The Florida Times-Union, "injury-riddled" Sandalwood (Jacksonville) has now beaten all three of its neighborhood rivals (Fletcher, Mandarin and Parker). It was only the second time this season and the first time since Aug. 31 that Sandalwood had played at home. The Saints downed visiting Parker 28-9 in a non-district game. The Saints (3-3) had four road games in a row after beating Fletcher in overtime to start the season. Said Saints coach Adam Geis: "When we're healthy, we're hard to beat;" senior quarterback Aaron Seigler ran eight times for 89 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Ed White Commanders (Jacksonville) to a victory over the Jackson Tigers (Jacksonville) on Senior Night at White. The Commanders (5-2) rushed 37 times for 250 yards and two touchdowns, while the defense forced an interception and a fumble, made five sacks and recorded the shutout, their first of the season; a Buchholz (Gainesville) defense that had been giving up almost 26 points a game and had four starters out, clamped down on a Wakulla (Crawfordville) offense that had scored 124 points through five straight victories, for a 3-0 win. Sophomore kicker Brad Phillips nailed the field goal from 34 yards out with 4:45 left in the game to give the 'Cats the victory; Desmond O'Neil threw four touchdown passes, two to Freddie Jones, and Eastside (Gainesville) improved to 5-1 with a 47-26 win at Palatka. The Rams scored four touchdowns in the second quarter, including Gary Terry's 29-yard reception that was set up by his own interception, to take a 35-7 lead at the half; Belleview's double wing offense rolled up 236 yards rushing and the defense chipped in a shutout as the Rattlers (5-2) blanked West Port (Ocala), 26-0, on Homecoming night; North Marion (Citra), which got 101 yards passing and a pair of touchdowns from QB Chuckie Looney, including a 25-yard strike to Albert Gary to open the scoring late in the first quarter, defeated Gainesville (0-5), 30-6. Gary, who scored four touchdowns and totalled 256 all-purpose yards in his previous game, caught one touchdown and ran for another, totaled 119 yards of offense and broke two long punt returns for the Colts (5-1).

“Week 6 Recap”

PANTHERS ROLL ON: The Gainesville Sun reported that Newberry amassed more than 300 yards rushing for the fifth time this season and blanked Chiefland 41-0 at C. Doyle McCall Field at Wayne Pridgeon Stadium. The Panthers, ranked fourth in Class 2B, improved to a perfect 6-0 record overall and a 2-0 record in District 4 play while posting their third straight shutout. Newberry has scored more than 40 points in each of its last four games, all of which featured a running clock in the second half. All-State running back Antwan Ivey ran for 128 yards on nine carries and scored the Panthers first three touchdowns but did not see any action in the second half.

“Week 5 Recap”

SMALL-SCHOOL SHOWDOWN: Class 2B Trinity Catholic (Ocala) defeated previous #2 North Florida Christian (Class 1A), 28-26, in Tallahassee. NFC opened the game with an 8:11 drive to take an early 3-0 lead, but penalties and turnovers were costly for the Eagles. Despite the errors, the Eagles were in it until the final moments. Trailing by 11 points going into the final quarter, NFC's Bryce Clayton booted a school-record 48-yard field goal to pull the Eagles within eight at 28-20. Then, a 5-yard touchdown pass from Zach Klees to Dayne Read pulled them within 28-26 with 1:13 left in the game. NFC tried a swing pass to Darrius McQueen following a penalty on the two-point attempt, but he was stopped two yards short of the end zone and the Celtics (4-1) won their fourth game in a row. Derrick Dempsey, who led Marion County in rushing going in with 585 yards and eight touchdowns, had 112 yards and three touchdowns on 14 carries.

“We knew they were going to make a run at us in the second half,” former Gator and Denver Bronco wide receiver Ricky Nattiel told The Star Banner (Ocala). Nattiel, who is in his first year as the head coach of Trinity Catholic, added, “Our guys kept their composure. I told them, 'You're playing a state championship football team.' They've got good athletes. There were a lot of Division I players on this field tonight.”

