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Week 4 high school football picks: Plenty of unbeatens left after Friday night

Nease defensive lineman Adrian Williams (44) drags down Sandalwood's Jeremiah Huntley (2) during a game last season. (Ralph D. Priddy, For News4Jax)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – High school football season is back and so are our weekly predictions.

News4Jax sports editor Justin Barney reveals his weekly high school football picks each Thursday. All games are 7 p.m. unless indicated.

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Last week: 28-6. Season: 57-17 (.770).

WEEK 4 PICKS

Friday, Sept. 25

Atlantic Coast (0-1) at Parker (1-1), 6 p.m.: Good Gateway matchup. Braves woke up last week and scored a ton. Stingrays limited Mandarin to just one offensive TD in Week 2. N4J pick: Parker 27, Atlantic Coast 20.

Bishop Snyder (1-2) at Branford (2-0), 7:30 p.m.: Tough matchup for the Cardinals here. N4J pick: Branford 28, Snyder 14.

Bradford (1-2) at Suwannee (2-1), 7:30 p.m.: I like the Bulldogs at home in this one. N4J pick: Suwannee 27, Bradford 21.

Carrollwood Day (1-1) at Fort White (0-1), 7:30 p.m.: Fort White bounces back after a loss to Santa Fe in its opener. N4J pick: Fort White 21, Carrollwood Day 20.

Columbia (0-0) at Trinity Christian (0-1): One of the best games of the week. Tigers make their debut. N4J pick: Columbia 27, Trinity 24.

Creekside (1-1) at Bolles (2-0), 7:30 p.m.: Knights have improved, as evidenced by their performances in the first two weeks. But Bolles has, too. N4J pick: Bolles 35, Creekside 20.

Eagle’s View (1-2) at Gainesville St. Francis (0-3): Warriors go on the road for a win. N4J pick: Eagle’s View 21, St. Francis 14.

East Lake (1-1) at Palatka (0-3): East Lake took Clay’s spot this week on the schedule for Palatka. N4J pick: East Lake 21, Palatka 14.

Englewood (0-2) at Middleburg (0-2): One team will emerge with a win and it’s going to be the Rams. Broncos have yet to score a point this season. N4J pick: Englewood 31, Middleburg 6.

Episcopal (2-0) at Baldwin (2-0), 6 p.m.: Back and forth on this game, but that Indians defense tips the scales in that direction. N4J pick: Baldwin 28, Episcopal 21.

Flagler Palm Coast (1-0) at Fletcher (1-1), 6 p.m.: Another great Week 4 game. FPC is coming off of a rout of Matanzas last week. Sens played well in a tough loss to unbeaten Fleming. N4J pick: FPC 30, Fletcher 20.

Hilliard (3-0) at St. Joseph (0-2): Special season brewing out in Hilliard. N4J pick: Hilliard 37, St. Joseph 14.

Interlachen (2-1) at Union County (1-1), 7:30 p.m.: Tough game to pick. Rams get one on the road. N4J pick: Interlachen 21, Union County 14.

Jackson (1-1) at Wolfson (0-2), 6 p.m.: Tigers are a different team this season. N4J pick: Jackson 37, Wolfson 7.

Lee (1-0) at Mandarin (1-1), 6 p.m.: Another excellent Gateway matchup. Generals in a close, defensive battle. N4J pick: Lee 19, Mandarin 13.

Menendez (1-1) at Ponte Vedra (2-0): The Kenny Sanchez Era lasted all of eight quarters at Menendez. How will players respond to that change? I say very well. But Sharks may push Bartram as the best team in St. Johns County this year. N4J pick: Ponte Vedra 28, Menendez 14.

Paxon (0-2) at Cedar Creek Christian (2-1): Golden Eagles' depth the difference in this one. N4J pick: Paxon 31, Cedar Creek 14.

Providence (1-1) at Munroe Day (3-0): Stallions lost to a 4A team last week, but not here. N4J pick: Providence 27, Munroe 20.

Raines (0-2) at Orange Park (0-2): Vikings get their first win for new coach Donovan Masline. N4J pick: Raines 33, Orange Park 6.

Ridgeview (2-0) at Fleming Island (2-0), 7:30 p.m.: Unbeaten Clay County showdown is all Golden Eagles. N4J pick: Fleming Island 33, Ridgeview 7.

