Volusia-Flagler-St. Johns high school football roundup: Jackson gets statement win over Nease

It was an explosive, dual-threat quarterback who decided the Jackson-Nease Super 11 matchup.

Just maybe not the one that people expected.

Jackson junior King Johnson and wide receiver Terrance Holland combined to help tip the balance Friday night, leading the Tigers past host Nease 30-10 on a soggy night in St. Johns County.

Down goes a Class 7A regional finalist from 2021. And up, once again, is a Jackson team raising its flag high on the First Coast football map.

"A lot of people doubt us because of our program in the past years not winning, having losing records," Holland said. "But Coach [Christopher] Foy came in and turned our program around."

The pair stepped into the starring roles in a game long billed as a showdown between Nease quarterback Marcus Stokes and Jackson linebacker Grayson Howard, committed to Florida and South Carolina, respectively.

But Johnson and Holland, back from an injury that shortened his 2021 campaign to three and a half games, wrote their own script.

"I know what kind of ability [Holland] has," Foy said. "It's a matter of time. This kid is going to light up this city."

The Tigers advanced one step further in their multi-year revival, bouncing back crisply from last week's season-opening loss to Southeast Georgia power Brunswick.

The warning to Northeast Florida: Look out.

While Johnson and Holland lit up the scoreboard for Jackson, Nease's Stokes endured a rough outing.

Stokes, who did not start Nease's opening series, finished 5 of 20 for 80 yards. He rushed for a touchdown but missed a stretch of the second half after a crunching collision with Howard on a quarterback keeper.

He returned to the game but threw a pick-six to Jackson's Latavion Thomas.

Drafts said that Stokes did not start after an illness had forced him to miss the week's practices.

FLAGLER PALM COAST 38, SUWANNEE 10

FPC flattened Suwannee to the tune of 351 rushing yards as both Marcus Mitchell and Landin Simmons surpassed the century mark for the evening.

Rodney Hill ran for two touchdowns, and Dennis Murray Jr. topped 100 all-purpose yards with a pair of scores.

The Bulldogs, No. 2 in the tri-county power rankings, visit No. 1 Mainland on Thursday.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH 13, EAST RIVER 0

Malakai Hudson rushed 15 times for 101 yards and two touchdowns, Jvontae Hayward added 112 rushing yards on 21 carries and the 'Cudas pitched a defensive shutout to defeat East River.

Caron Moore had an interception, and Garrett Marshall threw for 104 yards for New Smyrna Beach (1-0), which travels to Zephyrhills Christian next Friday.

CREEKSIDE 49, VIERA 0

Nicky Williams rushed for two first-quarter touchdowns as the Knights unleashed 42 points in the first 14 minutes to rout the visiting Hawks.

Daniel Approbato scored the opening touchdown and Tyler Jenkins scored a pick-six. Wilson Edwards threw touchdowns to Brendon McMillan and Andrew Kelley.

Creekside welcomes Nease to "The Castle" at 7 p.m. next Friday.

MENENDEZ 43, RIDGEVIEW 0

The Falcons (1-0) produced a "complete team effort," in the words of head coach Matt Potak in dismantling Ridgeview.

Christian Coleman ran for two touchdowns, Kani Harris scored two more and Cason Blanco capped off a dominant first-half display with a 60-yard touchdown run. Liam Malloy set the tone defensively with an early interception.

Menendez travels to Englewood, a 35-6 winner over Paxon, in Week 2.

HAGERTY 28, UNIVERSITY 7

Chance Bennett returned a kickoff for a 90-yard touchdown, Anthony White scored twice on the ground and Ian Miller caught a touchdown pass as the host Huskies handed University (0-1) its first loss of the year.

The Titans take on Oviedo next week in their home opener.

MOORE HAVEN 50, ATLANTIC 22

John Killingsworth scored two first-half touchdowns, but Moore Haven scored 29 unanswered points to pull away from Atlantic.

The Sharks will seek their first win in next week's road trip to Palatka.

HALIFAX 26, TRINITY CHRISTIAN 18

Karl Nelson completed 8 of 13 passes for 230 yards with two touchdowns, Tola Dixon threw one touchdown and ran for another and the Knights ended a 10-game losing streak that dated back to the final week of the 2020 regular season.

The Knights' defense produced five sacks and eight tackles for loss. Next up, Halifax hosts Cedar Creek Christian at 7 p.m. next Friday.

TAYLOR 30, TRINITY PREP 0

It did not take long for Wildcats head coach Antuarn Williams to find the focal point of his team's running game.

Anthony Miler broke out for 179 yards and three touchdowns as Taylor (1-0) throttled Trinity Prep. Wess Henry scored a touchdown, and Elias Real kicked a 35-yard field goal.

On defense, Kalib Williamson, Grant Raulerson, Jacob Braddock and Francisco Perez notched a sack apiece, and Alex Gomez secured a first-half interception.

Taylor heads to Legacy Charter at 6 p.m. next Friday.

WINDERMERE PREP 36, FATHER LOPEZ 0

The Green Wave opened the year with a heavy home defeat to FHSAA independent Windermere Prep.

Jake Croke rushed for a touchdown in the second quarter and beat the halftime buzzer with a 16-yard scoring pass to Jackson Bennett. Bennett had a rushing touchdown and a pick-six in the fourth quarter as the Lakers broke the game open.

OAK HALL 6, ST. JOSEPH ACADEMY 0

The Flashes waited more than two hours to kick off due to a weather delay, and only got a quarter's worth of action in before the game was called.

Briggs Copeland's long touchdown run was the only scoring of the evening.

St. Joseph visits Father Lopez in Week 2.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Volusia-Flagler-St. Johns Week 1 high school football roundup