Northeast Florida high school football, Week 10: Friday's games to watch
It's the next-to-last week of regular season football under the Friday night lights, and the final night of district action in high school football. Get ready.
Most of Friday night's action will be taking place outside Duval County, with the Georgia-Florida game pushing nearly a dozen contests forward to Thursday. Key games on the schedule include Matanzas vs. Menendez, two District 4-3S teams trying to hang on to a chance for a Florida High School Athletic Association at-large playoff berth; Fernandina Beach at Baker County, where the Pirates take on ace running back Cam Smith while fighting their way toward the favorable side of the postseason bubble; and Orange Park and Middleburg, a Clay County clash to determine second-place honors in District 3-3S.
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BOLLES HEADS TO BISHOP KENNY
Nearly 45 years have elapsed since Bishop Kenny last topped Bolles on the football field. Now, the private schools, traditional rivals in a multitude of sports, resume their rivalry after a three-year hiatus with the District 2-2M championship on the line.
Promising junior quarterbacks are on display. D.J. Moore missed nearly a month due to injury but excelled in his return two weeks ago against Wolfson, hitting 82 percent of his passes and throwing three touchdowns. To pull off the victory, Bishop Kenny will need a big night from Iowa-committed James Resar, among the city's best dual-threat QBs with 1,471 passing yards on the year.
The last Bishop Kenny victory in the series came on Nov. 18, 1977, a 29-0 Crusaders win that punched a playoff ticket. Coaching Bishop Kenny at that time was Mike Healey, now in charge on Stanton's sidelines. Since then, Bolles-BK meetings have ended in 27 consecutive wins for the blue and orange side. Bishop Kenny came close, though, in the last two contests: Bolles marched 82 yards in 80 seconds for a comeback 38-34 win in 2017, and scored two touchdowns in the final 2:16 to rally for the 31-28 victory in 2018.
Inside the rivalry: Last 10 meetings
Nov. 10, 1995 Bolles 65, Bishop Kenny 0
Nov. 15, 1996 Bolles 66, Bishop Kenny 0
Nov. 14, 1997 Bolles 48, Bishop Kenny 10
Nov. 13, 1998 Bolles 49, Bishop Kenny 0
Nov. 12, 1999 Bolles 52, Bishop Kenny 8
Nov. 10, 2000 Bolles 47, Bishop Kenny 3
Oct. 3, 2003 Bolles 55, Bishop Kenny 0
Oct. 1, 2004 Bolles 69, Bishop Kenny 0
Oct. 13, 2017 Bolles 38, Bishop Kenny 34
Oct. 12, 2018 Bolles 31, Bishop Kenny 28
TORNADOES SPIN INTO PALATKA
It's already a historic season for Bradford football. Adding a District 6-2S championship, which they can attain by defeating Palatka on Friday night at The Pit, would make a great year even better for Tornadoes fans.
Through eight games, Bradford has allowed only seven points, coming on a touchdown against Quincy Munroe. The other seven contests? All shutouts. There's been no way past Bryson Bowen, Chason Clark, Chalil Cummings and an all-around excellent defense. Palatka's offense, led by quarterback Jamarrie McKinnon and receivers Ty'ran Bush and Cartaveon Valentine, will be the latest team to try. Fernandina Beach halted the Panthers' winning run at seven games last time out.
Although not truly an annual rivalry, Bradford and Palatka have faced each other off and on for nearly a century, going back to a 6-0 shutout in favor of the Putnam County school in November 1933. The Tornadoes won the most recent matchup 36-6 in 2020, with 207 yards on the ground from Erric Smith.
YELLOW JACKETS PLAY FOR DISTRICT
One year after St. Augustine's playoff streak ended at 22 years, they've got a chance to formally begin a new one — and capture the District 4-3S championship in the process — if they defeat Clay at Foots Brumley Stadium.
St. Augustine has a 1,000-yard running back in Devonte Lyons and a promising quarterback in Locklan Hewlett. Better yet, both still have time to improve, in their junior and sophomore years, respectively. Clay has weathered ups and downs this season, but they've received consistent production from junior wideout Payton Dykas (47 catches, 862 receiving yards, 12 touchdowns). The Blue Devils remained alive in the district race by beating Matanzas last week.
The last meeting of Clay and St. Augustine took place in 2014, a 7-3 win for the Blue Devils at Foots Brumley Stadium. Clay's Colin Wilson, later a Super 11 selection in 2016, rushed for 176 yards on the night.
UNBEATEN BARTRAM TRAIL FACES OAKLEAF
Bartram Trail has already clinched District 3-4S. Oakleaf might need a miracle to claw back into the regional playoff chase. But whatever the record, Friday night's game promises fireworks.
Exhibit A: The outside matchup of Oakleaf wideout Taylor Bradshaw, coming off a sensational game against Madison County, against Bears corner Sharif Denson, who shut down Buchholz four-star receiver Jaren Hamilton last week. Throw in productive quarterbacks in Bartram Trail's Riley Trujillo and Drew Ammon, ground gainers like Laython Biddle and Devin Outlaw and the result is a fascinating contest, even though the Bears have been been more consistent in 2022.
