Northeast Florida high school football Week 4: Bolles-Trinity, White-Parker, games to watch

Football season's one-third mark is here.

For about a dozen Jacksonville-area teams, district play begins in earnest this week, including the intensely-contested District 3-4S. The five teams in that district — Bartram Trail, Creekside, Fleming Island, Gainesville Buchholz and Oakleaf — enter the weekend with a combined record of 13-1.

Key contests on the gridiron include First Coast's game against Riverside, a likely defensive struggle that's relocating from the Backyard to the Buccaneers' Shipyard; Grayson Howard, King Johnson and Jackson's quest to stay perfect against Sunshine State opponents when they meet visiting Spruce Creek; and the annual Brain Bowl between the academic magnets Paxon and Stanton, always an intense occasion no matter the teams' records.

Take a look at some more key storylines to watch for Friday night.

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TRINITY, BOLLES RENEW SERIES

There aren't many games in Jacksonville quite like Bolles-Trinity Christian. It's become a much-anticipated private-school slugfest, and even though Bolles lost its unbeaten mark last week against Brunswick at the Border Classic, anticipation remains sky-high.

Last year, Bolles rode the legs of Kade Frew (now at Air Force) and its ground game to stampede Trinity 35-0. Yet that didn't stop Trinity from capturing the Class 2A state championship, and with rushing duo Darnell Rogers and Treyaun Webb in prime form (614 combined yards despite resting for most of last week's game) to start the 2022 season, the Conquerors would love nothing more than to turn the tables this year.

Watch out for the contest of Bolles' experienced secondary against Trinity sophomore quarterback Colin Hurley, one of several stars in this game with more Bulldogs-Conquerors battles still to come. That's particularly true on the orange and blue side, where many of Bolles' top early performers are underclassmen: freshman receiver Naeem Burroughs, sophomore running back Emmett Grzebin and junior defensive tackle Garrison Butler among them.

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CLAY COUNTY RIVALS COLLIDE

Over the past decade, this annual matchup has more often than not grown into a head-to-head contest for top honors in Clay County, and in 2022, there's District 3-4S standing at stake as well.

Watch the ground game. A healthy Devin Outlaw is a dangerous force for Oakleaf, and in his first two games of the season, he rushed for 261 yards against Orange Park and 135 against Baker County. Fleming Island, meanwhile, includes not only Super 11 selection Samuel Singleton (291 yards) but also Musthafa Marshall (144) and Tay'Shaun Smith (106). Sophomore QB Cibastian Broughton can turn any scramble into a highlight, too.

Oakleaf holds the 6-5 series edge, but Fleming Island won 49-34 on a four-touchdown career night for two-way star Jhace Edwards.

COMMANDERS, BRAVES FACE OFF

A rematch of the thriller that didn't count. Last year's meeting was memorable on the field, won 30-27 by the Commanders after Isiah Teal led a 91-yard go-ahead march in 93 seconds, but the Florida High School Athletic Association assessed a forfeit against White for using an ineligible player.

So far, nobody has slowed down White's offense in 2022. That includes Trinity Christian, which managed to overcome the Commanders not by limiting their offense but by outscoring them in a 48-40 barn-burner. Benny Lewis, Davaughn Patterson, Tavales Thomas and quarterback Isiah Teal have combined for 732 yards on the ground.

For Parker to change the pattern, they'll have to put a stop to the miscues and the plain missed opportunities that marred their consecutive losses to Riverside and Hawthorne and leave the Braves in peril of a 1-3 start. But their defense, led by C.J. Dorsey and Lashun Mays, can get the job done.

UNBEATEN BUCHHOLZ CHALLENGES CREEKSIDE

After graduating 19 seniors last year, Creekside on paper might have looked set for a drop-off in head coach Sean McIntyre's sixth season. The Knights' message so far? Not so fast.