POSSESSION TIME: In its 14-7 win over Dunnellon (3-2), the Belleview Rattlers consumed an entire quarter on its first offensive possession. Rattler quarterback Kyle Reedy's one-yard plunge capped a 21-play scoring touchdown drive that covered 81 yards and consumed over 12 minutes. It was game that Belleview (3-2) coach Mike Bowe told The Star Banner was "the most physical game I've played in my 14 years at Belleview."

FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS: North Marion (Citra) had a season-high 550 yards of offense and scored on eight of its 10 possessions in a 53-7 rout at Clay (Green Cove Springs). Albert Gary had a huge game for the Colts (4-1), scoring four touchdowns and totaling 256 all-purpose yards. The senior caught three passes for 146 yards and two touchdowns, while adding 97 yards rushing and two other touchdowns. It was the fourth win in a row for Class 3A's fourth-ranked team, which heads into the bye week.

UNBEATENS CLASH: In a match-up of unbeaten district foes, Fernandina Beach quarterback Emory Wingard threw for 286 yards and all three of the Pirates touchdowns in a 23-21 District 3-2A win against Keystone Heights. The win knocks Keystone Heights (3-1, 1-1) into second place in the district, behind the Pirates and the top-ranked Jacksonville Bolles Bulldogs (4-0, 2-0). Fernandina Beach (5-0, 2-0) continues its perfect season after finishing 0-10 last year.

RAMS HOLD OFF THE VIKINGS: Running back Miles Harris scored three touchdowns to lead Eastside (Gainesville) to a 26-18 win over Raines (Jacksonville). Harris, who ran for 92 yards on 10 carries, scored on runs of 3, 42 and 13 yards for the visiting Rams (3-1).

I'm pleased with the win," Eastside coach Kent Johnson told The Gainesville Sun. "We have a lot of respect for the tradition that Raines has and this Raines football team. I expect to see them go far in their district and the playoffs."

OTHER GAMES: According to The Florida Times-Union, Nease (Ponte Vedra Beach) quarterback Ted Stachitas ran for 105 yards and three touchdowns as the Panthers knocked off Class 5A No. 8 Daytona Beach Mainland, 30-14; sophomore running back Jawan Jamison rushed for 126 yards on nine carries as the Bolles Bulldogs shutout new District 3-2A foe Yulee (0-4, 0-2), 47-0. The Dogs jumped out to a 26-point first quarter lead; Jacksonville Trinity Christian (4-1) defeated visiting Tallahassee FAMU (2-3) in a matchup of state-ranked teams. The Conquerors rushed for 252 yards on 35 carries while the defense recorded five sacks; The Baker County Wildcats (5-0) had 302 yards on the ground by halftime and added another 221 in the second half to finish with a season-high 523 yards in a 42-14 win over Ridgeview (Orange Park); Charles Ambrose returned the opening kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown and a botched PAT attempt turned into a 2-point conversion to give Forest (Ocala) an early lead en route to a 32-7 win over West Port (Ocala). Ambrose added 132 yards on 15 carries and another touchdown to give the Wildcats (3-2) their fifth win in seven series meetings with the Wolf Pack (0-5).

“Week 4 Recap”

In a non-district game in Jacksonville featuring aggressive defenses and future Division I players according to the Florida Times-Union, the Ed White Commanders (3-1) defeated the First Coast Buccaneers (2-2), 17-7, in the first game between the two schools in nine years.

Going in, White's rushing attack ranked among the area's best with nearly 300 yards a game. But, it was facing one of the area’s top defenses, led by First Coast linebackers Nigel Carr (FSU commit), Shaquille Wilson (South Carolina) and Leandre Lance. The trio had helped the Bucs hold their previous two opponents to a combined 124 rushing yards and 105 passing.