Bartram Trail has won seven of eight all-time meetings with Oakleaf, including a 51-7 romp in the 2020 regional playoffs and a 49-33 win last year highlighted by 316 total yards from Trujillo and 259 from Oakleaf's Outlaw. In 2018, the two combined for 1,281 total yards and Oakleaf got 251 rushing yards with five touchdowns from Keshawn King to win one of Northeast Florida's highest-scoring games ever, 69-53.
BATTLE OF THE BRIDGE
Ponte Vedra's road to the playoffs likely won't be complete without victory in the Battle of the Bridge, against a rival in Nease whose season hasn't gone as planned after last year's regional final visit.
Super 11 quarterback Marcus Stokes (103 of 201, 1369 yards, 11 touchdowns), committed to Florida, is the driving force in the Nease offense. Ponte Vedra is situated squarely on the postseason bubble in Class 4S, but they're coming off a strong performance against Orange Park. Running back Brian Case scored three touchdowns, Trooper Price forced a pair of turnovers and Robbie Grieco, Ryker Kemp and Layne Swafford recorded sacks for an underrated pass rush.
Since Ponte Vedra opened its doors in 2008, the Sharks have largely controlled the series, winning 11 times to Nease's two. Last year, though, was an exception: Stokes rushed for 67 yards and Ben Bogle created two turnovers to lead the Panthers to the 14-7 victory in the season opener.
Inside the rivalry: Last 10 meetings
Sept. 21, 2012 Ponte Vedra 35, Nease 7
Aug. 30, 2013 Ponte Vedra 52, Nease 17
Aug. 29, 2014 Ponte Vedra 21, Nease 20
Aug. 28, 2015 Ponte Vedra 17, Nease 3
Aug. 26, 2016 Ponte Vedra 27, Nease 13
Aug. 25, 2017 Ponte Vedra 24, Nease 13
Aug. 24, 2018 Ponte Vedra 35, Nease 14
Aug. 23, 2019 Ponte Vedra 21, Nease 14
Sept. 11, 2020 Ponte Vedra 24, Nease 7
Aug. 27, 2021 Nease 14, Ponte Vedra 7
Friday football schedule
Atlantic Coast (0-8) at Creekside (6-2), 7 p.m.
Bartram Trail (8-0) at Oakleaf (4-4), District 3-4S, 7 p.m.
Bolles (5-3) at Bishop Kenny (7-1), District 2-2M, 7 p.m.
Bradford (8-0) at Palatka (7-1), District 6-2S, 7 p.m.
Chiefland (5-1) at Fort White (5-3), 7:30 p.m.
Clay (3-5) at St. Augustine (5-3), District 4-3S, 7 p.m.
Fernandina Beach (4-4) at Baker County (5-3), District 5-2S, 7 p.m.
Impact Christian (1-6) at San Antonio (Texas) Cornerstone Christian (1-7), 7 p.m.
Keystone Heights (1-6) at Tocoi Creek (5-3), District 6-2S, 7 p.m.
Menendez (4-4) at Matanzas (3-5), District 4-3S, 7 p.m.
North Florida Educational (3-4) at Christ's Church (1-7), District 1-1M, 7 p.m.
Orange Park (2-6) at Middleburg (3-5), District 3-3S, 7 p.m.
Ponte Vedra (4-4) at Nease (1-7), District 4-4S, 7 p.m.
TDH Academy (2-5) at Young Kids in Motion (3-3), 7 p.m.
Yulee (4-4) at West Nassau (2-7), District 5-2S, 7 p.m.
Providence (4-4) at Trinity Christian (8-0), District 1-1M, 7:30 p.m.
Ridgeview (1-8) at Columbia (5-3), District 3-3S, 7:30 p.m.
Suwannee (5-3) at Wakulla (7-2), District 4-2S, 7:30 p.m.
Zarephath Academy (3-5) at Lakeland Christian (6-1), 7:30 p.m.
SSAC playoffs
5A: Legacy Charter (4-3) at Bishop Snyder (5-3), 7 p.m.
5A: Cedar Creek Christian (4-3) at Seven Rivers Christian (6-2), 7:30 p.m.
4A: Harvest Community (2-5) at Lighthouse Private Christian (1-7), 7 p.m.
3A : Orlando Faith Christian (3-5) vs. Eagle's View (2-5), at SOS, 7 p.m.
Atlantic League: Cocoa Beach (5-2) at Paxon (2-6), 6:30 p.m.
Atlantic League: Stanton (1-6) at Interlachen (8-0), 7:30 p.m.
GEORGIA
Clinch County (8-1) at Charlton County (5-2), 7:30 p.m.
Ware County (6-0) at Statesboro (3-5), 7:30 p.m.
BYE: Camden County (6-3), Glynn Academy (5-4), Hilliard (6-2), Riverside (3-6), Union County (5-2), University Christian (8-1)
Clayton Freeman covers high school sports and more for the Florida Times-Union. Follow him on Twitter at @CFreemanJAX.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: High school football Friday: Jacksonville Week 10 games, previews, schedule