The 2022 Creekside looks a lot like the 2021 version, just with different names. Running back Nicky Williams, taking over in the Preston Strope role, ranks first in the area and 17th in Florida with more than 500 rushing yards, including eight touchdowns in the past two games.

But there's a steamroller in their path in Buchholz, a 2021 state semifinalist that looks strong enough to reach that stage or beyond in the FHSAA's new Metro-Suburban format. Florida-committed quarterback Creed Whittemore is at the controls to target receivers Jaren Hamilton — juggling offers from the likes of Alabama and Michigan — and Jacarree Kelly. Buchholz bounced the Knights 46-13 from the 2020 postseason.

BATTLE OF HIGHWAY 90

Who holds the upper hand in District 5-2S? Baldwin's game at Baker County will provide an early indication.

Baldwin has become the unofficial ball-hawk squad of the Gateway Conference, with three picks already for Octavius Barnes and four for Leon Kirkland. This defense has forced 10 turnovers already. Then again, with senior running back Cam Smith coming off 336 total yards against Richmond Hill in last week's Border Classic, Baker County may not feel the need to put the ball in the air in the first place.

Only a nine-mile drive along U.S. Highway 90 separates the two schools in a series that the Wildcats have long dominated. Baker County defeated Baldwin 49-21 last year, fueled by Smith's 224 rushing yards.

FLETCHER, NEASE SCRAMBLE FOR TURNAROUND

Last year, Fletcher and Nease both tasted playoff football, and both returned future Football Bowl Subdivision quarterbacks. But the sequel hasn't gone as planned: a 1-2 start for Fletcher after last week's overtime loss to Jackson, and an 0-3 opening for the Panthers.

The spotlight is on the quarterbacks. For Fletcher, USF-bound Marcelis Tate has shouldered an overwhelming load on the offense, passing for 704 yards — 256 of those to reliable junior Anthony Vaglienti — and accounting for all but 109 of the Senators' yards on the ground. It's been an up-and-down start for Nease's Super 11 prospect Marcus Stokes (39 of 90, 483 yards, 2 TD, 4 INT), but he's still dangerous: a 289-yard night against Creekside two weeks ago proved that once more.

The 2021 meeting at Jack Taylor Stadium was one to remember: Nease led until the final 17 seconds, when Tate commanded an 80-yard drive, Jabarri Williams plowed into the end zone for a touchdown and Fletcher denied a last-ditch hook-and-lateral for a 14-13 win that seized control of District 3-7A.

INSIDE THE BRAIN BOWL: PAXON vs. STANTON

Since Stanton resumed its varsity football program in 1998 as Stanton College Preparatory School, the academic magnets have made 24 times with an exact 12-12 split after Paxon's victories in 2020 and 2021. Paxon has lost its last three games, Stanton its last 14, but whichever team wins Friday can claim top honors for the first quarter-century of the rivalry's revival.

Nov. 13, 1998    Stanton 27, Paxon 20

Nov. 12, 1999    Stanton 19, Paxon 14

Nov. 9, 2000    Stanton 37, Paxon 0

Oct. 28, 2005    Paxon 13, Stanton 9

Oct. 26, 2006    Stanton 34, Paxon 31 (2OT)

Sept. 21, 2007    Paxon 40, Stanton 23

Oct. 12, 2007    Paxon 26, Stanton 21

Sept. 26, 2008    Stanton 17, Paxon 14

Oct. 17, 2008    Paxon 38, Stanton 35

Sept. 25, 2009    Stanton 35, Paxon 28

Nov. 6, 2009    Paxon 28, Stanton 20

Sept. 24, 2010    Stanton 14, Paxon 13

Nov. 5, 2010    Stanton 27, Paxon 25

Nov. 10, 2011    Stanton 36, Paxon 11

Nov. 9, 2012    Paxon 19, Stanton 6

Sept. 20, 2013    Paxon 21, Stanton 7

Sept. 19, 2014    Paxon 30, Stanton 7

Oct. 29, 2015    Paxon 49, Stanton 20

Oct. 27, 2016    Paxon 30, Stanton 9

Oct. 26, 2017    Stanton 27, Paxon 26

Oct. 25, 2018    Stanton 20, Paxon 17

Oct. 11, 2019    Stanton 35, Paxon 25

Oct. 15, 2020    Paxon 43, Stanton 16

Nov. 5, 2021    Paxon 56, Stanton 7

Thursday's games

Bartram Trail (3-0) at Tallahassee Lincoln (3-0)