Running back Leon Jackson put White on the board in the third quarter with a 71-yard touchdown run, then broke two tackles for a 24-yard gain on third-and-17 that led to White's final touchdown. But, the rest of the game belonged to the defenses. Of the 84 plays from scrimmage, 58 resulted in a gain of 3 yards or fewer, and eight were 24 yards or more. White sacked First Coast five times, led by DE Tony Holmes with two.

In a match-up of unbeaten teams, Baker County (Glen St. Mary) shattered Raines' vaunted rushing defense with nearly 300 yards on the ground to grind out a 28-21 win over the Vikings and take an early lead in the District 3-3A race. The host Wildcats (4-0) used an effective running attack of quarterback Carlos Holton and running back Lucious Lee to pile up 288 yards on the ground in 44 attempts. That's twice the total the Vikings (3-1) had allowed in the last two games combined.

In other games in the Jacksonville area, the Bolles Bulldogs won their district opener without their starting quarterback. The Dogs decided to go with sophomore quarterback Chandler Carr to replace starter Davis Skinner, who suffered a broken collarbone against Orange Park two weeks ago. In his first start, Carr completed 11-of-14 passes for 124 yards to lead Bolles to a 43-7 win over Ribault. The Bulldogs (3-0, 1-0) extended their winning streak to 17 games. Skinner likely will miss most of the Bulldogs' seven-week district schedule, but is expected to return before the season is over.

Trinity Christian carried its vaunted rushing attack, led by Division I recruit Jamie Harper, on the road and dominated offensively and defensively in defeating host Bishop Snyder, 67-0, according to The Florida Times-Union in Jacksonville. The Conquerors, ranked third in Class 2B, were one of two area teams with over 1,000 rushing yards in the first three weeks of the season. They also had two of the area's top seven rushers in Harper (333 yards) and Montel Harris (331). Last season as a junior, Harper rushed for over 1,100 yards and 14 touchdowns. It was running back by committee against Bishop Snyder, as Trinity Christian (3-1, 1-0) had 525 yards of offense (419 rushing) and eight rushing touchdowns. Defensively, the Conquerors held the Cardinals (1-3, 0-1) to a season-low 39 yards of total offense and caused five turnovers.

For the third time in four games this season, the Newberry offense rushed for more than 300 yards. The Panthers' all-state running back Antwan Ivey led Newberry with 120 yards on 13 carries and two touchdowns, while Xavier Woods added a pair of scoring runs and 36 yards rushing. The result was a 46-0 win for Newberry in the District 4-2B opener for both schools. Newberry (4-0, 1-0), ranked fourth in the state right behind Trinity Christian, held Union County (1-3, 0-1) without any rushing yards in the first half and limited the Tigers to just 140 yards of total offense for the game.

"I'm just real proud of them (the team). It is exciting to get that first district win under your belt," Newberry coach Tommy Keeler told The Gainesville Sun, about his football team that has allowed an average of seven points per game this year. "I'm real proud of them (the defense), a shutout is a great thing but overall effort and how we played the game was phenomenal tonight."

Dixie County junior tailback Rodney Scott rushed for 191 of his game-high 282 yards in the second half in visiting Dixie County’s 30-20 victory over Williston (2-2), according to published reports from The Gainesville Sun. Included in his 37 carries were four touchdowns, two in each half. Most of his damage came in the third period when the Bears (2-2) turned a 14-12 advantage into a 28-12 lead and he had 136 yards.

In Ocala, the visiting Eastside (Gainesville) Rams used six different backs to rush for 374 yards en route to a 28-14 win over Forest. Kevil Kelly (12-110) and Miles Davis (9-105, 2 TDs) each eclipsed 100 yards on the night for the defending District 6-4A Rams (2-1, 1-0) . Forest quarterback Mike Tanner, Marion County’s passing leader, threw for 240 yards and two scores on the night for the Wildcats (2-2, 0-1).

