Santa Fe (Alachua) Raiders (Class 5A-District 5)
2013 Record: 6-4
Head Coach: Bill Wiles
Key Players: Jemari Ford (RB/QB/DB, Sr.), Kenyatta Patterson (C/Slot, Jr.), Caysaun Wakeley (RB/LB, Jr.), Kham Taylor (TE/DE, Jr.), Austin Gay (DL/OL, Sr.), Bryce Sherman (RB/OLB, Sr.), Walter Jenkins (DE/LB, Jr.), Andrew Colvin (DE/OT, Sr.), Raekwon Bethea (DT/OT, Sr.), Angel Cruz (OL/DL, Sr.)
Outlook: The Raiders return five starters on offense. Because of his size and physicality, Taylor (6-4, 235) will make big contributions in 2014. Gay is one of the most explosive linemen on the team. He is strong, fast, and plays with great effort. Ford is a great player with the ball in his hands. He had 1,304 all-purpose yards last season, and he rushed for 226 yards and three touchdowns on 22 carries in the spring game. Cruz is a returning starter who plays with tremendous effort, and he is one of the most improved players in the spring along with Colvin.
Santa Fe returns seven starters on defense. Wakeley (89 tackles), Jenkins (84 tackles, 6 sacks), Sherman (61 tackles, 2 INT) are back, while Bethea, who has untapped potential according to Wiles, has a chance to be dominating.
According to Wiles, everything rides on how this group develops on several different levels. “We have a long way to go in the toughness department, both physical and mental,” he said. “If this group applies itself and becomes a team, gets tougher, attacks the weight room in the summer, and gets focused mentally, we will have a good football team.”
2014 Football Schedule
Friday, August 22 – at PK Yonge (Gainesville), 7:30 p.m.
Friday, August 29 – vs. Newberry, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, September 5 – vs. Creekside (St. Johns), 7:30 p.m.
Friday, September 12 – vs. Suwannee (Live Oak), 7:30 p.m.*
Friday, September 19 – at Dunnellon, 7:30 p.m.*
Friday, September 26 – vs. Interlachen, 7:30 p.m.*
Friday, October 10 – vs. Crystal River, 7:30 p.m.*
Friday, October 17 – vs. Belleview, 7:30 p.m.*
Friday, October 24 – at North Marion (Citra), 7:30 p.m.*
Friday, October 31 – at Eastside (Gainesville), 7:30 p.m.*
Thursday, November 6 – at Keystone Heights, 7:30 p.m.
*District game
“The Prep Zone” will count down to kick-off with a daily preview of high school football teams in the North Central Florida area. Here are the future release dates:
CLASS 5A-DISTRICT 5
July 16 – Suwannee (Live Oak)
CLASS 5A-DISTRICT 6
July 17 – Central (Brooksville)
July 18 – Weeki Wachee
July 19 – Hernando (Brooksville)
July 20 – Nature Coast (Brooksville)
July 21 – South Sumter (Bushnell)
CLASS 6A-DISTRICT 3
July 22 – Columbia (Lake City)
CLASS 6A-DISTRICT 5
July 23 – Citrus (Inverness)
July 24 – Gainesville
July 25 – Lake Weir (Ocala)
July 26 – Vanguard (Ocala)
July 27 – Forest (Ocala)
CLASS 6A-DISTRICT 6
July 28 – Springstead (Spring Hill)
CLASS 7A-DISTRICT 3
July 29 – Buchholz (Gainesville)
CLASS 8A-DISTRICT 1
July 30 – West Port (Ocala)