Clay (1-2) at Gainesville (0-3), District 4-3S

Friday's games

FLORIDA

West Oaks Academy (0-2) at Young Kids in Motion (1-1), 6 p.m.

First Coast (1-1) at Riverside (2-1), 6:30 p.m.

Mandarin (2-1) at Atlantic Coast (0-3), District 1-4M, 6:30 p.m.

Ribault (2-1) at Westside (1-2), 6:30 p.m.

Spruce Creek (1-2) at Jackson (3-1), 6:30 p.m.

Stanton (0-3) at Paxon (0-3), 6:30 p.m.

White (2-1) at Parker (1-2), 6:30 p.m.

Baldwin (2-1, 1-0) at Baker County (2-0), District 5-2S, 7 p.m.

Bradford (2-0) at Gainesville Eastside (2-0), 7 p.m.

Cedar Creek Christian (2-0) at Bishop Snyder (2-1), 7 p.m.

Eagle's View (0-2) at St. Joseph (1-2), 7 p.m.

Fletcher (1-2) at Nease (0-3), 7 p.m.

Gainesville Buchholz (2-0) at Creekside (3-0), District 3-4S, 7 p.m.

Mayo Lafayette (2-1) at Hilliard (2-1), 7 p.m.

Melbourne (2-1) at Orange Park (1-2), 7 p.m.

Ponte Vedra (0-2) at Middleburg (0-3), 7 p.m.

Providence (1-2) at North Florida Educational (2-1), District 1-1M, 7 p.m.

Ridgeview (1-2) at Tocoi Creek (2-1), 7 p.m.

St. Augustine (1-2) at Menendez (2-1), District 4-3S, 7 p.m.

TDH Academy (0-3) at Bishop Kenny (3-0), 7 p.m.

Union County (1-1) at P.K. Yonge (0-1), 7 p.m.

West Nassau (1-2) at Episcopal (2-0), 7 p.m.

Wolfson (1-2) at Harvest Community (2-0), 7 p.m.

Zarephath Academy (1-2) at Lakeland Victory Christian (1-2), 7 p.m.

Bolles (2-1) at Trinity Christian (3-0), 7:30 p.m.

Christ's Church (0-3) at University Christian (3-0), District 1-1M, 7:30 p.m.

Fernandina Beach (1-2) at Interlachen (3-0), 7:30 p.m.

Fort White (1-2) at Hamilton County (0-2), 7:30 p.m.

Impact Christian (1-1) at Keystone Heights (0-2), 7:30 p.m.

Madison County (2-0) at Columbia (1-2), 7:30 p.m.

Oakleaf (2-1) at Fleming Island (3-0), District 3-4S, 7:30 p.m.

Wildwood (2-1) at Suwannee (1-2), 7:30 p.m.

GEORGIA

Pierce County (3-0) at Charlton County (3-1), 7:30 p.m.

Savannah Islands (0-4) at Brunswick (3-0), 7:30 p.m.

Somerset Academy (1-1) at Camden County (2-2), 7:30 p.m.

Saturday's games

Yulee (2-1) at Port St. Lucie Tradition Prep (0-1), 1 p.m.

BYE: Beachside (2-1), Englewood (2-1), Glynn Academy (2-2), Palatka (3-0), Raines (2-1), Sandalwood (1-2), Ware County (3-0)

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: Bolles-Trinity Christian, Week 4 games to watch