The North Marion defense recorded eight sacks in a 12-0 win against West Port in the Class 3A-District 6 opener for both teams. The Colts (3-1, 1-0), ranked No. 4 in Class 3A, allowed the Wolf Pack (0-4, 0-1) just two yards of total offense. North Marion was led on defense by Demarrio Sims (two sacks, two tackles for loss), Brandon Carr (three tackles for loss, one sack), Michael Beard (two sacks), Justin Williams (one sack, one tackle for loss) and Keyron Hampton (one sack).

“Week 3 Recap”

Eagle's View (3-0) quarterback Kyle Russo rushed for more than 100 yards and scored three touchdowns and four two-point conversions, the final one on the last play of the game to secure a one-point victory over host Paxon (0-2), 56-55, in a shoot-out of Jacksonville schools. Elsewhere in Duval County, Fletcher's defense had five sacks and forced three turnovers in a 31-7 win over Englewood (Jacksonville). The Senators (2-1) junior RB Deschion Baskerville led all ball carriers with 136 yards on 20 carries and a touchdown; Jackson (Jacksonville) running back Antonio Lenton rushed for 117 yards on 20 carries, including a game-sealing 2-yard touchdown, to lead the Tigers (2-1) to a 28-14 win over the visiting Clay Blue Devils (1-1); Nease (2-1) made two goal-line stands in the second half to turn back Madison County scoring drives, but the Panthers couldn't prevent a 15-yard touchdown pass and a winning two-point conversion with 1:42 left in the game and lost to the Cowboys, 15-14. Madison County rallied from a 14-0 halftime deficit.

In a match-up of unbeatens, senior Alfred Jenkins rushed for a 26-yard score, caught three passes for 24 yards and intercepted a pass to seal a 38-14 victory for the visiting Terry Parker Braves (3-0) over the Forrest Rebels (2-1); and, Raines (3-0) converted seven Ed White (2-1) turnovers into 20 points on the way to a 38-14 victory at Earl Kitchings Stadium. Ed White lost leading rusher Casey Turner to an injury in the second quarter, then lost six of its seven fumbles and an interception to hand the Vikings the surprisingly lopsided victory.

"I expected us to win, but I certainly didn't expect anything like that," Raines coach Cedric Thornton told the Florida Times-Union after his team broke open a 12-7 game at halftime with 20 unanswered points in the third quarter.

According to The Star Banner, Dunnellon won its third straight game against Vanguard (Ocala) and ran its record at Booster Stadium to 3-0 since 1992. The Tigers (2-1) cruised to a 20-0 lead and held on for a 20-7 win after struggling in their first two games of the season. Miami commit Lerentee McCray leaped up to intercept Vanguard's Marquee Williams on the first play from scrimmage to set up an 8-yard scoring run by Justin Peacock just 19 seconds into the game. McCray finished with 11 tackles, two for loss, a sack and the interception on the night. Middle linebacker Dustin Young added six tackles and a sack for a Tigers defense that overwhelmed a Vanguard (1-2) offense that came in averaging 27.5 points a game. Meanwhile, Ocala Forest (2-1) rolled up 452 yards of total offense, one week after finishing with a school record 516 yards in a 45-34 win over South Lake. Tailback Charles Ambrose, who had over 100 yards rushing and receiving the previous week, finished with 238 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns on just 11 touches. He ended with 172 yards rushing and two scores on just nine attempts. The senior added two catches for 66 yards and one touchdown.

“Week 2 Recap”

The Bolles (Jacksonville) Bulldogs, defending Class 2A champions, survived a scare in Week 2, holding on for a 31-30 win over Orange Park. The Bulldogs stopped a two-point conversion attempt with 2:14 remaining to survive at home. Bolles (2-0), which has won 16 games in a row, broke ties of 21-all at halftime and 24-24 in the fourth quarter to take a 31-24 lead on Stephen Barnett's 3-yard TD plunge with 6:14 remaining.