St. Augustine (1-1) at Bartram Trail (2-0): I’ve gone back and forth on this one. N4J pick: St. Augustine 34, Bartram 30.

Sandalwood (1-0) at Ribault (0-1), 6 p.m.: Trojans played well at Lee in their opener. Can they clip the Saints? N4J pick: Sandalwood 27, Ribault 21.

Stanton (0-2) at Fernandina Beach (2-1): Pirates have definitely turned the corner this season. N4J pick: Fernandina Beach 36, Stanton 7.

University Christian (1-1) at Oakleaf (1-1): Depth of the Knights is too much for UC in this one. N4J pick: Oakleaf 35, UC 13.

Westside (1-1) White (1-1), 6 p.m.: Battle of the Westside goes to the Wolverines. N4J pick: Westside 30, White 24.

West Nassau (2-1) at Bishop Kenny (0-2): Warriors get back to their winning ways. N4J pick: West Nassau 35, Bishop Kenny 28.

Yulee (2-1) at Nease (0-2): Panthers get their first win in a close one. N4J pick: Nease 24, Yulee 17.

OTHERS

KEYSTONE HEIGHTS (1-1) over Umatilla (0-0), 7:30 p.m.; Matanzas (0-1) over PORT ORANGE ATLANTIC (0-0); Zephyrhills Christian (2-1) over CRESCENT CITY (0-2); NFEI (0-2) over Seffner Christian (0-2)

Off: Baker County, Christ’s Church, Clay, First Coast, Joshua Christian, Zarephath Academy.

WEEK 4 SCHEDULE

FLORIDA

All games at 7 p.m. unless indicated

Friday, Sept. 25

Atlantic Coast (0-1) at Parker (1-1), 6 p.m.

Bishop Snyder (1-2) at Branford (2-0), 7:30 p.m.

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

Carrollwood Day (1-1) at Fort White (0-1), 7:30 p.m.

Columbia (0-0) at Trinity Christian (0-1)

Creekside (1-1) at Bolles (2-0), 7:30 p.m.

Eagle’s View (1-2) at Gainesville St. Francis (0-3)

East Lake (1-1) at Palatka (0-3)

Englewood (0-2) at Middleburg (0-2)

Episcopal (2-0) at Baldwin (2-0), 6 p.m.

Flagler Palm Coast (1-0) at Fletcher (1-1), 6 p.m.

Hilliard (3-0) at St. Joseph (0-2)

Interlachen (2-1) at Union County (1-1), 7:30

Jackson (1-1) at Wolfson (0-2), 6 p.m.

Lee (1-0) at Mandarin (1-1), 6 p.m.

Matanzas (0-1) at Port Orange Atlantic (0-0)

Menendez (1-1) at Ponte Vedra (2-0)

Paxon (0-2) at Cedar Creek Christian (2-1)

Providence (1-1) at Munroe Day (3-0)

Raines (0-2) at Orange Park (0-2)

Ridgeview (2-0) at Fleming Island (2-0), 7:30 p.m.

St. Augustine (1-1) at Bartram Trail (2-0)

Sandalwood (1-0) at Ribault (0-1), 6 p.m.

Seffner Christian (0-2) at NFEI (0-2)

Stanton (0-2) at Fernandina Beach (2-1)

Umatilla (0-0) at Keystone Heights (1-1), 7:30 p.m.

University Christian (1-1) at Oakleaf (1-1)

Westside (1-1) White (1-1), 6 p.m.

West Nassau (2-1) at Bishop Kenny (0-2)

Yulee (2-1) at Nease (0-2)

Zephyrhills Christian (2-1) at Crescent City (0-2)

Off: Baker County, Christ’s Church, Clay, First Coast, Joshua Christian, Zarephath Academy.

GEORGIA

Thursday, Sept. 24

Brunswick (1-2) at Northeast Macon (1-0), 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 25

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

McIntosh County (0-2) at Charlton County (2-0), 7:30 p.m.

Ware County (2-0) at Thomson (3-0), 7:30 p.m.

Off: Glynn Academy, Pierce County.


About the Author
Justin Barney headshot

Justin Barney joined News4Jax in February 2019, but he’s been covering sports on the First Coast for more than 20 years.

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