Trinity Catholic (Ocala) and North Marion (Sparr) both bounced back from season opening losses. The Trinity Catholic Celtics (1-1), under first-year head coach Ricky Nattiel, avenged their first shutout loss in school history (Tampa Catholic, 10-0) with a 31-6 win at West Port (Ocala). Senior Derrick Dempsey accounted for 174 yards and three scores, while sophomore Terry Murphy had another 75 yards.

"We've got good backs here," Nattiel told The Star Banner. "If we can just give them some daylight, they'll make people miss."

According to The Star Banner, the win was Trinity's first against a public school from Marion County during the regular season in its six-year history. It was the first time the Celtics faced a local public school since losing to Belleview in 2004; meanwhile, North Marion (1-1) piled up 451 yards of total offense and held off Belleview, 29-22. The series has been close between these two Marion county schools, with North Marion only winning six times in the past 13 games.

For a little over three quarters, Gainesville High led state-ranked Godby (Tallahassee) with an opportunity to pick up its first win of the season. Trailing 18-7 midway through the fourth, Godby scored 14 consecutive points for a 21-18 victory. Florida State commitment Brittish Footman scored on a one-yard run, and added a two-point conversion, to cut the lead to 18-15. The Hurricanes (0-2) offense botched a punt on fourth down on its next possession that gave the Cougars (2-0) possession on the Gainesville 25-yard line with just over five minutes remaining. Footman's 17-yard run put the ball at the Gainesville three-yard line, where McGriff took it in on the next play to make it 21-18.

Following a heart-breaking loss to city-rival Eastside (Gainesville) in Week 1, a loss that ended an eight-game winning streak against the Rams, Buchholz (Gainesville) recovered in Week 2 and snapped a streak of their own against Columbia (Lake City). A 10-yard pass from Buchholz quarterback Kevin Prindle to wide receiver Jameil McLeod was followed by an extra-point kick by Stefan Naglee to start overtime, giving the Bobcats a seven-point lead. But, Columbia (Lake City) sophomore running back Tiger Powell scored from four yards out to bring the the Tigers within one. However, the extra-point kick was blocked, and the Bobcats (1-1) saw their five-game losing slide against the Tigers (1-1) halted with a 19-18 victory at Citizens Field.

"This was big for us," Buchholz coach Jay Godwin told The Gainesville Sun. "Columbia is maybe the best-coached program in North Central Florida, and any time you can pull out a win against them, you've accomplished something."

“Week 1 Recap”

Fret not high school football teams if you lost your opening game on Friday night. As bad as it was, at least it wasn’t Michigan-Appalachian State. Mistakes did in some teams. Others may have been good, but not perfect. Whatever the reason for defeat, it’s only the first football game of the season. At least it wasn’t a district game! Hang in there. There’s a long season to go.

"The kids gave everything they had. And hey, it is the first week. We'll get better,” Buchholz (Gainesville) football coach Jay Godwin told The Gainesville Sun following the Bobcats' loss to city-rival Eastside (Gainesville), 22-15. The loss ended an eight-year winning streak for the Bobcats over the Rams. Eastside, which scored the winning touchdown with 40.1 seconds remaining on senior quarterback Desmond O'Neal's two yard touchdown run, has had the area’s best team the last couple of years with an overall record of 20-5, but the Rams just haven’t been able to beat Buchholz - until now.

Now the ‘We’re better than this” phrase will become the theme for several teams. North Marion and Trinity Catholic, the two best teams in the Ocala area the past couple of years, were both defeated in Week one. North Marion, ranked second in Class 3A, lost to state-ranked Nease (#4 in 4A) at home, 35-14. Eight turnovers against one of the state's best high-school programs will do that. Nease QB Ted Stachitas ran the spread-option attack to perfection. The Wake Forest commit threw for 122 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another 107 yards and a score. Meanwhile, Trinity Catholic, which won the Class 2B state championship in 2005 and was state runner-ups last season, lost at home to Tampa Catholic, 10-0. It marked the debut of new Celtic football coach Ricky Nattiel. The former Gator and Denver Bronco replaces former Gator QB Kerwin Bell, who resigned to become the head coach at Jacksonville University.

According to the Florida Times-Union, the Mandarin Mustangs honored late coach J.D. Hall before Saturday's game against Raines. Hall, who led the team the last three seasons, died of an apparent heart attack on June 23. Hall's mom, Juanita Hall, led Mandarin out on the field at the start of the game and served as honorary captain. However, the Mustangs couldn't overcome four fumbles and three interceptions as the Vikings took a 13-8 win in the season opener for both teams. In other Jacksonville games, Sandalwood defeated arch-rival Fletcher, 34-28 (OT). The Saints, which went deep in the 2006 state playoffs, scored the winning touchdown on a 4-yard run by Keith King, two plays after Darryl Richardson (27 carries, 227 yards) had punched through for a 6-yard gain on first down; and, in a game filled with Division-I talent and a match-up of two state-ranked teams, First Coast edged Trinity Christian, 13-6 (OT). Jermaine Thomas' 3-yard run touchdown run to start the overtime battle proved to be the difference as the Bucs held on for the victory at home over the Class 2B Conquerors, among the favorites to win the 2007 state championship.

“VANGUARD KNIGHTS PREVIEW”

New coach and a new attitude has the Knights excited about the upcoming season

The fact that new Vanguard (Ocala) football coach Will Holley has lost three spring games in a row is not to be of any concern to the Knights and their allegiance of fans. After all, he lost his spring game in 2005 as head coach of Graceville, only to take the Tigers to the state title game that year.

New Vanguard coach Will Holley JANNET WALSH/STAR-BANNER

In 2006, he worked with former Florida State quarterback Casey Weldon as an assistant for North Florida Christian in Tallahassee. Despite a loss in the spring game last year, the Eagles soared to the state championship game against Glades Day.

Now, following a 14-0 loss to city-rival Forest (Ocala), Holley is excited about guiding the Knights (5-5 last season) back to the playoffs – a position they haven’t been in since 2002.

“I really believe we are going to be in the playoffs,” said Holley, who was a guest on Countdown to Kick-off 2007 on July 2 at www.floridacast.com “I believe in this team. We have great athletes and great attitudes and I believe we’re going to have a heck of a year.”

Some of the optimism comes from the offensive side of the ball, which returns five starters this year. The Knights, who had 84 total kids come out in the spring, are led offensively by tight end Jeff Hawkins. Everything will be centered around the University of South Florida commitment, and dual threat quarterback Marquee Williams, who Holley calls an ‘explosive, dynamic player.’ Plus, the Knights have a legitimate home run threat in wide receiver Kevin Hardy, who may be the fastest player in the county.

Defensively, the Knights return just four starters, but guys like Williams (QB/SS), Hawkins (TE/LB), Doug Smith (OL/DL) and running back Peter Berry are players that Holley will need on the field both offensively and defensively. Holley’s approach won’t change, insisting on having his best players on the field at all times despite the depth in numbers.

The Knights will have to be road warriors in 2007, with key games at district runner-up Belleview (9/21) and at district champion Eastside (Gainesville) on Oct. 25. The Knights are at Forest (11/2), followed by Senior Day against North Marion (11/9), giving the Knights a tough three-game stretch at the end of the year.

“WILLISTON RED DEVILS PREVIEW”

Red Devils hope to compete with North Marion for the district title

Last year, I had heard from a Trinity Catholic parent about how physical Williston was

Jiwan James

in its football game at home against the Celtics. It was the epitome of ‘smash mouth’ football. The Red Devils stayed with them for a while, but eventually lost the game 28-10. The Celtics would go on and play for the Class 2B state championship, while Williston (8-4, 3-1) would finish runner-up in District 5-3A before falling in the second round of the state playoffs.

However, that game in early September earned the Red Devils a lot of respect in Marion County, which has had one of the top two football teams in this area the past couple of years. It was a senior-laden team for Williston last year, led by three-sport star Jiwan James, who turned down a commitment to play baseball at Florida and signed with the Philadelphia Phillies. Despite the loss of James and a lot of senior leaders, the Red Devils do return their starting quarterback Devin Timmons to run the option offense this season. The Devils are also excited about the play of Jiwan’s first cousin, CJ James, who had over 100 yards receiving in the spring game against Keystone Heights.

“Any time you run the option, the quarterback is key and he is coming back for us,” said fourth-year head coach Jamie Baker, whose Dad is the defensive coordinator. “It (option) gives us angles and it’s taylor-made for us because we’re not big up front.”

Last year, the Red Devils could afford to play its aggressive & physical style of defense because they ‘had seasoned kids that could get after it.’ However, this year it will take time for the younger players to adjust and develop. The offense, which also returns running back Travis Evans, may have to carry the load until the defense matures. According to Baker, the Red Devils ‘have a lot of young kids on defense.”

The schedule is tough and demanding, with all four district games back-to-back. However, the Red Devils get Dunnellon and state semifinalist North Marion at home. The Colts edged the Red Devils 27-21 in Williston last season, and the Red Devils are fortunate to draw them at home again this year.

“We’ve got to stay healthy during that run,” said Baker, who was a guest on Countdown to Kick-off 2007 on June 18 at www.floridacast.com. “We’re very fortunate that we’ve got them at home.”

The Red Devils open the season on August 31 at PK Yonge (Gainesville) and close out the year at Newberry (11/9).

“NEWBERRY PANTHERS PREVIEW”

There just might be a new kid on the block in District 4-2B this year.

Newberry RB - Antwan Ivey JON M. FLETCHER/The Times-Union

The defending district champion is Trinity Catholic (13-1, 4-0), which played in back-to-back state championship games and won the Class 2B state championship in 2005. But, the Celtics lost 26 seniors from last year’s state runner-up team, including last year's Gatorade National Football Player-of-the-Year and current Florida quarterback John Brantley.

Meanwhile, the Newberry Panthers (6-5, 3-1) clinched the district runner-up spot and the school's first regional playoff berth since 2001 with a 12-0 win over PK Yonge in the regular season finale. The Panthers also posted their first shutout since the 2003 season in that game en route to snapping a seven-game losing streak to the Blue Wave.

With 15 starters returning this season, including star running back Antwan Ivey, the Panthers should be considered one of the favorites to win the district championship. Ivey, who rushed for over 1,000 yards as a junior, is a dangerous back who is just as good as a return specialist as he is in the backfield. Senior quarterback Guy Brown also returns, along with FB/LB Xavier Woods, giving the Panthers a three-headed monster.

“He (Ivey) has great character and is very focused,” said Newberry coach Tommy Keeler, who was a guest on Countdown to Kick-off 2007 on June 11 at www.floridacast.com “There’s going to be a lot of eyes on him (this year)," he said. Between the two of them and Woods, we will be better offensively this year than last year.”

In the spring game against Buchholz (5/25), a 20-13 victory, Newberry averaged seven yards per carry with its option attack. The Panthers put Ivey in motion during the game, which opened up a lot of lanes for Brown. Plus, the return of Ryan Brown, the younger brother of Guy Brown, gives the Panthers another weapon on offense. The junior is talented and will play multiple positions, including wide receiver, slot and running back. He will give the Panthers a dual threat on kickoffs along with Ivey, who returned a kick 77 yards for a score against the Bobcats.

Defense will be the biggest challenge this year. The Panthers must replace two on the defensive line and two linebackers. Newberry is young defensively and very inexperienced. Keeler said the Panthers won’t be able to just line up and stop teams this year.

“We need to get tougher up front,” he said. “Our defensive coordinator must be creative and they (young players) must mature in their positions.”

Most of the big games are at home, including Union County (9/21) and the luxury of having a week off before hosting Trinity Catholic (10/6). The Panthers open the season at home against Class 3A Santa Fe (8/31).